Page 188 of Brutal Collateral

“Tell them that, too, Scarlett,” Cormac orders this student around in a velvety, husky tone.

She is eating it up.Evenwithout an accent.

Cormac comes around to my gurney and starts an IV.

“Make sure that’s the right meds, doc,” Griffin says.

“Saline and Tylenol, Quinlan.” Cormac smiles. “Remember, we’re officially family now.”

“Right,” I say to Cormac. “Did you know I was at your cousin’s wedding?”

He cinches his eyebrows. “I didn’t.”

“I was in this guy’s trunk. But I still consider myself being there.”

“Okay.” Scarlett, the med student clears her throat. “You guys seem like a fun bunch.”

“Yes, we are, Scarlett,” Cormac’s silky tone even wakes me up a little. Heisbreathtaking.

I look at her name tag. “Shouldn’t you be calling her Dr. Ford?”

“I haven’t passed my boards,” she says.

“Ford?” Griffin says with wide eyes. “Is your father Bradley Ford?”

Cormac and Scarlett freeze.

“Yeah,” she answers. “You know my father?”

“I’ve met him.” Griffin leans on the side of my gurney. “Cormac, you’ve known her father forever.”

“Yeah. And he’s the...dean here,” Cormac adds, deepening the trouble he’s going to be in.

Griffin and I exchange looks and try not to laugh. Mostly me because breathing hurts like a motherfucker.

Scarlett is turning all shades of scarlet now. Her phone buzzes, and she says, “Dr. Fredricks is prepping the OR at Mercy. He wants a pelvic ultrasound.”

“Copy that.” Cormac’s affirmation stirs my old military blood.

“Shedoes the pelvic,” Griffin says, pointing to Scarlett. “Not you.”

Cormacisa doctor... But yeah, if I’ll be seeing him at more weddings, this will get awkward.

I’m wheeled into another room, the pain edging away from the IV full of meds. Within a few minutes, I’m being poked with a wand where only my husband goes.

“Clear. The amniotic sac hasn’t ruptured,” Scarlett announces.

Griffin dips his head against my chest. “Thank God.”

With a different wand and heated with gel, Scarlett carefully scans my belly. “How far along are you?”

“I’m thinking three months.”

Something makes Scarlett stop and take off her glasses to look at the monitor closer. “Excuse me.” She rushes out of the room, and my heart drops.

“Oh no.” Tears flood my eyes, quickly spilling down my cheek. “Griffin, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He sounds choked up, too. “It’ll be fine. I’m right here.”

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