“There’s no reason to be scared, honey. I’m right here.”
“You won’t leave me?”
“No. I’ll be with you the whole time. Now, be a good girl and rest for me.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she murmured, closed her eyes, and slept.
Cesar ignored the look the paramedic gave him. It was none of his business what went on between him and Amber.
“Hey, Cesar.”
He looked out the back and saw Jessie.
“We’ll get your car to the hospital and come hang with you for a bit.”
He nodded. “Thank you.” He felt better having his friends at his back.
“We’ve got to go, sir.”
Cesar nodded at the guy, waved at his friends before the doors were closed, and then turned his attention to Amber.
Fuck, she looked even more pale and thin than she had in her bedroom, and he could see the bruises from her fall now. They looked obscene on her delicate skin.
“How bad is she?” he asked.
The medic looked concerned. “Her blood pressure is low, and she’s extremely dehydrated. Together, it’s a bad situation, but I think they’ll be able to fix her up quickly once we get her there. She’s a tiny little thing.”
“Yes, she is.”
The rest of the drive was quiet except for Amber’s breathing, the sound of the traffic outside the van, and his heart racing in his chest.
He didn’t care what it took. He’d make sure she was taken care of from now on.