Page 63 of Cat and Mouse

"They—" I hesitate, panic creeping in. "They were still inside. Are they—"

"They're fine," he assures me. "Just shaken up. Now, you need to rest. I'm taking you off all cases. I can't lose my best detective."

"Not this again." I roll my eyes, though it stings to hear it.

He chuckles, but then his phone rings. "Shit, hold on." He raises a hand as he answers. "Rest, Kane. We'll talk later."

As he leaves, I let my head fall back to the pillow. My leg throbs again, and I close my eyes, hoping to drift off. But before I can, a doctor strides in, clipboard in hand.

"Hey there, Elizabeth. How are we doing?"

"Just peachy," I mutter. "What's going on?"

"You're okay, nothing major was injured. Just a bullet in your leg. You'll need a cast for a short while, but I have some news."

I sit up straighter, the sudden movement making me grimace. "What news?"

He glances at his clipboard, then back at me. "You're pregnant."

"No fucking way!" I blurt out, nearly choking on my words. "I have an IUD!"

"Yeah, well, you were supposed to come in for a checkup after it was installed, but you never did," he says, his tone clinical.

I stare at him, stunned. I was so caught up in chasing the Phantom, I neglected my health. And now, here I am, pregnant. With the Phantom's kid. Isn't that fucking ironic?

"I need to think," I finally say, my voice steady despite the whirlwind inside my head.

He nods, his expression softening a bit. "The pregnancy is still very early. You have options if you decide you don't want to keep it."

"Great, just what I wanted to hear," I reply dryly.

He gives me a sympathetic smile. "I know it's a lot to take in. But you're okay otherwise. Just a bit of bruising, and the leg will heal up."

"Sure," I say, but the doubt lingers.

Am I really okay?

"You should be good to go in a few days. Just take it easy, and don't push yourself."

"Right, easy." I scoff, but there's a weight in my chest that's hard to shake.

"I'll give you some time to process everything. If you need anything, just hit that button."

"Thanks," I say, watching as he steps out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stare up at the ceiling, my mind racing. I'm pregnant, injured, and mixed up with a fucking Mafia guy. This is just perfect.

And Leo? God knows what he's going to say.

***

The door clicks shut behind me, and I lean against it, letting out a breath. My apartment smells like stale coffee and panic. Just another day in my chaotic life. I slowly make my way to the couch, leg throbbing from the bullet wound.

I drop onto the cushions, wincing as the pain shoots through me. Shit. I should've taken those damn painkillers.

As I sink deeper into the couch, my phone buzzes on the coffee table. I glance at it—just a few texts from Captain Harris checking in.

"Just peachy," I mutter to myself, rolling my eyes. I type a quick reply and toss my phone aside, trying to push the chaos from my mind.

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