Page 89 of Mending Scars

“But earlier you said th—”

“Fuck what I said. I was being a stupid asshole. I never should’ve said those things or left you. I’m so sorry, baby.”

More tears flowed from my eyes. I should’ve been pissed as all hell, but all I felt was relief and my love for Ryker. He was, and always had been “it” for me. Nothing would ever change that.

I sobbed into his chest, my body shaking as reality sank in and overwhelmed me. The tears poured out of me and soaked Ryker’s shirt as I held onto him for dear life.

Suddenly, my stomach was assaulted with the most intense pain I’d ever experienced. I couldn’t stop the cry of agony that escaped me as my knees buckled, and I slumped against Ryker.

Ryker eased us down to the floor and cupped my face. “Ky, what’s wrong, baby?” His eyes scanned over my face with concern.

Clenching my teeth, I gritted out my words. “I don’t know.” I clutched my stomach. “It just hurts.”

Ryker draped my arm over his shoulders before lifting me up and into his arms. “I’m going to take you to the hospital.”

Biting my lip, I buried my face back in his chest and fisted his shirt in my hands. Tears involuntarily streamed down my heated cheeks from the excruciating pain. “It hurts so bad,” I whimpered.

“I know, baby. I’m sorry. I’ll get you there as fast as I can.” Ryker replied as he rushed through Bryce’s condo.

“What happened?” Kamden urgently questioned. “Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. She’s having some stomach pain. I’m taking her to the hospital.”

I cried out, unable to stifle the sound. The pain was too much. I felt like my insides were being shredded with a razor-sharp saw, and I worried for Hayden. I was still five weeks away from being full term, which wasn’t that bad, but so much could go wrong, and I didn’t want anything happening to him.

“Ryker, please,” I whimpered. “Hayden.”

We started moving again. “You coming or not?” Ryker gruffly asked my brother.

“What about him?” Kamden replied.

“Fuck him. All I care about is Kaiya and the baby. I’m leaving. You can stay if you want,” Ryker abruptly retorted.

Even though my eyes were closed, I knew we were outside. The smell of the ocean wafted over me as the sea breeze cooled my fevered skin. I could hear the waves crashing against the sand as we continued walking.

Ryker laid me down in the backseat before climbing in next to me. He rested my head in his lap and another wave of pain slammed through me.

Fuck! It hurts so bad.

I arched my back as I writhed in the seat and screamed. Sweat beaded on my forehead and my body felt like it was on fire.

Ryker pushed some hair out of my face and yelled at Kamden in the front seat. “Drive! Fast!”

I closed my eyes again as Kamden and Ryker shouted back and forth about the closest hospital and what highway to take. Their voices faded out as darkness overtook me.

Kamden drove to the nearest emergency room in Cape Cod. Kaiya had passed out when we started driving, and I hadn’t been able to wake her.

Staring down at her, I was unable to take my eyes off her slowly rising and falling chest. I feared that if I looked away, she would stop breathing.

Stay with me, baby.

Kamden parked right in front of the emergency room doors. He had barely put the truck in park as I hurried to get Kaiya out of the truck and inside.

Cradling her in my arms, I rushed through the sliding glass doors and to the front desk. The nurse stood when I reached the counter. “What’s your emergency?”

“My girlfriend started having stomach pains. She’s thirty-five weeks pregnant.”

“Okay, I need you to fill out this paperwork.” The nurse handed me a clipboard.

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