Utah (Knights Corruption MC: Laredo #4)

Chapter 26

26

Sleep evaded me as I tossed and turned. I’d gone to bed two hours prior but hadn’t slept a wink because Utah was on my mind. I didn’t know what I’d do if he never came back. “Don’t think like that,” I mumbled to myself. I didn’t want to reside in negativity, but the chances were high that I’d never see him again.

Even though it was late, I doubted my brother was sleeping. He was a bit of a night owl. I reached for my phone on the bedside table and texted him.

Me: Any news about Utah yet?

Knox: Not since the last time you asked

Me: I’m worried

Knox: Don’t be

His telling me not to worry didn’t stop the dread from swirling inside me, mounting until I could….

“Oooooo,” I groaned. “Uhhhhhh, what the hell?” I clutched my belly, breathing through a wave of pain. They weren’t strong, but I didn’t believe I should be experiencing any type of cramps. Suddenly, I had to use the bathroom. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I stood, waiting for more discomfort to hit, but nothing else happened. When I pulled down my underwear to sit on the toilet, there was blood. Not a lot, but enough for me to start to panic. Heat enveloped me, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Between being worried about Utah and now this, whatever this was that was happening, I became borderline hysterical. “Evie!” I shouted. “I need you!” Ten seconds passed. “Evie!”

“I’m right here,” she rushed to say, barging into my bathroom. Her eyes widened a fraction when I pointed to my underwear, but her expression deadpanned seconds later. My sister was always good about being calm when others weren’t—a trait I wished I possessed right now. “It’s okay. We’ll go to the hospital, and they’ll check you out. It’s not uncommon for some women to bleed during the first few months of being pregnant.”

“Really?” Her words soothed me, but only a fraction. “How do you know that?”

“I like to read,” she said, smiling. “I need to know all things baby because you got my niece or nephew in there.”

“Good thing one of us is on her game.” I kicked off my underwear before standing. “Can you grab me a new pair and a pad?”

Evie was back in the bathroom a minute later. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” After cleaning up, I threw on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, grabbing my purse on the way out of the room.

“Are you okay?”

“I think so.”

“Any pain?” she asked.

“No,” I answered.

“That’s gotta be a good thing.” We rushed out of the house toward our cars. She held her hand out for my keys. “I don’t have any gas in mine. ”

Upon arriving at the emergency room of Lakeland Memorial Hospital and notifying them about my issue, they took me right back. A nurse came in and took my vitals, marked down the results, and left.

“Do you want me to call Mom?”

“Not yet. Let’s wait to see what’s going on first.”

“Good idea.” My sister grasped my hand and squeezed it. “I’m sure everything is okay.”

I nodded, not wanting to jinx my situation.

There was a knock on the outside of the room, but before I could respond, Dr. Sanders walked in.

“I saw Ria Grayson on the chart and thought that might be you,” he said, approaching the bed.

“How did you know my last name? Before tonight, I mean, to know it was me?”

“I assumed it was the same as Knox’s.”

“Oh, yeah.” Thankful for the slight distraction, I then asked, “Do all doctors have their own office and work at a hospital?”

“Not all. But I take on a few shifts a month to help due to staffing.”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

“For them.” He chuckled, but his laughter was quickly replaced with concern. “What happened?”

“I’m pregnant.” I stopped speaking as if those two words were enough of an explanation as to why I was in the hospital.

“She’s bleeding,” my sister added. “No major pain, but we wanted to come and make sure nothing is wrong.”

Kyla had told me about the issue my brother had with Dr. Sanders being her boss, and looking at him now, I understood. The man was almost too handsome. He was tall with dark hair and green eyes, and when he smiled, he put people at ease. At least he did with me, which I appreciated. I wasn’t attracted to him, but I did find him attractive. My type was more of the stubborn, sometimes ornery, mountain-type-looking man with ink, long hair, and a bushy beard. Just thinking of Utah made my heart ache, but luckily, the good doctor distracted me again when he spoke.

“Dr. Greer is the obstetrician on duty tonight. You’re in good hands.” He glanced from me to Evie and back again, flashing his megawatt smile. “How is Utah doing?”

Dammit, now I’m back to worrying.

“He’s okay. Getting better each day.” I responded with what I believed to be the truth. But in reality, Utah simply replied with “I’m fine” whenever I asked him how he was. He was popping those damn pills like candy, though, so he couldn’t be all that fine.

“That’s good. Tell him to reach out if he has an issue, okay?”

“I will. Thank you.”

Two minutes after he left, a brunette walked in. Her hair was slicked back in a ponytail. She couldn’t be any older than thirty.

“Hi, Ria.” She extended her hand in greeting. “I’m Dr. Greer. What brings you in tonight?”

“I’ve been having some slight cramps today, and when I went to the bathroom earlier, there was blood.”

“Okay. Well, let’s see what’s going on.”

As she performed her exam, I clutched Evie’s hand but wished Utah was here with me. I silently prayed that my baby was okay, and that I wasn’t on the verge of heartbreak.

When I’d first found out I was pregnant, I’d been upset. We’d been careless, especially since we never discussed children. But why would we have? We’d never defined what we were to each other, let alone bringing another human being into the equation. Utah had more life experience than me being ten years older, and even he’d been upset by the news. Neither one of us was ready to be parents. And even though he said he’d support whatever decision I made, would be there for me however I needed, it took me some time to finally decide to keep the little bean. Once I’d made the decision, though, my soul felt lighter, and I believed this baby had been brought into our lives for a reason.

And now I stood to lose everything I’d come to accept and be excited about, all in the span of a heartbeat.