Free Anna (Book 2, The Redemption Series) by S.J. West Page A

hope in her voice. “She's hardly breathing. I don’t know what to do for her, Devin.”
    I watch as Desmond sits the black leather bag he brought with him on the dusty wooden floor of the shack. By this simple action, my suspicions are confirmed, and I know there is nothing he can do for the babe in the woman's arms.
    Desmond walks over to the woman and holds his arms out to take the child from her.
    Eagerly, she hands the little girl to him , but I can tell from the look on the mother's face when she looks at Desmond's expression that she knows there will be no reprieve for her little one. A shadow of despair shrouds her features as she’s forced to face the truth.
    “ I’m sorry, Mary,” Desmond says. “She was just born too soon. Her lungs aren’t mature enough to sustain her.”
    “ How long?” Mary asks, taking in a deep, shuddering breath. “How long does she have?”
    “ A few more hours at best,” Desmond tells her. “I wish there was more I could do, but she’ll be drifting off to rest in God’s arms soon. All you can do now is hold her until she passes and let her know she was loved in her short life. I'm sorry I can't do more.”
    “ I don’t blame you,” Mary says, taking the newborn from Desmond and holding the child to her chest. “I blame those people living above us like we don’t exist, like we don’t matter to them at all!”
    Desmond sighs and looks around the small one room home. There are four palettes on the floor on the opposite end of the shack.
    “ Where are your husband and older son? They should be here with you.”
    “ They’re out trying to meet their quota of crabs for those bastards up in Stratus to eat at some party,” Mary says, venom in her voice. “I swear to God if I could get that slimy Lorcan Halloran down here I would kill him with my bare hands. None of the royals deserve to live if you ask me!”
    “ They’re not all bad, Mary,” Desmond says, trying to sooth the woman’s ire. “Some of them want to change how things are.”
    “ Well, they’re doing a piss poor job of showing it!” Mary says, tears of frustration and sorrow streaming down her face openly now. “While we and our children are just trying to survive, they’re up there livin’ high in the clouds without a care in the world. I’m sick of it, Devin! I don’t know how much more I can take! I wish I had one of them here in my home to show them what their greed has done.” Mary looks down at her dying child. “I wish I could make them watch the pain their selfishness has caused us all.”
    I tug on Jered’s arm, silently telling him I want to go. I can’t watch Mary’s pain any longer , and I pray Jered understands my silent request.
    “ I should be leaving now, Devin,” Jered tells Desmond. “I’m so sorry for your imminent loss, ma’am.”
    Mary doesn’t seem to hear Jered’s words. She 's completely lost in her own grief.
    “ I’m going to stay here with her until the end,” Desmond tells us. “Thank you for coming with me.”
    “ See you tomorrow,” Jered tells Desmond as a subtle reminder about our rendezvous with Levi.
    Desmond nods and turns his attention back to Mary and her dying child.
    Jered goes to the door and opens it. He gives me enough time to exit before closing it.
    “ I need some fresh air,” I whisper to him.
    Jered walks us through the shanty town until we come to a paved path. The path leads us down a slight slope to a small patch of sandy beach along the coast. The beach is capped on either end by a rocky shoreline. The brisk breeze coming off the ocean acts as a cleansing balm to my lungs.
    I silently wish to be made visible again.
    “Jered,” I say, looking over at him as he stand beside me, staring out at the ocean. “Even if we help these people, do you think they will still hate us?”
    Jered continues to look out towards the ocean.
    “I think it will take a few generations for the distrust to fade,” he tells me. “Things have been