“Cre-ed… He-ee-lllp m-eee…” she faintly muttered, reaching out her hand as her body fell backward, her legs unable to hold her up any longer.
My arms went around her, catching her limp body before she fell to the hard ground. I laid her down in between my legs, holding her head in the crook of my arm. Rotating her toward me, immediately applying pressure to the middle of her back where she’d been shot. Blood gushed through her shirt, soaking my fingers. No matter how hard I tried, there was no fucking stopping it.
“Baby, baby, baby… no, no, no…” I stammered, close to her face. Finding it hard to breathe. Struggling to keep going. “Stay with me. You fuckin’ stay wit’ me.”
She peered up through clouded eyes. Her stare focused only for a few seconds, seeing all the blood on my chest and neck. Her eyes unconsciously traveled down to my bloody hands.
She sucked in air, realizing for the first time she’d been shot. “Creed… I can’t… I can’t… please… Mad…deee…”
“It’s okay, Pippin, I’m here. I’m right fuckin’ here. But goddamn it, you stay wit’ me! Ya hear me? Keep your eyes open, baby. Just keep your eyes fuckin’ open for me!”
She heaved, trying to answer. Wanting to say something, needing me to understand, but she was suffocating from her own pain.
“FUCK! MIA! DOC!” Noah yelled from above me.
I gently wrapped my arms under her upper torso and legs, carrying her up against my chest. Shielding her from stray bullets. Being careful not to cause her any more distress. An unceasing amount of blood poured from her back. Seeping into every last fiber of my being.
“I got you! We got you! Get her fuckin’ inside!” Noah shouted. “Doc will be right behind us! GO!”
I hauled ass with Noah and Diesel by my side, guns drawn, taking out the motherfuckers who did this. Covering me so I could get Mia to safety. I’d never been more fucking grateful for them in all my life. My world was caving in on me, my walls crumbling down. The floor felt like it was swallowing me whole as I ran into the safe house with Mia in my arms.
My guilt fucking eating me alive.
I cradled her to my chest, feeling her shaking so hard. “Mia, babe, I’m gonna lay you on the couch, okay? I gotta look at you. I need to stop the bleedin’.”
“Madd—”
“I know, baby, I know. Maddie’s gonna be okay. She’s gonna be just fine. I promise. Nothin’ gonna happen to baby girl,” I murmured, trying to keep my voice from breaking. Holding back the emotions that were threatening to erupt, needing to stay fucking strong for her, for the baby, for my fucking brother.
My body shuddered, shaking as profusely as hers. I held her so tight, so close to my fucking heart. Needing to feel hers beat against mine. Reminding me she was still alive. I kissed her forehead, gently laying her on her side, her back facing the front of the couch. Propping her head up with a pillow, causing her to whimper from the sudden movement.
“Fuck, Creed! She looks—”
“Shut the fuck up! Don’t you even fuckin’ say it!” I snarled to Noah, who was pacing the room, raking his hands through his hair. Looking at me like his whole fucking world was held in my tight grasp.
“Shit! Man! Brothers are comin’! But we gotta get these motherfuckers before they haul fuckin’ ass! They gotta fuckin’ pay for this! I won’t stop until I’ve put a fuckin’ hole in each one of their goddamn heads!” Diesel seethed, keeping an eye out the window. “Doc’s comin’!”
He opened the door as Doc backed up into the safe house, not ceasing fire until he was past the threshold. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ!” he scoffed, slamming the door behind him. “What the fuck is goin’ on? How do they know about this place? It’s been your family’s safe house for fuckin’ decades. This is bullshit! And I smell a fuckin’ traitor!”
“Doc!” I called out, bringing his attention to me. His eyes immediately shifted to Mia, convulsing on the couch. She was sweating profusely, her skin drenched and fucking pale. Turning bluer with every second that passed.
“Move!” Doc sprang into action, pushing me out of the way. His black medical bag was firmly placed in his hand. It was then I realized he went back for it, knowing I had seen him place it in his side-by-side before he walked to Mia.
Risking his own fucking life to save hers.
