“Please don’t do this,” Layla begs. “Please. I’ll do anything!” The fear in her tone has me stepping forward, but Simon shakes his head, stopping me.
“It’s too late,” David says. “It’s okay… because soon we’ll all be together, happy again.”
His words aren’t just a threat. They’re a promise. He’s going to kill Layla and Felix and then end his own life, and there’s no way I’m going to stand out here and wait for the fucking police to get here while that happens. They might be dead if we wait much longer.
Before I can make my move, Simon knocks the door open, making it bang against the wall. I’m not sure what the fuck he’s thinking until I glance inside, and see that by doing so, he’s distracted David, making him look this way. Without waiting, Simon aims and fires, hitting David in the chest. The force of the blow sends him flying onto his back.
I don’t know if he’s dead or not, and I don’t care. Simon goes straight for him, making sure he’s disarmed while I pull a shaking Layla and a crying Felix into my arms, needing to get them out of the room and out of the house.
As we’re stepping outside, the police pull up, and I tell them where they can find David. A few officers head that way while two others stay with us, asking me what happened. I give them a quick overview, then ask if the details can wait, nodding toward my family in my arms, clearly distraught.
The officer insists they go to the hospital to get checked out, and thankfully, Layla agrees. Since neither needs immediate medical attention and I’m not about to let them out of my sight, I let them know I’ll drive them myself. On the way, I call our parents, letting them know we have Felix back and they’re okay. Layla and Felix are quiet for the entire drive, and I worry they’ve gone into shock. Layla sits in the back with Felix, holding him.
When we arrive, the nurse brings us back right away, having been told to expect us. Thankfully, they let them both stay together. The nurse asks questions, and Felix nods and shakes his head. When they’ve determined he’s physically okay, they check out Layla. Since she’s further along, they can do an abdominal ultrasound.
“And that’s the baby’s heartbeat,” the tech says softly.
“That’s the baby?” Felix asks, finally speaking. He’s lying next to his mom, against her side, but he sits up to check out the monitor.
“It is,” the tech says, explaining all the parts.
“How does the baby get in there?” Felix asks, curious as ever, making Layla smile.
“It’s science,” the tech says.
Once the ultrasound is done, the tech leaves us alone.
I’m about to ask Layla how she’s doing when there’s a knock on the door.
“Yeah?”
Simon steps inside the doorway. “Layla.” He nods. “You both okay?”
“We are,” she says, tears filling her eyes. “Thank you.”
He nods then looks at me. “I need to talk to you for a second.”
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Layla, leaning over and kissing her forehead, then kissing Felix’s. “If you guys need anything, I’ll be right outside the door.”
“He’s alive,” Simon says once we’re in the hallway and the door is closed. “At least for now. He’s in surgery. I hit him in the chest, and they saved his fucking life.”
“They were doing their jobs.”
Simon glares. “A little more to the left and I would’ve hit his heart.”
“You don’t want that blood on your hands,” I tell him, as much as I would’ve loved for him to have killed David. He sure as fuck deserves it. “If he survives, he’ll be going to jail. Kidnapping a minor, attempt to commit murder. We heard the shit he said.”
Simon nods, but I can tell the only way he’ll be satisfied is if David’s heart were to stop beating. And that’s why I trust him with my family’s lives.
After suggesting they both speak to someone about what they went through, the doctor discharges Layla and Felix, and we head to a hotel since our house is a crime scene.
Felix, like the four-year-old he is, snaps out of it the second he sees our room has a private one-lane bowling alley. After our parents visit, giving Layla and Felix love and affection, we spend the afternoon bowling, going swimming, and playing in the arcade while Layla stays close, watching but not participating.
When it’s time for bed, Felix asks to sleep with Layla, and she of course tells him he can. I kiss them both good night, prepared to sleep in another room, when Felix says, “You can sleep with us. The bed is big enough for ten people.”
I glance at Layla, making sure it’s okay, and she nods once. I keep my clothes on and climb into bed behind her, pulling her into my front, so I can feel her warm body against mine. Felix lays his head down on the pillow, and within minutes, he’s passed out. I assume Layla is asleep as well, but then she carefully turns over to face me.