“Go right ahead,” she moaned and swirled her hips. “Don’t mind me.”
As soon as I had the phone in my hand, the black screen lit up again and I answered immediately. “Ollie, what’s up?” My heart raced just thinking about all the reasons he would call right now.
Augusta’s hips paused and I assumed she could hear her father’s voice since she separated her body from mine and stared.
“Rosie is having an attack and it’s bad. None of the things you said are working and I’m right worried.”
I nodded and started to move off the bed, my eyes swept the room for my discarded clothes. “I’ll be right over.”
“No need. I’m on the way to the hospital so you may as well meet us there.”
“How is she?”
There was a long pause before Ollie answered. “She’s calm about the attack but that’s not all.”
“What is it?”
“We were at the park and a woman claiming to be her mama showed up. Rosie got upset and we left but the crazy damn woman followed us, even now her and the cameras with her are following behind us right now.”
Shit. “Thanks for letting me know. And thanks for keeping Rosie safe.”
“No problem. See you soon,” he grumbled and ended the call.
Augusta was on her feet, still naked and gaze full of concern. “What’s going on?”
“Rosie is having an attack and worse, Trishelle is in town and likely caused the stress that led to the attack.” That damn woman was the source of all my problems.
“No!” She picked up her phone with one hand and reached blindly in the closet with the other, a whirlwind of activity that briefly distracted me. “Suzie, it’s Gus. Rosie is having an attack and my dad is bringing her in.” Suzie said something and Augusta nodded as she stepped into a pair of blue panties. “I know that but there’s more. Antonio’s ex is following them with a camera crew. He has full custody so it doesn’t matter that she’s the mother, make sure security keeps her away.”
I blinked in shock at her words, at the vehemence contained within each syllable. Augusta was a woman who protected the innocent. “Thanks,” I told her. “I didn’t even think of that.”
She smiled and stepped into a pair of jeans that clung to her hips and ass. “Not the first dysfunctional family I’ve had to deal with, believe it or not.”
“Ouch, I think.”
She grinned and folded her arms across the matching blue bra. “You want me to apologize or you want to get to the hospital?” Augusta put a t-shirt on and walked from the room. “I’m driving,” she called out without waiting for an answer, or for me.
“My car is blocking yours,” I told her when I caught up to her at the front door where she slid into a pair of sneakers.
“I’ll drive your car, then. Come on. Rosie will be scared and wondering where her daddy is.” She was a force to be reckoned with, forging ahead with concern only for my sick and scared little girl.
I jumped into the passenger seat and sighed. “Thank you, for being levelheaded right now.”
She flashed a sweet smile and stepped on the gas a little harder than she needed to but it felt like just a couple of minutes passed before she tugged me from the car, through the hospital doors and up to the pediatric wing. My legs moved on autopilot until the sound of a girl’s scream stopped them completely. “Rosie? Rosie, is that you?”
“Daddy, I’m here! Can you hear me, Daddy?” The fear and tension in her voice started my legs moving to a fast walk and then a run.
My little girl was afraid and I needed to get to her. Now.
“To the left,” Augusta called behind me just as I was about to turn right.
“Daddy!” Rosie called out again and I found her room.
I stopped in the doorway as I took in the scene, and the reason for Rosie’s screams. Trishelle stood against the door, a cameraman beside her, Ollie between them and my little girl, protecting her. I grabbed his camera and tossed it on the floor. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing in here?”
Trishelle blinked her long lashes innocently, a small smile tipping her lips up. “I came to see my little girl.”
“Without my permission? Without calling first?”
“Not in here,” Augusta said, her voice gentle but firm, her hand on my arm.
I shrugged off her touch and turned back to my ex. “Well? Answer me, dammit!”
Trishelle tried to turn on the charm and sauntered over to me, she put one hand to my chest possessively. “Are you upset with me, Antonio?”
I grabbed her wrist harder than I should have and pushed her away. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“My daughter is in the hospital,” she pouted.