I moved out of his way, sitting near Mia’s head. Placing it on my lap, wanting to provide her with any comfort I could.
“Doc’s here, baby, he’s gonna make you all better,” I reassured with trembling lips, caressing her cheek with my knuckles. My eyes blurred with unshed tears, barely able to see the side of her beautiful face.
“Creeeed… pleeeaa—”
“Shhh… Mia, you need to save your strength, sweetheart. Madison needs you,” Doc interrupted, cutting up the middle of her blood-soaked shirt with scissors.
My chest locked up when I took in the gaping bullet hole in the middle of her back, praying it didn’t hit her spine. Doc quickly worked, checking her vitals, placing a cuff on her arm that inflated every few minutes to monitor her blood pressure. He then prepared a syringe, injecting the needle near the open wound. Immediately locking eyes with me when he was done, conscious of the fact that I knew what came next. His fingers dug into her flesh, looking for the bullet. Mia’s back arched as she screamed out in pain.
The numbing medicine not being nearly enough.
“Shhh… baby, you’re such a good girl. Such a good fuckin’ girl,” I soothed, hoping it didn’t take long for him to find the metal.
We all waited on pins and needles until we finally heard Doc say, “Got it!” he celebrated, throwing it on the coffee table.
“Shit! They’re runnin’ for the woods!” Diesel informed, making me peer over at him. He eyed Noah and then me, waiting for me to make the call.
“You do what ya need to, but you fuckin’ drag them back here. We need answers, and we need them right fuckin’ now,” I demanded, nodding to Noah to go with him.
He fervently shook his head no. Rage radiating off his body, matching my own. “Ain’t leavin’ her.”
“You want ‘em to get away with this?” I asked, gesturing to Mia. “Look at me, Noah!”
He reluctantly did.
“You’re no good to her here. Go get the motherfuckers who did this, yeah? You do it for Mia. You fuckin’ do it for your daughter!”
I could see him battling, struggling with an internal conflict within himself.
“Please…” I choked out, fighting with my own urge. I wouldn’t leave my fucking girl, but that didn’t stop the desire to make the motherfuckers pay, wreaking havoc on my soul.
Noah crouched down beside Mia, sweeping her hair away from her face, whispering near her ear. “You fight, Mia. You fuckin’ fight for our baby girl, and I’m gonna go fight for you.” Kissing her cheek, he stood. Staring at me with dark, dilated eyes, silently answering my plea. “Creed, I love he—”
“I know,” I interrupted, not wanting to hear him say he loved her.
It was just too much to fucking bear right then and there.
Diesel ran back into the room with more artillery, throwing Noah a rifle. He caught it in the air, taking one last look at Mia before turning to leave. Following Diesel out. I didn’t waver, gently placing Mia’s head back on the pillow. Needing to deadbolt the door, using every goddamn lock. No one was getting in here, not unless it was over my dead fucking body.
Mia sucked in a few breaths, gasping for more air. Her chest heaved uncontrollably, seizing as her eyes began to flutter.
I rushed over to her. “Fuck, Doc!”
He finished the last suture, closing up her wound. Taping a large gauze pad in place over it. All of a sudden, a rush of blood flooded the couch from in between her legs. He immediately flipped her over onto her back, his hands dropped to the sides of her stomach. Instantly feeling around.
“Pleeeaassee, saaave herr… saaave… Madd…” Mia slurred.
Her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
/>
Her body went lax.
And her head fell to the side.
Taking every last part of me…
With her.
THIRTEEN
*Creed*
“Bab—”
“Creed, it’s alright. She just passed out. Her blood pressure and pulse are strong, but her injuries are fuckin’ serious. Far worse than I fuckin’ thought. She needs a hospital!”
“Hospital?! Have you taken a fuckin’ look around? Brothers are still fuckin’ dyin’ out there! Even if they weren’t, she’d die in the time it’d take to get there! You’re all she fuckin’ has!”
“FUCK!” Doc roared, peering back down at Mia, knowing I was right. He looked deep into my eyes. “I need you to get me the brightest fuckin’ lamp in this place. Get me some fuckin’ blankets, towels and boil some water, too.”
