Page 49 of Reaper Razed

Wrapping her up in her blanket, I head for the door.

“Where are we going?” She gasps out.

“Hospital.”

“No, wait… I can’t … please don’t take me there.”

“Skye, you’re sick. I need to get you to a hospital.”

“Bedside drawer, there’s a card. I need to go there.”

She grimaces and starts crying. I snatch up the card and head for the truck. I lay her in the back and pull up to the address on the sat nav. It’s a private clinic. I'm unsure as to why she needs to be here. I mean, I already know she’s got no money, but I bring her anyway.

Pulling into the clinic, I grab her from the back and walk as fast as possible to the doors. As we walk in, the receptionist asks for her name. “Skye… ” I trail off. I don’t even know her name.

“Alice,” she croaks out. “Alice Montgomery.”

“Okay, Alice, hang in there, okay? What's your date of birth?” She gives it, and I frown. Wait a minute… that makes her… twenty-four, not nineteen. I look down at her, but she’s got one hand gripping her stomach and the other fisting my t-shirt while her face is screwed-up in pain.

“This way, Mr Montgomery.” She leads me through a private room. “I’ve got Alice… sorry, it says here she prefers Skye?” I nod. “Pop her on the bed, and we’ll be with her shortly.”

I place her down and pull up the chair beside her, grabbing her hand. I smooth my thumb back and forward over the back of her hand, lifting it to my lips and placing a kiss on it. “It's okay, love. You’re gonna be okay.”

Ten minutes later, the doctor comes in, looks over her charts and orders some tests. She’s asleep for the minute.

The doctor comes back in to start the tests. “Mr Montgomery, would you like to wait outside while we run the tests on your… wife?”

I raise an eyebrow at the doctor, but I nod and rise to leave. But Skye tightens her hold on my hand, fear skimming her eyes. I sit back down and tighten my grasp on hers. I ignore that fact they keep calling me Mr Montgomery and have decided we’re married and look at those beautiful big chocolate brown eyes staring at me with so much fear. “I’ll stay if it’s all the same.” He nods and starts the tests.

“So, Skye, we’ve drawn blood and need a urine sample.” The nurse wheels in a machine. “Let’s do an ultrasound, see if we can’t hear the baby’s heartbeat.”

Her hand grips mine tighter, glancing at her. Her eyes plead with me not to flip, to not say anything, so I bring her hand to my lips and give it a gentle kiss. “Don’t worry, love. It’ll be fine, okay.” She nods but doesn’t take her eyes off me till the doctor speaks again.

“I’m going to move your gown and put this gel on your stomach. It will be cold, okay?” She glances at him and nods, then stares straight back at me. I can’t take my eyes off her till I hear that baby’s heartbeat, and my gaze flies to the screen as hers follows. I glance back at her as tears fall from her eyes.

“That’s my baby?” She sniffles, and the doctor points out the little bean on the screen.

“Would you like a picture, Dad? We can print one off for you?” I nod as I smile at the screen, and I can see her gaze upon me, out of my peripheral, but I can't take my eyes off that little pulsing bean.

They print a few pictures of the scan, and the nurse takes Skye to the bathroom for the urine test. They need to run that and the blood tests to ensure everything’s okay.

“You can head home if you want to, Dad,” the nurse says. “We’ll watch Mum and baby closely for you.”

I shake my head. “Sorry, I’m not leaving her. Can I have a pillow and a blanket if you have one? I’ll make myself comfortable here if that’s okay.”

The nurse nods and heads out of the room.

“Tank, I’m sorry, I didn’t… I can’t.” She sighs. “I’m sorry.”

“What’re you sorry for, love?” I cup her cheek as she gazes into my eyes. Hers fill with tears. “Is it someone at the club?”

She shakes her head. But drops her gaze to her hands, which are twisting around themselves in her lap.

“Then who?”

She shakes her head and starts to cry.

“Did they make you?”

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