Fighting Redemption(84)

Her heart lurched to her throat.

“Ma’am?” Fin focused her eyes on the man who spoke. “Finlay Louise Tanner?”

She nodded mutely as her entire body began trembling.

“I’m Officer Gavin Reed.” He indicated to the older man standing by his left. “This is Australian Army Chaplain Bryce Wethers.” Then he gestured towards Kyle. “And I believe you know Trooper Kyle Brooks.”

Fin searched Kyle’s pained hazel eyes before her gaze dropped to where he was turning a plain white envelope in his hands with care. She watched his fingers run along the edges of it before turning it over and repeating the process.

Her eyes flew back up to meet his. “No,” she whispered, her vision blurring as tears came thick and fast.

“Ma’am? May we come in?” asked Officer Reed.

Fin gritted her teeth as another sharp pain stole her breath.

“Fin? Sweetheart?” Without waiting for an invitation, Kyle grabbed the handle of the screen door and yanked it open.

“Can’t breathe,” she gasped when he took hold of her arms, holding her up when her knees gave out. “Everything hurts. Oh God, Kyle, it hurts.”

“Where?” Wild panic filled his eyes as he looked at her. “Where does it hurt?”

Feeling bile rise in her throat, Fin swallowed it down, but it wasn’t going anywhere. Leaning over, she coughed and blood filled her mouth. “Oh no,” she moaned, wiping at her face.

“Oh f*ck,” Kyle breathed, his eyes going wide as they fell on the blood she couldn’t keep down. “Fin!” He turned to the men behind him. “Call a goddamn ambulance!”





“Finlay. Can you hear me? Miss Tanner?”

Fin tried responding to the urgent voice she could barely hear, but agony was crushing her. She was drowning in it, feeling it take her under, holding her there until she feared it would break her apart.

“Fin!”

Fin blinked her eyes open for a brief second. She was being wheeled inside an ambulance. Kyle had hold of her hand. His grip was firm and soothing. It kept her from being pulled beneath the surface.

“Are you the baby’s father?” she heard someone ask.

Kyle met her eyes for a brief flash.

“Don’t let go,” she whispered weakly.

He nodded at her as she was wheeled swiftly inside the open back doors.

“I am,” she heard him say.

“Get in,” he was told.

Relief swept through her until he let go of her hand. Unable to stay afloat without it, Fin gave in to the pull and began slipping under.

“Priority one!” someone yelled.

The loud wail of sirens filled her ears.

She didn’t want to live without Ryan by her side, but she couldn’t bear the thought of her baby dying too. Fighting oblivion, Fin reached out blindly for Kyle’s hand again and he took hold, his grip tight as he leaned in. “Don’t let my baby die.”

Kyle cupped the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. “You’re both going to be fine,” he reassured her, but the fear in his eyes was obvious enough to tell her she wasn’t fine. Not at all.

“Kyle.” Fin licked her lips. “You …” She moaned and drew a sharp breath into her lungs. “You and Rachael … Godparents. Please, take care of our baby for us.”

Kyle choked down a sob. “Ryan—”

“Promise me,” she demanded furiously, cutting him off. Her trembling body felt ice cold, like being back in Antarctica, only a thousand times worse.

“Fin. You’re going to …” His voice trailed off as her vision greyed. Something was placed over her mouth and then blackness took her.

What felt like only moments later, Fin was blinking her eyes open. Ryan was standing in her field of vision. She turned her head, unable to see anything else but him. He was so beautiful it made her ache.

“Ryan.”

“I’m here, baby,” he said softly.

She ran her eyes over him. The bright light was hitting his dark eyes, turning them the colour of liquid scotch. He smiled. “I missed you. So much.”

Why was he standing so far away? “Come closer. Please.”

Ryan took a step towards her.

“I love you,” she told him.

His gaze on her softened. “I want to say I love you too, but it doesn’t seem enough.”

“Say it anyway,” she whispered.

Ryan took another step towards her, and her brows drew together. Something wasn’t right. “Ryan?”

“I love you, Fin. I won’t ever stop. I’ll love you longer than the stars that live in the sky.”

Light’s flickered above and she blinked. “Ryan. Why aren’t you—” She broke off at the crushing weight on her chest.

Ryan frowned, tilting his head as he watched her. “Are you okay, baby?”

“No!” she gasped, fighting desperately for air. He was walking towards her, but it was like he wasn’t moving at all. “Why aren’t you getting any closer?”

Confusion clouded his eyes and he looked down, watching the ground move beneath his feet. “Fin, I … I don’t understand.”

“You’re not real,” she whispered, cold chills snaking down her spine.