Page 51

Forty-Eight

Monday, the Following Week

In his dream, Kane ducked and weaved as four men attacked him somewhere in the middle of a desert.

His hand went instinctively for his weapon and came up empty.

He never slept unarmed, never, and where the heck was he?

He spun and kicked and the other men ran away.

Now that never happened. The man on the floor rolled around, groaning and panting.

He should leave before someone found him.

He tapped his ear. “Gigabyte, do you copy?”

“Dave. Dave, wake up.” A familiar voice came close to his ear.

Kane opened his eyes. The bedside lamp was on and Jenna was shaking him. He rolled onto his back, his mind still in combat mode, and forced tight muscles to relax. “I’m awake.”

“It’s time.” Jenna smiled at him. “Contractions are seven minutes apart.”

Springing out of bed, Kane pushed his feet into his boots and reached for his jeans. “Okay. Call Nanny Raya.”

“I have already. She’s in the spare room. I don’t need her with me.” Jenna’s face turned red and she moaned and puffed out breaths.

Panic he’d never experienced in his life hit him in the pit of his stomach. “Is it real bad?”

“Not yet.” Jenna sucked in a deep breath and smiled. “On the bright side, it’s the Fourth of July. Our baby will have fireworks every birthday.”

Duke whined and walked in circles before resting his head on the bed beside Jenna.

“I’m okay, Duke.” She rubbed his head. “You go and lie down in your basket and watch over Tauri until we get back.”

Kane grabbed a pair of jeans from the closet and then stared at his feet, wondering when he’d put on his boots. He glanced at Jenna, who looked at him and raised one eyebrow.

“Maybe it will be easier to take off your boots.” Jenna’s lips quivered into a smile. “Are you okay?”

Kicking off his boots, he hopped on one foot to pull on jeans.

He shook his head in disbelief at waking up without a brain.

They’d been over the sequence of events hundreds of times, what to do first, when the time came.

He had this. He dressed in record time and ran to the front door to get the Beast from the garage.

He left the truck idling and hurried inside for Jenna’s hospital bag, sitting packed beside the front door.

He tossed it onto the back seat, slid behind the wheel, and was hurtling along the driveway before he realized he’d left Jenna behind.

He slammed his hands on the steering wheel and threw the truck into reverse.

“Get a grip, you idiot. She needs you right now.”

He ran the plan they’d discussed through his mind again.

First, make sure Tauri was cared for, check the contractions, call Wolfe, get bag, go to hospital.

Too easy. He’d jumped straight to step four.

Getting Jenna to the hospital had somehow become his first priority.

He drove back to the house and dashed inside.

As usual, Jenna was calm and in control.

She had Wolfe on the phone and was listening to his instructions.

Feeling a little stupid, he sat on the bed beside her as she disconnected.

“Is there anything I can do? The Beast is outside and I’ve got your bag. ”

“You might want to put on matching boots and your sweater is inside out.” Jenna grinned at him. “It’s okay. It will probably be hours yet, but Wolfe said to head off between contractions and make sure to place a wad of towels on the seat—just in case my water breaks.”

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, Kane chuckled. “Well, that’s a first. I was dreaming so vividly. I figure my brain hadn’t turned on when you woke me.”

“Dave, you’re combat-ready in an instant. Please, don’t stress.” Jenna smiled at him. “I’m okay. We’ll look back on this day and laugh ourselves silly.”

Changing his sweater for a T-shirt and jacket before sitting down to change his boots, he went to Jenna and took her hand. “I don’t want you to worry. I’m going to be with you every second of the way.”

“I’m not worried.” Jenna squeezed his hand.

“I’m excited. The contractions are stronger than I imagined.

I’m glad I rested up for a time.” Her cheeks pinked.

“Oh, this one is five minutes.” She panted through it and sipped water.

“Time to go.” She struggled out of bed and pulled on her gown and slippers.

“Hand me that pile of towels.” She pointed to the nightstand. “I had them ready.”

Without thinking, Kane gave her the towels and then swept her into his arms. He headed for the front door.

As they passed the security alarm, he held Jenna so she could set it before they left.

He set her down beside the Beast and covered the seat with towels.

Soon, he had her safely inside and they were on their way.

He drove fast and soon they arrived at the hospital.

Nurses dashed out and swept Jenna away, leaving him at the counter to give them her details and fill out forms. Once done, he tried to follow her but doors had locked, barring his access.

He went back to the counter and looked at the weary nurse. “I need to be with my wife.”

“Take a seat. The doctor will come and get you.” The nurse waved him away.

He’d promised to be with her. What the heck was happening?

This wasn’t in the plan. He paced up and down, his boots sounding loud in the quiet area.

He hated hospitals. The smells reminded him of his long stay after the car bombing.

Staring at the locked double doors to the inner sanctum, he willed someone to come out.

It had been twenty minutes. Jenna needed him.

Relief flooded over him when Wolfe walked through the glass doors.

He hurried toward him. “They’ve taken Jenna.

I don’t know where she is. They went through there and no one will open the door for me. ”

“I’m sure glad y’all didn’t threaten anyone, Dave.” Wolfe smiled at him. “It’s all good. The nurses are just getting her into a gown and into the birthing suite.” He patted Kane on the back. “I figure your baby will be along soon.”

Kane shook his head. “She said it will take hours.”

“We’ll see.” Wolfe led him into a room along the corridor and handed him a pair of scrubs.

“Fathers come here first to change. You can leave your things in the locker.” Wolfe pulled off his jacket and dressed in scrubs.

He went to the sink and scrubbed his hands and then pulled on examination gloves.

Kane copied him and they left the room by a backdoor. They walked along corridors and into a large room with bright lights. To his relief, Jenna was sitting up in a bed, face red and puffing. A nurse was holding her hand. He went to her side. “I’m here now. They wouldn’t allow me to come in.”

“They were waiting for Shane. They won’t call in the obstetrician unless something goes wrong. So far, everything is looking good. Contractions are three minutes now.” Her face reddened. “Here we go again.”

He took her hand and she squeezed it so hard his bones ground together.

The classes he’d taken with her fell into place and they worked together.

From that moment on, things went so fast he lost track of the time before Jenna started to push.

“This is really happening, Jenna. You’re on the last mile. ”

“That’s easy for you to say.” Jenna gripped his hand. “I’m exhausted.”

Sometime later, with Wolfe’s encouragement keeping Jenna going, Kane mopped the sweat from her face. She’d worked so hard. “Come on, Jenna. Our baby is almost here.”

“One last push, Jenna.” Wolfe smiled at them. “Dave, you need to be here.”

Kane moved to the end of the bed and stared in wonder as Jackson Daniel Shane Kane, a mop of black hair standing up in all directions and his red face defiantly angry for being so rudely disturbed, screamed his arrival.

His hands trembled as Wolfe wrapped the wiggling baby and handed it to him.

Once in his arms, Jackson stopped crying and looked up at him with huge blue eyes.

Overflowing with love and cheeks wet with tears, Kane grinned at Jenna and laid the bundle in her arms. “We have another son.”