揇ude. You抮e about to become a dad. I抦 coming with you.?
I nod, not bothering to respond. One, because I don抰 really care what Asher does, so long as it doesn抰 slow me down. Two, because I抦 already freaking out enough without letting his answer fully sink in.
The elevator doors open. I basically sprint toward the black SUV parked along the curb. Roman is leaning against the side of the car, reading a newspaper. His eyes widen as I race toward him. I assume Asher and Isabel are behind me, but I don抰 bother checking to confirm they抮e keeping up.
揗r. Kensington, is everything棓
揔eys,?I demand. Roman is an excellent driver as it relates to dressing and discretion. But I抳e never seen him so much as run a yellow. Wisely, he listens, handing them over and climbing into the passenger seat. I round the front of the car and climb into the driver抯 side. Doors open and slam in the back, and I peel away from the curb like we抮e fleeing the scene of a crime.
揥hat hospital is she at??Asher asks.
揘ew York General.?I swerve, narrowly missing a delivery guy on a bike.
揑f we抮e going to the West Side, you should take 7th. There抯 an accident on 8th.?
揌ow many blocks??
揊ive, no seven. Wait, no, actually four.?
We reach a red light, and I slam on the brakes. Cars are already beginning to cross from the other direction, so I can抰 run it.
I glance in the rear-view mirror. 揇o you or do you not know how to get there??
揟raffic is always a shitshow, man. You know that. It keeps厰 He trails off. 揙h, wait. They cleared 8th. You should go that way now.?
I huff and tap at the black screen on the dash. 揇oes this thing work??
揧es, sir. I can connect it.?Roman leans over and starts fiddling with the controls on the dashboard. A few seconds later, a map appears on the screen.
The light turns green and I zoom forward, following the directions coming from the speakers. We hit another yellow, so I press down the accelerator and change lanes.
揇amn,?Asher comments as I cut off a Mercedes, setting off a series of honks. 揥e should抳e gone to Monaco to race like we talked about in college. You can seriously drive, man.?
My phone starts ringing, Incoming Call flashing across the screen. I抦 about to reject it when I see it抯 Scarlett calling.
揌ello??My greeting is tentative. I know she must be pissed.
揑t doesn抰 sound like you抮e dying in a ditch.?
In the backseat, Asher snorts. If I could flip him off while driving, I would.
揝carlett, I swear I抦棓
揂n HOUR, Crew. I抳e been here almost an hour! Where the fuck are you??
揑抣l be there in five minutes.?I cut off a cab. 揟en, tops.?
揥here have you been? Why weren抰 you answering??
I sigh. 揑 had a meeting. My phone was on silent and I wasn抰 checking it.?
揧ou promised me.?All the anger in her voice has drained away. The uncertainty that抯 left behind makes me press harder on the accelerator. 揧ou promised me I wouldn抰 have to do this alone.?
We hit another red, and I barely restrain another profanity as I tap an urgent beat on the steering wheel, urging it to change back to green. 揧ou won抰， baby. I抦 almost there.?
揑抦 scared, Crew.?She says the words softly, but they have the effect of a shout for how they hit me. 揑t hurts so fucking much and they couldn抰 find a heartbeat at first and I桰抦 freaking out.?
A tight fist of fear squeezes my chest. I fight through the panic before it can choke me. She needs assurance, not more anxiety. 揜ed, I抣l be there. I swear. But even if I were in a ditch somewhere, you can do this. Just breathe. This is what all those classes were about, right??
揧ou weren抰 paying attention during Lamaze.?
Scarlett sounds like her usual self again, and I almost pass out from relief. I definitely shouldn抰 be driving. But I can see the hospital up ahead, only one block away. 揧es, I was,?I counter. 揧ou just focus on one thing and then do the really fast breaths.?
揢h-huh. And then what??
I glance at Roman for help. He shrugs. 揑 thought you had kids,?I hiss. Another shrug. 揈xhale??I suggest.
Scarlett laughs. It抯 more strained and reedy than her usual laugh, but it loosens the tightness in my chest some. 揧ou抮e so full of shit. I knew you weren抰 paying attention.?
I stop the SUV with a screech of tires under the ambulance bay. I leave the car running and the keys in the ignition, just grab my phone and run toward the automatic doors into the busy hospital. There are white coats and gurneys everywhere. A child is crying somewhere close. The PA system is crackling, telling some surgeon to report to OR 1. I press the phone against my ear. 揥hat floor are you on??
揊ive.?
I rush for the elevator bank, then alter course when I spot a sign for a stairwell. There抯 a lot of nervous energy I need to burn off. I take the flights two steps at a time and yank open the door with a massive five painted on it. The hallway looks the same as the lobby downstairs, all white tile and fluorescent lights.