Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Several people were running toward us from a hallway off of the main basement tunnel, which was where we were.
“Beau Fox,” I said, grateful everyone coming toward us was upright, because I couldn’t have carried anyone else. “And Andie.”
“Beau, it’s Greg Carver from the front office. And I’ve got a few people here with me. Are you guys okay?”
As he approached us, I saw that he and the others with him were okay. They weren’t covered in dust, cuts, and bruises like me and Andie.
“She needs medical attention right now,” I said, looking down at her foot, which was a mangled mess dripping blood.
“Oh, shit,” Greg said. “There’s an exit close by; that’s where we’re going. You want me to see if I can take her from you?”
“No, just get us to the door.”
He nodded and clapped my shoulder as he ran ahead, and I winced in pain. I followed, Andie’s shallow breathing making me move faster than I should have been able to.
Finally, I saw the rectangle of artificial light around the open doorway, from the light fixtures inside the arena where the stairs and elevator were located. Once through it, we went to the stairs and I summoned every ounce of will I had to walk up them. There was a door at the top, sunlight beckoning me to keep going as Greg held it open.
I stopped once we were outside, trying desperately to catch my breath. Greg’s eyes were wide as he looked up at us from his phone screen.
“We have to keep going,” he said. “They think it was an explosion, and there could be more.”
That’s what the second boom had beenanother explosion. I locked eyes with Greg.
“You take her,” I said. “I’m going back in.”
“Beau, you can’t. It’s not safe.”
Safe or not, I was going back in. There were many people in that arena who would do the same for me.
“My teammates are in there. Take her.”
“We need to let the professionals handle it,” Greg said, his tone indicating that it was somehow his decision to make.
I was about to lose my shit. Every second he argued with me was time lost. I held Andie out toward him.
“She needs help right now. Take her.”
With a resigned look, he put his arms out and I passed Andie to him.
“If I don’t make it out, tell Shelby I love her and I want her to have an amazing life,” I said, my throat tight. “Promise me.”
“I promise.”
Damn. I hoped that wasn’t the last thing I’d ever get to tell Shelby. I wanted to tell her myself that I loved her. I wanted to meet our baby and see him or her grow up.
Him. My gut told me we were having a son.
I turned to go back through the door we’d come out of.
“Beau, be careful!” Greg called after me.
I waved over my shoulder, finding the door locked and kicking it out of frustration. There were many other doors that led into the arena, though. I’d find one, get back in, and find my teammates.
I’ll get to them, I told myself. I’ll find a way. There was no other option.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Shelby
“Look at the way he’s looking at you,” Claire Fox said, sitting beside my hospital bed as Charlie nursed. “He knows you’re his mama.”
I smiled down at my son. “I never could have imagined how emotional it would be to breastfeed him. I’m glad we finally got him to latch.”
“Is there anything you need?”
“If you could hold him when he finishes eating, that would be great. My arms are feeling tired.”
She stroked a hand over my hair, the tender gesture making tears well in my eyes. “Of course I will. And when you get out of the hospital, Henry and I are here for you and Charlie and Beau.”
“Has Henry said anything else?” I asked her.
She checked her phone. “No. I’ll text and ask if there are any updates.”
The entire Fox family had come to the hospital when they heard about the accident. Beau had called his parents when he was being brought to the hospital in an ambulance and asked them to come here to be with me and the baby, if I’d delivered.
Things were chaotic for an hour or so, Beau’s family members taking turns checking on him in the ER and me on the OB floor. They’d all assured me he was stable and pleading with the doctors to let him come up to my room to see me and Charlie.
I wouldn’t be able to relax fully until I saw him with my own eyes. He had broken ribs and several cuts and bruises but was otherwise okay. The ER was so backed up with patients from the arena explosion that it was taking a long time for them to get Beau cleaned up.
“Do the police know what happened?” I asked Claire.