Chapter 3

Maeve's POV

"You've got the wrong person. I swear, I didn't—" I said.

"You hit a pregnant woman." He cracked his knuckles. "That's what we heard."

Every muscle in my body went rigid. Zachary did this. That bastard actually sent people after me.

"Wait, please." My voice shook. "I'm pregnant too. Please don't hurt my baby."

The tall one laughed and that laugh made something cold settle in my stomach. "Should've thought about that before you started throwing hands."

They closed in and panic shot through me. I praying Raymond would get here in time. Please hurry, please please please.

"Look, whatever Zachary's paying you, I can—"

The first shove sent me stumbling sideways and I caught myself against the wall. Fear was making it hard to breathe.

"We're not here to negotiate."

Another shove came harder and I fell to my knees, sharp pain shooting through them. Both hands wrapped around my stomach immediately and terror flooded every part of me.

"Stop! Please!"

A kick landed on my shoulder and pain exploded down my arm. I curled tighter, trying to make myself smaller, trying to protect the tiny life inside me. My whole body was shaking and all I could think was the baby, God please not the baby.

"Please don't hurt my baby." Tears were streaming down my face. "Please, I'll do anything, just don't hurt my baby."

Another kick caught my side and knocked the air from my lungs. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Just this overwhelming terror that they were going to kill my child and there was nothing I could do to stop them.

Then a boot connected with my lower abdomen.

The pain was instant and blinding. For a second my mind went completely blank. Then I felt it spreading between my legs, this terrible warmth that shouldn't be there.

I looked down and saw dark red soaking through my jeans. The world tilted sideways.

"No, no no no." My hands pressed against my stomach desperately. "No, please, not my baby, please God not my baby."

The men stepped back and one of them swore. Even through my terror I felt a spike of hatred for them. They did this. They hurt my baby and now they were scared?

"Shit, she's actually pregnant."

"Call the boss now."

The tall one pulled out his phone and my vision was blurring from tears and pain but I heard him clearly. Every word burned itself into my brain.

"Yeah, it's me. We got a problem. She's bleeding bad and I think she's actually pregnant." A pause. "Should we take her to the hospital?"

The phone was on speaker. I heard everything and I'll never forget it as long as I live.

Helena's voice came through bright and amused, so cheerful it made my stomach turn. "Bleeding? Oh please, she's probably faking it."

Rage cut through my fear. How could she sound so happy? My baby was dying and she thought it was funny?

"She's got blood all over her pants—"

"Zachary, didn't you say you never slept with her?" Helena laughed and that sound made pure hatred surge through me. "So whose baby is it? Sounds like someone's been cheating."

Zachary's voice came next, casual and completely unconcerned. "She's probably lying to get attention, don't fall for it."

Something inside me broke hearing him say that.

"But what if—"

"I said leave it." Zachary sounded annoyed. "Let her call 911 herself, just get out of there."

The hatred I felt was so intense it almost overwhelmed the fear. He did this. He sent these men to hurt me and now he was abandoning me to die in this alley.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, we're done here."

The line went dead. The thugs were just going to leave me here and there was nothing I could do about it. Helplessness mixed with the terror and I couldn't tell which was worse.

"You heard the man." The tall one pocketed his phone. "Let's go."

"Wait!" I tried to grab his leg but my hand was so weak it just slid off. "Please don't leave me, I need a hospital, my baby needs help, please—"

"Not our problem anymore."

Cowards. All of them. Zachary, Helena, these men. All of them were cowards and my baby was going to die because of them.

Their footsteps echoed away and then there was nothing. The alley went silent except for my ragged breathing and I'd never felt so alone in my entire life.

I pressed both hands against my stomach, trying to stop the bleeding, but it kept coming. The fear was crushing me. What if I couldn't stop it? What if help didn't come in time? What if I lost my baby because I was too weak, too stupid to protect them?

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry baby, please hold on, please don't leave me.

My phone, where was my phone? I dragged myself toward my purse and every movement sent fresh waves of pain through me. My fingers were shaking so badly I could barely grip anything and frustration joined the terror. Why couldn't I do anything right?

The blood kept flowing and I could feel my strength draining with it. My vision was going dark at the edges and pure panic seized me. I couldn't pass out. If I passed out my baby would die. Raymond, where are you? Please find me, please don't let us die here.

The sky above the alley was turning purple, or maybe that was just me losing consciousness. No, I have to stay awake for the baby, I have to stay awake.

"Maeve! Maeve, where are you?!"

Raymond's voice sounded distant but it was getting closer. Relief crashed over me so hard I started crying again.

I tried to answer but nothing came out except a weak sob. Even my voice was failing me.

"Maeve!"

Running footsteps came fast and desperate, and then he was there, skidding to his knees beside me. His face went completely white when he saw the blood and I felt guilty for putting him through this.

"Oh God, Maeve—"

"Raymond. The baby, please save our baby."

"I've got you both." He scooped me up and his hands were shaking. "Stay with me, do you hear me? Stay with me."

I tried to nod but my head felt so heavy. Everything was getting harder.

"I'm sorry, I should've waited, I shouldn't have gone alone, this is all my fault—"

"Don't." His voice cracked and I could hear the fear in it. "Don't you dare apologize, this is not your fault."

The world bounced and swayed as he ran and I could hear his heart pounding against my ear, or maybe that was mine. "Almost there, hold on sweetheart, just a little longer."

My hand found his shirt and gripped it as tight as I could, which wasn't very tight at all.

But the darkness was pulling me under and everything hurt so much. It was getting harder to remember why I needed to stay awake. It would be so easy to just close my eyes and let go.

"Maeve? Maeve, open your eyes!"

I wanted to but I couldn't anymore. Everything was fading and I was so tired.

"No! Stay awake! Please baby, stay awake!"

His voice was getting farther away.