Page 23 of Keegan's Promise

“Yes.”

“Then you’re doing just fine,” he says, shooting me an encouraging smile as he places her on the exam table and then grabs a stethoscope, carefully holding onto her with one hand. “I’m going to listen to her, make sure everything sounds good.”

Samara slips into a chair next to me as Tate looks Lily over. “He’s good at this,” she says, her voice soft. “If it hadn’t been for him when I got custody of Scout…”

I glance over at her, my brows furrowed. “I thought she was yours?”

A flash of grief washes through Samara’s eyes. “She was my sister’s daughter,” she explains. “We adopted her after my sister was murdered.”

“M-murdered?”

“An MC.”

My eyes widen. So that’s what Tate meant about it being good for me to meet Samara.

“She knew things she shouldn’t have, so they locked her up. Never even let her see a doctor while she was pregnant,” Samara whispers. “Scout was critically ill when she was born, so my sister risked her life to escape and get her help. They found her before she could…”

My heart clenches in a vise. “I’m so sorry.”

Samara meets my gaze. “They couldn’t save my sister, but Tate saved Scout. And he made sure the MC responsible paid for their crimes.”

“He killed them?”

Samara laughs quietly. “Oh, he wanted to kill them,” she says, shaking her head. “But no. Most of them are in prison. They’ll be there for a long time.” She nods at Tate, who is listening to Lily’s heartbeat. “He and his brothers are some of the good ones. I’m guessing since Keegan brought you here, you need their protection.”

“I…” I swallow hard and then nod.

“Another MC?”

“The Sons of Loki,” I whisper. “They’re looking for me. They w-want to take Lily from me.”

She slips her hand into mine, squeezing gently. “It’s easy to give up hope, but these guys won’t let them take your baby. I’m guessing that man of yours won’t let that happen, either.”

“Keegan isn’t mine.”

“Does he know that?”

“I…” I stare at her with wide eyes, not sure how to answer that question. Not sure what Keegan thinks or what we are, exactly. I’m not sure about anything right now, honestly.

I came here expecting to have to walk away from him and our daughter to keep them safe. Instead, I’m here, with a member of an MC checking over my daughter, and Keegan talking to the sheriff. I have hope, and I want to cling to it with both hands. But wishing for a future with Keegan on top of it seems like asking for a little bit too much.

People like me don’t get unlimited wishes or chances. If we’re lucky, we get a lucky break now and then. Wanting more seems greedy and selfish. But I want to be greedy and selfish. I want to reach for Keegan with both hands and never let go.

I’m just…fucking terrified. He kept me going when nothing else did. If I lose that hope now because things don’t work out, I’m not sure what that leaves. Me, shattered into pieces, probably.

It’s a scary prospect. But fear is familiar. It’s become an old friend at this point. And maybe that tells me everything I need to know.

Once Tate finishes checking over Lily, he passes her back to me.

“She’s healthy,” he murmurs, smiling at me. “You’re doing a great job, Landry.”

“T-thank you,” I whisper, my throat tight. I think I needed to hear that, more than he knows.

“Why don’t you bring her by my office tomorrow, and we’ll start sorting out the vaccinations she’s missed?”

A surge of panic rushes through me. “I…I don’t have insurance. I can’t leave any sort of paper trail for them to follow.”

“You don’t need insurance, sweetheart. We’ll handle it and make sure they can’t track you, okay?”

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