“It’s done, Heather. You’re safe.”
CHAPTER 33
CAMERON
Seeing Heather with all those tubes scared the hell out of me. I sat with my hand against my mouth as Audrey curled up in the bed next to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, thinking about how pale she looked and how frightened I was about the condition of her and our child.
Audrey’s hand migrated to Heather’s stomach, and the sight tugged at my heart.
The second she’d walked into the hospital with Nicole, they both wanted to see her, which gave me time to explain to Audrey what was going on. I told her that some bad guys wanted to hurt us, but they weren’t going to be doing that any longer. Then, I told her Heather was pregnant, and that she was resting because the doctors told Heather she needed to sleep.
Now, I watched as my daughter rubbed her small hand on Heather’s stomach while her lips silently moved. She was talking to her future brother or sister.
A groan came from Heather’s mouth, and I shot up out of my chair. I took her hand in mine and hovered over her as relief rushed through my body. Her eyes fluttered open, and Audrey immediately placed a kiss on her cheek.
But I saw the panic roll through her eyes.
“The baby,” she said in a whisper.
“Heather, look at me,” I said.
“The baby.” Her hand flew to her stomach as Audrey looked up at me with wide eyes.
“Heather, look at me. Listen to me.”
She clutched at my hand as she struggled to full consciousness. “The baby’s fine,” I said. “They found a heartbeat. You’re okay. The baby is okay. Everything is okay.” I smiled down at her as I smoothed my hand over her forehead.
“I’m in a hospital,” she said.
“You are. They’re getting you fluids and keeping tabs on you for a little while.”
“I was drugged.” Her voice was a rough whisper.
“You were. They found trace amounts of Stadol and Phenergan in your bloodstream. Not harmful to our child, but enough to knock you and out.”
She’d done well and stayed strong and as composed as anyone could expect during the whole nightmare. Not many people could handle a killer with a loaded gun aimed at their head without going into hysterics, much less a woman with a baby to protect.
I watched a smile cross her face as the morning sunlight trickled in through the hospital window. But the tears in her eyes were unmistakable. Audrey wrapped her arms around her neck and Heather seemed surprised. Like she didn’t know she was there. She was still in shock. Processing everything, probably. I sat down on the edge of the bed and caught her tears with my thumb as she held my daughter in her arms.
“Thank you for the baby,” Audrey whispered.
Heather held her close and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Yes, thank you for the baby,” I repeated after my daughter. Then, without even thinking, I added, “Heather, I love you.”
Her watery gaze locked with mine as her lips parted in shock. “What did you say?”
Audrey tucked herself further into Heather’s neck as her legs wrapped around her body. My daughter clung to her like any second she would evaporate into thin air. Heather pressed kisses to my daughter’s head. Her motherly instincts were already running over. I brought her hand to my lips to kiss as I gazed into her eyes, giving myself time to collect my thoughts.
“I love you, Heather, and I want us to be together. I know you’ll be a spectacular mother, and you’re already a part of our family anyway. It’s going to take the Jaws of Life to pry my daughter from your neck.”
She smiled into Audrey’s hair and breathed in her scent.
“You really mean that, don’t you?” Heather asked.
“I do,” I said. “I want you in my life, Heather, and in my daughter’s. For good.”
My daughter finally pulled away to look up at Heather. “Will you stay?”