by DL Gallie
They are in for the fight of their lives
* * *
A Falling novel
by DL Gallie
Contents
Also By DL Gallie
Prologue
1. Cress
2. Preston
3. Cress
4. Cress
5. Preston
6. Cress
7. Preston
8. Cress
9. Preston
10. Cress
11. Preston
12. Cress
13. Preston
14. Cress
15. Preston
16. Cress
17. Preston
18. Cress
19. Preston
20. Cress
21. Cress
22. Cress
23. Preston
24. Cress
25. Preston
26. Cress
27. Preston
28. Cress
29. Preston
30. Cress
31. Creed
32. Cress
33. Preston
34. Cress
35. Preston
36. Cress
Epilogue
Playlist
Acknowledgments
Also by DL Gallie
Contact for DL Gallie
About the Author
Chaos and tragedy can either bring us together, or tear us apart.
Falling in love isn’t like it is in fairy tales.
* * *
CRESSIDA
Being a single mom is hard.
But Lexi is my life, and I’ll do anything for my daughter.
I just never expected tragedy to strike, or for my past to haunt us.
Or for Dr. Preston Knight to be the man who saves us.
The same man I should never have fallen in love with.
* * *
PRESTON
I’m the best in my field.
Being a doctor is in my blood.
My focus is always on my career.
Until her—Cressida Bayliss.
I’ve fought many battles, but never one so close to my heart.
This is the biggest fight of my life, and with my heart on the line, I can’t afford to lose.
Copyright © DL Gallie 2020
Falling for Dr. Knight
First published 3rd June 2020
Email: [email protected]
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a database and retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the owner of copyright and the above publishers.
This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be stored or reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher
* * *
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the produce of the author’s imagination or used factitiously. Any resemblance to the actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
* * *
Edited by Karen Hrdlicka, Barren Acres Editing
Cover by Kristie, Vanilla Lily Design
Proofread by Lana Clarke and Margaret Neal
Also By DL Gallie
STAND ALONES
Out of Nowhere
Antecedent
Seven Nights
Doc Steel
Summer Heat
* * *
The Rule Breaker anthology
In the Dark of Night anthology
Love is Contagious, a charity anthology
FALLING NOVELS
* * *
Falling for Dr. Kelly, a Falling novel
Falling for Dr. Knight, a Falling novel
Falling for Agent Cox, a Falling novel - COMING SOON
THE CASTAWAY GROVE COLLECTION
Love has arrived in the Grove
* * *
Oasis
Unequivocal Love
Five Words
Broken Rules - late 2020
…and a few more as well.
THE LIQUOR CABINET SERIES
Liquor has never been so disturbingly saucy
* * *
Malt Me (Book 1)
Tequila Healing (Book 2)
Wine Not (Book 3)
The Final Shot (Book 4)
* * *
The Liquor Cabinet: Series boxset
THE UNEXPECTED SERIES
When it comes to love, expect the unexpected
* * *
The Unexpected Gift
The Unexpected Letter
The Unexpected Package
The Unexpected Connection
Andi, Preston is all yours.
Thank you for believing in him, and me.
"Love until it hurts. Real love is always painful and hurts: then it’s real and pure"
~ Mother Teresa
Prologue
When I saw my daughter in the ER bed getting stitched up after the accident at Navy Pier, I thought that was the worst possible thing to happen to me, but hearing, “Cress, Lexi has sepsis,” THAT was the most heartbreaking thing a mother could hear. And to kick me even more when I was down, let’s also add, “She has now developed pneumonia.” Even with the bad news coming from the man I’m in love with, it did nothing to cushion the blow. Seeing the seriousness on his face was when I broke down. I realized in that moment just how sick my little girl was.
She was sick, really really sick; and he wouldn’t promise me that she’d get better.
When Preston said those words my world imploded. After the initial shock wore off, the guilt set in. I felt like the worst mother in the entire universe, add in threats from Dickwad Dawson and the already stressful situation became even more volatile. Fuck my life. I should have known that life would fuck me over. Things were going smoothly and for the first time since Lexi was born, I was happy, ecstatically happy and in love. But with this kick in the guts, I didn’t know if I could fix it. I wasn’t a wizard, I couldn’t wave my magic wand or cast a spell like Twilight Sparkle to make Lexi healthy again. My little girl, my most precious possession, was sick and it was all my fault. I should have seen the signs. I should have paid more attention. I shouldn’t have been fucking around with Preston. I should have been focusing on Lexi. I should have been there for her.
I.
Should.
Have.
Known.
