23. Sadie
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sadie
A steady beep. The scent of antiseptic. The soft rustling of fabric.
I blinked against the too-bright light overhead, my body heavy, my mind sluggish.
A ceiling tile swam into focus, followed by the faint hum of voices.
Where am I?
A groan escaped my lips, and immediately, movement stirred around me.
The first thing I saw when I turned my head was Samuel’s face—pale, tense, his blue eyes stormy with worry. He perched on the edge of a chair, hands gripping his knees like he was forcing himself to stay put.
“Sadie,” he exhaled, leaning forward, relief washing over his features.
Then a warm hand closed over mine.
I shifted my gaze to find Kai sitting on my other side, his brows drawn tight and his fingers squeezing mine like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go.
“Jesus, you scared the hell out of us,” Kai muttered.
There was movement at the foot of my bed, and I realized Adam was standing there, arms crossed, his jaw tight.
“How are you feeling?” His voice was controlled, but his eyes gave him away.
My throat felt raw. I had to swallow before I could rasp out, “Like I got hit by a truck.”
Kai huffed out a breath. “Not far off. You fainted and scared the entire town in the process.”
Fainted?
Memories rushed back… The Foundry, the crowded room, the heat pressing in, the way the world tilted violently before everything went black.
I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me back onto the pillow.
Samuel was there in an instant, his hand ghosting over my arm like he wanted to touch me but wasn’t sure if he should.
“Take it easy,” he murmured.
The door swung open before I could ask anything else. A doctor walked in, clipboard in hand, her expression calm but unreadable.
“Miss Collins,” she greeted, eyes flicking over the three men crowding my bedside before settling on me. “It’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”
“Like I lost a fight,” I joked weakly.
She offered a small smile before glancing at the monitors beside me. “You had a vasovagal episode… essentially, you fainted due to a drop in blood pressure. Given your symptoms, we ran a few tests to rule out any underlying causes.” She paused, her gaze softening. “That’s how we discovered it.”
A strange pressure built in my chest. “Discovered what?”
The doctor hesitated for only a second before saying, “You’re pregnant, Miss Collins.”
The world tilted again—only this time, I was fully awake to feel it.
Suffocating silence stretched in the room. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, louder than the machines, louder than the words still echoing in my head.
Pregnant .
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Was that why I’d been feeling so… off?
Kai stiffened beside me.
Samuel released a sharp breath, his hand finally closing over mine.
Adam hadn’t moved at all. He was completely still, his jaw clenched, his eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made my stomach twist.
The doctor kept speaking, but I barely registered the words… prenatal care, next steps, follow-ups. It all blurred together, static against the roaring in my head.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
I glanced at the three men around me, their faces etched with emotions I couldn’t fully process right now.
What happens next?
I had no idea.
Shock settled over me, numbing the edges of my thoughts.
Pregnant pregnant pregnant…
The word repeated in my head, but it felt distant, like it was happening to someone else.
I barely noticed the doctor finishing her explanations, barely heard the rustling of papers as she handed over instructions for follow-ups and care.
Before I could even process what was happening, a nurse came in to remove my IV, and the next thing I knew, I was being discharged.
It was all so fast. Like a damn whirlwind, when all I needed was a moment to pause.
To adjust.
Samuel handled the paperwork. Adam gathered my things. Kai stayed glued to my side, his hand never straying far from mine, as if he thought I might collapse again.
It all felt surreal, like I was floating through someone else’s life.
One minute I was in a hospital bed, the next I was being wheeled toward the exit, my body moving, but my mind still stuck in that moment.
You’re pregnant, Miss Collins.
How could I be pregnant?
I mean, logically, I knew, contraception hadn’t exactly been at the forefront of my mind in the heat of the moment, but still…
What the hell was I going to do about it?
The cool evening air hit me as we stepped outside, but even that didn’t shake me from my daze.
Adam had driven here, and now he was unlocking the passenger door of his truck, motioning for me to get in.
I hesitated for half a second, the weight of three sets of eyes pressing into me.
“You okay?” Kai asked softly.
I wasn’t sure how to answer that. I settled for nodding and climbed into the truck.
The second the door shut, I exhaled shakily, staring straight ahead as the guys got in.
The ride home was silent.
Samuel drove, his grip firm on the wheel, his knuckles white.
Adam sat beside him, his jaw tight, eyes fixed on the road like he was looking for something to punch.
Kai was next to me in the back seat, his thigh pressed against mine, his presence grounding even though my thoughts were anything but.
I pressed my palm against my stomach, my mind still struggling to catch up.
Pregnant .
A baby…
I was having a baby.
It didn’t seem real.
But it was real. And I had no idea what to do.
A family…
Memories surfaced, unbidden and raw.
My parents’ laughter filling the kitchen as my mom danced barefoot across the floor, my dad spinning her in lazy circles.
Her voice, soft and sweet, singing old songs while she tucked me in at night. His strong arms lifting me onto his shoulders so I could see the world from higher up.
His advice, when I got older. When I had problems that seemed so big at the time because I had no idea what was about to come.
Love. Security. A home filled with warmth.
That had been mine once.
And then, in a blink, it was gone.
The moment that split my life in two— before and after .
Before, I’d had everything.
After, I had nothing.
For years, I’d told myself I didn’t need it. That I was fine on my own. That families weren’t forever. That love was a fragile, temporary thing.
But deep down, I’d always wanted one.
Not just wanted… ached for it.
I’d dreamed of it late at night, imagining what it would feel like to belong to someone again. To have a home that wasn’t just a place to sleep but a place to be.
But I’d never expected it to happen like this.
When Samuel pulled into the driveway, no one moved at first.
Then Adam sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Come on, let’s get inside.”
Kai was out of the truck first, opening my door before I could even reach for the handle.
I didn’t fight it… I was too drained, too overwhelmed. He helped me out, keeping a steady hand on my lower back as we walked toward The Foundry.
I’d only just considered staying in Medford and not running off again.
But I wasn’t expecting this .