Wanted by Her Lost Love - By Maya Banks Page 0,52
minutes dragged to eternity. The operator continued to ask him questions and offered him encouragement. But Kelly remained unconscious and the longer she lay there, still, on the floor, the more his panic and sense of helplessness grew.
After what seemed an interminable wait, he heard the EMS crew call out from the door.
“In here!” he called hoarsely.
They hurried in, motioning him away from Kelly as they began to administer care. Through it all, Ryan stood there numbly, watching as they lifted her onto a stretcher and hurried toward the elevator.
He followed behind, whispered prayers falling from his lips. They loaded her onto the waiting ambulance and he climbed in behind her.
Halfway to the hospital, he pulled out his phone but then stared blankly down at it. Who would he call? There was no one. Cold fury iced his veins. The very people he’d trusted—especially his brother—had acted unforgivably. Until now he’d never really experienced true hatred.
He buried his face in his hands and willed himself not to lose his composure. Not now. Kelly needed him. He hadn’t been there for her before. He’d already made the mistake of abandoning her when she’d needed him the absolute most.
Now he’d die before he ever allowed her to think she wasn’t the most important thing in the world to him.
Ryan stood listening to the doctor tell him that Kelly’s condition was indeed serious. She was on a magnesium sulfate drip to lower her blood pressure and prevent future seizures, but if she didn’t respond in the next few hours an emergency C-section would have to be performed.
“And the risks to the child?” Ryan croaked. “It’s too soon, isn’t it?”
The doctor gave him a look of sympathy. “We won’t have a choice. If left untreated, both mother and child could die. The only cure for eclampsia is delivery of the baby. We’re doing tests to determine the lung maturity of the baby. At thirty-four weeks’ gestation, the child has a very good chance of survival without complications.”
Ryan dug a hand into his hair and closed his eyes. He’d done this to her. She should have been cherished and pampered during her entire pregnancy. She should have been waited on hand and foot. Instead she’d been forced to work a physically demanding job under unimaginable stress. And once he’d brought her back, she’d been subjected to scorn and hostility and endless emotional distress.
Was it any wonder she wanted to wash her hands of him and his family?
“Will…will Kelly be all right? Will she recover from this?”
He didn’t realize he held his breath until his chest began to burn. He let it out slowly and forced himself to relax his hands.
“She’s gravely ill. Her blood pressure is extremely high. She could seize again or suffer a stroke. Neither is good for her or the baby. We’re doing everything we can to bring her blood pressure down and we’re monitoring the baby for signs of stress. We’re prepared to take the baby if the condition of either mother or child deteriorates. It’s important she remain calm and not be stressed in any way. Even if we’re able to bring down her blood pressure and put off the delivery until closer to her due date, she’ll be on strict bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy.”
“I understand,” Ryan said quietly. “Can I see her now?”
“You can go in but she must remain calm. Don’t do or say anything to upset her.”
Ryan nodded and turned to walk the few steps to Kelly’s room. He paused at the door, afraid to go in. What if his mere presence upset her?
His hand rested on the handle and he leaned forward, pressing his forehead to the surface. He closed his eyes as grief and regret—so much regret—swamped him.
Finally he opened the door and eased inside. It was dark with only a light from the bathroom to illuminate the room. Kelly lay on the bed, a vast array of medical equipment on either side of her.
He approached cautiously, not wanting to disturb or upset her. He hovered by her side, staring down at her pale face. Her eyes were closed, but her brow was creased, whether in worry or pain he wasn’t sure. Maybe both.
Her chest barely rose with the shallow breaths. Suddenly, everything that had happened tonight caught up to him in one painful rush. Never. Never would he forget her grief-ravaged face as she bitterly told him what his brother had done to her, what she’d tried to tell him