I focus on the kind blue eyes of the female nurse. My tongue feels heavy and my brain is fried. I manage to nod.
“She’s pregnant. Let’s get her stabilized, and bring in a monitor. Ma’am, relax as much as you can, we’re going to take good care of you.”
“Her wounds are clean. The bullets went straight through,” a male voice says.
“Good. Let’s get the bleeding stopped. Keep applying pressure,” the nurse I’ve dubbed my angel says. “Are you allergic to any medicine?” she asks.
I keep my gaze latched to hers and shake my head. The words become fuzzy as the world continues to rush by. The knowledge that I’m safe and the exhaustion that barrels over me, sends me into the ether where there is no pain or worry.
* * * *
I open my eyes and take a moment to orient myself. I’m not in my apartment. I wince and feel the IV. Previous events rush back with horrifying clarity. I reach down and palm my stomach. My monitor beeps angrily.
“Relax, Nevada, the baby is fine.”
The voice makes my blood run cold. I close my eyes and will it to be a drug induced hallucination. I know I’m on something, because I’m calm and slightly off kilter.
“Hiding isn’t an option anymore.” The anger is there in his voice, kept in check but evident.
I open my eyes and find him sitting in a chair beside the bed. He’s leaning over his elbows, staring me down. “When did you know?”
I lick my dry lips and swallow. “Couple weeks ago. I went to the doc when I couldn’t shake my lethargy and I kept throwing up.”
“And you didn’t think it was something you should tell me.”
“Don’t you wonder if it’s yours?”
“Don’t play games with me. I may not remember the last year, but I sure as fuck know you and what kind of woman you are.”
I glance down, ashamed.
“The fuck were you thinking?” he hisses.
“Is the baby okay?” I ask, ignoring his question.
“Yes. It’s fine. You were lucky, both of you. You shouldn’t been on the back of a bike in the first place. Jesus.”
“I didn’t want anyone else to know before you.”
“Fuck.”
“This is why…this is why I kept it to myself. This is my baby. We’re not some shackle around your wrists. I don’t want to tie you down, or receive your half ass pity. I won’t do that to my baby. I won’t allow it.”
“So, you know me that well? You think I’d be like Hulk? That’s a fucking insult! I helped raised you. I picked you up from school, took you to your after school classes, and whatever else you needed, just like the other brothers.”
“You couldn’t even handle me, Gage. Why would I think you could handle this?”
“It’s not my fault this shit happened to me.”
“I didn’t say it—was.” My voice cracks.
The door opens. “We saw a spike in her vitals. Good, you’re awake.” My blue eyed angel appears again, saving the day. She walks over to the bed, glaring at Wizard. “How are you feeling?”
“Not so good,” I admit.
“Yeah. You’ve been through a lot.” She turns to Wizard. “I bet she’d really appreciate a nice cold glass of water. Could you get it from the front desk?”
He pushes his large frame out of the chair and stomps across the room.