Surprise Delivery(52)

I’m suddenly tired. Exhausted, actually. My whole body seems to be shutting down and I want nothing more at that moment than to lean into the warm embrace of sleep. I lean my head back against the wall and close my eyes, waiting for the darkness to sweep me away. Maybe even welcoming it.

“Alexis. Alexis.”

The sound of somebody speaking my name fills my ears, though it sounds like it’s coming from a thousand miles away.

“I just want to sleep,” I mutter.

“Alexis,” my name being called is this time punctuated by a sharp slap to my cheek.

I open my eyes, irritated that my sleep is being interrupted – and find Duncan Clyburne gazing back at me. There’s an intense, fevered light in his eyes – and also an expression of fear. Is this real? Is it just a dream? At the moment, my head feels so stuffed with cotton, I can’t tell.

Another sharp slap answers the question for me. My cheek burns where he smacked me and I’m suddenly feeling a bit more alert.

“Stay with me,” Duncan demands. “Everything’s going to be okay. I just need you to stay awake.”

“Duncan,” I say, my voice weak. “How did you get here?”

“I’m here, Alexis,” he says. “We need to get you somewhere else.”

“Okay,” I whisper, starting to feel like I’m drifting off again.

The next thing I know, I feel like I’m floating through the air. Like I’m flying. I open my eyes and see that Duncan has me in his arms and is carrying me like I weigh nothing. He’s pushing his way through the crowd, shouting at everybody to get out of our way. The people are hesitant, but part for us.

I have no idea what’s happening to me. I know I should be scared, but with Duncan holding me, the only thing I feel is – content. I feel safe in his arms. Perhaps even happy.

“Stay with me, Alexis,” he says, his eyes fixed on mine.

Don’t worry, Duncan – I’m not going anywhere.





Seventeen





Duncan





With Alexis in my arms, I push my way into a coffee house a couple of doors down from where she collapsed. It’s not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve worked in worse conditions. At least everything I experienced in Syria has a practical application for me now that I’m back here in New York.

“I need your back room,” I call out to the baristas as I head for the doors.

“I – I don’t think you can bring her in here, man,” says some twenty-something kid who’s probably stoned off his ass.

I ignore him and with a score of curious patrons watching us, I push through the swinging doors and step through into the back. I walk through the prep area and into the storeroom. It’s not the most sanitary environment, but at least it’s warm. It’ll work. At least, for now.

“Excuse me, sir? Sir?” she calls to me. “You can’t be back here.”

I glance over my shoulder at the diminutive blonde charging up to me, a look of pure determination on her face – she must be the manager or something. Ignoring her, I gently lay Alexis down on a table in the back room, then sweep the boxes that had been littering the surface to the floor. I’m vaguely aware of the sound of breaking glass coming from within a couple of the boxes.

“Sir,” the girl cries. “You can’t do that. And you’re going to have to pay for what you broke.”

I turn to her. “I need you to get me a large bowl full of hot water and some towels,” I instruct. “And you also need to call the ambulance. Tell them where the patient they’re looking for is.”

“Sir, this is a coffee house, not a doctor’s office –”

“A bowl of hot water and clean towels,” I snap, my voice gruff. “Get them for me now. And do not forget to call the ambulance.”

Alexis still seems to be drifting in and out of consciousness. I have no idea what Brad did to her, but if I see him again, I’m going to kill him. I take her wrist and check her pulse – it’s racing but feels strong still. That’s a good sign. Looking down, I purse my lips when I see the front of her dress is soaked in blood. That’s not a good sign.

“Sir, I’m really going to have to insist that you –”

I round on the little blonde, absolute fury coursing through me. “If you don’t do what I say – right now – this woman and her child are going to die,” I roar at her. “Is that what you want? Do you want her to die?”

The girl looks at me with a stricken expression, her eyes wide and filled with fear. She looks at Alexis as if actually seeing her for the first time – and notices the blood. Her face blanches and then looks like she’s on the verge of a panic attack. Great. Just what I need.

“Look at me,” I tell her. “Look at me right now.”

She slowly manages to pry her eyes away from Alexis, then turns to me. I hold her with my gaze – and put every ounce of intensity I can muster into it.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“D – Debra,” she stutters.

“Okay, Debra. That’s good,” I tell her, deliberately trying to sound calm. “I need to help this woman. She’s in tremendous distress. I need to stabilize her until the medics arrive. I need to save her life – I need you to help me save her life. But I can only help her if you help me. Do you understand?”