Pearl’s empty eyes, Lucian’s body being taken away, a mad carousel whirled through her head,
mocking her.
What about Momma? Where do I go?
“Scout!” She jerked at the sound of Parker’s voice.
“You need to go with him,” he said and she vibrated with fear. “Do you hear me? He needs you. Get
up and go with him before they leave.”
She couldn’t make any words come. Her legs refused to work. Her thoughts fragmented, snapping
into a million pieces, each one too heavy to bear. The carousel went round again, her mother’s lifeless, bloodshot eyes staring through that dust, and Lucian lying still as a corpse.
“Scout! Go!”
“I can’t!”
“Yes. You. Can.”
Her head shook senselessly. “She’s dead. I can’t lose him too.”
“You’re not going to lose him, now come on!”
Her body was yanked off the ground, dragged out of the horrid-smelling building and into the street.
Her vision protested as the sun pierced her eyes. The ambulance conquered the limo in height. Parker
hauled her along, and Lucian’s feet came into view as he was loaded into the back of the ambulance.
There were lights and people in uniforms and machines, and it was all very scary.
“She’s going with him,” Parker demanded.
“Who is she?” a man in a uniform asked.
“She’s his fiancée,” Dugan announced, barring any arguments.
She turned to Dugan. “My mom . . .”
“I’ll handle everything, Evelyn. You go with Lucian now.”
She blinked, suddenly wanting to hug him for being there, but all she could manage was a jagged
nod.
She was lifted into the car and tried her best to sink into the stiff bench and hide. The doors closed
and hands probed at Lucian’s limbs. She knew they were helping him but she wanted to throw herself
over him protectively and scream that they stop touching him.
A cuff wrapped around his arm and his eyelids were lifted so a man could shine a light in his eyes.
His face was powdered with debris and a bruise tinted his temple. There was blood crusted on his lip.
She looked away when he didn’t respond to the light glaring in his eyes. The ambulance lurched and
rushed over the roads adding to her dizziness.
“Ma’am, hold on to that strap.” It took her a minute to realize the man in the uniform was speaking
to her. Robotically, she did as he instructed.
There was so much noise between the ambulance moving, the machines, the walkie-talkies, and all
the equipment rattling on the walls. Every breath seemed deliberate and forced. Her hand reached out
and touched the cool feathered strands of Lucian’s hair. It was the only place she was certain she
wouldn’t hurt him.
Movement caught her eye as the EMT took a pair of scissors and began cutting Lucian’s shirt away.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“We need to check his ribs.”
“You’re ruining his clothes.”
“That’s the least of his problems,” the guy mumbled, and she gasped, pressing her knuckles to her
mouth and sucking back a sob.
“Sorry, I just meant after a fall like that he probably has a broken rib or two. His vitals are good, so there’s no need to get too upset.”
She ignored him. Why wouldn’t he wake up? Open your eyes and look at me! You said you’d never
leave me!
When they reached the hospital, things went from scary to terrifying. She hated these places for a
reason. Lucian was hauled through a set of electronic doors, faster than she could keep up with.
“Miss? Excuse me, Miss! You’re going to have to wait here until the doctor sees him.”
“But . . . I’m . . . I’m his fiancée.”
“Sorry. That’s not the same as wife. I’ll let the doctor know you’re waiting.”
She turned and the world continued to spin. Her mom was dead and she couldn’t go wherever they
were taking Lucian. Faces stared at her as she stood there, unsure of where to go. A police officer
approached her and she took a step back.
Like an animal cornered, she shrilled, “I’m waiting for my fiancé!”
The officer held up his hands. “Okay, but you need to take a seat. You’re blocking the patient
entrance.”
She nodded and jerkily walked to the closest chair and forced herself to sit. The officer looked like
he was going to say something else, but then an alarm started to beep and a nurse called out a code.
The doors she had been waiting by opened and her heart stopped.
Lucian stood, face haggard, sweat dotting his brow, shirt cut open, his weight braced on the wall.
Nurses rushed toward him and he slowly lifted a shaky arm and pointed directly to Evelyn.
“She comes with me.” He sounded nothing like himself.
Evelyn sobbed in relief and ran to him. “You’re awake,” she cried as her arms carefully hugged him
and he winced.
“Sir, this is a hospital—”
“I’m aware. I paid for several wings. Now go back to your desk and get out of my way.” His voice
was stern and left no room for argument.
As they turned, he draped a goodly amount of weight on her shoulders, nearly collapsing her to the