I’m her mom for fuck’s sake! How could I have let my little girl down so badly? I should have noticed the color draining from her face. I should have seen how lethargic she’d become. I should have brought her in sooner. I should have done more. I should have been a better mom.
And now because I was following my heart, my little girl is close to death. The apple of my eye is fighting for her life and it's all my fault. Falling for Dr. Knight was the worst thing I’ve ever done.
1
Cress
…five years earlier
Never have I felt pain like this before, not even when Creed walked away while I was pregnant. That day was hard, but this, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. “Avery, get me drugs. Get me every fucking drug there is. It hurts so much,” I scream and cry to my best friend, who has stepped up to the plate and takes the crown as THE bestest friend ever in the history of best friends.
“If you let go of my hand, I will see what I can do,” she says through clenche
d teeth. I loosen the grip I have on her hand, and when she pulls it away, she shakes it back and forth, stretching her fingers, and then shaking again to get the blood flow back into it.
“I’m sorry,” I cry and then I burst into tears. “Avery, I’m going to be a shit mom,” I blubber. “I just squished your hand. What if I squish the baby? I can’t do this on my own.”
“Cressida Rachel Bayliss, stop talking shit—”
“But—” I try to interrupt her, but she raises her hand in a stop motion. I know she means business because not only did she middle name me, she full named me too.
“Don't make me bitch slap a pregnant woman in labor. You’ve got this. You are the strongest most amazing person I know, and this baby will be lucky to have you as his or her mommy.”
“Avery,” I cry, tears well in my eyes and then the dam breaks. Tears pour down my face but this time instead of fearful tears, they are happy emotional tears. “You’re not meant to make a pregnant lady in labor cry.”
“Well, stop talking shit and I won’t. Now let me go find the nurse, or Dr. Jenkins, and get you some drugs.”
“I knew you were my best friend for a reason.” I mean every word in that statement. Ave is my ride or die. She’s my best bitch and I would be lost without her.
After my mini freak-out, Munchkin—the affectionate term I used while pregnant with her—yes, her—came quickly, like super quick. She announced her arrival into the world with a scream to rival that of Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween. I’m pretty sure I was a close second with the screaming, because pushing a nine-pound baby out your hoo-ha is no easy feat. Alexis Avery Bayliss, or Lexi for short, arrived before I could get the good drugs, but as soon as they put her in my arms, everything was right with the world. The pain of the labor vanished. All my fears of being a shitty mom disappeared. I was filled with love, awe, and gratitude. My daughter is the most perfect beautiful baby in the world, I know all parents say this but in regards to Lexi, it’s true.
For a brief moment, I thank Dickwad Dawson for knocking me up because if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be holding my beautiful little girl in my arms right now. Guess I better let him know she has arrived, not that he’ll care. My mind drifts to the day I told him I was pregnant and the events that unfolded after that…
* * *
…Sitting on the side of the tub, I look down at the four sticks sitting on the floor mat and the one in my hand. All I see are pink lines staring back up at me screaming ‘You’re pregnant!,’ insert jazz hands. A smile breaks free. “I’m pregnant,” I murmur and rest my hand on my belly. “Hey, Munchkin, I’m your mommy. I’m promise to be the bestest mommy in the world.”
The sound of the front door closing startles me and I drop the stick I’m holding.
“Cress, Babydoll, where are you?” Creed shouts, as I hear his boots hit the wall by the door. I hate when he kicks his shoes off like that.
“In here,” I shout, as I turn on the faucet and wash my hands to get rid of the residual pee. Creed walks in and smiles at me in the mirror. I stare at his reflection. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Square jaw. I start to wonder what our baby will look like. Since I have dark blonde, almost brown hair, I guess she, or he, will have dark hair too. I have blue eyes so it’s anyone’s guess. Our skin tone is similar. But my thoughts and happiness are thwarted when I hear him growl, “What the fuck?”
Shaking my head, I turn around to see him glaring at the pile of pregnancy tests on the bathroom floor. “Surprise,” I say, but when I look at his face, I don't see excitement or awe. I see anger, rage, and disgust.
“You need to get rid of it,” he snarls between clenched teeth. I have never heard that tone from him before. “I’m not ready to be a father, and you certainly aren’t in any shape to be a mother. You can’t even boil a fucking egg without calling Mommy for assistance.”
“Excuse me?” I scoff, I’m shocked at the outburst coming from him right now.
“You heard me. Me no father and you no mom.” He pauses. “Hell, it's probably not even mine.”
