Stone shakes his head then looks at me.
“I’ll take care of this; you go be with Sutton.Raegan and Ivy will be there shortly.I want to make sure everyone is covered.”
“Let me know if you need anything,” I tell him as my mind goes on autopilot.
“Just focus on your family, brother,” Stone pushes me to where Riot and Blade are standing.“Send me updates every thirty minutes.”
I follow Riot and Blade to the van as Reaper is loading up Sutton’s father in another van.
“You’ll never get away with this!”the cult leader yells.“No one will believe you.”
“Who said anything about telling people?People go missing or burn up in buildings all the time,” Brass says offhandedly.He starts laughing at his own joke, getting in the other vehicle and gives us a wink before slamming the door closed, muting the man’s screams.
Once in the van, Riot takes off heading towards the main road.All I can think about is what is waiting for me when we get to the hospital.Over the last few months, I’ve dreaded going there because there was little hope to be had when we thought Sutton was in the explosion and burned up.
Just when we have hope that she’s okay, we find ourselves back at a place I dread going.I just hope the outcome is better than the last one we had.
When we arrive at the hospital, I start demanding answers about what is happening with my woman.The nurses start throwing words and phrases out that I don’t fucking understand, and my brain wants to explode.Ian and Melissa come out of a room where a security guard is standing and right over to me.
“How are they?”I ask, holding my breath and bracing for the worst.
Melissa’s eyes soften as she grabs my hand.“As good as can be expected,” she starts.“Sutton hasn’t had prenatal care for almost eight months, so we are running every test and giving her as many nutrients as we can without overloading her system.She’s underweight, but the baby is measuring pretty big.”
“That’s good, right?”Riot asks beside me as I try to soak all the information in.
“It is considering what she’s been through,” Ian speaks up after clearing his throat.“Our biggest worry is her blood pressure.We think it’s the cause of her passing out and cramping.Preeclampsia is our concern?—”
“What’s that?”I find myself asking.
“It’s a condition formed after twenty weeks that affects both mother and baby.It can cause the mother to have high blood pressure and can damage her organ system because the blood vessels begin to narrow.It disrupts the blood flow to the placenta causing a lack of oxygen and nutrient supply to the baby.In some cases, it can be fatal if it goes untreated,” Ian tells us like he’s reciting the dictionary.
“And she has it?”I warily question.“What about all the blood?”
Melissa squeezes my hand.“Her blood pressure is high, and we are monitoring her organs and urine.We think the blood is a cervical issue, but everything with the baby looks good.It has a strong heartbeat, and the scans so far are positive and healthy.Sutton’s done a great job considering what she’s been through.She’s going to be here on bedrest until I deem her safe to deliver or go home and wait to deliver.”
“Fuckin’ hate hospitals,” Riot mumbles under his breath.
“The most important thing for her right now is to stay calm and stress free,” Ian says raising an eyebrow.
Melissa knocks her hand against Ian’s side, chastising him like a child for saying something he shouldn’t in front of people.
“We don’t want anything to raise her blood pressure, so keep everything light and loving.The goal is to get her to at least thirty-four to thirty-six weeks if we can,” Melissa tells us.“I think it’s best we don’t share what happened with Rocky until a later time.”Melissa’s eyes well with tears.“They were very close, but I think it’s best if you hold off until we can make sure she’s stable enough to receive that type of news.”
“And if she asks?”Riot speaks up.
“We’ll tell her that he’s sick or off on a mission that Stone or his dad set up for him,” Melissa chokes out.“We are not going to risk her health or that precious baby’s.”
“Can I see her?”
“Of course,” Ian says, motioning towards the room they exited earlier.“She’s awake.We have a nurse sitting with her.We’re going to be moving her up to the labor and delivery area of the hospital after we get a few more tests back.”
I turn to Riot.“Call in a few prospects to start shifts.Until we know our next move on Sanchez, I want her protected.There’s no telling what that bastard will plan now that we’ve ruined his and Walter’s scheme.”
He nods and pulls out his phone, making the calls while I follow Ian and Melissa to the cubicle.Ian slides the glass door open, and when my eyes gaze at the woman in the bed hooked up to monitors, my heart skips a beat.Sutton looks even more like an angel than the first day she walked into that bar and sealed her life to mine.
Her jade colored eyes meet mine, and my feet nearly sprint over to her side.She’s cleaned up and in a hospital gown with several blankets across her lap.A prominent belly is poking out with little discs strapped around it.
“Beckett,” she says my name like a prayer, and even though she’s got an oxygen mask on, I can still hear the disbelief in her voice.“I’m not dreaming?You’re really here?”
