Forty-two

POV

Tessa

Dawn was barely breaking on the horizon when the warehouse finally fell silent. Sirens still wailed in the distance, a sharp, incessant sound that contrasted with the quiet inside the concrete walls. I was kneeling beside Bennett, my fingers numb from pressing on the wound in his abdomen, trying to stem the flow of blood. The hard, cold floor was a cruel reminder of the reality that surrounded us.

My mind was clouded with a mixture of fear and adrenaline. Each second felt like an eternity as we waited for the paramedics to arrive. Bennett's face was pale, his eyes closed, but his chest still rose and fell slightly. That was a good sign, I told myself repeatedly, a mantra of hope against the despair threatening to overwhelm me.

The paramedics finally rushed in, moving with a trained efficiency that gave me a glimmer of relief. They made their way to Bennett, and one of them, a woman with a fiercely focused expression, knelt beside me. "We'll take care of this now," she said, her voice firm but gentle.

I was gently moved aside, my hands stained red, as the paramedics worked to stabilize Bennett. Their quick, technical words blurred together into a stream of sounds I could barely comprehend. I sat on the cold floor, feeling exhaustion and relief battling for control of my body. All I could do was watch and wait.

Mason came over to me, his arm injured and hanging at an awkward angle, but his eyes were full of concern for me and for Bennett. He knelt beside me, wrapping me in a tight embrace that offered more comfort than words could. "It's going to be okay," he murmured, though his own voice betrayed uncertainty.

I just nodded, unable to find words to express the storm of emotions inside me. The adrenaline was beginning to dissipate, leaving a cold void in its wake. All I could do was wait and trust the paramedics. They were our only hope now.

When the paramedics finally lifted Bennett onto a stretcher, their movements were quick but careful. "He's being taken to the hospital," one of them informed us, the urgency in his voice clear. "You can come with us."

Mason helped me to my feet, his movements a bit hesitant due to the injury to his arm. Together, we followed the paramedics to the ambulance. My heart pounded wildly, a mix of fear and determination. I couldn't lose Bennett. Not now, not after everything we had been through.

In the ambulance, the sound of the sirens was deafening, but inside me, everything was silent. The weight of the situation was almost crushing, but I knew I had to be strong. For Bennett, for Mason, and for our uncertain future.

POV

Mason

Watching the paramedics work frantically on Bennett was torture. Each passing second felt like an eternity, and the uncertainty gnawed at me. I knew that every moment counted, and the grave expressions on the paramedics' faces only heightened my fear. But I had to be strong for Tessa. Her pale face and wide eyes showed how close she was to breaking down, and I couldn't let that happen.

Loomis lay immobilized on the ground, surrounded by police officers. His laughter had been cut short by the arrival of the authorities, and now he was being led away in handcuffs, hatred etched into his face. Even in defeat, there was a silent threat in his eyes that made me shudder.

"It's over," I said to Tessa, trying to put more certainty into my words than I actually felt. "He can't hurt us anymore."

Tessa nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on Bennett. "We need to believe that," she whispered, her voice a mixture of fear and hope. "We need to believe things will get better."

The paramedics finally lifted Bennett onto a stretcher, their movements quick but careful. "He's being taken to the hospital," one of them informed us. "You can come with us."

I helped Tessa to her feet, and together we followed the paramedics to the ambulance. My arm throbbed with pain, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was ensuring Bennett's survival.

The trip to the hospital was a blur of lights and sounds. The sirens wailed, and I could feel the tension in the air. Tessa held my hand tightly, her eyes fixed on Bennett as the paramedics continued to work on him.

When we arrived at the hospital, we were led to a waiting room while Bennett was taken into surgery. We sat in hard chairs, our hands still intertwined, seeking comfort in each other. Every minute that passed felt like an eternity, and the uncertainty was almost unbearable.

Finally, a surgeon emerged, his expression grave but hopeful. "Bennett is stable," he informed us. "The surgery was successful. Now, we just have to wait and see how he recovers in the next 24 hours."

A huge wave of relief washed over me, tears streaming down my face. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion.

In that waiting room, with the gentle hum of machines and the distant murmur of hospital corridors, we found a moment of fragile peace. I looked at Tessa beside me, her eyes still moist with tears. For a moment, I had almost forgotten that she had just revealed she was expecting a child that could be mine or Bennett's.