Chapter 33
Ipull out my phone, hitting dial. “Hey, I’m at the hospital,” I choke, my mouth dry. “Reese was attacked.”
“What the fuck? We’re on the way.” Riley’s voice is low, menacing.
“I’m gonna call Alden. They won’t tell me a damn thing. I’m not on her contacts.”
Heat radiates from me I’m mad as hell but not sure at whom. I shouldn’t have spoken to her the way I did. She might never have left without me.
“We’re on the way.” Riley ends the call and I find Alden’s number.
Dialing it, he picks up on the second ring. “Hello.”
“It’s Walker.” I swallow past the knot forming in my throat.
“Hey, man. How’s it going?” Alden answers.
“Not so good. Reese was attacked in the parking lot at the center. I called an ambulance and rode here with her. She’s out cold. I’m not on her contacts and I knew I could call you quicker than they would.” My hands shake, fear gripping my heart, making it hard for me to breathe.
“I’m on the way.” I hear keys jingling in the background. “What about the baby?”
What did he say? The air leaves my lungs, and the room spins. I feel lightheaded.
“Wha-what baby?” I blink as if it’s going to help me hear better.
“Fuck!” He slams his car door. “I told her to tell you. She was supposed to do it this evening.”
“She didn’t get a chance. We got into an argument.
That’s why she left by herself instead of with an escort.
We saw the attack on camera. I ran like a bat outta hell to get to her.
But she never said anything about a baby.
” I fall into the seat behind me, a heaviness forming in the pit of my stomach.
He sighs heavily. “I’m sorry. I thought you knew.”
“I’ll tell the front desk and wait until you get here.” I end the call.
My entire universe tilts. I’m numb as I wander over to the nurse’s desk, stunned. “Reese Morgan is in the back. I forgot to mention she’s pregnant. She was unconscious when they brought her in. I thought you would need to know.”
“Yes, we do. I’ll run back now.” She pauses. “How far along is she?”
I shake my head. “I’m not sure.”
“All right,” she says before hurrying to the back.
Riley. I need to warn them. I hit his number, and Ava answers immediately. “Hey.”
“Wait in the car. I’ll be out as soon as Alden’s here.”
“What? Why aren’t you staying?” I can barely hear Ava over the roar of my heart in my ears.
“She probably doesn’t want me here, considering she’s pregnant and hasn’t told me.”
“The hell you say?” Riley words echo through the phone.
I nod before I can speak. “I-I’ll let you know.”
“We’ll be waiting.” I end the call as Alden rushes through the emergency room doors.
“Man, I am so sorry.” He takes my hand, shaking it. I’m so detached, I feel like I’m in a dream. Alden hurries to the nurse’s station to get information about Reese. “She’s having tests done. They’re almost finished.”
“I’m gonna wait until we know she’s okay, then I’m gonna head out.”
“Stay,” he pleads as I join him sitting in the waiting room. “She’ll want to talk to you. I’m sure of it.”
“Alden, this is bigger than the two of us now. Hell, I’m not even sure I matter anymore.” Bile rises as I think of all the ways I may not matter. “It’s been weeks since I’ve seen her. It’s obvious she doesn’t love me. This may well not be my place.”
He glares at me. “There’s no one else. She loves you, but she’s got this screwed up idea about what’s happened that you’ll never forgive her for it.”
“Maybe she…” I eye him as vomit threatens at the thought. “Maybe she’s found someone else.”
“Morgan?” the nurse calls before he can answer. “You can go back now. Room five.”
He turns to me, eyes downcast. “Wait for her, please. In all our years together, she has never lied to me and when she says she loves you, I know it’s true.” His eyes snap to mine, and I get the feeling he’s talking about more than today.
I fist the back of my head in an attempt to calm down. “Fuck,” I growl, feeling completely out of control.
“Walker,” Riley calls my name, making me focus on him.
“I gotta get out of here. I’m about to lose my shit.” I bulldoze past him. Only to come face-to-face with Ava.
She holds both hands in front of her, and I stop dead. She points toward the back. “You’re staying. She owes you some answers.”
I clench my jaw. “She’ll never give them to me.” I throw my hands in the air.
“She might not but do you want to leave not knowing if your baby is all right?” Riley cocks his brow incredulously.
“Who’s to say it’s mine? Reese knows but she doesn’t talk to me.” What little control I held tightly, slips away, and I fall into shambles. “What if she never loved me? Who am I anyway? I never deserved it to begin with. You both know that.” I shove my palms into my eyes, drying them.
“You don’t know what you’re saying, Walker. We all witnessed what you have together. Hang on.” Riley’s brows draw together as he gets in my face. “You damn well deserve this; don’t you dare fucking give up. So, what if you have to fight. Fight,” he growls.
