Page 208 of Beautifully Reckless

Black-clad men blur past, rushing around like shadows in a panic.

“She’s losing too much blood, man,” Dylan snaps. “We need to get her to a hospital.”

“Shit!” Clive’s voice comes from right beside me. “The baby is turning blue!”

My eyes snap open.

All the hazy, the heaviness, the numbness vanishes in one blinding second of terror.

My eyes find Clive looming over me as he rolls Bobbi to her back on my chest, his hand flying in the air. “Hand me the bag!”

“Cam…” I manage to breathe out, my eyelids so heavy, I’m scared that if they close, they’ll never open again.

“I’m here, beautiful.” Ringo turns my head gently, and our eyes lock.

Ooof.

I hate seeing that look in his eyes.

Fear.

I don’t want him to be scared.

“Remember…” My voice is just above a whisper, the energy to speak draining fast. “Save Bobbi… Her life is… more important than mine.”

“Don’t speak like that,” Ringo pleads, cupping my face, his touch trembling even as he tries to stay strong.

Gosh… he really is the most beautiful monster I’ve ever seen.

“Everything I’ve done…”

I force the words out, needing him to hear this.

“Was to protect her.” My words slur, and that’s when I see it… tears, glistening in Ringo’s whiskey eyes.

“Give her my blood… or organs… or anything it… takes,” I whisper, my voice cracking.

My own tears spill over, tracking down into my hair, soaking the dirt beneath me.

“Please… raise her… as your own.”

“Angel, stop. Please.Stop talking like that,” he begs, pressing his forehead to mine.

I feel my little girl being lifted off my chest. I don’t know if she’s alive, but someone is yelling to keep feeding her oxygen.

“You’re going to be fine,” Ringo says, trying to reassure me, or maybe, he’s just trying to reassure himself.

His lips press to mine in a chaste, wet, salty kiss that tastes of goodbye.

“Angel, please…” he pleads before I feel him shift next to me on the ground. “Someone tell her!” he bellows, begging for backup. “She’s going to be fine!”

I don’t hear anyone answer. There are too many voices now, all deep manly voices, and I know, with them, my little girl will be safe.

“Cam...” I breathe, my lids fluttering closed, now too heavy to keep open.

“Angel…” he breathes over my lips, his nearness filling my heart with one last beat of warmth.

“I love you… But I need you to… let… me… go…”

Ummm… what just happened?

Are you ready to find out?

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