Page 26 of Justice

Tiffany comes barreling in, nearly knocking over a nurse in her rush. She squeezes in next to me, her hand finding mine and squeezing tight.

"What's going on?" she whispers, her eyes fixed on Elle's pale form.

I shake my head, words stuck in my throat. "Don't know yet," I manage to croak out.

A doctor comes in, clipboard in hand, and the room falls silent. Elle's eyes find mine, wide and scared. I move closer, taking her hand in mine.

"We're gonna figure this out, baby," I murmur, trying to sound more confident than I feel. "I'm right here. We all are."

The doctor starts asking questions, and I feel like I'm underwater, everything muffled and distant. All I can focus on is Elle's hand in mine, her pulse fluttering weakly against my fingers.

God, please let her be okay. Please.

They run so many tests, I lose count. Konrad's there the whole time, his eyes sharp as he watches every move the doctors and nurses make. I'm grateful for his presence, but it doesn't stop the knot in my gut from tightening with each new test.

Hours crawl by. Elle's been poked and prodded so many times, her arms are starting to look like a junkie's. Every time they stick her with another needle, I have to clench my fists to keep from punching something.

The ultrasound tech comes in, and I hold my breath. The room goes silent as we all stare at the screen, waiting. When the baby's heartbeat fills the room, strong and steady, I almost collapse with relief. Elle's eyes fill with tears, and I squeeze her hand, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

Elle wakes up after dozing off, her eyes blinking slowly as she takes in the crowd still gathered around her bed. A weak smile tugs at her lips. "You guys all didn't have to come out," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.

Derek runs his hand down her arm, his touch gentle. "You're loved, baby girl," he says, his voice gruff with emotion. "Everyone just wants you to feel better."

I settle into the chair next to her bed, my thumb tracing her cheekbone. The IV in her arm is pumping her full of fluids and nutrients. Already, some color is returning to her cheeks. It's not much, but it's something.

The door swings open, and Konrad walks in with an OB-GYN. I'm on my feet in an instant, my heart pounding. Konrad's face is unreadable, and it's making me fucking nervous.

"What medications has she been taking?" Konrad asks, his voice tight.

I grab Elle's bag, fishing out her prenatal vitamins. "Just these," I say, handing them over. "But she can barely keep them down anymore."

Konrad studies the label, then dumps the pills out on the counter. His brow furrows as he examines them closely.

"Is something wrong?" I ask, the words coming out sharper than I intended. I want to grab him, shake him, demand answers.

"Where did she get these vitamins?" Konrad asks, his voice carefully neutral.

Elle pushes herself up in the bed, wincing slightly. "They came in the mail about a month ago," she says. "I thought my doctor sent them."

I exchange a sharp look with my dad and Derek. Something's not right here, and I can feel my blood starting to boil.

Konrad rubs his face hard. "Let me test these," he says, scooping up the pills. "I'll be right back." He's out the door before anyone can say anything.

The wait is fucking torture. Elle's grip on my hand tightens, and I can feel her anxiety. I try to keep my face calm, but inside, I'm a mess of fear and rage.

When Konrad finally returns, his expression makes my stomach drop. He takes a deep breath, and I brace myself for whatever bomb he's about to drop.

"I tested the pills myself," he starts, his voice grim. "They're prenatal vitamins, but there's something else mixed in. It's a medication used to induce vomiting after poisoning, and in some cases… to cause miscarriages."

The words hit me like a fucking sledgehammer. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?" I roar, my vision going red. Elle flinches at my outburst, and I force myself to take a deep breath, but the rage is overwhelming.

Someone's been trying to hurt Elle, to hurt our baby. And they've been doing it right under our noses. As the implications sink in, I can feel the beast inside me stirring, hungry for blood.

"The baby is fine," Konrad says, his voice steady but tense. "It seems that Elle being so sick and unable to keep down the pills has actually protected the baby."

I feel Elle freeze beside me, her body going rigid. My fists clench at my sides, knuckles turning white with the effort of restraining myself.

"When I find out who did this," I growl, my voice low and dangerous, "they're going to wish they were never born. I'm going to fucking tear them apart."

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