Chapter One Hundred And Forty Six

The second Sofia hit the ground, something inside me snapped.

Thomas barely had time to react before I pulled the trigger.

One shot. Straight to the chest.

His smirk faltered, a sharp inhale escaping his lips as he stumbled back, clutching his wound. His eyes met mine, wide with shock-like he never actually thought I'd do it.

I didn't stay to watch him fall.

I dropped to my knees beside Sofia, my heart pounding as I scooped her into my arms. Blood soaked through her shirt, warm and sticky against my skin. Her breathing was shallow, her lashes fluttering.

No. No, no, no.

"Stay with me," I murmured, tightening my grip on her as I stood, holding her against my chest. "You hear me, Sofia? Don't you dare close your eyes."

Her fingers curled weakly against my shirt.

I ran.

I didn't think. Didn't look back.

The warehouse blurred around me as I shoved through the exit, the cold night air hitting my face like a slap. My car was parked blocks away, but I didn't care-I ran like a man possessed, my only focus on the fragile weight in my arms.

I reached the car in seconds, yanking the door open and settling Sofia in the passenger seat as gently as I could. Her head lolled slightly, her breaths uneven.

Too much blood.

Too damn much.

I cursed under my breath, pressing my palm against her wound in a desperate attempt to slow the bleeding. She let out a faint whimper, her face twisting in pain.

"Shh, I know," I whispered, my voice raw. "Just hold on, baby. Just a little longer."

I tore out of the parking spot, tires screeching as I sped toward the hospital.

Traffic didn't matter. Red lights didn't matter.

Nothing mattered except getting her there in time.

I reached over, gripping her hand tightly. Her fingers twitched, barely squeezing back.

"That's it," I breathed, my throat tight. "You're gonna be okay, Sofia. I swear it."

But she didn't answer.

And as the hospital came into view, a cold, paralyzing fear wrapped around my chest.

I couldn't lose her.

Not now.

Not ever.

The moment I screeched to a stop in front of the hospital, I jumped out and ran to the passenger side.

"Sofia, we're here," I said, my voice shaking as I lifted her into my arms.

Her head rested against my chest, her body limp. Her breathing was too shallow, too weak.

I rushed through the doors, shouting for help.

"She's been shot! I need a doctor, now!"

Immediately, nurses and doctors came running with a stretcher. I laid her down carefully, my hands covered in her blood.

One of the doctors, the one who had treated her before, stepped forward, quickly assessing her condition. "We need to get her into surgery, now!"

They wheeled her away, disappearing down the hall.

I tried to follow, but a nurse stopped me. "You need to wait here."

I stared at the doors they had just gone through, my chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.

Waiting wasn't an option.

But right now, it was all I could do.

I paced back and forth in the waiting area, my hands clenched into fists, my mind racing.

Every second felt like a lifetime.

Sofia's blood was still on my skin, staining my clothes, a cruel reminder that I had let this happen. I had sworn to protect her, to keep her safe, and yet she was fighting for her life beyond those cold, sterile doors.

I raked a hand through my hair, my breaths uneven. The walls around me felt like they were closing in, suffocating me.

She had to make it.

She had to.

The clock on the wall ticked away the minutes, each one heavier than the last.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, a doctor finally emerged.

His face was grim.

My stomach twisted. "Tell me she's okay."

He exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his face. "She's not responding the way we hoped."

The air in my lungs turned to lead.

No.

No, no, no.

"But we have two options," the doctor continued, his voice steady but firm. "We can either focus on saving the mother… or the kids."

My body locked up.

My heart stopped.

I blinked at him, his words not making sense.

"... Kids?"

His expression softened just slightly, but the weight of his next words crushed me.

"Sofia is pregnant."