Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 113473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
She was right, the seed would be so much safer with someone else other than her. If she kept the seed, the Shirleys would never stop looking for it. Never stop trying to steal it back.
And they were never getting it.
“Yes... Yes, someone needs to take the seed and keep it safe. I can’t. It would always be at risk with me.”
“Does the person who,” Dr. Carly grimaced, “planted the seed... Does he know you’re pregnant?”
“Yes. That was the reason they took me.”
“Took you.”
“Brought me here to Pennsylvania.”
“Did someone force you to come here?”
Autumn closed her eyes. She didn’t want to talk about it. She just wanted to forget it all. Just go away somewhere and begin a new life. “I’m tired. I need to go back now.”
“Autumn...”
“Please. I’ve had enough. I want to do what you said. Give it to someone who will love it and take care of it. That’s not me.”
“Autumn...” Carly said with a sigh.
The woman was getting frustrated. Well, so was Autumn. If she didn’t want to talk about it, she wasn’t going to talk about it.
“Do you give me permission to discuss my findings from your exam with the man who came with you?”
Yes, that would be good. Sig could explain things better than her. His thoughts would be clearer. His words would make more sense than hers.
Right now she was feeling exhausted, her mind was scrambled and her thoughts tangled into knots. “Yes. Please talk to him.”
Carly squeezed her shoulder. “Okay, get dressed. I’ll come get you once I talk to him. And we’ll figure some things out, okay? It’ll be fine. You’ll be fine.”
Sure it would.
Everything would be just fine.
Sig spun on his boot heel when the door to the waiting room opened. He expected it to be Red, but it was a tall, leggy blonde wearing a white coat, instead.
“Are you the doc?”
She nodded as she approached. She jutted out her hand. “Dr. Carly Bryson.”
Sig only stared at her outstretched hand, trying not to sneer at that last name. “Bryson?”
She dropped her offered hand, not seeming to take offense. “Are you willing to step into my office and have a few words? Autumn gave her consent to allow me to talk to you... about her... And the baby.”
“Are you callin’ the cops?”
Her eyebrows shot up her forehead. “What? No. I need more information first. That’s why I need to talk to you. I’m not sure what...” She rubbed at her forehead, clearly agitated. “I need more answers than what I’m getting from her.”
They all did.
“Your fuckin’ last name is Bryson. Only Brysons I know are all... All wearin’ badges.”
Her lips curved up slightly but that small smile didn’t reach her green eyes. “Yes, it seems to be a common theme in this town.” Those lips fell flat. “Please, come this way.” She opened the door into the back and held out a hand, encouraging him to step through.
He followed and they both took a quick right turn down a short hallway and through another door into a small office. Once he stepped inside, she shut the door and settled behind the desk in a high-backed leather chair. “Please sit. Autumn is getting dressed. One of my physician assistants will escort her to the waiting area when she’s done.”
“Can’t leave her alone, Doc.”
“Why?”
“She’ll run.”
“In her condition?”
“Yeah. Trust me.”
The doc pursed her lips and then pulled a cell phone out of her pocket. She quickly texted someone. “Okay, I’ll have my PA keep her in the examining room until we’re done.”
“Someone needs to guard the door to the room she’s in. She might try to sneak out.”
“What?”
“Again, just trust me. She runs, it could be bad.”
The doc’s open mouth snapped shut. She sent another quick text, then set her phone down on the desk, concern etched on her face. “Talk to me. What the hell happened to her? Who got her pregnant? Do the police need to be involved? She’s all bruised up. She’s underweight. The pregnancy is much farther along than her size makes it appear. What the hell is going on?”
The last came out more of a demand than a question. The woman was no-nonsense and sounded like she could be pretty damn dominant if she wanted to be.
Sig sucked in a breath and said to the doctor sitting across from him, “I tell you everythin,’ you don’t go to the fuckin’ cops, you get me? It’s safer for her if you don’t.”
“Is it the mob or something?”
“No. Not the mob. Kinda worse, kinda not.”
She shook her head. “Now I’m confused.”
“And so is Red.”
“Red?”
“Autumn,” he corrected. But that name didn’t sound right on his tongue. That was someone else’s name for her. Not his. To him she was Red and always would be.
The doc’s eyebrows dropped low. “Okay, so talk.”
“Gotta promise me no cops.”