Riley’s POV
I barely made it to the nursery before my hands started shaking.
Cynthia’s cries pierced through the house, sharp and desperate. Not her normal fussing. This was different. Wrong.
I pushed through the door, my heart hammering against my ribs. Paulette was already there, rocking her, her face tight with worry.
“She won’t stop,” Paulette said, her usual calm cracking at the edges. “I’ve tried everything. Bottle, diaper, burping. Nothing’s working.”
I reached for Cynthia without thinking. The second she was in my arms, I felt it. Heat. Too much heat radiating through her tiny onesie.
“She’s burning up.” My voice came out strangled.
I pressed my lips to her forehead. The old-fashioned way my grandmother used to check my temperature. Cynthia’s skin was like fire against my mo
