BROKEN HOPE (Broken Redemption Book 2)

Chapter 8

Lucas

"Christ, it's like déjà vu," I tell Nero, who stands stiffly in front of me, his eyes and ears focused on the door Embree walked through fifteen minutes ago. His pitiful whine confirms he feels much the same as I do.

This time though, it's on me. I'm the one who insisted she get checked out. After what that asshole did yesterday, I needed someone more qualified to confirm she is in fact, all right. Thankfully, she agreed without much fuss and made an appointment with her gynecologist, who is another blast from the past, Hannah Blake.

She was a close childhood friend of Embree and my sister. Unlike Nic, who was wild as hell and loved to cause trouble, Hannah was timid and quiet. She spent more time with her head in a book than doing much of anything else. She was a good influence on the girls, which is why I never minded when she came around to hang out with us. That they're all still friends makes me happy, for it means that while I was gone, my sister and Embree had a stable support system.

"What the hell's taking so long?" I growl into the quiet waiting room. The sound must grab Nero's attention, for he breaks away from his stare down with the door long enough to acknowledge me.

Sitting out here after what happened the last time is killing me. An endless loop of alarming possibilities keeps streaming through my thoughts, making it hard to sit still. Everything in me wants to go to her. To run through that door so I can see with my own two eyes that all is well. Part of my anxiety has to do with the way she slipped through my fingers yesterday, but the bigger part of my worry has everything to do with what he did.

I know what she told me, what she begged me to believe he didn't do, but truth be told, I still want to kill him. She may not want to use the term rape to describe his actions, but it doesn't change that he preyed upon her vulnerability in that cabin, after methodically isolating her from those who would protect her. He took advantage of her, knowing damn well he was there to break not only her trust, but her heart.

"Christ. That's it, I'm done." Standing, I tug on Nero's lead, and he follows me to the reception desk. "Morning. Could someone go back there and check on Emilia Preston? I just need to make sure she's alright."

"Of course. One sec, let me check..." says the older woman as she turns back toward her computer screen. "It says here that Dr. Blake is with her now. They're almost done. Would you like to come back and see for yourself?"

Fuck yes!

Except no, I can't. As much as I want to, I'm not in a position where I can infringe on her privacy that way.

"No, that's good enough. Thank you for checking."

I knock on the desk twice before taking my leave and resuming our positions in the waiting room. Nero takes a seat by my feet, his eyes going back to the door that separates us from her. Thank fuck he's here. With him at my side, I can rest a little easier knowing he'll alert me the minute something feels off, just as he did at her agent's office.

"Lucas? What are you doing here?"

Though I'm surprised to hear Jen's voice, I'm thrilled when I turn and see her and Ben walking into the waiting area. Running into people I know is a new feeling, one I guess I'll have to get used to.

"Hey you," I stand to greet her and pull her in for a hug. "Embree had an appointment with Hannah. What are you guys doing here? Everything okay with the baby?" Suddenly worried, my eyes scan down to her still-flat stomach. Fear over my soon-to-be niece or nephew's well-being is yet another unfamiliar feeling.

"Yes, everything's great." She smiles as she rubs her belly.

"Since I missed her last appointment, Hannah's squeezing us in for a quick ultrasound so I can see the little slugger," Ben adds as he wraps an arm around my sister and looks at her adoringly.