I turn to Ava, looking for an escape but she doesn’t give me one. “Fight.” She folds her arms over her chest.
I drop into the seat behind me, Ava and Riley join me. We wait, for what feels like forever, before I can get any answers. When the emergency room door swings wide, Alden and Reese walk through. My heart thunders in my chest as nausea washes over me.
Her eyes dart to mine. She’s been crying. I’m not thinking when I rush to her, wanting to hold her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good.” She offers me a tight smile, glancing at the faces behind me. “Can we talk?”
“Yeah, of course.” I scan the area, stepping through the door to the stairwell. “Here.” She follows me through, standing a few feet away. My chest tightens. This isn’t good.
“Thank you for waiting.” She peeks up at me from under her lashes.
“How are you?”
“They think the baby is okay. I need to follow up with my doctor.” Her eyes dart to the door.
I move into her line of sight. “How about you? Are you all right?”
She shifts from one foot to the other. “I’m all right. A few bumps and bruises, mostly exhaustion. I’m not sleeping or eating well.” She gives me a tight smile.
“May I ask how far along you are?” I inquire cautiously.
“About twelve weeks. I’m having an ultrasound in a couple of weeks, so we can know for sure. That’s if my insurance plays nice.” She breaks eye contact with me as a little V forms between her eyes.
I hesitate. “Will you let me know? I’d like to be there, if possible. If you don’t mind.” I grimace as I stumble over my words.
“I’m sorry, Walker.” She holds her stomach, her chin quivering. “I turned around to come tell you, but Heath was there. I only found out a few days ago. This isn’t something I was keeping from you.” She wipes away her tears as fast as they fall.
I avert my eyes. “I wasn’t sure if you had another reason for not telling me or what.”
Her mouth pops open. “Are you kidding me with this shit? You think I’m fucking around? Oh, I suppose for trailer trash like me, that’s a possibility.” Her words cut like a knife.
“No! I meant, maybe the reason you left to begin with was you didn’t love me after all.” Rage fills me, and my face burns with anger.
“When have I ever said I didn’t love you?” She purses her lips. “When?” she demands.
“You’re right. You didn’t say it. You fucking showed me, loud and clear,” I spit at her, my blood boiling.
Her body vibrates. “I hate the choices I’ve made hurt you.” Her chin trembles. “I know you’ll be an amazing father, Walker. I told the doctor as much.” Tears careen down her face, beckoning me to hold her.
“Reese, why did you leave me?” I struggle for air. “What did I do wrong?”
“Sometimes, people just don’t work.”
Jolted by her words, I take a step back, searching her eyes. A pang in the pit of my stomach tells me this is not the truth. “I don’t believe you,” I declare, narrowing my eyes.
She blinks rapidly, shocked by my words. “What?”
I rush her, pinning her to the wall. Leaning over her, I force her to look up at me. “I love you.” I brush my lips over her cheek, whispering, “I need you to hold on. Whatever you think will break me, won’t.”
I fist her hair, taking her lips with mine. My tongue sweeps over hers, and she surrenders to me. I invade her good senses, reminding her of our love. The boiling tension races to a frenzied desire as we submit to one another. I struggle with releasing her mouth as I hold her close to me.
“You’ll leave.” She closes her eyes tight. “I promise you, you will walk away.” Her breath ragged, she sinks her teeth into the spot my lips just left.
“Never. I promise you, no matter what it is. You’re everything I need.”
“Don’t say that.” Her eyes snap to mine. “You can’t make that promise. Even if you did, men leave. They run at the first sign of trouble.” She pulls away, trembling. “This is bigger than you or me.”
“I’m not the one running,” I declare, my pulse racing. “I’m still here. Find me.”
“Walker, if you think it’s easy for me to do this, you’re wrong.” She closes her eyes as tears roll from them. “I love you but sometimes, that’s not enough.”
I take her face. She leans into my hand, and I wipe away her tears. “Baby, you’re all I have. You and this love you give me. Love isn’t comfortable, it’s unexpected.”
“Why does this have to be so hard?” she gasps, her eyes searching mine.
“It doesn’t. Lean on me. I can handle whatever it is, Reese.”
She tilts her head away from my touch, slowly breaking our contact. “I’d be lying if I said I can live without you.” She trembles with her words. “But I have to.”
My gut rolls. “The hell you do. You’re choosing this for us.”
She glares at me. “You’re right. And now, I’m choosing to walk away.” She slams through the door, but I grab her hand. Her eyes flash to mine.
“I’m staying.” My eyes narrow when I see a spark behind hers. She jerks her arm from me, storming away. She rushes from the building, Alden closely behind her.
Riley and Ava stare, their mouths open. “What?” I cock my brow.
“Umm, I’m thinking that was a fight.” He narrows his eyes. “Not what we meant, at all.”