Page 24 of The Ranger (Black Hawke Security #5)

SCARLETT

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I ’m alive.

Cole found us and, oh my god, I’m having this baby. Now. The pain is so intense, but my brain is dizzy. I’m so thirsty I can’t think straight.

But we are alive.

God, I hope the baby is okay.

I’m going insane worrying. It’s the strangest feeling. I’m almost certain that if I wasn’t pregnant, I’d be in major survival mode and only thinking about myself.

Unconditional love.

I would die for my child, but I really hope I don’t need to do that.

Everything is a blur. I recall seeing Ryder and Liam and some medical people, but my entire focus is the baby and Cole. I’ve been clinging to him like he’s my lifeline.

He is.

She’s my wife.

I might not be completely with it, but those words connected, collided with my brain and imprinted.

Your team needs to clear the warehouse because when that ambulance arrives, I’m taking her out. And I’m shooting anyone who gets in my way.

He’s protecting us.

There isn’t a single other person alive that I want with me. He’s the only person I’ve thought about for days. All I focused on was Cole.

I knew he would come.

I hoped.

Now he’s here, and we are having this baby. It’s hard not to see him as my knight in shining armor. I know this is what he does—saving people. I know this is his baby, and he would have been losing his mind wondering how to find us.

But...I know Cole. He was distraught when he found us. Even now, he still looks ready to blow up the planet to protect us.

Don’t leave me.

Never.

The conviction in his voice and the way his entire body enveloped me as he locked our eyes almost rocked me to the core.

Never. He’s never leaving me.

I can’t focus enough to consider what that means, but I needed to hear it. I needed to know he will protect me and the baby as it arrives into this world.

I need his strength and promises right now.

The rest we will work out when I am back to full health.

As we bump along the road, I catch the attention of the paramedic, who has pressed a device to my bell. I ask, “The baby? Is it okay?”

He glances up at the bag of fluids that is pumping into my veins then back at me, removing the cold stethoscope.

“Both your heart rates are high, indicating stress and dehydration. The fluids will help quickly,” he explains. The doctor will give you more information when you’re inside the hospital. They know we’re on the way.”

“Fuck,” Cole rubs his hand over his face.

I feel my heart rate increasing as an oxygen mask is put over my mouth.

“What are you doing?” He sits up and glares at the man. “Can’t she breathe?”

“She needs oxygen. The baby needs it. Please stay calm for your wife.”

Wife.

Cole grabs my hand and squeezes, looking scared. I squeeze back and close my eyes.

The fluids are helping.

My mouth is not as dry, and my mind is starting to clear, but then another contraction hits, and the mask is knocked away.

“Three minutes out,” the paramedic says.

Three long minutes.

T HIRTY MINUTES LATER , I’m in a hospital bed, the room dark and quiet. The doctor has told me to lie on my side to help the blood flow to the baby.

I’m still on oxygen and fluids.

“You’ve been under extreme stress, so what we need to do is keep you calm. Keep both of you calm,” the doctor says to me and Cole. “I don’t want to give her a sedative as it’s too dangerous.”

“How long until she delivers?” Cole asks.

“Probably a few hours. We need to slow things down and get Scarlett stable. Calm. Remember that word.”

“Okay.” Cole rubs his jaw.

“Babies come when they’re ready. Labor was probably triggered because it no longer felt safe inside mom here due to her stress and dehydration. Her increased blood pressure.”

“Great,” I mumble.

Cole sort of smiles, sort of frowns.

“We need you relaxed so you’ll have an easier delivery,” the doctor says. “You’re safe here. You have security at the door and outside the building. And your husband is here. If we need to, we can do a caesarean section.”

“Hope not,” I mutter, but the word husband keeps playing over and over in my head.

The doctor smiles and pats my leg.

“I need the blood flow to increase around the placenta, and then we can decide if we have to speed things up or go for surgery.”

I glance at Cole.

He knows I’ve been going on and on about not wanting a C-section. I know some women plan it like a hair appointment, but I wanted to experience childbirth. Hell, it might be the only time. It sounds selfish, but I think there’s more to it than that.

The one time I had an operation, for a broken arm, I was on my own. Mom only came to the hospital to pick me up and my memories dredge up feelings of being alone, scared and lost.

I was seven.

She spent the rest of the time telling me how much it cost her and what a pain in her ass I was.

“I’ll be back in about ten minutes.” The doctor opens the door, and I spot the security guard, which causes a visceral reaction.

Cole leaps into action. “Shhh, he’s there for your protection.”

“One Army Ranger is not enough?” I ask.

Cole smirks. “Obviously, but you know the egos on those guys. They always want in on the party.”

His joke helps to calm me. I run my hand over the baby and let out a sigh.

“It’s coming,”

Cole sits on the chair and pulls it closer. “Yeah,”

We look at one another and share a ton of unspoken words that only two people about to become parents could understand.

“Fuck, Scar.” Cole’s face suddenly contorts, and I think he’s going to cry. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Oh god.

The monitor loses its mind once more as my pulse spikes. Cole curses again, rubbing his hand over his short hair.

This is probably not the time to notice, but in his black tactical gear he looks so damn fine. Like my own personal warrior.

He is.

No, he just thinks he is.

