Seducing Simon (25 page)

“I was a jerk. She didn’t deserve to be treated like I treated her. No matter how angry I was, she
is
pregnant with my child. The upset can’t be good for either of them.”

“Has it sunk in yet?” A.J. asked.

“That the baby is mine?”

A.J. nodded.

“It’s the weirdest feeling. I can’t even describe it. I mean I already felt extremely possessive of Toni. Some archaic cave man response. She’s
mine
. Hands off. That sort of thing. But now it’s even stronger. She’s carrying my child.
Mine
. Her belly is swelling with a part of me. I can’t get over it.”

He looked down at his hands then back up at A.J. “Why didn’t she just tell me? I think that’s what I’m having the hardest time with. Toni had to know I’d take care of her. For that matter, why didn’t she tell me what happened the next day? I could have been there for her when she first found out she was pregnant.”

“Try to put yourself in her shoes,” A.J. said softly. “You called her Starla. In her eyes that meant you were seriously hung up on your girlfriend. Not to mention it had to be pretty humiliating that you didn’t even know it was her. And since she didn’t tell you right away, when she found out she was pregnant, she probably thought you wouldn’t believe her.”

“And maybe I wouldn’t have,” Simon said honestly. “I don’t know. I would have been shocked as hell, no doubt.”

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Maya Banks

“She’s been paying for her mistake,” A.J. pointed out. “I’m sure this whole pregnancy has been less than a cakewalk for her. I’m sure she’s been terrified the whole time that you would hate her. It can’t have been easy living with that kind of fear and anxiety.”

“You’re right,” Simon admitted.

The radio blared an alarm, and the chief shot out of bed, grabbing for his radio. Simon and A.J. strained to hear as the chief radioed ten-four.

“Let’s roll, guys,” Chief Maxwell said, heading for the locker room to grab his gear.

“What’s up, chief?” A.J. asked as the rest rolled out of bed and dashed for the locker room.

“Two car MVA out on old Bridge Road a few miles out of town. They need extrication. One of the drivers is pinned inside the vehicle.”

“Damn,” Simon muttered.

“Why don’t people stay the hell at home?” Mike grumbled. “It’s two friggin’ AM, and the roads are icy. Most people would have the sense not to drive.”

“It gets better,” the chief said, as they scrambled into the truck.

“Ambulance is still twenty miles out and slow going in the ice. Their back up unit is in Beaumont.”

“Make sure our medical supplies are handy,” A.J. called out as he hopped on the truck.

They headed out onto the ice slickened street, the heavy fire truck faring better than lighter vehicles. They were probably a good five miles from the accident scene, and Simon hoped to hell the injuries to the driver weren’t severe. He knew basic first aid, but he had no desire to play paramedic.

“Do we have an ETA on the ambulance yet?” he asked the chief.

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Seducing Simon

“Still several miles out. The first responders said the driver trapped in the vehicle is unconscious and they can’t get close enough to offer any assistance. We’ll have to cut him out.” Simon nodded grimly and said a prayer that wherever Toni was, she stayed put.

As they neared the accident scene, flashing lights lit up the wooded area on both sides of the road. At least four first responder trucks were parked on the shoulder and the road had been closed off.

To the right, a Ford Expedition sat on the shoulder of the road, the front end completely caved in. Whatever they’d hit, they’d hit hard.

Simon hopped out with the other guys and was immediately met by Frank Parker, one of the first responders. “Are Matt and A.J. with you?” he asked, a peculiar expression on his face.

“Yeah, why?”

“You and A.J. are sidelined,” Chief Maxwell said as he walked up. He pushed Simon back toward the truck and yelled for A.J. “Someone find out where the hell Matt went and get him in the truck,” he directed one of the first responders.

“What the hell is going on?” Simon demanded. “You can’t sideline us.

We have an extrication to do.”

“Mike and I will handle it,” the chief said. “You get in the truck and stay there.”

There was something in Chief Maxwell’s eyes he didn’t like. Sympathy and a bit of fear. Simon’s stomach clenched. Before anyone could stop him, he shoved by Chief Maxwell and ran toward the embankment where a crowd of first responders, sheriff’s deputies and the highway patrol stood.

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Maya Banks

A flash of yellow caught his eye. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Nausea rolled in his stomach, and he feared puking right there on the road.

