Great.

  I take in a deep breath and start walking, passing him as I march toward the entrance. Ignoring the fact that my thighs are now sticky.

  Just before I open the door, he moves in close to me and wraps his arms around me from behind, placing his hand on my stomach and pulling my body back flush with his.

  “Mar,” He says my name next to my ear and then pauses. I feel his chest rising with a deep breath against my back.

  “I meant what I said in the truck, you are mine.” He finally adds, kissing the side of my neck. “And I’m yours.”

  Tears pool in my eyes.

  “We are doing this!” I nod because at this point I’m afraid to talk. I know what this means, especially coming from Tyler, this is a commitment and that is something he never does. Not since I’ve known him.

  “No!” Immediately I feel sick. “Oh my God! No, no, no!” I stand in my bathroom feeling like the floor is dropping out from beneath me. My chest feels tight, my heart is racing, and I think I might be sick.

  I am definitely gonna be sick.

  Dropping everything I hold in my hands I dart toward the toilet just in time to drop to my knees and heave. Tears streaming down my face, from the intense tightening in my stomach.

  I can barely breathe.

  Everything stops, the last several weeks come rushing back and I know already that nothing will be the same. The carefreeness is over, everything will change.

  More tears fall as I set back on my butt, and close my eyes, taking in one slow breath after another.

  I’m not sure I can do this. I don’t even know where to go next.

  Everyone will think I did this on purpose, but I would never, I couldn’t even consider it. How could I be so stupid? My last period was weird, very light for a couple days then stopping only to spot for another couple of days. Nothing heavy, nothing wild and I chalked it up to stress. But then again my cycles have always been strange which is the main reason I got on the pill to begin with, in an attempt to regulate.

  After I returned from the non-wedding weekend, I was in a haze from the weekend's events; hell, I myself couldn’t believe what had taken place. I went about my daily routine, falling into a strange pattern, ignoring the emotional ramifications of what took place at the Resort. How could I be so oblivious to it all?

  One pill, actually two, that was all it took.

  Now here I am, here we are. I’ve messed everything up!

  It’s all been playing out and I’ve been blind to it. But now it’s as clear as the test shows that's lying in the middle of my bathroom floor, I am about to change Tyler’s life forever.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Tyler

  “So you and Amara?” Coleton walks past me in the kitchen and pauses at the sink, rinsing his cup.

  I expected the questions to fly, after all she outbid everyone at the auction by over a thousand and then looked around at every woman in the room like she'd go crazy on them if they dared to challenge her.

  It was incredible and unexpected.

  It was also the moment that we could no longer deny something was taking place between us. What sealed the deal was me kissing her in the middle of the room then dragging her outside.

  “Nice,” Coleton adds, and it hits me that I didn't even answer him. But I guess the smile on my face says it all. “Always thought she was a knockout.”

  I glance over at him, and he holds up his hands, “Not that I’d do anything about it, especially now. But I’m surprised Liam didn’t put a stop to it.”

  I don’t carry on about it because no one needs to know exactly how Amara and I got started.

  “Liam didn’t put a stop to what?” I look up to see Liam and Fitz joining us.

  “I was just telling Ty here, that I’m surprised you didn’t kick his ass when you found out he and Amara had something going on.”

  “I’ve got my own problems,” he mumbled. “But if he hurts her that is a different story.”

  “Don’t plan on hurting her.”

  “Then we should be good,” He sits down at the table with a cup of coffee and a donut. “Tucker on the other hand, he’s already throwing a fit about it,” he shrugs.

  “What do you mean he’s throwing a fit?”

  “Doesn’t trust you,” my chest feels tight. “Say’s that you’ll break her heart, he’s just waiting for it.”

  I stand at the counter, staring at Liam, who is staring back at me. I’m just about to ask him what I should do when the alarm sounds and we all spring into action.

  The entire drive to the scene of our newest call-out, my mind is racing, a mixture of adrenaline and anxiousness. We pull into the parking lot and all the doors fly open as we rush out crabbing out equipment.

  “I need Fitz, Reyes and Collins, sweeping the second floor, West and Coleton, you two check lower, clear the building.” Harsh assigns all of us and we spring into action.

  The small apartment building could only have a max eight units, four upstairs, four down.

  Smoke billows out of the windows and doors as people walk about, getting as far aways from the entrance as possible.

  Nolan and Dani, set up a triage, supplying oxygen and taking vitals to determine the seriousness of each person.

  “Calloway Fire Department,” Fitz hollers as we each start beating on the doors as we pass.

  I was wrong, there are about six units on each level, some units already cleared.

  “We need to clear the building,” I pound on the door of unit nine.

  “Open up, Calloway Fire, we need you to exit the building.”

  Suddenly a door comes open with a frantic woman holding an infant in her arms. “I can’t find my daughter,” she is crying looking behind her and then back to me. “She hides when she gets scared and I’ve been trying to get her to come out but—,”

  “What’s your daughter's name?” I reach out, moving her from the doorway and passing her off to Fitz.

  “Samantha, but we call her Sammy,” tears stream down her face, and she starts to cough.

