Third person pov“Nothing will happen.” His voice cracked, but he forced the words through anyway. “Because I won’t let it. I won’t let anything touch you, or the baby. Not again. Not ever.”Dr Sheila gently placed a reassuring hand on her arm. “Delilah, you did what you had to do to survive. You fought. And your baby fought with you. What matters now is that you’re both here. You’re both alive. The fight is over. It’s time to rest.”The words broke through the noise in Delilah’s head and she made up her mind. She was going to fight for this baby, just as she had fought for her own life.Delilah finally turned her gaze back to him, her voice so small it nearly disappeared. “You really mean that?”Calix lifted her hand to his lips, pressing his mouth against her skin, closing his eyes like the act itself was a vow. “I’ve never meant anything more.”The door shut softly behind the doctor, and the room settled into a comfortable silence. The only sound was the low hum of the machines and
Third person povThe piercing shriek of sirens echoed through the quietness of the night, red and blue lights flashed. A convoy of black and white police cruisers screeched to a halt outside the warehouse and officers poured out of the vehicle. The first squad of officers stormed in, weapons raised, voices barking orders that bounced off rusted steel beams.Julian was still on the ground, his legs shattered beyond recognition. The manic laughter that had poured from him moments ago was gone, replaced by guttural groans and bitter curses.“Get your hands where we can see them!” an officer shouted.Julian spat at the floor, his wrists yanked behind his back as two uniforms pinned him down. The click of handcuffs echoed louder than his protest.“You don’t know who you’re dealing with!” he bellowed, his voice cracking with pain. “This isn’t over. You think he’s clean? You think Calix Knight walks away from this?”The officers didn’t flinch. They hauled him upright despite his scream, drag
Calix's povThe SUV tires screeched against the asphalt as the driver slammed the brakes. The car jerked to a halt, sending a wave of pain up my wounded arm. I gritted my teeth, a low groan escaping my lips, but I didn't let go of her. I couldn’t. My good arm, the one not weeping blood, was wrapped tightly around her body, holding her close.The private hospital’s emergency entrance smelled of antiseptic, clean linen, and every other thing hospitals smelled like. I didn’t wait for the driver to open my door. I pushed it open myself, the rough motion sending a jolt of agony through my shoulder. Blood dripped from my hand onto the polished concrete of the hospital driveway.I staggered out of the car, carrying Delilah’s almost unconscious form in my arms. She was limp, her face pale against the dark patch of blood on my shirt. Her breathing was shallow, a subtle flutter against my chest.A hospital orderly, a young, frantic-looking man, rushed towards us. His eyes, wide with shock, wer
Delilah's pov“Delilah! Baby!”I heard Calix’s voice call out.Then I felt him. His warmth.Followed by the sound of something heavy being dragged along the floor and a pained groan that was evidence of his own agony. I felt his hand cup my cheek, turning my face to him. I felt another hand on my shoulder, shaking me, not with force, but with urgency.“Delilah,” his voice was a desperate whisper and filled with emotion. “Delilah, look at me. Open your eyes.”I wanted to. Gosh, I really wanted to. I wanted to see him, to make sure he was alright, to know that this nightmare was truly over. But my body refused to respond. My eyelids were heavy and they remained closed.“Stay with me,” he breathed, shaking me lightly. “Baby, don’t you dare leave me now.”A groan slipped out of me, weak and strangled. “Calix…”“I’m here. It’s okay. I’m here.” His voice was a lifeline in the chaos. I felt him gather my limp body into his arms, slowly and carefully. A sharp pain shot up my back and my arms
Delilah's povCalix’s roar was like a wounded beast, his agony and betrayal echoing through the factory. I flinched, letting out a loud shriek. My eyes widened in horror.He stumbled back, struggling to keep himself upright. The shot had hit him in the shoulder, and a dark red stain was already seeping through the fabric of his shirt. He clutched his arm, his fingers digging into the wound as if to stop the bleeding, a look of shock and agonizing pain on his face. His breath came in ragged gasps, and he sank to one knee.And then Julian laughed.A sharp, maniacal cry that bounced off the steel walls and back at us. His eyes, which were fixed on Calix’s crumbling form, were bright and had a cruel, unhinged satisfaction. With the gun held loosely in his hand, he stood over him like a victorious king looking down on his defeated foe.My chest tightened with a sudden, suffocating bout of rage and helplessness. I was still bound to the chair like a puppet in Julian and Silas’s twisted game
Calix's povI didn’t think twice about it. All that existed in that split second was Delilah’s wide, terrified eyes and the bastard pointing a gun at her chest. With a burst of speed fueled by pure desperation and an instinct that came from a place deeper than my rage, I lunged forward.A deafening shot rang out through the factory, followed by Delilah's loud scream. My heart stopped until I realized the bullet hadn’t touched Delilah. I didn't see where the bullet went, only that it missed her. It was a warning shot, a terrifying declaration of intent. I slammed my body into Silas before he could fire again, my shoulder connecting with his chest with force. The impact knocked the breath out of him and the gun clattered to the floor, skidding out of reach.We crashed to the concrete, fists and rage colliding. His elbow drove into my ribs, mine into his jaw. His teeth bared in a bloody snarl, mine clenched tight as I forced his arms down. His body, despite being older, still held a surp