Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(74)

“You're the one who betrayed us to your family. We had everything under control until you butted in like you always do.” Toby fumed. Gabriella's brother had always been unreasonable. Why couldn't he look past the rules of the Brotherhood and see that things could change.” I'm a Williams, and soon you'll have a nephew with the last name.”


“Not one that I would acknowledge.”

“Then don't. We don't need you in our lives, Derek. It will hurt your sister to cut you out, but she'll survive.”

“Will she? I don't see how. Living with you and your kind would be enough to kill her.”

Toby sighed, and things were quiet for a moment.

“I can't leave her or the baby, Derek. I love her.” Toby grabbed Derek's arm, shaking him and trying to make him understand. “All this stuff about wizard bloodlines not mixing is just old-fashioned nonsense. I doubt it's even true.”

“What would the Brotherhood say if they knew about your newfound viewpoint?” Derek asked and removed Toby’s hand. “Do you think they'd be as open-minded as you are? I doubt it. They'd be down here to kill the child and probably my sister in a heartbeat. You may believe in change, but the Brotherhood clings to its archaic notions. And rightly so.”

“C'mon. Don't tell me you really buy into the story they tell about what would happen if you mixed wizard blood? It's just a myth, a rumor created by some old wizards a long time ago who were probably pissed off about something. The idea was to keep their children away from each other.” Derek's face flushed a deep red. “Gabriella and I didn't set out to defy the Brotherhood. We fell in love. She didn't think she could even have children.”

“You fell in love?” Derek glared. “Then if you loved her, you should have left her. Not carried on with this.”

“It's too late now.”

“Is it?”

The question didn't come from Derek. But Toby knew that voice, and his heart sank. He turned to face his father standing solemnly in the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” Toby asked. “Who told you?”

His father held his gaze, but his eyes were cold. “Your mother.”

“What are you going to do?” Toby rarely felt fear, but looking at his father, his body trembled. His father never went against the Brotherhood. He often represented them in matters of wizard law, which was why Toby had not told his family about Gabriella. He had no doubt Josiah Williams would do whatever the Brotherhood commanded.

Even if it meant killing his own grandson.

“Where is Gabriella?” Josiah asked.

“She's in the delivery room,” Derek said.

“I will see her at once.” Josiah gave his son a stern look. “You stay here, Toby.”

“What are you going to do?”

“What I must.”

“No.”

Toby saw the calculated coldness in his father's face—Josiah would kill both mother and child.

He moved, blocking the doorway in an attempt to stop the older wizard but found himself pinned to a chair, bound by the restraints of magic. His father's magic was far more powerful than his own.

Derek laughed and the cynical tone pricked his spine. “Excellent.” He sneered at Toby. “I believe I'll assist your father.”

“That's probably a good idea. Brotherhood laws prefer a witness from each family.” Was that sympathy drifting through his father's eyes? Toby couldn't tell for sure, and he didn't care as heat poured over him, overworking his pounding heart, and he shouted.

“Come on, then, Spark. Let's go.”

Josiah left the room, followed by Derek.

The longest ten minutes of his life passed by slower than falling sand in an hourglass. The hospital had quieted. Toby’s father must’ve cast a time-altering spell. Allowing the wizard a free reign over time, they could do their jobs without the prying eyes of humans. Toby had used it himself on several occasions, never dreaming that his father used the same spell to murder his child.

He thought about Gabriella and the baby and contemplated killing his father.

But in the end, Toby could do nothing but wait until Josiah returned.

Josiah entered the room and nodded at Toby. “It is done.”

As the binding spell faded, Toby pushed himself to a standing position. He sped through the hall, passing doctors and nurses just beginning to catch up with time. Gabriella's room was just around the corner. Maybe there was still time…

But the moment he saw her, his pretty dark-haired Gabriella, he knew he was too late.

“Stillborn,” she said, looking at him with dull eyes. “All that worry between our families was for nothing. We didn't end up creating a powerful new breed of wizard. Your father came here for nothing.”

“Stillborn?” Toby let the words register, not sure how he felt.

“The baby didn't even cry.” But Gabriella did. Her sobs filled the room; Toby's heart ached. He comforted her, but she would have none of it. “No. Don't touch me. Just… just leave me alone.”

She glared.

“This is your fault, Toby. We never should have done this. I told you that the Brotherhood forbade our love, but you kept pushing at me, breaking me down. And now… look. We have nothing.”