Page 176 of Wicked Brutal

“Not quite yet.”

“Why?”

“Because the baby is still tiny.”

“How tiny?”

Behind me, Walter murmurs, “She’s doomed.”

Cassandra smiles. “She loves it.”

She does. Darla is already answering the next question before Tobias finishes asking it. They disappear into the living room.

And then I see Ryan. He’s standing near the doorway to the guest room Darla has apparently temporarily turned into an exam room. Jeans. Black T-shirt. Bare feet. His eyes find mine. Everything else inside me collides at once. I love him. I’m furious with him. I want him beside me. I want to hit him with my notebook. His gaze moves over my face like he’s checking that I’m okay. I hate that too. He takes one step toward me. I look away.

Darla calls from the other room. “Ally?”

My nerves immediately swallow everything else. I walk toward her. Ryan waits. I get almost to the doorway before looking back. He’s still standing exactly where I left him.“Are you coming?”

Something flashes across his face. “Yeah.”

Darla has turned one of the downstairs guest rooms into the world’s smallest doctor’s office. There’s a portable ultrasound machine beside the bed, towels, a small bag of supplies, and Tobias sitting in the chair beside it like he’s been appointed chief medical officer. Walter takes the other chair. Cassandra stands behind him. Ryan stays near me. Still not touching.

I climb onto the bed. My hands are shaking.

Darla notices. “Hey.” I look at her. “We’re just taking a look.”

“I know.”

“Anything different since we talked?”

“No.”

“Good.” Tobias raises his hand. Darla looks at him. “Yes?”

“Why would she bleed?”

My eyes widen. Oh, Jesus. Darla doesn’t miss a beat. “Sometimes doctors ask questions to make sure everything is going exactly the way we want.”

“But why—“

“Toby.” He looks at me. “Maybe save the blood questions.”

“Okay.” Beat. “Can I ask about pee?”

Walter covers his mouth. Cassandra turns away. Darla smiles.

“Absolutely.”

“Does the baby pee?”

“Yes.”

His eyes get huge. “Inside Ally?”

“Yes.”

“Where does it go?” Ryan makes a strangled noise beside me. I look at him. He is fighting for his fucking life. Darla launches into an explanation. Tobias listens like she’s revealing government secrets. And somehow that helps. My hands stop shaking.