“Something called placenta previa, but the doctor said she and the baby will both be okay.”
“Bed rest,” he muttered. “I’ll call you back in a few.”
I didn’t need to relay everything Doc had said. Halo heard it. What I did need to do was fill him in on everything that had happened with Nick since he’d left for New York City the last time. I’d just finished when Doc called back.
“She should be arriving any minute. I’ve got Cowboy on the scene back at her parents’ house. Ranger and Diesel will be on the next flight out.”
“Copy that.”
I leaned up against the wall, dreading having to go in and tell Sloane that I, once again, had to leave her to go check on Nick.
“I’ll go deal with Nick,” said Halo like he’d just read my mind. “I’ll report back when I know her condition.”
“Thanks,” I said, gripping his shoulder.
“Go take care of my sister.”
“Roger that.”
“What is it?” Sloane asked when I walked back into the room.
“Halo is taking care of it.”
She nodded and turned to her mother. “It’s okay if you and Dad want to head home.”
“You’re sure, mija?”
“Positive. I need to sleep so I can come home tomorrow.”
“We’ll be back in the morning.”
Once Ben and Carolina were gone, I sat on the edge of the bed.
“May I?” I held my hand over her belly.
“What?”
“Feel the baby?”
She moved the blanket and sheet away and raised her gown. I rested my hands on her bare skin and closed my eyes, willing our little girl to let me feel her. She didn’t disappoint. When I felt her tiny kick, I opened my eyes and looked into Sloane’s. “Such a miracle.”
“I know,” she said, rubbing her stomach and then covering it back up with the blanket.
“You’re planning on going to your parents’ tomorrow?”
“I think it would be best.”
“Why?”
“I know about Nick, Tackle.”
“You do? How? Did your dad get a call too?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s what the call was about earlier. Someone, from Caruso’s crew would be my guess, got to her. Beat her up pretty bad. Doc doesn’t know her condition but said it’s not good. They’re bringing her here, actually.”
“Oh my God. What about the baby?” she gasped.
“Sloane, I honestly don’t believe that you or the baby are in any danger, but I can arrange for more security if it would make you feel more comfortable.”
“Not our baby; her, and your, baby.”
“What are you talking about? Nick isn’t pregnant.”
“Tackle, don’t lie to me. I saw her. She came to the duplex the morning you left for California.”
“What? This isn’t making any sense. Nick was in Chicago, not Boston.”
“No, she wasn’t. She showed up at my place midmorning. I was expecting my mother, so like an idiot, I opened the door without looking to see who it was.” Sloane shifted to her side. “Anyway, she took one look at me and said that she’d come to ask me to let you go so you and she could raise your baby together. After she saw me, she said she figured I would ask her the same thing.”
“Nick isn’t pregnant.”
“Tackle, I saw her.”
“So did I. How pregnant did she tell you she was?”
“She didn’t need to tell me. She was as big as I am.”
“I saw her a few hours after that. She didn’t look the slightest bit pregnant.”
“You and Nick aren’t having a baby?”
“Of course we aren’t. Is that why you disappeared on me again?”
“I needed time to think. She was pretty convincing.”
“How so?”
“She said she could prove it. She was about to call you, but I slammed the door in her face. I’m telling you, she looked pregnant, Tackle.”
“I can’t explain why. All I know is that when she landed in California, she didn’t.”
“What happened when you were there?”
“Nick said she wanted to move back to Boston. I told her I believed it would be dangerous for her to do so. She said she’d made up her mind and that was what she was doing.”
“What else?”
“I told her if she did, I wouldn’t step in to help her again. Nor would K19.”
“I guess she did it anyway.”
“She probably thought I was bluffing. I guess it didn’t take long for Caruso’s crew to find her.” I shook my head, wishing she’d just listened and stayed in California.
“He probably thinks it was Nick who got him arrested.”
I agreed.
“Go check on her,” said Sloane.
“Absolutely not. One, I’m not leaving you. Two, your brother is down there, seeing what he can find out. Three, I warned her, and she refused to listen.”
“No guilt?”
“More like no regret. Doc told me early on that I needed to separate myself from her, not let her manipulate me. I feel as though that’s exactly what she did.”
“She didn’t get her way, though.”
“You’re right. She never would’ve either.”
“Tackle, can you do something for me?”
“Of course.”
“You said Knox was seeing what he could find out.”
“That’s right.”
“Have him ask about a baby.”
Sure, it bothered me that Sloane didn’t believe me when I told her Nick wasn’t pregnant, but asking for that little bit of reassurance for her, certainly wouldn’t hurt me. Instead of texting Halo, I called him and put the phone on speaker.
“Any word?”
“Not yet. They won’t let me back there, which isn’t a surprise.”
“If you’re able to talk to anyone, ask if she’s pregnant.”
“Pregnant?”
“She told Sloane she was.”
“Let me guess. Your baby?”
“I saw her a few hours after your sister did, and she didn’t look at all pregnant. Sloane said she did.”
“Easy enough to shove a pillow under your sweater, I guess.”
Sloane rolled her eyes. “Like I wouldn’t have known the difference, Knox.”
“Aren’t there costumes or something that you can wear to make you look pregnant?” he asked.
“I think there are.” Sloane’s eyes were on mine. “Just ask, though, okay?”
“Roger that.”
35
Sloane
I wanted to believe Tackle. And really, it wasn’t hard to do so. He wouldn’t lie about something that would be so easy to prove otherwise.
It
