Chapter 6 · The Baby They Can't Let Be Born

"—saying the bloodline's too strong."

Rena's hand is still on my belly. Her fingers press harder, like she's reading something through my skin. I want to pull away but I can't move. Cole's standing by the door, watching her face.

"Too strong for what?" I manage.

Rena pulls back. She wipes her palm on her jeans like my stomach burned her. "For hiding. For running. For pretending it's just yours." She looks at Cole, then back at me. "How far along?"

"Seven months. Maybe eight."

"Maybe?"

I don't answer. I stopped counting weeks after I faked the drowning. Counting made it real. Made it something they could take.

Rena grabs a bag from the floor and starts pulling things out. Bandages. A stethoscope. A syringe that's way too big. She lines them up on the wooden crate next to me like she's setting up for surgery.

"I need to check your blood pressure. Then we're going to talk about what happens next."

"Next?" I don't like how she said that. Too calm. Too clinical.

She wraps the cuff around my arm and pumps it tight. The squeeze makes my ribs ache. I've been getting that a lot. Breathing hurts.