Page 59 of Secret Baby for Mr. Grump

But as I spun around to do just that, the world swam in my vision, and suddenly, it all went dark.

TWENTY-TWO

MARCUS

The minute I saw her body drop to the ground, my heart stopped.

I felt my body move at hyper-speed, but it still didn’t feel fast enough.

I was terrified I wouldn’t get to her in time.

But I did, reaching out my hands and grabbing her against my body at the last minute before she hit the ground.

All of a sudden, the room exploded with sound.

“Allie!” I heard Athena scream.

“Sweetie!” Her father sounded similarly hysterical, and suddenly, he was at my elbow. “What did you do to her?!”

I felt his hand grasp the back of my shirt, and I growled, shrugging him off.

“Let go of Allie,” her brother spat, but I ignored him.

I ignored all of them, sweeping her up into my arms and charging right for the door. My heart thundered in my chest, fighting the sheer terror that was threatening to overwhelm me. I could see her chest moving up and down in slow breaths, and that was the only thing keeping panic at bay.

“What’s wrong with her?” I heard them shouting as they ran after me. I reached my car but didn’t want to move Allie to open the door.

“Where are you taking her, you bastard?” That one was from her brother, and I turned to glare at him. He backed away a few steps.

Whatever they saw in my face rendered them all silent.

“He’s taking her to the hospital,” Athena said, a voice of reason cutting through all the hysteria. She immediately opened the back door, so I could place Allie’s body down on the seat, then slipped in beside her.

“I’ll go with you,” she said resolutely, and I nodded, not in the mood to argue. I wasn’t even sure I could form coherent words at this point. Besides, someone needed to hold Allie while I drove in case I hit a speed bump or something. Lord knew I was about to tear out of here like there was hell on my ass. I had to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible.

As I walked around to get into the driver’s seat, I paused, catching sight of Caleb. He was standing there by Adam’s legs, looking worried.

I squatted down and gestured to him. “Come here.”

He didn’t hesitate, and I noted the family’s shock when the little boy ran into my arms. I picked him up and placed him in the back seat with Athena, making sure he buckled up.

Then I got in the driver’s seat.

Adam moved first, getting into my passenger seat. “I’m coming with you too.”

I didn’t want the man’s company, but neither could I kick him out either. Besides, it wasn’t important whether he was here or not. All that was important was saving Allie.

“We’ll follow you.” I saw her dad and mother running back inside to grab their jacket before hustling toward the other car in the driveway. But I didn’t wait around for them, pulling out of the parking lot after making sure the coast was clear.

We got to the hospital in record time, probably breaking a few laws to do it.

I carried Allie in, not able to stand the thought of any other person taking her from me at this point. I needed to see her, needed to feel that she was still breathing for me to keep my sanity. Already, all manner of torturous thoughts plagued me, but I held them back stubbornly.

Allie would be fine. I refused to even entertain any thought that said otherwise because then I just might tear the entire place apart.

She was fine this morning. She’d been fine the whole week, although more tired than usual. There was nothing wrong with her. Probably, she just worked too much and passed out from exhaustion.

Which was exactly why I wanted her to stop working entirely in the first place.

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