Thank Christ she did.

The dress is sage green and gray, strapless, showing off her insanely sexy tattoo. There is beaded fringe at the bottom, like an old-fashioned clapper dress from the forties, which is the only thing about it that makes it decent, because the hemline is a bit shorter than I’m comfortable with.

I’m going to fuck her in that dress.

With her panties tied around her wrists behind her back.

I adjust myself, not trying to be discreet, and watch as Nic applies her lipstick, hooks silver hoops into her ears, and then turns to get my approval.

Dear God, she’s fucking gorgeous.

“Do I look okay?” she asks with a smile.

“It’s not fair to be more beautiful than the bride-to-be,” I tell her with a sober expression.

“That’s an old line if ever I heard one.” She laughs and retrieves her small purse, tosses her phone, wallet and lipstick inside and shrugs. “I’m ready.”

“It wasn’t a line,” I say. “You are stunning. And I’ll have to murder my brothers just for looking at you tonight.”

“Trust me.” She laughs. “Your brothers are completely happy with the women they have.”

I lean in and kiss her neck gently, enjoying the shiver that moves through her.

“I love it when you wear blue,” she murmurs, sliding her hand down my button-down shirt.

“You do?”

“It makes your eyes look even more blue, if that’s possible.”

“Let’s go before I—” My phone interrupts me.

“I hope that’s not your job,” she says. “Not today.”

“It’s not. It’s Jules. What’s up, bean?”

“We’re at the hospital,” she begins, her voice heavy with tears.

“Are you hurt?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. My gut clenches in fear.

“No, it’s not me.” She sniffs. I can hear a baby crying in the background. “It’s Nat.”

“What happened?” Nic frowns, looping her arm around my waist, listening and worried, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, soaking up her support and love.

“Natalie is bleeding, Matt. She could lose the baby.”

“Fuck.”

“Everyone’s on the way here. The party is canceled.”

“We’ll be there in fifteen. Are you at Harborview?”

“Yes.” She sniffs again and then sobs. “Oh, Matty, what if she loses the baby?”

“Is Nate with you?”

There’s a shifting, and Nate’s voice comes through the receiver. “I’m here. I have Julianne. Stacy and Bryn’s parents took all the kids home except Livie. Luke’s parents and yours are on the way.”

“Nic and I are on the way, too. We’ll be there in a few.”

“Drive safe.”

He clicks off the line, and I shove my phone in my pocket and pull Nic into my arms, holding her tight. “It’s Nat.”

“I heard. You should go.”

I frown down at her and cup her face in my hands. “You’re coming.”

“It’s a family emergency, Matt…”

“You’re coming,” I repeat. “I need you there.”

She nods, and I take her hand, guiding her out of the apartment and down to my car. The five-minute drive to the hospital is one of the longest of my life, comparable only to when Brynna and the girls were in their accident several months ago.

Nic reaches over and takes my hand in hers, laces our fingers and squeezes reassuringly.

Fuck, I love her.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I murmur and kiss the back of her hand.

“Nat’s going to be okay,” she states firmly. “And the baby, too.”

I smile and nod and silently pray that she’s right.

When I pull up to the hospital, I park my car at the curb by the emergency room and lead Nic from the car.

“We can’t leave the car here.”

“Yes, we can. I work with this hospital regularly. They won’t tow me.”

“Okay.” She shrugs.

I glance down at her and grin. Her legs look amazing in those heels.

“I’m looking for Natalie Williams,” I inform the registrar, who meets us in the ambulance bay.

“I don’t think we have a Natalie Williams in the ER, detective.” She says. “Is an ambulance on the way?”

“She’s probably on the floor,” he informs her. “Can you find her?”

“Oh, sure, let me check.” She types on her keyboard and bites her lip then smiles. “There she is. Room 402. Do you know how to get up there?”

“I do. Thanks,” I reply and walk through the ER, through the back hallway to the elevator.

“Geez, you just walk through here like you own the place,” Nic comments with a laugh.

“Asher and I are here on cases quite a bit.” I smile down at her as we wait for the elevator.

“Where is Asher’s wife?” she asks softly.

“She passed away about three years ago.” My gut clenches as I think back to that dark time for my partner. “She was in an accident.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” She blinks quickly, and I can see that she truly means the words. “Poor Casey.”

“It was rough on both of them,” I agree. “They’re doing better now, but it hasn’t been an easy road.”