Romano's POV

It's like the world had still, the pain was sharp and fiery, and every nerve screamed a raw chorus of agony. My hand instinctively clamped over my stomach, an futile attempt to cage the torment that sent me folding onto the ground. My face was a mask of sheer grimace, a cold sheen of sweat coating my forehead, and my jaw clenched hard enough to splinter.

“When did she...” The word was a useless wheeze, cut short by the pains.

It took only a minute or two for the searing ...