  Grabbing the blanket she is holding around the baby in her arms, I pull it up and over the infant's head. “Ma’am you need to get you and your baby outside.”

  “No,” she starts to shake her head. “I can’t leave —,”

  “I’ll find Sammy, I promise you, but you and your baby need to get checked.”

  She is reluctant as Fitz starts to lead her away.

  “I’ll find your daughter,” I assure her.

  He practically has to drag her out, but she finally gives in, and I step into her apartment. Smoke hangs in the air, and I duck down starting to move around the area.

  “Samantha,” I holler out, “you need to come out sweetheart, your mommy is worried. I’ll take you to her.” Room by room I move around, sliding furniture, looking in closets and under beds. Checking the lower cabinets in the kitchen then I stop in the living room and do a complete circle. “Sammy,” I holler again.

  The smoke is getting thicker.

  “Collins,” Harsh says through the radio. “Status of the girl.”

  Frustration courses through me, as I lower myself to my knees. I am just about to radio back that I haven’t found her when I see movement next to the kitchen play set in the corner.

  “Collins,” Harsh says my name again.

  Hurrying to the corner, I pull out the play set and see a wide-eyed little girl staring up at me.

  “Status Collins,” Harsh barks aggressively and I grab my radio and press the button.

  “I got her,” I reach out for the little girl. “Tell Samantha’s mother that she’ll see her little girl in a few minutes.”

  “Let’s go find your mommy,” I tell Samantha as she stands and moves toward me. Picking her up, I hold her close and open my coat covering her up the best I can and tell her to curl into me.

  We exit the apartment and start for the stairs when I hear loud popping and looking up to see the ceiling giving way.

  “Collin’s watch out,” Reyes hollers but it's too late, I drop to my knees, and curl my body around Sammy, and feel the impact. Rubble pounding against my back, the cries of the little girl I am shielding the best I can.

  I can hear voices yelling my name though they are muffled. Samantha is holding onto my shoulder tightly, her body shuddering as she cries.

  There is little room for me to move, having what I assume was once the ceiling now pinning me to the floor.

  “We’re coming Collin’s,” I don’t know who is telling me this, the ringing in my ears makes it hard to distinguish.

  “Hold still Sammy,” despite my own worries, I can’t let the little one panic. “My friends are coming to get us out of here okay,” she says something but being buried beneath my coat, it's hard to hear.

  I see flashes of light, moving all over. Most likely flashlights as the guys do their best to find us.

  “Col—ins,” my radio must have been damaged in the fall, because it's cutting out. “Ca- you—ear—s?”

  My head is pounding, as I push against something at my left. Trying to stand, whatever is at my back won’t give.

  I feel a wetness running down the side of my head, coating the side of my neck. Fuck, my head feels like it’s going to explode.

  “Collins,” again my name is shouted.

  “Here,” I holler back, not sure if anyone can actually hear me.

  It feels like everything goes silent, a darkness surrounds me and then suddenly whatever is pressing on my back is gone, and I look up to see Liam and Fitz.

  “Always finding trouble wherever you go,” Fitz chuckles, holding out his hand.

  Placing mine in his, he helps me stand and Liam tries to take the little girl from me, but I hold her tighter. “I promised her mother.”

  He nods in understanding and we start toward the exit.

  Once outside I see the mother across the parking lot and I walk toward her, lowering Sammy to the ground. Immediately she wraps herself around her mother’s legs and she thanks me, hugging me as she cries.

  “Collin’s,” Harsh grabs hold of my shoulder and that’s when the dizziness hits me. “You need medical treatment.”

  I start to shake my head when cap cuts in. “It’s not a request,” he doesn’t mess around, as he and Fitz lead me over to Dani.

  Sitting on the back of the truck, I remove my helmet and see the blood on my hand.

  “You’re gonna need stitches.”

  “I’m fine,” I assure them.

  “Stop being a pain in the ass, will you? You need fucking stitches,” Fitz crosses his arms over this chest and stares me down. “Let them do their damn job and shut up.”

  I don’t argue, my head is pounding and suddenly I don’t have the fight left in me.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-SIX

  Amara

  I woke to the ringing of my phone in the darkness of my bedroom. Rolling over I reach out and feel for it on the nightstand. Groaning when I hear something clunk against the floor loudly.

  It took me forever to fall asleep, my mind has been all over the place and now I feel like a train wreck with absolutely no energy.

  Hanging over the edge, I peek through squinted eyes and find the flashing light beneath the edge of my bed skirt. Repositioning my body, tucked back beneath the blankets I swipe my finger over the screen and bring it to my ear.

  “Hello,” I whisper groggily as I lay back flat on the mattress.

  “Mar,” the sound of Liam’s voice triggers a panicked reaction in me, and I am sitting up, now wide awake. He wouldn’t call me in the middle of a shift just to say hey. “You there?”

  “Yeah,” I take in a slow calming breath, “I’m here.” Though I suddenly feel like my heart may beat right out of my chest.

  “We’re at the hospital,” I sense Liam is trying to talk in a calming manner but right now I need him to say whatever it is he’s about to say. “There was an accident at one of our calls and Ty got trapped.”

