Free The Baby Bargain by Dallas Schulze

a scarf wrapped around her head as if she were cold. The scarf was a faded navy blue, ragged around the edges, and she'd pulled it forward until it obscured her features.
    "I got here as soon as I could," he said as she slid into the car. He felt as if he should apologize, though he knew it hadn't been more than ten minutes since she'd called.
    "Thank you." Her voice still sounded muffled, almost as if she had a cold. She didn't look at him, didn't push the scarf back, didn't loosen her coat, though the interior of the car was comfortably warm.
    Dan put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking lot He glanced at Kelly. She was sitting as rigidly upright as the low-slung seats would allow. A convulsive tremor jerked her thin body.
    "Are you all right?"
    "Fine," she muttered in that oddly thick voice.
    His frown deepened. "Where do you want to go?"
    "I don't care," she whispered.
    Dan glanced in the rearview mirror and then pulled over abruptly, stopping next to the curb. Reaching out, he twitched the scarf from her head. She gasped and shrank back against the seat, ducking her head, but he'd already seen enough to tell him thai fine didn't begin to describe her condition.
    His hand was gentle but implacable as he cupped her chin, lifting her face so that the light fell on it
    "God Almighty." The words were more prayer than curse.
    No wonder her voice had been muffled. Her lips were swollen and bruised. One eye had swelled almost shut, the other was puffy. There was a cut on one cheekbone and blue bruises marked one side of her jaw.
    "Who did this to you?" His voice was hoarse. Rage like he'd never known before threatened to choke him. He could hear the sound of his own pulse pounding in his ears.
    She shook her head, trying to pull away but he refused to let her hide.
    "Who did this?" he demanded, his eyes a fierce, angry blue.
    "Don't. Please." She shrank back, lifting one hand, afraid that he was going to strike her.
    Dan released his light hold as if burned. "I would never hit you. I've never hit a woman in my life." He sounded as shaken as he felt. "Tell me who did this to you," he asked again, more gently.
    She shook her head, pressing her fingers to her battered mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. She began to cry, slow, painful tears that ran silently down her pale cheeks.
    Dan started the Corvette, aware that his hands were shaking. "I'm taking you to the emergency room."
    "No!" She reached out to clutch his arm, her fingers digging through the light flannel of his shirt "No, I don't want to go to a hospital. I don't want to see anyone."
    "Kelly, you need to see a doctor." He set his hand over hers, intending comfort, but she jerked away from the light touch, wrapping her arms around herself. She rocked back and forth, those painfully silent tears trickling down her face.
    "I don't want to go to a hospital. I won't I won't, I won't" There was an edge to her voice that made it clear she was on the verge of hysteria.
    "Okay, okay. I won't take you to a hospital. I'll take you to my apartment. You'll be okay there."
    Kelly huddled in a corner of the car, crying silently. Dan drove with one eye on her, one eye on the road and his thoughts torn between rage and concern. He wanted to get his hands on whoever had beaten her. He wanted to tear them limb from limb. And he wanted to take Kelly to a hospital. She should have a doctor take a look at her, make sure she was all right.
    And the baby. His hands tightened on the wheel. Was the baby all right?
    He couldn't think about that now. His first concern had to be taking care of Kelly. If he took her to the hospital, she was likely to go into hysterics, which couldn't be good for her or the baby. He'd take her home, get her calmed down and they could go from there.
    Ben. Dan felt a wave of relief. Ben Masters was a friend of his, a doctor who had been there for him when he came home and had seen him through some rough times. He could call him if it looked as if Kelly