“The fuc—”
“NOW!”
I ran down the narrow hallway and into my room. Rummaging in the bathroom for every towel I could find, snatching the lamp off my nightstand, and grabbing the throw blankets off my bed. Hurrying back to the living room where Doc now had Mia in his arms.
“Table!” he shouted, carrying her into the dining room.
I set the lamp down and threw the blankets and towels on a chair. Clearing the contents off the table with one swipe of my arm. Mia’s glass vase shattered at my feet. The flowers I brought to her, which made her smile so fucking wide, flew in every direction.
Hurting my fucking heart even more.
Doc set her down on the hard wood, while I rushed around turning on all the lights, plugging the extra lamp into the wall. When I looked up, he was pouring alcohol all over her stomach. Getting her fucking ready for I don’t know what. He changed into a fresh pair of gloves, pulling out all sorts of instruments from his bag. Drawing up a couple more syringes, injecting them all into her stomach. I watched with wide eyes as he grabbed the scalpel, placing it right against her lower abdomen.
“Doc…”
He locked eyes with me. “I need to get Maddie out. She’s in distress. Grab the lamp and hold it up as close as you can to me. I’m gonna need all the fuckin’ light I can get.”
“Fuck,” I breathed out, doing what I was told.
My fear and worry bled out of me in unforgiving waves. My stomach dropped. My heart was now in my fucking throat. Bile rising, but I swallowed it back down. Remembering she needed me to stay strong.
For her.
I watched, taking in the gruesome scene happening in front of me, as Doc made a clean cut across Mia’s stomach. Setting the scalpel to the side, he grabbed what looked like a clamping device. He inserted it, opening her insides up to get a better visual.
“I need more light over here! Gotta be careful not to puncture her bladder.”
Setting the lamp down, I ran into the kitchen, grabbing one of the industrial size flashlights. Hauling ass back to Doc, who was checking her vitals before he continued, saying, “She’s doin’ fine. I’m gonna need your help, though. Shine the light right here, and don’t fuckin’ move,” he ordered, pointing the scalpel where I needed to be.
I tried to steady my shaking hands, my overly beating heart, and my mind from losing control. Pushing through the pain of my own goddamn wounds. Doc made another cut, deeper this time. Making her blood ooze out everywhere.
“Listen to me, we need to move fast. I need to break her water to get the baby out. I need you to grab the towels and one of the blankets.”
I readily grabbed them as he picked up another instrument that had a sharp end. Inserting it into the opening he had just created. Seconds later, green fluid leaked out of Mia’s stomach in spurts.
“FUCK! Just what I thought!”
“What? What’s goin’ on, Doc? She okay?”
“The amniotic fluid is supposed to be clear. I need to get the baby out, and I need to do it fast,” he snapped, grabbing a bunch of supplies from his bag. “Creed, spread a towel out over Mia’s stomach, and get the blanket ready in your hands. As soon as I pull her out, I’m gonna need you to follow my instructions, we clear?”
I nodded, placing the towel on her, grabbing the blanket next to me. Holding my breath, not knowing what to expect or what was about to come. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t fucking terrified, none of this was normal. Especially, having my girl bleeding out on the table in front of me. Doc’s calm expression was the only thing keeping me from flipping the fuck out. I never imagined I would be the one standing next to Mia, waiting to see her baby girl being born.
As much as I tried to push away the guilt that Noah wasn’t here, it lingered in the forefront of my mind. He wasn’t going to be the one witnessing the birth of his daughter.
I was.
It wasn’t right, but that didn’t stop me from feeling honored as fuck that I was there and he wasn’t. I had witnessed so many people being brutally ripped away from this cruel world. Never thinking I would have the privilege to see an innocent life being born into it.
It was one of the best moments of my life.
It didn’t take long until Doc was pulling out this tiny baby girl by her head and shoulders. She was covered in blood and God knows what else. He placed her on the towel on top of Mia’s stomach, clamped down on the cord, and cut it. Taking another towel, he quickly wiped her face and eyes.
I had never seen anything more beautiful, more breathtaking in all my life. She was already so fucking perfect.