  “Is he okay?” Please let him be okay.

  “We got him out,” relief washes over me. “He got hit in the back of the head pretty hard with something, he was alert and talking so that’s a good sign. He came out still carrying the child he’d gone in after.” I press my hand to my chest, focusing on my breathing as Liam continues. “He was riding high on adrenaline, and I think it took a bit for it all to sink in but once he did the rest of his injuries became apparent.”

  “What other injuries?” I am already up out of bed and throwing on some leggings and a sweatshirt.

  “He is in surgery now, tore something in his elbow, lots of bruising across his back and two broken ribs.”

  “I’m coming,” I say, as I exit my room in a hurry and start down the hallway.

  “I can call you and update—,”

  “Liam, I’m coming.” I cut him off.

  He doesn’t argue, instead tells me he’ll see me soon.

  I spend the entire ride to the hospital feeling sick to my stomach. My mind is shifting to the worst possible places. My hands shake on the steering wheel as I pull into the parking space in the emergency room parking lot and exit my car. With my bag on my shoulder and my phone in hand I start to text a message to Liam, when I hear my name.

  Looking up I see Liam and Fitz standing near the emergency room entrance and I pause, fighting the tears.

  Liam starts across the parking lot toward me, and once he reaches me he wraps me in his arms and holds me close. He doesn’t try to assure me; he just lets it all hit me and I’m thankful for that.

  I sit at the side of Tyler’s bed, his mother and father who I know of but until now have never been introduced to sit opposite me. I was nervous when they entered, not knowing if they knew anything about me, but when his mother came toward me and offered a hug I was taken back.

  “You are just as beautiful as he said you were,” she held my face in her hands, and smiled. His father held out his hand and placed it on my shoulder offering a squeeze before moving to the side of Ty’s bed. And that is where we all remain.

  All the guys wander the halls, waiting for him to wake.

  I simply stare at him, the bandage on his forehead, the sling his arm rests in, it's all a reminder of the terrifying moment that took place earlier tonight. I silently pray for him to open his eyes, to make a smartass comment, or even a curse from the pain, something, anything.

  Yet we remain in silence.

  “Does anyone need anything to eat or drink?” Coleton, stands at the door, looking around at all of us and then I see his attention settle on Tyler who’s laying in the bed. I’m sure it's hard for all of them to see him in this state. They’ve all grown up together, watched each other make mistakes and learn, they’ve been at each other's side not only as children and teens, but as they grow into adults. Seeing someone you love at their weakest is not an easy pill to swallow.

  Especially when there is nothing you can do to fix it.

  “I’m good,” I tell him, and he shifts his gaze back to me offering me a smile.

  Both Tyler’s parents decline and again we are left in silence.

  I watch his chest rise and fall, holding his hands in my own. Closing my eyes, I turn in the chair and fight my emotions. The doctors say that he’ll wake when he is ready. All his vitals are good, surgery went well, and the remaining injuries are only superficial.

  “How are things going at the salon?” Lifting my head I look toward Tyler’s mom as she leans over and places her elbows on the mattress beside Ty.

  “Good,” I had been dozing off, not realizing how tired I am until I closed my eyes. “We’ve recently added a new stylist and a pedicure chair in the back. I wasn’t sure how it would go over, so I want to wait before adding a second, but so far it's been a hit.”

  “Pedicure,” she looks over at her husband, “I may have to schedule me in for one of those.”

  “Hayden does manicures, pedicures, facials. We can make an entire day of it,” she smiles, liking the idea of that.

  “You don’t do enough for yourself Ma.”

  We all freeze, a groggy voice filling the room as one by one we all turn toward the hospital bed. Lying still is Tyler, with his eyes still closed and for a moment I wonder if I hadn’t imagined the entire thing.

  Then slowly as if he feels us all watching him, he starts to open his eyes and mine fill with tears. I know the doctor said he was okay but until I saw it for myself I was afraid to believe it.

  “Hey,” he whispers, and I am up off my chair faster than I can register and again take his hand in mine.

  “Hey,” my lower lip trembles.

  “Enough of that,” he lifts his arm and combs his fingers through the ends of my hair. “I’m fine, no crying now.”

  “I’m not crying,” I say, and the corner of his lip tips up in a smile.

  Then he gives my hair a tug until I am close enough to kiss, and it's short and sweet. My cheeks heat when I remember we have an audience and look up to find both his parents watching us.

  Tyler seems to understand and releases my hair, but again seeks out my hand and holds it firmly in his.

  “You’ve always had to be a showoff,” his dad offers, breaking the silence and I observe the two of them hassling one another. It’s nice to see this side of things, Tyler shares very little of his personal life. Yes, I know his uncle adopted him, and he was raised by the two people before us as if they themselves created him. Never once did they ever make him feel any differently. That I know from Liam, I don’t know much about his real parents, because he doesn’t like to talk about it, though I’m sure Liam knows more than he’s shared about that topic.

  But to sit in the same room and watch the both of them stare at him with such love I’m getting a glimpse of Tyler outside of the playboy I’ve always known him as.