She was here, and I was here, and the man who had wanted neither of us to leave that room was about to learn, in the next few minutes, exactly how badly he had lost.

Chapter 14 — The Bedside

Beckett stepped toward the bed with tears standing conveniently in his eyes, reaching for the baby.

“She’s perfect, Adrienne,” he breathed.

“We did it.”

The double doors opened.

Two plainclothes detectives came in, the chief medical officer and my brother behind them.

Beckett’s hand stopped in midair, and he straightened, frowning, reaching automatically for the authority that had always worked for him.