Page 56 of Fallout

Together.

Clare clasped her husband’s wrist and scooted to the edge of the seat. He held her steady while she stood up and?—

Everyone froze.

Gage said, “Not to state the obvious, considering what I’m looking at, but I think your water just broke, honey.”

TWENTY-FOUR

“Where are you? GPS has you nowhere near the hospital.”

Destiny grinned, headphones in and a laptop on her knees. The phone was on the seat beside her in the waiting area. She was off to the side so that Clare’s close family and friends could occupy the main area, and there was less chance anyone would overhear sensitive Vanguard business. “The medical center where Clare is having her baby. It’s private.”

“Oh, wow.” Simon’s voice rang through her headphones. “Purliss Medical. Swanky. I’m on their website. Looks like a nice place.”

“The receptionist offered everyoneNespresso. Took one look at me and asked if I wanted decaf.”

“She knew that you’re pregnant?”

Destiny rolled her eyes. Apparently word had gotten around. “I guess some people can just tell.” But it wasn’t too noticeable. Her stomach had barely started to get round. “Anyway, Clare told me in the car on the way over that I should take a tour while I’m here, meet the staff. She said if I want to have my baby here that I should tell her and Vanguard will pay for all of it.”

“Wow.”

“I know.” Destiny let out a long breath. “You ever feel like your life changed, and you barely managed to keep up with how fast it happened?”

Simon’s low chuckle came through the phone. “Uh, yeah. But then, some days, it’s like I wake up and it feels like I’ve always been who I am now. Like the past belongs to someone else.”

“That would be nice.”

“Sorry.”

Destiny said, “You don’t have to apologize.”

“Wanna talk about work?”

“Sure.” She smiled. Across the room, his brother glanced over. “Peter’s here.”

“I know. Someone has to keep the office running.”

Destiny shifted her knee and righted the laptop. “No one blames you for the fact we were hacked.”

“Doesn’t make it less my fault. Or less my responsibility.”

“You realize I’ve said that about myself.”

Simon asked, “You thought what happened was your fault? That’s crazy.”

Destiny had apparently hit a point where she could actually laugh at the irony. Maybe it was simply that today would be a good day. Gage and Clare were going to become parents. The secrets she’d held were out. Her family was closer than ever. Jasper…

She needed to call her sisters and hang out with them. But then, she might be putting them in danger.

There was a fine line between fear of what they’d say, having to be there while they processed it all, and the fear that someone could get hurt.

Jasper had been hurt. But he was fine.

Violet’s father had undergone surgery because the bullet shattered his collarbone. But he would be fine also.

Now they just needed to catch the shooter.

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