Page 69 of Nanny for the Firefighters

Theo leads a medic over and pries me from between Ethan and Will, kissing my forehead before he hands me over for a checkup.

Blood pressure cuff, flashlight in my eyes, and the young medic smiles at me. "No lasting damage. You'll want to eat and sleep the drugs off. We'll pull some blood to have it tested."

I crook my finger to draw him closer. "Can you… can you tell me if the baby is okay?" I say the words as softly as I can manage to not tip off the guys. Not yet.

The medics' manicured brow raises, then without missing a beat, he stuffs the stethoscope back in his ears and presses the pad against my belly. Slowly, a smile forms on his mouth, and he nods.

"You're all set to go home, but get to your primary tomorrow. Okay?" He gives me a pat on the shoulder when I agree.

In seconds, I'm surrounded by the four best men I've ever known. Each of them has their hands on me to reassure and support.

"All good?" Marcus asks.

"All good."

The way he beams at me melts my heart. It's seriously a complete puddle of goo, and I've never been happier. "Okay, good news, bad news. Good news, the officers found your phone and all of the evidence you collected on Vanessa. They're on the way to arrest her."

I nearly cackle with delight. "That's awesome. What's the bad news?"

"They're keeping your phone as evidence. We'll have to get you a new one."

Of all the things that could have been bad news, that didn't even measure. "I'll take waiting on a new phone if it means taking Vanessa down for good." But all of this joy can't outweigh what really needs to be the good news right now. "I have some good news of my own."

I turn to meet each of their gazes before I pull in a deep breath and finally get to share the news I've been wanting to share for months now.

"I'm pregnant."

32

ELLA

The room falls silent as the words leave my lips.

For a heartbeat, there's nothing but the sound of my own breathing. Then all at once, the men react. Marcus's face splits into a wide grin, his eyes shining with joy. Theo lets out a cheer, lifting me off the ground in a bear hug. Ethan's expression softens, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and Will, usually so composed, looks like he's about to burst with happiness.

"This is incredible news, Ella," Marcus says, his voice filled with soft love. He cups my face gently, his hands warm and strong.

Tears well up in my eyes, and I can't hold them back any longer. "I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice cracking. "I should have told you sooner. I was so scared…"

Theo shakes his head, his grip firm and reassuring. "No need to apologize. We understand why you kept it to yourself. But you don't have to do this alone."

Ethan steps forward, his hand resting on my stomach. "We're all here for you and the baby. You don't need to worry about a thing."

Will nods, his gaze steady and full of warmth. "We're in this together, Ella. All of us."

Relief washes over me, and I let out a shaky breath, finally allowing myself to believe that everything might just be okay. With my men around me, supporting me, I feel stronger than ever.

But there's still one last thing we need to do.

"I want to go home," I say to Marcus pointedly. "To all of you, and to Lily. But first, before the police get to Vanessa, I want to be there. I need to see her going down."

Marcus voices his concern. "Ella, you should rest. The law can handle Vanessa."

I shake my head, determination hardening my resolve. "No, Marcus, let me have this last victory. I need to be there when she's brought to justice."

He hesitates, then nods, understanding my need for closure. "Okay. But you stick close to us. No heroics."

I smile at that. "No heroics," I whisper back.