Unexpected Fate

Another thing I’ll never forget.

Never.

MY MIND GETS ME TO Grady on autopilot.

Every second it takes to get me there feels like eternity. Not knowing how she is, the status of her injuries, is like fuel to the fire of my misery.

After slamming the truck in park, I jump out and run towards the emergency entrance.

Fifteen minutes after the call from Lee.

Fifteen unknown minutes filled with thoughts of Dani and our child.

“Coh.”

I look over when I hear Lee croak out my name, and when I take in his appearance, I drop to my knees and feel every second of those fifteen minutes weighing me down as I cry out for my family.

It isn’t until I feel two strong hands press down on my shoulders that I look up and see both my father and Dani’s standing on either side of my fallen body.

“Get up, son. Get up and pull yourself together and be there for Dani and the baby. Until you hear otherwise, you don’t ever fucking give up hope,” my dad says and holds his hand out to help me stand.

I nod and accept his hand, standing and turning towards Axel. His eyes are red and bright with emotion. He doesn’t even try to stop the tears that are falling.

“Her mother will be here soon. She was at the salon when we got word. Melissa went to get her. Let’s go get word on our girl so that I can give my wife something good to focus on, yeah?” He doesn’t stick around to see if I follow.

I push down my despair and follow behind my girl’s father, praying with every fiber in my being that we get that good news.

When Izzy came crashing through the emergency room doors with Melissa, Dee, and Sway hot on her heels, we were still waiting for word from the doctor. Shortly after they arrived, my sisters and brothers rushed in. Lyn and Lila rushed to my side and wrapped their arms around me. My brothers, never the ones to wear their emotions on their sleeves, went to Mom’s side but looked at me with unmasked sympathy.

It didn’t take long before we had overtaken the emergency room and were taken to a private room. Maddox and Cooper showed up with their families in tow. Beck came in next, and after checking on Lee, he grabbed his wife and has held them both in his arms since. Megan was the last one to show, explaining that she got here as quickly as she could find a sitter for Molly.

Chance walked into the room last, and there wasn’t an eye that didn’t land on him. I untangled my body from the girls and walked over to him, grabbing his shoulder and pulling his body in toward mine, hugging him tight.

“I’m sorry,” he rasps. “I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t even see him,” His voice breaks, and I hold him as he loses it.

“Don’t. He got the jump on you, Chance. You can’t blame yourself for a crazy fuck getting the jump on you.”

“It was my job to keep her safe, Cohen. My fucking job.”

“No, it was my job. A job that, when she pulls through from this, I will never, not once, take a break from,” I vow.

I can tell he doesn’t believe me. His guilt and worry are getting the best of him. I shake my head, and after watching him walk over to the chairs on the other side of the room—away from everyone else, who’s huddled together—I walk back over to where Lyn and Lila are sobbing softly to each other and take them in my arms.

And wait.

“Reid family?”

My eyes snap up from the floor, and I rush from my post against the wall.

“Yeah. That’s me. Well, us. That’s us.”

“And you are?” the doctor asks.

“Her husband,” I hear and look over my shoulder to see Axel stand next to me. “And I’m her father. How is my daughter?”

The doctor looks between Axel and me before he moves his eyes to the clipboard in his hands.

“Sir, your wife lost a good bit of blood, but we were able to replenish that quickly and she was very lucky that her wounds weren’t deeper than they were. The blade missed two major arteries by a hair. She went into labor in transit, and after delivery, our major concern was blood loss and the wound that she had gotten to her side. I can’t stress enough just how lucky your wife is.”

“She’s okay?” I question.

The doctor looks between us again, and for the first time, I notice the noise around us as the family realizes that she’s alive and going to be fine.

“The baby?” Axel asks.

And just like that, the room is silenced.

“Ah . . .” He looks down at his notes. “You’ll have to excuse me. I was in charge of your wife, and after delivery, she became my sole patient.” He moves a few things before pausing to read some notes. “It says here that the baby is in the NICU at the moment being monitored, but for a thirty-two-week baby, his vitals are strong.”

“His?” I choke out.

“Yes, his. Congratulations. You have a son.”

And then I pass out.

I OPEN MY EYES AND jerk when my last memories hit my like a tsunami.

Mark. The knife. The lamp. And my will to live—to fight.

“She’s waking up, honey.”

I move my head and look at my mom, who is standing on the left side of my bed. My daddy is standing right behind her with his arms wrapped tight around her, their eyes red and swollen. I move my eyes around the room and see Nate, his eyes dripping with tears. I give him a weak smile, and he turns his face from mine as he struggles to take control of his emotions.

I continue my rotation until I look down at the weight pressing against my hip. The dark-brown hair buzzed on the side and overgrown on the top. The strong shoulders heaving with emotion. And I feel his tears wetting my hand he’s holding against his parted lips.

My heart breaks for the pain he’s in, and I know there isn’t anything I can do to ease it until he works out on his own whatever is running through his mind. I squeeze him, anxious to see those dark-brown eyes. I need him to see that I’m okay—I need to see that he’s okay.

“Cohen—” I rasp and clear my throat. “Baby,” I beg, feeling my own tears roll down my cheeks.

His shoulders start to heave when my voice hits his ears. I watch helplessly as the man I love falls apart. I look over to my parents and pray for answers, but I watch as my mom’s own tears cascade down her porcelain skin. My dad has his head bowed and his forehead resting against her shoulder, his body hunched in a way I know can’t be comfortable. I hear the door click and look over to see that Nate has left the room.

Without getting any help, I move my attention back to Cohen and try again. “Baby, please look at me. I need your eyes.”