Page 75 of Under His Embrace

It seemed silly, but it worked. Dante guided her to angle to his door, and once he was out, the techs and nurses teamed up to assist her out of the car. I did just as I said I would, crawling out with her, tethered by her hand on my arm.

“Chloe, please. Can you stay with me?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. I’m here to help,” I repeated.

As she was transferred to the gurney, though, she had to release my arm.

“Holy shit,” an emergency tech said at the blood dripping down from the crescent shapes of her nails.

“Yeah.” I winced. Blood flowed through my arm now that she wasn’t holding it so tightly and awkwardly.

“We’ll get that wrapped up.” He nodded at me as they got Nina situated on the gurney.

Dante went with her, but with all the staff, Constella guards, and others being rushed into the emergency room, it was so chaotic that I felt dizzy for a second.

Franco and Caleb followed after Romeo and Tessa who rushed up from the side parking area.

I sighed at the sight of Caleb running toward me, no doubt excited but shocked by the turn of these events.

“Mom—”

Someone else cut in closer, intercepting him.

I locked my stare on Wes as he wrapped his arm around my son’s body.

Caleb fought and wriggled the lanky man who not only was acting insane, but looked it too. His eyes were bloodshot and wide open with a crazed look. He was gaunt and thin, with wild, unkempt hair sticking up. In wrinkled clothes and standing like he was limping, he looked unhinged.

“Let me go!” Caleb jammed his elbow into Wes’s stomach.

He grunted in pain, but he didn’t release my son. He tightened his arm around him and snuck a gun out from his pocket to press it against his side.

“No!” I shot my arm out to reach for them, to physically slap this asshole from my son.

Panic swept through me. I was already overwhelmed and on edge from this whole morning with Nina and the rush to get her here. But this? Now Wes had to show up and threaten my son?

Franco walked up confidently, his furious gaze on my ex.

No. Notmyson.

Ourson. Terror kept me in a vise, but I tried to steady my breaths with what was different about this time that my ex tried to get into my life and ruin it.

It was Franco’s turn to defendourson and keep him safe.

“Chloe.” Tessa found me, hugging me back.

Romeo strode past us, brushing against me as he reached under his jacket.

“Let them.” Tessa nodded, tugging me away. “You don’t want to watch. You don’t want to see this. Trust me.”

“But—” I swallowed hard, unable to just walk away.

“Trust me. They’ll handle this.” She looked around, noticing the guards flanking them.

I caught Franco’s gaze. He stared at me, not trying to hide the utter malice and darkness that he felt at the sight of another man holding our son, threatening him.

He gazed at me, as though searching for an answer.

I nodded, knowing he would be killing this man. All I could do was trust that he wouldn’t let Caleb witness the worst of it.

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