Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 56628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“We’ve got to get one of these boards out of the way,” I told him, the panic in my mind making it extremely hard to think straight. All I knew was that I fucking needed to get to her before it was too late.
He nodded in understanding.
Fucking hell, please let her be okay.
I couldn’t lose her.
“Help is here!” Jesup shouted into the burning building.
I was conflicted. I knew the firefighters could get her out, but I couldn’t bring myself to move, to leave her here by herself. She was unconscious and unable to help herself.
Troy grabbed my arm when he realized that I wasn’t making any plans to move. “I know you want to get her out, but you’ve got to let the firemen do what they can,” he told me. “We’re only going to be in their way. She’ll be alright, man. They have gear that we don’t, and they’re trained for this,” he tried assuring me.
But I wouldn’t feel better until she was back in my arms and out of danger.
Troy managed to get me out of the building, and a couple of minutes later, one of the firemen strode out, carrying Addy in his arms. I instantly rushed forward. “Give her here,” I commanded.
“Sir, she needs help—”
“And she’ll get fucking help!” I roared at him, finally losing my fucking cool. “Give my fucking woman here so I can take her over to the fucking paramedic!”
Without another word, he handed her over to me, and I strode over to the ambulance, pressing kisses to her sooty forehead as I did so. Her breaths were too shallow, her chest rattling with every inhale, and I knew if she’d been in there any longer, she’d have died.
I almost lost her. That knowledge settled in my gut like battery acid.
“Sir, we have to take her to the hospital to get her proper help,” the paramedic informed me as he listened to her breathing. “I’m almost positive she has smoke poisoning, and she needs a steady stream of oxygen. You can ride with us, or you can follow in your own vehicle, but I need to get her moved.”
Without hesitation, I jumped into the back of the ambulance, sitting beside her head as the paramedic worked on hooking her to an oxygen mask. I knew Jesup could take care of everything in my absence. It was one of the reasons he was my VP. There was no way in fuck I was leaving her side unless a doctor ordered me to.
“Is there anything we should inform the hospital of?” the paramedic asked me as he began to check her vitals.
“She’s pregnant,” I informed him, my voice rough.
I brushed my fingertips over her cheek.
Please, just let her be okay.
I couldn’t lose her, too.
Chapter Fifteen
Adelaide
Icoughed, pain gripping my chest as I came awake. I ripped my eyes open, squinting them against the bright light in the hospital room. Tristan was passed out in the chair next to my hospital bed, his hand wrapped loosely around my own with his head resting on the bed. Jesup was passed out in another chair on the other side of my room, the hood of his black jacket thrown up over his head, soft snores sounding from his lips.
Both of the men were covered in soot, and they looked exhausted as hell. I pulled the oxygen tubes from my nose and winced at the beeping sound that instantly filled the room, jerking both men from their sleep.
Tristan snapped his head over to look at me, a relieved smile stretching his lips as his eyes landed on my open, tired eyes. God, he looked like he’d been through hell and back.
“You’re awake,” he breathed.
A nurse burst into my room before I could nod my head at him, and she blew out a relieved breath when she realized that I was awake. “Good to see you’re awake, Miss Berkeley. I’ll let your doctor know.” She turned off the machine that was beeping before she strode back out of the room in search of my doctor.
“How are you feeling?” Tristan softly asked me as he gently ran his thumb over my cheek.
“Tired,” I admitted a bit hoarsely, leaning my face into his hand as I closed my eyes again. “What happened?”
“You passed out. Smoke poisoning,” Tristan informed me. I grunted. That would explain why my chest and throat hurt so damn bad. “I tried to get to you, but I couldn’t.” He sounded guilty as fuck. I looked up at him. He swallowed thickly. “The firefighter got to you just in time.”
I sighed softly. “It was Vin,” I told him quietly. “It had to be. No one else makes sense.”
His hand tensed on my cheek, and I slowly opened my eyes to look up at him. His eyes were blazing with fury, and his jaw was clenched tightly. “How do you know?” he asked, his voice quiet but terse.