She had a full head of dark black hair, reminding me so much of Noah when he was born. I counted her ten toes and ten fingers, making sure they were all there. She had these pouty pink lips, almost too big for her little face. Just like her momma.
Before I knew it, a huge smile spread across my face, watching her curl up in a little ball, like she was still inside Mia’s stomach. Not realizing she’d made her grand entrance into the world so early. A sense of pride washed over me as Doc worked diligently, suctioning the gross shit out of Maddie’s mouth and nose. Disturbing her peace.
After a few moments, the space filled with the weakest little gasps and squeals. Her teeny arms and legs flailed, pissed off and cold. Tears began to form in my eyes, thinking about what her momma was missing. She would never get to hear her first cry, be the first to hold her in her arms. And tell her that she loved her more than anything in this world.
I kneeled down, brushing Mia’s hair away from her face, pleading for her to wake up. Whispering what I was seeing and feeling in her ear. Hoping she could at least hear me, or maybe even feel the overwhelming love pouring out of me.
“Baby, you did so fuckin’ good. I’m so fuckin’ proud of you. She’s beautiful,” I murmured, caressing the side of her face with my thumb. “Can’t believe you made her in your stomach… Jesus, Mia, I can’t believe I got to witness such a fuckin’ miracle. I will never be able to thank ya enough for givin’ me such a special gift. She may not be mine, but that don't matter. She’s all that matters now.” I leaned my forehead against her cheek, blinking away the tears. “I’m so sorry, Pippin, I promise I’ll make this up to you, even if it takes the rest of my life. I love you so much,” I choked out, my emotions getting the best of me.
“Creed, I need you to take off your shirt, wrap the baby up tight in the blanket, and hold her close to your chest. Her temperature is droppin’, which ain't good. The heat from your skin will help. I gotta finish up with Mia.”
I kissed her forehead, wiping away the tears that escaped from my eyes with the back of my hand. Clearing my throat, I stood while pulling my shirt over my head. Wincing when it scraped over the gash in my side and arm. I dropped the blood-soaked cotton on the floor and walked over to Doc. Holding my arms open, not knowing what the hell I was doing. He placed Maddie in the crook of my arm, telling me to support her neck, with my other hand securely placed under her small frame. She fit perfectly in the palm of my hand as I cradled her close to my chest, just like Doc had said.
My heart instantly melted, I was so fucked.
This little bundle of joy would be the death of me, or maybe she would be my new beginning. Already having me wrapped around her tiny little finger. I walked around the room with her, holding her as close to my heart as I possibly could. Loving the way she felt up against me.
The sounds she made.
The way she curled up into my body as if she was molding herself to my chest, like she did in Mia’s stomach. Lightly gripping onto my finger.
The smell of her.
The feel of her soft baby skin.
Loving every last thing about her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She was my Godsend, my angel, the only thing that made sense anymore.
Her and her momma…
Were now my entire fucking world.
“Baby girl, I love you so much. I need you to know that I may not be your daddy, but I will always love you like my own,” I stifled, barely able to get the words out. This was such an overwhelming moment, one I never thought I’d experience. “Your real daddy would be here, but he’s fightin’ for you. For your momma. He may not be here right now, but he’s gonna have so many more memories with you. The first time you talk and walk. The first time he has to break a boy’s fingers for lookin’ at you. And I’m gonna be right there with him, Maddie,” I chuckled, thinking about it. “Right by his side, raisin’ you right.”
She cooed, stirring in my arms as if she understood everything I was promising. I rocked her, trying to soothe her as I walked back over to Mia. Knowing in my heart that Maddie wanted and needed her momma. I crouched down beside Mia’s face again, kissing her cheek.
“Baby, you gotta wake up. Someone is needin’ to meet you. Open them pretty eyes, so you can see your beautiful daughter.”
She didn’t even stir. I glanced at Doc, gesturing toward Mia, and he nodded his head, silently giving me the approval for what I wanted to do. Thinking it might help. Maybe feeling the warmth of the life she created would make her regain consciousness. I placed Maddie on Mia’s chest, holding her securely in place with my hand on her back, just in case she moved around.