Volkan hesitated for about two seconds, then did as his wife commanded, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight while the paramedic listened to the baby’s heartbeat. He frowned, moved the stethoscope, and listened again.

Yasmin held her breath until she was dizzy.

What was taking so long? When the obstetrician checked the baby’s heartbeat it took seconds.

Finally, the paramedic lifted his eyes to meet hers, then slid his gaze to Volkan’s. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

“Why?” Yasmin asked sharply. “What’s wrong?”

“Hush, aşkım, I’m sure it’s nothing,” Volkan said, shifting himself back on the bed and cradling her against him. He looked at the paramedic. “Let’s go.”

“Please, just tell me what’s wrong with my baby!” She was freaking out. The panic she’d felt under the dock spiked again, sending adrenaline rushing through her. She tried to fight free of Volkan’s grip so she could demand the paramedic tell her what was happening, but Volkan refused to give an inch.

The paramedic told his partner to get moving and then stood to close the back doors of the ambulance. Yasmin got a glimpse of Defne being led toward a police car, her hands cuffed behind her back. Henry was on one side of her while Narin was on the other. Then her view was cut off as the ambulance sped away.

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as the paramedic instructed Volkan to lay her down on the stretcher where he strapped her down and moved the stethoscope back to her stomach.

She caught the paramedic’s hand in hers and said, “Please, tell me what’s wrong with… with my baby.” She had to bite her lip to keep the sobs from tumbling out.

He lifted his eyes to meet Volkan’s gaze and Volkan nodded.

“The baby’s heartbeat is a little slow, that’s all,” the paramedic explained in a calm voice. “Nothing to be worried about yet, but we’ll get you to the hospital and checked out.”

Yasmin tried to sit up, but the straps restrained her. “That’s not right! Shouldn’t the heartbeat be fast, like mine? I had a shock, which means the baby had a shock. Shouldn’t the heart be faster?” She looked up at Volkan who was sitting at the head of her bed, frantically reaching for him.

He took her hands in his and bent his head, pressing a lingering kiss to her knuckles. The warmth of his lips and his presence helped to calm her a little, but she was still terrified. Of everything she’d survived in the past year, she didn’t think she could survive the loss of her baby.

“Please tell me it’s going to be okay,” she begged, the sobs breaking free as Volkan held her as they rushed toward the hospital.

* * *