Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
With the bleep of a siren, an ambulance came to a stop in the middle of the road with its lights flashing. Carefully, I picked Raven up and nestled her in my arms, one under her back and the other under her legs.
I carried her toward the tail of the ambulance, shouting at the paramedic who hopped out.
“We need to get her to Dr. Reynolds’ office.”
He started to open his mouth to tell me why it was against protocol, but I cut him off, grinding out, “You can check her inside the truck.” My tone told him there was no room for argument. “But right now, you’re going to get her to Dr. Reynolds’ office and you’re going to do it fast.”
I wound around him and climbed into the ambulance with Raven still in my arms. I sat down on the bench, holding her tight against my chest while the paramedics piled back in.
Charleigh hopped in, too.
Casting me a glance of worry as the siren blipped again before we took off down the street.
“CT scan is clear.”
My head rocked back against the white brick wall as Dr. Reynolds delivered the news that we’d been waiting on for the last half hour.
He’d had her taken to the small local emergency room in the building next to his to get the scan.
“Thank God,” I muttered as I scrubbed both palms over my face like it might be enough to eradicate the worry that had held me hostage.
Guilt constricting.
Nerves going haywire that I might have allowed Raven to have been severely injured.
A gush of air heaved from River’s lungs. “Fuck. You sure she’s okay?”
“The CT scan showed no brain swelling or trauma. It was likely it was the pain of the impact that brought her down and not a true unconscious event. There is no evidence of a concussion, but there is still a chance she sustained a mild one, so I expect a full recovery without any issues. Two stitches in her head are all it took to close the wound. She should be ready to go home soon.”
Without saying anything else, Dr. Reynolds dipped back out of the private office where River and I were waiting.
River nodded, relief and rage in his stance as he stared at the linoleum floor. “Can’t believe this monster, coming up on an innocent like that. In the middle of the fuckin’ day on a busy street.”
I pushed to standing, knees wobbling beneath me with the amount of shame that bore down on my shoulders. “So damned sorry.”
A vicious frown carved into his face as he turned his attention to me. “Not your fault, man.”
“Should’ve been there.” I could say it a billion times, but it wouldn’t rewind time. It wouldn’t take me back so I could stop it from happening.
“You were there,” he said, giving me his belief and encouragement.
It only made me feel insurmountably worse. Guilt eating me alive at the secret I was keeping. At the betrayal I was committing.
“Should have gotten to her before it happened.” My throat was so thick I could barely get the words out.
River took the two steps required to bring him to standing in front of me, and he reached out and squeezed my shoulder as he stared at me in emphasis. Eyes that were the same color as his sister’s boiled like black, menacing flames. “We’re going to get this fucker. We’re going to hunt him down and make sure he doesn’t have the capacity to ever hurt her again.”
My hands curled into fists.
Yeah, this bastard was going down.
Before I could say anything else, the door nudged open, and Charleigh poked her head through. “Raven is ready for you both to come back in.”
River tipped his head at me and immediately strode for the door. He pushed his face into Charleigh’s cheek when he got to her, breathing her in like it was the only thing that tethered him to sanity.
Raven was the only thing that did it for me.
Seeing her sitting up on the examination table when we pushed into the room, still wearing a medical gown, her hair tied back and better exposing the spot where she’d gotten two stitches at the very farthest edge of her left forehead.
“Raven,” River wheezed, going straight to her side.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“Can’t believe this is happening. Have done everything…everything in my power to make sure you aren’t touched by the choices we’ve made.” His apology rasped in the tense air.
“We don’t know that it has anything to do with Sanctum.” She kept her voice low, her brow knitting in emphasis. “And even if it does, I’m just as much a part of Sanctum as the rest of you.”
Those eyes met mine from over her brother’s shoulder.
It was the last place I wanted her. In the middle of our mess. And I was only dragging her deeper into the depths of my own depravity.