Page 107 of Free to Fall

I feel smug. “Good.”

“Then went down hard. Eventually, I’ll have to go bail our agent out of jail.” He hesitates.

“What?”

“There’s something else.”

“Keene, man, spit it out.”

“I don’t know how to say this. Christ, Liam. It’s a fucking mess.”

He lifts tortured eyes to mine, and the fiery burn of satisfaction is melted away by my fear. “Spit. It. Out.”

“They were there. Laura and Bailey.”

I shove back from my desk. “You motherfucker. Bailey was there? Those should have been the first words out of your mouth.”

Keene grips my shoulder. “They’re on their way to the hospital. We need to go. Caleb’s meeting us there.”

I shove his hand off me. I don’t want comfort. I want revenge.

Someone tried to take my baby girl from me today.

It’s not the first time.

But it sure as fuck will be the last.

That I can guarantee because no one is getting the chance to harm her ever again.

No one.

Chapter

Fifty-Eight

In the aftermath, after dealing with the emotional turmoil of being rushed by ambulance to the ER, of waiting for tests to confirm there was nothing wrong with Bailey that rest and a few counseling sessions with Alice won’t heal, I lean over her trying to avoid waking her as she finally rests after waking for those precious seconds to offer me reassurance I don’t deserve.

Pressing my stethoscope to her chest, I’m relieved her heart rate has resumed a steadier rhythm of sleep and that nothing else happened today to cause it to turn into a terrified staccato.

A war of gratitude and fury is waging inside me. How could my father not tell me the Tiberis were still after me?

I’m so shaken at what could have happened to this precious light in my life that my legs give out beneath me. My hand flies back, and I grip the hard plastic chair, forcing my body to sit. Hand trembling, I lift my hand to smooth her hair away from her face when the curtain is ripped almost clean off the rings. Immediately, I launch myself to my feet, placing myself in between Bailey’s body and whatever danger may be facing us.

Then my soul relaxes when I realize there’s no danger. It’s my reward. Liam’s here. Immediately, I turn in his direction, ready to rush into his arms, desperate for his comfort.

But instead, all I get are two words that freeze my blood.

“Get out!”

Chapter

Fifty-Nine

“Laura.”

Just my name, but it’s broken.

Exactly how my heart feels.

---