“We’re having a baby,” he corrects, his eyes staring into mine. The statement makes me go still. “Go get some sleep,” he urges. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He gets up. “Lock the door behind me.”
I watch him walk out of the house, closing the door softly behind him. I lock it after him, not because he told me to, but so he doesn’t change his mind and come back in the house. I turn off the lights and head to my bedroom, sliding into bed. I can smell cigarette smoke drifting in from outside, but I’m too tired and it’s too hot to close the windows.
I’m off my game, my shield is slipping, and my mind is on other things, which is why it won’t be until much later that I’ll remember none of my neighbors smoke. And none of them would be out in the middle of the night.
CHAPTER NINE
THEO
I walk into the hospital with a tray of coffee in one hand and a box of donuts in the other. The only people in the lobby are either starting their shifts or finishing them. I take the elevator up to the second floor.
I had set my alarm for 3:00 a.m. to make sure I went to Collins’s house when she finished her shift. I wasn’t expecting to find her throwing up in the garbage. The sight of her being sick and alone hit me right in the stomach. It was as if someone kicked the shit out of me repeatedly. Even while I was taking out the garbage, the sense of guilt rushed over me like I’ve never felt before. After I left, I just drove around until the bakery opened, picked up a few things, and headed here.
The elevator doors open, and I step out, the hallway lights still dim as I press the button to open the swinging door. The right one swings open as I make my way down the corridor to Sierra’s room. The nurses’ station in the middle of the floor is the only area that has the lights on. One of the nurses behind the desk is typing away on the keyboard, and she casually looks up at me and smiles before looking back down. I thought for sure someone would say something to me since it’s not really visiting hours. I stop outside Sierra’s room. The door is slightly ajar, so I knock on it with my elbow.
“What are you doing knocking?” Caleb hisses when he pulls open the door.
“It’s common courtesy to knock on a closed door before walking into the room.” I gawk at him. “What if she was naked?” He turns his back to me, and I follow him into the room. “What if the nurse was in here?”
Sierra is lying all the way on one side of the bed, leaving a lot of empty space. “Are you sharing her bed?” I ask him. Sierra smiles softly, her eyes opening slowly and then closing. “Good god, Caleb, she’s been shot. She can have the whole bed.” I shake my head, putting the box of donuts and the coffee on the tray table that has been moved against the wall. I turn back, putting my hands on my hips. “I expected better from you,” I tell Sierra.
“I can’t sleep without him by my side,” she replies. “I had to force him and threaten him.”
“She did,” Caleb defends himself, going to her side of the bed. “Do you want some coffee, baby?”
“I do,” she mumbles, licking her lips.
“I was told I had to tell you I didn’t pay for any of this.” I point to everything I put down. “Everleigh made it special for you, and it’s an order from Lilah.”
“That’s so sweet.” She smiles and then looks at Caleb. “But first I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Let me help you,” Caleb says softly, holding out his hand for her. She slides her hand in his, and then he waits for her to get up and walks her to the bathroom.
“She’s going to be okay,” I reassure him as he stands outside the closed bathroom door. He looks like he’s about to punch holes in the wall, and his expression is a Maybe you should stop talking. I hold up both hands, grab a coffee from the tray, and retreat to the chair in the corner.
“Why are you here at the ass crack of dawn?” he asks. Why? Because I’m freaking out about Collins, and I know the only person I can talk to is Caleb. But he has so much on his plate. So I lie to him for the first time ever.
“Couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d come by to see if you needed anything. Get up to speed with everything I need to know.”
I know he can see right through me, and I know he’s about to call me out on it. Luckily, Sierra saves me when she pushes the door open and slowly comes out. “Okay, it’s coffee time,” she declares, and he kisses her. I don’t think I’ve ever been jealous of anyone a day in my life. But what they have, seeing it after yesterday’s news, I’m jealous.
“What’s in the box?” she asks me as she slowly walks back to her bed, sitting on the edge, and then having Caleb swing her legs onto the mattress. She tries not to wince, but she does, and the murderous look is back on his face. “I’m fine.” She holds her hand up to Caleb’s cheek. “I’m fine, but I’m hungry, and I don’t want to be hangry, so go and tell me what’s in that box.”
He kisses her lips before walking over and opening the box. “Lots of shit,” he throws over his shoulder, and I can’t help but snort.
“She said it’s lemon and blueberry,” I tell her, and she gasps.
“Bring me the whole box.” She holds out her arms just as my phone rings. I pull it out of my back pocket and see it’s Nino calling me.
“Good morning, buttercup,” I answer, putting the phone to my ear.
“Hey.” I can tell from his tone that this is going to be a serious conversation. I sit up and look over at Caleb, who watches me. “We just got to the Packard project.”
“Yeah?” I’m not sure where he’s going with this.
“Not sure if you came by here since yesterday, but did you take some of the tools?”
“No,” I reply.