CHAPTER 1: THE SECOND EMERGENCY
The ambulance had barely cleared the hotel driveway when the pain became unbearable.
Amelia grabbed the side rail as another contraction tore through her body.
Noah Reed sat beside her, still wearing his soot-covered firefighting gear. The wedding ring she had given him rested inside his closed fist.
“Her blood pressure is dropping,” the paramedic warned.
Noah leaned closer.
“Amelia, stay with us.”
“My baby…”
“The heartbeat is still there.”
The paramedic checked the monitor again.
“But it’s slowing.”
Amelia’s breath caught.
“No. Please.”
The siren screamed through the empty streets.
She tried to focus on the ceiling lights passing above her, but every flash brought back the elevator.
Ethan stepping over her.
Ethan kneeling beside Claire.
Ethan carrying another woman into the light while his pregnant wife remained on the floor.
The ambulance doors opened at Mercy General Hospital.
A medical team rushed Amelia through the emergency entrance.
“Thirty-one weeks pregnant!”
“Possible placental abruption!”
“Seven hours without food or water!”
“Active bleeding!”
A doctor ran beside the stretcher.
“I’m Dr. Shah. Amelia, we may need to deliver your baby tonight.”
Amelia’s eyes widened.
“It’s too early.”
“We are going to do everything possible.”
Noah followed until a nurse blocked him.
“Family only.”
“He’s not my husband,” Amelia whispered.
The nurse looked at him.
“Then you need to wait outside.”
Noah stepped back.
Before the doors closed, Amelia reached toward him.
“The ring.”
He looked down at his fist.
“Give it to Ethan.”
Noah’s jaw tightened.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
The doors began closing between them.
Amelia placed both hands over her stomach.
“And tell him the baby may be born tonight.”
The doors shut.
Noah stood alone in the hallway.
Then his radio crackled.
“Reed, Captain Carter is asking where his wife was taken.”
Noah stared at the silver ring in his palm.
For the first time since joining the department, the rookie firefighter ignored a direct call from his captain.
May you like
Because Ethan Carter had already made Amelia wait seven hours.
Now Ethan could wait seven minutes.
