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A pain-filled groan pulls my eyes back to the woman who owns my heart.

“I’m right here, baby. Riley’s okay. If you can hear me, Shelby, Riley’s okay.”

I pray that a higher power doesn’t make me a liar.

I try to listen to the medical talk, but the words fly over my head, all my training forgotten at the thought of losing my family.

We arrive at the hospital quickly, but not quickly enough. The negotiations I’ve been involved in with Christopher Cromwell regarding the construction of a new hospital here in Cromwell are over. He can have whatever he wants.

We need a hospital in town. Every minute counts in moments like this.

My heart twists again.

I only just got her. I can’t lose her.

Shelby is unloaded quickly, and suddenly, my girls are being taken in different directions. I look at Michael; my arms go out for Riley.

My little girl doesn’t come easily; we have to practically pry her away. She’s latched onto him in her moment of trauma and fear.

“I’ll stay with Shelby as much as I can. Come find us after Riley’s given the all clear.”

When I hold his gaze, he pats my shoulder, and Kaleb is already following after Shelby.

“She won’t be alone, I promise.”

My soul splits into two along with my heart.

Shelby disappears through the white double doors quickly, nurses and doctors rushing after her. Riley cries harder, her little arms stretched out as she calls for Shelby.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Leonard

“You’re not family.”

The words echo in my head. Over and over, the nurse’s words punch me in the gut. No one will tell me anything about Shelby.

Sitting forward in the uncomfortable white plastic seat, I scrub the back of my neck.

I’ll be changing that real fucking soon.

But telling them that she’s my fiancé hadn’t been enough, not when she’s still unconscious, especially after I tried to look at her chart.

She’s okay,I try to convince myself.

I’m looking right at her. Lying in the hospital bed, Shelby looks pale and fragile. The monitor to her left shows a steady heart rate. She’s been assessed and treated.

I need patience, the one thing that I’m out of.

Pulling out my phone, I text Lara Cromwell, wanting another picture of Riley. The reply comes quickly. Face covered in chocolate ice cream, my sweet girl smiles at me through the lens. The picture blurs.

Sniffling, I wipe my nose.

She’s okay, I know she is. I’d insisted on more scans and X-rays than necessary, but when all came back clear, the hospital was happy to discharge her.

I owe Michael and Kaleb. They’d kept Michael’s word and stayed with Shelby until they were kicked out of the room, and even then, they’d stayed in the viewing room with some interns.

They’d never left her.