Dawn reached down and grabbed her binder. Looking through it, she pulled out a packet. “I took notes on what Dr. Buchanan told me. I want you to look this over and make sure nothing was left out. I’m not going to make you repeat everything to me. There is no reason for you to keep reliving it. Just read through the notes and let me know if something needs to be added or corrected.”
Becky actually wanted to hug her. She was so sick and tired of talking about it. Every time she had to, it was like reliving it allover again. “Thank you.” Becky took the notes, placing them on the desk.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you, Becky.” Dawn’s expression grew more serious. “From what I’ve been told, this is hard to believe. It goes against everything, and I mean everything, I learned in medical school as well as my years of practicing. But I promise you I will do everything I can to keep you and this baby healthy. I will also help you figure out exactly what was done to you.”
Feeling her chin begin to wobble, Becky could only nod because if she spoke, her words would just come out as one big sob.
“And I will make sure Dr. Phillips, as well as any other doctor involved in using women for their own greed, never practices medicine again.” Dawn leaned forward, her expression hardening. “They will be held responsible for what they’ve done.”
Becky stared at Dawn for a long time. She believed her. She didn’t even question herself on trusting this woman, this doctor, after everything she had been through. It was a gut feeling that what this woman was saying was real and true.
“Obviously you know that my husband is a vampire,” Becky said, watching her closely.
“I do,” Dawn replied, not breaking eye contact. “And to be honest again, that is out of my expertise. Yet I am fascinated by the concept that a vampire can become fertile by Golden Blood transfusions. Everyone in the medical field knows about Golden Blood because of the rarity. I have personally never had a patient with this blood type, and there has not been much research done, but I absolutely agree with Dr. Buchanan that this needsto stay within these walls. If the medical world found out about the power of this blood, then those who possess it will become targets.”
Becky’s stomach dropped. “Targets.”
“Yes.” Dawn didn’t sugarcoat it, and Becky appreciated that more than she probably should. “For research, money and God knows what else. Rare blood types are already highly protected in the medical world, but this is different. If what Dr. Buchanan believes is true, then this blood doesn’t just protect vampires from silver. It changes things no one understands yet.”
Becky’s hand moved to her stomach without thought. “Like this baby.”
Dawn’s eyes followed the movement, her expression softening. “Possibly. But I want to be very clear about something. I’m not here to study you, Becky. I’m not here to study your baby. But there are people out there who will go to great lengths to do exactly that if word gets out.”
Those words hit Becky hard. Not because she didn’t believe them, but because she did. For days, it felt like everyone had been talking about her, around her, and over her. What had been done to her and what it meant. But Dawn was looking straight at her and warning her about the one thing Becky was already starting to feel: to the wrong people, she and this baby wouldn’t be seen as a woman and child. They’d be seen as a medical mystery to solve. A discovery to claim.
Becky’s hand pressed more firmly against her stomach. No. That wasn’t going to happen. She didn’t care who came at them, what title they carried, or what power they thought they had. Doctor.Demon. Scientist. Greedy bastard in a suit. None of them were getting near her baby.
Becky blinked hard, fighting the tears that wanted to come again. She was so damn sick of feeling weak, confused, and scared. But as her hand stayed pressed against her stomach, something inside her shifted. This child may not have been planned. It may have been impossible. It may have scared the hell out of every Warrior in that compound, including Sloan, but none of that mattered. Not anymore.
Because this baby was already loved and she would protect her or him with her life.
Becky took a slow breath, her fingers curling protectively against her stomach. She didn’t know what Golden Blood had done, what Dr. Phillips had tried to do or who else was involved. Nor did she know what the Warriors would decide, what Sloan would do, or what danger waited outside those walls. But she knew one thing with a certainty that settled deep in her bones.
If anyone thought Becky Spencer was going to sit back and let them use her child in any way, then they were about to learn that Sloan Murphy wasn’t the only deadly parent this child had.
CHAPTER 25
Sloan walked to the interrogation room in silence. He couldn’t stop thinking about what had been said in his office. His men were reeling from all of this as much as he was, and that wasn’t acceptable. He needed to step it up and get his shit together for Becky, for his men, and now for a child he still couldn’t wrap his fucking head around.
The thought of resigning was still there, sitting heavy in the back of his mind, but Daniel was right.
Again.
Damn the kid.
Sloan leaving wouldn’t stop what was coming. It wouldn’t protect Becky or their child. Hell, it would make his men look weaker if their leader was seen as running when shit got hard.
Sloan smirked at that thought. He definitely wasn’t a runner. Never had been. But damn if that wasn’t exactly what he had thought about doing. Taking Becky and running as far away from all of this as he could get her just to keep her safe.
His smirk faded.
No matter how far he ran, he’d still be Sloan Murphy. Nothing would change that.And whatever was coming would still come.
So, he stopped thinking like a man who wanted to hide what mattered most to him and started thinking like the leader who would destroy anything that threatened it.
Turning the corner, he was surprised to see Rafe standing with Daniel, Adam, and Slade.
“Wanted to see what all the talk was about.” Rafe grinned, standing there with his arms crossed. “Heard the Cincinnati Branch was filled with some badasses.”
