Page 25

“She’s perfect,” she says softly, the sound of her voice causing me to pause. Do I know this voice? It almost sounded like…

She reaches down, stroking back her hair as I step up right behind her. If she thinks she’s taking my daughter, she’s soon going to learn exactly what kind of father I am.

I click back the safety and press the barrel of my gun against the back of her head.

“Back away from my daughter.”

The deadly threat in my tone has the woman’s entire body freezing in place. A second or two passes before she takes a step back, her body slightly swaying. She’s possibly a foot shorter than me and small. Really fucking small. How did she think she was going to get away with this?

“Turn around,” I order.

She obeys, her face coming into view as she spins on her heels, her big, soft green eyes looking up into mine.

The world stops spinning as my heart slams against my ribs.

This can’t be real…

I shake my head, waiting for the hallucination before me to disappear, but she’s still here.

Still standing before me.

Alive.

“Charlotte?”

Her eyes roll back as her legs give out. I quickly slide an arm around her waist and lift her into my hold. Her head falls against my chest, her body curling alongside mine.

What the fuck happened to her?

I tuck my gun into the back of my waistband and pull out my phone from my pocket.

Madeleine answers on the first ring. “Hey, I heard you’re a pyromaniac—”

“I need you to watch Clara. Now.”

She must hear the urgency in my voice because she replies, “I’m on my way.”

The call ends, and I scroll for Doctor Rose’s name and press the phone to my ear.

“Doctor Rose,” she answers.

“I need you to look at someone right away. I’ll be at your clinic in five minutes.”

“I’ll be there,” she responds without hesitation.

I end the call and slide my phone into my pocket. I carry Charlotte across the hall, down the stairs, and through the foyer. Just as I approach the front door, it swings open, revealing Madeleine.

She steps inside. “What’s going—” Her words die on the tip of her tongue as she sees Charlotte in my arms. “Alex?” Her eyes widen. “Is that…?”

“No time to explain. I’m taking her to Doctor Rose. Clara is asleep.” I rush outside, hurrying over to my car. Carefully, I lower Charlotte into the back seat and then run around to the driver’s side, sliding behind the wheel. The engine roars to life, and I make it to Doctor Rose’s clinic in only a few minutes.

“What happened?” Doctor Rose asks, already washing her hands as she glances at Charlotte over her shoulder.

I lower her onto the exam bed. Her body sinks into the white sheets. She’s too still for my liking. “I don’t know. She was standing in front of me and just…collapsed.” I leave out the part about having a gun pressed against Charlotte’s head and probably scaring the living shit out of her.

My jaw tightens as I drag my fingers through my hair, stepping back while Doctor Rose examines her. Her eyes meet mine for the briefest moment, and I see it then: she recognizes Charlotte. But she doesn’t say anything further on the matter and continues to do her job.

She grips her wrist, and we both see the dark blue skin. My eyes briefly pinch closed as I take a steady breath. She presses two fingers over her pulse point and waits a moment before saying, “Her pulse is steady.” Her eyes travel over Charlotte. “It’s easy to see she’s dehydrated.” To confirm it, she gently pinches the skin on Charlotte’s hand, watching as it slowly settles back into place. She shifts Charlotte’s arm, then presses lightly against her abdomen. Charlotte winces, and we both exchange a look. She carefully lifts the hem of Charlotte’s shirt only an inch or two, revealing…