realising the horrendous consequences of the decisions she’d made, she couldn’t see how he could ever forgive her. If it all came out – when it did – she would be denied access to Samuel. She couldn’t live her life not seeing him grow up. He might end up in care. She couldn’t bear that. Couldn’t allow it. She had to keep fighting, but now her fight was for him.
Shushing and soothing him, his cries abating to a bewildered whimper as she did, she made her way back along the landing. Hold on, she willed Jemma, pressing the baby closer as she paused at the master bedroom. Please hold on.
Fifty-Eight
Adam
It hadn’t been difficult to work out where she was. They’d passed his car parked askew a little way up the road. Meeting Cassie descending the stairs as he came into Ryan’s hall, Adam stopped and looked quickly at the child, who seemed unharmed. His gaze going to Cassie, he eyed her warily as he took a short step back. ‘Hand the baby over to Ryan, Cassie,’ he suggested quietly.
Her gaze darting to Ryan standing in the doorway, Cassie drew the baby closer to her.
‘Cassie! Hand him over!’ Adam raised his voice, causing Cassie to jump and Liam to start in her arms. He had no idea what was happening, but with the chaos at the cottage, and now seeing Cassie drenched to the skin, a gash to her forehead, and her jeans soaked in rich red blood, he wasn’t taking any chances.
‘Now, Cassie.’ He moderated his tone as Liam squealed. ‘I can’t let you take him.’
Her eyes desperate, Cassie’s gaze shot again to the door; then, glancing behind her, she took a precarious step back up the stairs.
‘Cassie, don’t,’ Adam warned her. ‘If you care about that child at all, don’t.’ He locked his eyes hard on hers. ‘I won’t let you take him away from here, Cassie. You know I won’t. Just give him to his father.’
At that, Cassie stifled a sob. ‘He’s not his father.’ She held the baby still closer.
‘Jesus! He’s been his father since the day he was born! For God’s sake, hand him over, or I call the police, right here, right now.’
She seemed to waver at that. Adam had thought she might. He thought he knew why, too, and it was tearing his heart from inside him. Glancing down at Liam, she lowered her head to kiss his cheek. Then, meeting Adam’s eyes, wariness in her own, she passed him to Ryan, who hugged him tight. One hand defensively over the back of the child’s head, he moved past Adam, carefully past Cassie, and climbed the stairs.
Adam waited until he’d reached the landing. ‘Where’s Jemma?’ he asked Cassie, trying for some level of calm.
Cassie looked flustered. ‘In the bedroom,’ she answered, a new fear beginning to take root inside Adam as she spoke. ‘She’s…’ Her eyes grew wide with alarm as she faltered.
‘Jesus Christ! Adam!’ shouted Ryan.
Hearing the terror in his voice, Adam grabbed hold of Cassie’s arm and steered her up the stairs in front of him.
As soon as he saw the slim figure lying unmoving on the bed, he realised that something was very wrong. ‘Shit,’ he muttered, grappling his phone from his pocket and jabbing 999 into it. She’d known. Was she going to leave her to die? His heart pumped with anger and confusion. ‘Ambulance,’ he said.
‘I’ve called them,’ Cassie said tearfully as the operator told him they’d already had a call from this address. ‘I’ve called them,’ she repeated, desperation in her voice.
‘She’s unconscious,’ Adam said. ‘We’re not sure what to do.’
‘Stay on the line, caller,’ he was advised.
‘She must have taken something. I can’t make her wake up!’ Ryan said hoarsely as he laid Liam gently down on the duvet.
‘Is she breathing?’ Adam asked, repeating what the call handler was telling him. Clamping hard on his fury, he manoeuvred Cassie ahead of him and kicked the door closed behind them.
‘I don’t know.’ Ryan’s voice was filled with panic, his hand shaking as he brushed his wife’s hair from her face. ‘I—’
‘Look at her chest,’ Adam instructed him urgently. ‘Look to see if it’s rising and falling. If not, listen for breaths over her nose and mouth.’
Ryan did as he was told. ‘She is!’ Straightening up, he swiped a hand over his face. ‘She’s alive.’
Adam felt himself go weak with relief. Thank God. His eyes back on Cassie, he nodded her towards the dressing table stool on the opposite