“Shit, Imani, I don’t know what to do!”
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head before passing out cold.
Chapter 27
Garrett was quickly losing consciousness when he heard a noise. It was getting closer. He strained to hear it. It sounded like voices.
It was voices.
He made one last ditch effort and crawled over to the door. With the remaining strength left in his body, he beat on the door . . . three times before the blackness took over.
An unknown voice spoke. “I told you I heard something. It came from over here.” After removing some heavy debris from in front of the door, they opened. A woman yelled, “There are two people over here!”
Two hulking men went into the stairwell. Each one hovered over a form to check for a pulse.
The woman asked, “Are they dead?”
“Oh. My. God! It’s Mr. and Mrs. Hadley!”
She repeated her question more urgently. “Are they dead!”
“No. But, we need to get them out of here.”
They brought Imani out first then Garrett. Garrett’s eyes fluttered open then closed. “My wife. She’s hurt.”
“We’ll get you and your wife out of the building and to the hospital, Mr. Hadley.”
True to their word, and hours after being trapped in the tower, Garrett and Imani were transported to University Hospital.
*****
Imani woke up in the hospital with a sleeping Garrett sitting in a chair next to her. Instinctively, her hands went to her stomach. Her baby was gone.
Her movement woke him. Garrett got up and leaned over her. “Hey.” He ran his hands over her forehead. “How are you feeling?”
She closed her eyes. “They took my baby?”
“It seems she couldn’t wait to get here.”
Imani’s eyes flew open. “Where is she?”
“She’s in the neonatal unit.”
Relief swept over her that was indescribable. Hot tears began to roll down her face.
Careful not to harm her, Garrett gathered her into his arms. “She has your smile, my eyes, and a head full of curly dark hair. Other than needing to get a little bigger and stronger, she’s absolutely perfect.”
Imani whispered, “I want to see her.”
“You just came out of the OR about an hour ago. You're weak.”
She looked up at him with teardrops trapped on her eyelashes. “I need to see her for myself.”
He nodded and called the nurse. After he hung up, Imani could exhale. However, she wouldn’t be able to relax fully until she laid eyes on her daughter.
Though tired, she was still worried about Garrett Jr. “Where is Garrett Jr.?”
“He was home when everything happened. Aside from a few things falling off the walls, the impact of the earthquake wasn’t felt as strong as here in the city.”
“My family! They’ve got to be worried sick.”
“Yeah, worried is an understatement. I called them already. Your father gave me an earful.”
“What did he say?”
“First, he thanked God that we were both okay. Then he asked what the hell I was doing letting you get away? I told him I was going to do my best not to let that happen. Your father then informed me . . .” Garrett performed a spot-on impression of Mr. Jones. “Remember what I told you, son? I said I was a man of the Movement, but if you hurt my daughter again, I’m not too old to whoop your ass.”
It hurt to laugh, but Imani giggled just a little. It sounded exactly like her father. “That’s my daddy. Always looking out for those he loves.”
“I promised him I would remember that and do my best never to hurt you again. Right now, things are too crazy for them to fly here, but as soon as they settle down, I’ll charter a plane so that they can come to Chicago.” Garrett grinned. “Ultimately, your dad said he was glad we’re working things out.”
“You told my parents we are back together?”
His eyes were earnest, vulnerable and hopeful. He held his breath waiting for an answer. “Aren’t we?”
“Only if you promise to give me your whole heart, Garrett. I need you to trust me with it completely. No more secrets and no more trying to paper over problems that come in any marriage with material things.”
“You’re saying no more secrets and no more gifts. If I can do that, you’ll give me the family I’ve dreamed of my entire life?”
She smiled. “Let’s not get crazy. Gifts are allowed. Lots and lots of them. Just not in exchange for you.”
He nodded. “I can do that.”
“Good. Because I love you, and you’re in my heart.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “From the moment we met, our connection was immediate and undeniable—both physically and emotionally, no matter how we tried to slow things down. I can’t get you out of my system. You’re like a fever I can’t break, and I don’t want to. Imani Hadley, you make me feverish— FEVERISH UnbRoken.”
EPILOGUE
One Year Later
Garrett and Imani pulled up in front of the school. They were nervous, more nervous than Garrett Jr. They parked the car and got out.
Imani took their daughter Harper out of her car seat from the back of the car, while Garrett grabbed his son’s backpack and helped him out of the car. “Are you nervous buddy? It being your first day of school and all.”
The dark haired little boy with the sparkling blue eyes smiled wide. “No, Daddy.”
Harper was missing all the action sleeping on her mother’s shoulder. “Garrett, did you get his lunch?”
“I left it. I’ll run back and get it.”
