“Don’t make a scene, or I’ll end this right here,” she whispered, her eyes darting toward the two federal agents fifty yards away.

They were looking at their phones near the clinic doors, completely unaware of the quiet struggle near the curb.

“They won’t reach you in time,” Chloe said, nudging the hard cylinder in her pocket against my ribs.

I looked at the SUV.

The tinted window was rolled down an inch, showing a sliver of a man’s silhouette behind the wheel.

“I need a doctor, Chloe,” I gasped, sweat beads forming along my hairline.

“The baby is coming.”

“You’ll survive the drive,” she said, shoving me toward the open door of the vehicle.

My legs felt like lead, but the cold metal of the gun barrel against my side forced me forward.

I climbed into the back seat, the leather cold against my bare legs.

Chloe slid in right behind me, slamming the door shut with a heavy thud.

The lock clicked automatically.

“Drive,” Chloe told the man upfront.

The SUV pulled away from the curb, merging quickly into the morning traffic.