He shoved forward, not wanting to believe what his eyes were telling him. It wasn’t Toni’s Jeep. It couldn’t be. It was another yellow Jeep. It had to be.

His heart was jamming double time as he shoved aside the people gathered. Someone tried to pull him back, but he came up swinging.

Maybe he connected, he wasn’t sure, but his knuckles hurt like hell.

He slid down the ravine, his feet not cooperating with his brain. He came to a stop beside two men from his crew who were setting up cables from the wench so they could pull the Jeep right side up.

Dropping down on his belly, he slithered forward, yanking his flashlight from his belt and shining it into the interior of the Jeep. His heart nearly stopped when he caught sight of Toni’s blood covered face.

“Get me some light down here!” he yelled back up.

A.J. came sliding down seconds later carrying a floodlight. He tossed it to one of the first responders and directed him to hold it up.

“Damn it, you two,” the chief yelled as he scrambled down the embankment. “I don’t need a bunch of half-cocked firemen out of their heads with worry. Get back. We’ll get her out.” Simon ignored him completely, his focus on Toni, trying to see if she was breathing. A.J. argued fiercely above him, and apparently he was successful because he bent down and pointed his own flashlight into the interior of the Jeep.

It was one giant cluster. The Jeep had come to rest against a tree, almost completely turned over. Toni leaned heavily against her door, and blood dripped down her forehead. Simon shoved himself closer to her, reaching for her neck. Gently so as not to compromise her spine, he

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Seducing Simon

pressed his fingers into her flesh, praying desperately that he found a pulse.

Sweet relief poured over him. She was alive. For now. He shined the light down her body, grimly noting her legs trapped under the smashed in dash and steering wheel. Her left arm was fixed in an unnatural angle, obviously broken. Her rounded abdomen rested against the steering wheel, and he wondered how much of a blow her belly took.

“Where are the damn paramedics?” he shouted hoarsely.

“They’re three minutes out,” A.J. said, his voice filled with anxiety.

Simon swore and turned his attention back to Toni. “Toni, Toni, sweetheart. Can you hear me? It’s me, Simon. Wake up, baby.” He reached a hand out to touch her cheek, wiping the blood away as more ran down. God, he couldn’t lose her now. He hadn’t gotten to tell her how sorry he was, and how much he loved her. “Don’t take her from me,” he whispered fiercely, hoping the words wrenched from the depths of his soul somehow made it to God’s ears.

Matt picked that moment to careen down the incline, despite the responders’ best attempts to hold him back. He got down with Simon.

“How does it look?” His voice was sick with worry.

“Is there anything I can do?” A.J. asked desperately.

Simon shook his head. “Are they through with the cables yet? We’ve got to get the Jeep turned over so we can get her out of here.”

“Get back,” the chief barked. “We’re going to try and get the vehicle back on its wheels.”

Reluctantly Simon eased back, his heart in turmoil. What if they couldn’t save her? He knew every minute she stayed trapped in the Jeep, the less chance she had of surviving. The golden rule of emergencies. Get the patient to the hospital as fast as you can.

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Maya Banks

The Jeep shook and the steel cables creaked in protest as they began reeling them in. After a groan, the Jeep swayed up and down. Then in one loud bang, it righted itself, landing heavily on the ground.

“Damn it, that was too rough!” Simon swore, rushing forward.

“We’ll have to cut the dash,” A.J. said as he, Matt and Simon surrounded Toni.

“Move away,” a new voice demanded.

Simon turned to see a paramedic, jump bag in hand, pushing him aside.

“It’s about damn time,” he growled.

“Get back and let me do my job,” he said in an even tone. He looked over at A.J. and Matt. “Look, I know this is tough for you guys, but back off.”

Simon moved a foot back, unwilling to get too far away from Toni.

The paramedic slipped a C-collar around her neck then checked her lungs. He cast a cursory glance over her broken arm then began prepping the other one for an IV as another paramedic rushed up with an oxygen bottle.

“I’ll hold it,” Simon offered, when the paramedic couldn’t get the mask to stay.

He nodded, and Simon stepped forward, holding the rebreather over her mouth and nose.

The Jeep shook and the loud noise of the jaws rent the night air as Mike and the chief began cutting into the dash to free her legs.

