Behind it all was a faint beeping. That and pain. I let out a little moan.
“Kenna? Are you awake? Open those pretty eyes.”
Crosby’s voice tugged at me, but so did the call of sleep.
“Please, baby. I need to know you’re okay.”
The sheer agony in Crosby’s voice had me fighting to flutter my eyes open.
“There she is. God, you scared the hell out of me.”
He looked ravaged as if he’d lived a hundred lifetimes in the time I had been asleep. I tried to speak, but my throat screamed. “Water?” I could barely get the single hoarse word out.
Crosby moved like lightning, grabbing a pink cup with a straw. “Here. Just a couple of small sips in case you feel sick.”
I started to nod, but the action made my head throb. I took a cautious drink. The cool liquid was heaven on my throat. I released the straw and tried again. “What happened—?” I froze, everything coming back to me in a flash of images and the feeling of fists against flesh. I lashed out with my free arm, gripping Crosby’s hand, tears springing to my eyes. “The baby. Is the baby okay?” I hoped against hope, knowing that it was unlikely for a pregnancy that early on to survive the kind of violence I remembered.
“The baby’s just fine. You’re going to be all right. Everything’s okay.”
My tears flowed more freely. “I was going to tell you today. But then Grant…”
Crosby’s entire face hardened in an expression I’d never seen before. “It was Grant?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
Crosby pulled out his phone with one hand, fingers flying across the screen. “I have to let Parker know. I’m sure he’ll need a statement, but that can wait.”
“I’m so sorry, Crosby.”
“No, Kenna.” Crosby pressed his lips to my palm. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad you and our little gremlin are okay.”
A sob hiccupped out of my chest. “Our little gremlin?”
A small grin pulled at Crosby’s lips. “That’s what I’ve been calling him or her. We’ve been getting acquainted while you slept.” He set his phone on my mattress and placed a gentle hand on my belly, drawing circles with his thumb.
“You want this baby?” I sucked in a breath, holding it, not able to let go until I heard the words.
“I want you. I want our baby. I want to build a home and a family. I want everything.”
My tears came faster as my shoulders shook. “Really?”
Crosby stared into my eyes. “Really. I was coming to your place to tell you that this afternoon. God, Kenna. I messed up so bad. I was terrified, and I didn’t even realize it. I was holding so tightly to this messed-up idea of freedom, when all it was were walls to keep people out. Barriers so I wouldn’t get hurt again. But it doesn’t matter because you snuck behind them anyway.” He lifted my hand to his lips again. “I love you with everything I have and everything I am. Please let me love you.”
“I love you, too. With everything I have. I don’t want anyone but you.”
Crosby leaned in, careful not to bump my casted arm, and brushed his lips across mine. “Forever.”
A knock sounded from the other side of the room. “We heard someone was waking up.” Ford held the door for Bell and Caelyn, who rushed inside.
Caelyn burst into tears the second our eyes met. “Oh God, Kenna. I was so worried. Are you okay? Are you in pain? Can we get you anything? Should I call a nurse?”
“Slow down, speed racer.” Bell threw an arm over Caelyn’s shoulders. “If she’s kissing her surfer boy, I think she’s going to be just fine.”
I grinned at my friends. “Love you guys.”
Bell reached out and squeezed my foot that lay under the pile of blankets. “Always, sister. You gave us a scare there.”
“I gave myself one, too.” I couldn’t fight the shiver as an image of Grant’s face, so full of hate, filled my mind.
Crosby’s phone buzzed, and he swiped it up from the bed. “Parker already arrested Grant. He and his family are raising holy hell, but they got him.”
A bit of tension in my muscles eased. I was safe.
Bell gripped Ford’s hand tightly. “I can’t believe he did this.” As much as we all knew that Grant was an asshole, none of us had thought he’d go this far.
Caelyn nibbled on her bottom lip. “He’s not gonna get away with this, right?”
Crosby scanned his message from Parker. “Grant has split and