“You know how it works here. We live in a small town, and it’s going to take that long for our technician to catch a flight over. Your only other option is to pay for a medical flight for Katherine from here to the nearest hospital. But that could take twice as long, will be very expensive, and at this point, I don’t think it’s necessary. I believe she is just experiencing some anxiety and high blood pressure. Rest should do the trick.”
Beckett gives my hand a tight squeeze before he releases it and walks over into the doctor’s space. “Do you know how to work the ultrasound machine?”
“In theory. It’s been years since I’ve done an ultrasound.”
“Well, you are about to get some on the job experience,” Beckett says.
The doctor stares at all of us, none of us willing to back down. He sighs. “I’ll get the machine set up and see if it gives us any insight.”
The seconds tick by as I lay back on the exam table with the two men flanking either side of me.
The doctor takes his sweet time setting up the machine, fumbling with buttons, and then
squirting the gooey ooze onto my stomach. He places the wand on my stomach and begins moving it around.
The screen isn’t facing me, so I have no idea what the doctor sees on the screen or if he sees anything.
Hours tick by. In reality, it was only a few minutes, but in my head, worry has paused time. I can’t speak, my voice is gone, my heart is beating frantically with hope that the baby is still okay. That my little part of Enzo isn’t gone.
I look into my father’s eyes. Tears are now free-falling down his face, his nose is red, and his face solemn. He’s already given up hope that the baby is still alive. But the fact that it affects him this much surprises me and makes my heart forgive him that tiny amount I was never going to give him. I was never going to fully forgive him. I do now.
I look to my left where Beckett is gripping my hand like if he lets go, I’ll fall to my death. I may not physically fall, but without the strength of these two men holding onto me, I would fall. I would die. I’ve felt heartbreak before. I live with heartbreak every single day. This baby is the only thing keeping me alive. Without the baby, I’d be dead, from a broken heart.
My heart thuds louder in my chest, each beat potentially being my last. With one word from the doctor telling me the baby is gone, my heart will shatter again. My heart is already weak and vulnerable. This time it wouldn’t be a slow sputtering into darkness. This time I will rapidly decline until my last breath.
I will have nothing left to fight for. And the pain of losing Enzo combined with the pain of losing my child is too much.
“Doctor?” Beckett asks, blinking back tears as he looks into the doctor’s terrified face.
I tighten my grip on both men’s hands. Preparing as best as I can for the coming words. Words that will do more damage than any knife or bullet ever could. His words will pierce right through my heart—healing it or obliterating it.
The doctor looks at Beckett, then at my father. Silently saying something with just his glance.
No, no, no, no…
The only reason he would have to prepare them is if the news is bad. And I can’t handle it.
The doctor finally looks at me. I can’t read his face. His expression has changed. His words slow. And then he delivers the news that will change my life forever…
9
Enzo
I found Felix two days ago.
It took everything in me not to shoot him dead in the street the first time I saw him climbing into his Lamborghini. But I need information before I can kill him. I need to know every person who backs him. I need to know every person following him. Every person responsible for Kai’s death. Because none of them get to survive. And I want no one left to continue the Black organization. The ones on my side need to find new jobs. And the ones against me deserve to die slowly and tortuously.
So I’ve been tracking Felix’s movements from the shadows. And he’s in Los Angeles to gather more men. To get more people on his side. He’s not trying to expand the Black organization to make more money. He’s gathering men because he thinks I’m going to attack, and he needs more men to defeat me.
I should take it as a compliment.
But I just want this to end. I’m tired of fighting. And every man Felix gathers is one more man I have to kill.
So on the second night, I’ve seen enough. Felix can’t live. I can’t slowly torture him for months. He needs to die tonight.
Liesel deserves to walk without looking over her shoulder worried that Felix will reappear.
Langston deserves to heal without thinking he is only healing to take Felix down.