In a few minutes, the dash was peeled away, and the paramedic shouted for the stretcher. After a few minutes of securing her spine, they began the slow process of lifting her from the jeep and laying her on the stretcher.

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Several hands helped lug the stretcher up the steep drop off, and once they reached the road, the paramedic picked up the pace, racing over to the ambulance.

“You can ride if you stay out of my way,” he said bluntly, as Simon arrived at the back of the ambulance.

Simon nodded and climbed in.

“We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Matt called.

The doors slammed shut, and the ambulance started forward, as fast as conditions would allow.

Simon glanced down at Toni’s bloodied face. His heart constricted.

There was so much blood. And the baby. How was the baby?

“Here,” the paramedic said, handing him a bottle of saline and a wad of bandages. “Get her face cleaned off so I can assess the damage.

Simon took the bottle and gently began wiping at her face. He could see no sign of trauma to her forehead or nose. Which meant she had sustained an injury to her scalp somewhere. He steadied his hand, not allowing his fear to overwhelm him. He couldn’t see a head injury for her hair, but the blood was coming from somewhere.

The paramedic’s fingers probed through her hair, pulling it away and shining a light on her scalp.

Simon winced when they came across a large gash in the top of her head. He lost view of it when the paramedic bent over it to examine it further. How deep had it gone?

“What’s your assessment?” he asked, no longer able to wait.

“Her vitals are okay. A bit weak, but it’s probably from the blood loss.

Her pressure is stable right now, but depending on the extent of the head injury, that could change any time.”

“And the baby?” he asked fearfully.

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The paramedic looked up at him, sympathy bright in his eyes. “I don’t know, man. I don’t have the equipment needed to make that assessment.

Her legs are good considering the dash was crushed around them. I didn’t detect any breaks. Just some bruising. Her arm’s broken, but her breath sounds are good, so hopefully that means there’s no broken ribs or lung involvement.”

Simon allowed himself a small breath of relief. It could have been a lot worse, although all it took was one head injury and she could be taken from him.

The ride to the hospital was the longest of his life. He stroked Toni’s face, willing her to wake up. He spent the rest of the time beating himself up. She wouldn’t be in this situation if he hadn’t been such an ass.

She’d be home with him, in bed, in his arms. She’d have his ring on her finger, and they’d be planning a wedding. Picking out baby names.

God. He couldn’t bear to imagine that scenario not taking place. More than anything he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Even at his angriest, he’d never contemplated being without her. He’d wanted to punish her. Make her feel all the hurt he’d felt. Only now, she was fighting for her life because of his stupidity.

When they finally pulled up at the hospital, she was quickly wheeled into the exam room. Two doctors and a host of nurses immediately went to work. Orders for x-rays were shouted. Cat scan, blood work, O2 sat.

Monitors were hooked up. Another IV was started.

He watched from the door as the flurry of activity increased. No one tried to make him leave. Perhaps they saw the futility in it. He wasn’t moving.

Finally, the most blessed sound he’d ever heard in his life filtered over the noise of the room. Toni moaned softly. But he heard it. He pushed a nurse aside and ran to the head of the bed.

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The nurse started to protest, but the doctor shook his head.

“Toni? Toni? Can you hear me?” he demanded.

A doctor peeled her eyelids back and checked her pupils. She winced and blinked rapidly as her eyes fluttered open. She immediately shut her eyes again, her face going white with pain.

“What’s wrong?” Simon demanded, looking frantically at the doctor.

“She’s fine,” the doctor soothed. “Our main concerns right now are the extent of her head injury and the baby.” The baby. He’d forgotten all about their child.

“We’re going to hook up a monitor. I’ve paged the OB on call, and he’s on his way in. Right now, we’ve got to get her to CT so we can rule out any subcranial bleeding.”

Simon allowed himself to breathe.

“Why don’t you wait outside?” the nurse gently prompted. “We’re sending her to CT, but as soon as she’s back, I’ll call you.” Reluctantly, he backed from the room, his eyes never leaving her beautiful face. As he walked into the waiting room, A.J. and Matt leaped from their chairs. “How is she?” Matt asked, his voice strained. A.J.’s face was a mask of worry, his eyes tense as he waited for Simon to speak.