She bit her lip. “Well, I’m in labor. I thought so before, but I’m positive now since”—her skin darkened—“my water just broke.”
He exhaled slowly and shut down his first instinct—a thorough scolding for not telling him sooner. “I see.” With an arm around her, he guided her out of the bathroom. “How long would you estimate you’ve been in labor?”
“Weeell.”
Hell.
“At first, I thought the contractions were just those Braxton-Hicks. They didn’t really hurt and were far apart. Only the contractions haven’t stopped. And really, I was going to tell you, only you had the group session today, and I didn’t want to mess that up.”
“Jessica, I’d have rescheduled.”
“They’re our soldiers. They deserve priority.”
His stubborn, big-hearted submissive; she’d be the death of him. “Did you happen to time any of the last pains?”
“They’re close to five minutes apart. I called the midwife right before the lights went out. She said to head for the birthing center now since the rain would slow us down. She’ll leave now as well.”
“Indeed. In that case, you’ve ruined the lecture I was planning.”
Her wavy blonde hair glinted in the candlelight as she grinned up, looking like a roguish fairy. “There’s good news.”
He captured her face between his hands and kissed her, slow and sweet. “I love you, Jessica.”
“That’s a relief,”—she went on tiptoes to press a light kiss to his chin—“since we’re going to have a baby.”
* * * *
Anne parked her car in the Shadowlands parking lot, turned off the headlights, and stared through the pouring rain at the very dark, three-story, stone mansion. No lights were on. Tonight, of all nights, Z and Jessica weren’t home?
No, wait. Z never left the entire house unlit. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen any house lights in miles. The power must be out in the area.
Through the rain and dark, she glimpsed flickering lights in the third story windows. It’d be worth checking. If the place was empty, she could sack out in the back of her vehicle. She’d slept in her SUV a time or two before, although what’d been cool in her twenties wasn’t so much fun a decade later.
What a mess of a night. The second fugitive had fallen easily into their hands. But not the third. They’d knocked on doors of his closest friends and family, searched his favorite hangouts, and gotten drenched for nothing.
Then, after her team had called it a night, Anne had detoured to check out another skip’s home. No joy there.
To top off the crap night, she’d been blocked by a traffic jam on the Suncoast Parkway where the rain had caused a multi-multi-car pileup. So she’d made her way by back roads to the Shadowlands. A good night’s rest in her bed was obviously out of the question.
She grabbed her spare overnight bag and a flashlight and made a dash for the back garden gate. I’m already wet—why am I running?
She ran through the garden, opened the door, and stepped into the lanai. Her soaked hair flopped in her face, and with a huff of annoyance, she pushed the strands away.
Something huge moved on the dark patio. She turned the flashlight that way. Huge was right. A man—Ben.
He growled, “Stop right there and identify yourself.” His threatening voice was sexy as hell.
With a chuckle, she closed her eyes and pointed the light at herself. “It’s me, Ben.”
“Fuck me, what are you doing out in the rain, Anne?”
“I—”
The door above them opened, and Z called down, “Benjamin, may I impose upon you to drive us to the hospital? Jessica’s in labor.”
“Be my pleasure, Z. Let me get—”
“Wait.” Anne lifted her voice. “Z, the Suncoast is backed up with a multi-car accident. The news says a rig tipped over and is lying across the entire road. Other cars smashed into it and skidded into the oncoming lanes as well. Because the traffic jam goes in both directions, rescue vehicles haven’t been able to get to the location to clear the mess.”
Ben started, “We can take—”
“You can’t even get to Gunn. The roads are flooding. I barely made it with my Ford Escape—and the water’s still rising. I doubt any vehicle can get through now.”
There was a long silence from above. She could feel Z’s concern. Finally he said, “I’m glad you arrived when you did, Anne. At least we won’t be trapped on the road.”
“Delivering a baby in a car. Not my idea of fun,” Ben muttered.