“Excuse me?” I shout again. “How dare you accuse me of cheating on you! I have been nothing but an amazing girlfriend. Sure, the timing isn’t ideal but we’ll make this work. I know we can. We will be a happy family.”
“Yeah, we will because you’re going to get rid of it.”
“Ummm, no, I’m not.”
“Yes. You. Are,” he growls, pausing between each word for emphasis. His face turning purple from holding his breath. I can feel the anger radiating from him but I refuse to let him ruin the moment. This is a joyous time for me. For us. For our future.
“No, Creed. I’m keeping this baby. We made Munchkin together, he or she is going to be perfect and we will be amazing parents.”
“Fuck this shit.” He punches the mirror, the glass cracking and splintering under the force. He turns around and walks out, leaving me stunned. He turns back around. “You need to think who you want more, me? Or that thing?” He points to my belly and before I can reply, he’s gone. Leaving me alone with Munchkin and my heart broken.
Dropping to my knees, I cry. My happy moment and life crushed by the one person who I thought would be by my side forever. When I have no more tears left to cry, I lean back against the tub and cradle my stomach. I look down at my flat for now abs and whisper, “I’ll choose you every time, Munchkin, every time.”
A few hours later, Creed returns and he drops to the floor in front of me. He takes my hands in his and lovingly stares at me. “I’m sorry, Babydoll. I was shocked, it was so out of the blue. I don’t want you to get rid of it—”
“Munchkin.” I say, smiling at him, “Our lil’ munchkin is growing inside of me.” Taking his hand, I place it on my belly and stare at him. “I love you, Creed. We are going to be fine, and this baby is going to have two amazing parents, sure we’ll fumble, but together, we can do anything.”
“I’ll try, Babydoll, but I’m scared.”
“I’m scared too, baby, but together, we can do this. We can be a family.”
For the next few weeks everything was perfect, then one night he came home drunk. He wanted to fool around but I’ve been suffering from horrible morning sickness, so much for that disappearing in the second trimester. He got angry when I said no. “Fucking baby is cockblocking me already. Knew it was going to mess with us. I thought pregnancy made you bitches horny all the time. Knew you should have gotten rid of it.”
“Not this again,” I mumble, but it was obviously louder than I intended because he slapped me across the face. Cupping my cheek in shock, I stare at the man before me. He isn’t the man I fell in love with all those years ago.
“Don’t sass me, woman. I knew this baby was a mistake, you not putting out proves that.”
He climbs off the bed and leaves, slamming the door behind him. It was three days before he returned home. He never told me where he disappeared to, and to be honest, I didn’t care.
This pregnancy has been tough; I’ve been so sick this past week. Thankfully I have Avery and Mom to help me. Between the two of them, I’ve had round the clock care. The topic of Creed is never bought up, and I’m thankful for that because I don’t know what to say.
When he finally came home, it all went back to normal, well for the next few weeks anyway. The day of our twenty week scan, he didn’t turn up, to say I was hurt was an understatement. When I got home, that hurt intensified. I found him packing.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m leaving. I can’t do this. I can’t be a father to that thing.” He points to my bump and scowls. “I’m still not convinced that thing is mine anyway, so I’m leaving.”
At his words, my heart and world shatter. Tears well in my eyes. “But—”
“There’s no buts, I’m gone. You will always chose that thing over me. I’m worth more than that, if you can’t see that then there’s no point in me hanging around.”
“Please, Creed,” I beg, “Please don’t leave us.” Tears pour do
wn my face as the man I love continues to pack.
He stops packing and looks at me. “Get rid of it and I’ll stay.”
“You know I won’t do that. I can’t do that.”
“Then I’m gone.”
“You said you love me! That you’d try. That we’d be a family.”
He breaks out into a sarcastic laugh. ”Love you? That's a good one, Cress. You said all the happily ever after shit, not me.” He zips up his suitcase and walks toward me. He stops and cups my face in his palm. “It’s such a shame, you were such a good fuck.” He taps my cheek and walks past me.
“You said you wanted to try, remember? You said you’d be here, for us. For our child.”
He turns to face me. “I said I’d try for you, not that thing. I still don’t even know if it's mine.” He pauses. “You had your chance, Cress, and even now, you're still choosing it over me. You chose wrong, Babydoll.” He turns around and walks toward the front door. With his hand on the door handle, he looks back at me. “You did this to yourself, Cressida. In a couple of months, you'll be nothing but a fat, pregnant, ugly bitch. Because this thing you keep calling munchkin is going to steal everything from you and give you nothing in return.” With those hateful words, he opens the door and walks out. Leaving me pregnant, alone, and completely heartbroken…