For now, he is, and I’m going to soak it up. I need him more than I’ve ever needed anyone.

Being pregnant brings up so many romantic notions, but the reality is you are growing a human inside you. You’re more vulnerable than at any other time in your life.

I guess.

Unless you are dying...or really old.

My point is, I was this independent, healthy young woman with a big mouth, and suddenly I was top heavy and going to become a mother.

I’ve been worried about giving birth, my finances, if I might die, if I might be alone for eighteen years, if I’ll raise a psychopath...but never that I’d be kidnapped.

Jesus.

While worrying if Cole wants me, I’d never stopped to think if there was a risk to our lives. I was consumed with thinking he just wanted to be a good dad, and all the sexy stuff that happened between us was his way of trying to create a fake relationship between us.

He's already the perfect dad. God knows that has been obvious to everyone. I’m sure if he thought I’d say yes, he would have asked me to marry him.

But for the wrong reasons.

Hell, I might have said yes...for the wrong reasons.

Seeing him start to fall apart is vulnerable, and that’s not something I’ve seen from him before. My heart swells.

“It’s okay. You saved me.” I reach for him.

“I didn’t protect you. I promise that won’t happen again,” Cole says firmly as he pushes back the emotions.

Too late, I saw them.

“Why did they take me?” I ask, wondering for the millionth time. “If you can tell me.”

Being around the BHS guys for a while now, I realize they deal with a lot of confidential stuff. They talk in code around us, and sometimes I can work out a little bit. Enough to know it’s better to just keep out of it.

What they do is important. They are all highly trained military experts. It’s hot for sure, but it also puts them, and sometimes those around them, at risk.

I never thought I’d be one of them.

Cole said he was doing a corporate job, so it never occurred to me it was something to be wary of. He’s been staying in the country—a comment he let slip—and that was all the focus I gave it.

“I’m assuming it wasn’t a stapler thief at the office.”

His eyes lift to mine in disbelief. “How are you capable of being a sassy wench after you’ve been kidnapped and are now in labor?”

I gasp.

“It’s a survival pattern. Also, did you just call me a wench?” I slap his forearm, then clench my eyes shut as a contraction starts to build.

When that passes, Cole wipes his forehead like he’s done all the work, and I smile at him. These men think they are so tough, but I swear they would never survive this pain. Jesus, it’s the worst.

“No, I can’t tell you. But I’m fucking sorry it happened, Scar,” Cole finally says.

“Have they caught him?” I worry my bottom lip.

Cole shakes his head.

Damnit.

I glance around the room, my mind flicking back to what I’ve been through the past two days. Feeling colder than I ever have in my life, trembling from fear, hunger and dehydration. Fearing for my life and that of my child.

Praying Cole would find us.

“Hey.” He runs a finger over my forehead. “Time we decide on some names.”

A smile hits my lips.

This argument has gone on for four months. I told him I wanted to name our child Rainbow. The look of disgust on his face was so brilliant I couldn’t pass up the chance to keep the joke going.

“Little Rainbow.” I sigh now.

“No.” He shakes his head.

“Cole.” I brush his cheek with my fingers, feeling the sexy stubble under them. “It’s unisex, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl.”

“My son is not being called Rainbow.”

“I was kidnapped ,” I fake exclaim. (Well, it's kinda faked.) “The least you could do is give me this.”

He groans.

“Humor me. What else do you have?”

“Brody if it’s a boy. You said you liked that name,” Cole says.

I do.

“I mean...” I tease.

“Zara for a girl.”

“You like short names, don’t you?” I exaggerate a sigh. “Okay, how about Rainbow as a middle name?”

“Scar,”

Finally, I start chuckling.

Fuck those kidnappers, I’m not letting them take this moment from us. Yes, fear is hovering in the corners, but I’m having a baby—w e are having a baby—and I want to enjoy this.

“Are you kidding me?” Cole leans over me, pushing me onto my back, as I giggle. “You’ve been fucking with me this entire time.”

I nod, grinning so big.

“Scarlett Walton, you will be the death of me,” he says, his eyes glistening like a man in love. My smile fades as they drift to my mouth.

“I’m going to kiss you right now, and that monitor is going to explode. That’s the only warning you’re getting,” Cole growls.

I get the first part of my gasp out before his mouth drops to mine, and I lose all sense. And oh, my lord, it’s the most incredible kiss of my life.

I feel every emotion, all his possession, all the protection he wishes he’d been able to provide and promises for the future.

Hungrily, we both take what we want from one another, my core clenching weirdly in a mix of desire and labor as Cole palms the side of my face with his huge, powerful hand.

When he pulls back, the sound of the monitor registers, and a nurse comes barreling in.

She smiles. “Maybe save that until afterward.”

Cole grins at me. “Definitely.”

I glance away.

I can’t do that to him or our baby. Cole doesn’t love me. He just thinks he does. He had over four months to work it out and didn’t. I was kidnapped, and this is his way of working the guilt out of his system.

By his very nature he’s a protector.

I need that from him now, but I’m not making promises, and I’m not taking his.

The doctor returns, and Cole stands back to give them room.

We both know I didn’t respond. Hopefully, he will let it go. We are about to become parents. I need to learn how to be a mom, not fight him on this.

So yet again, I’ll need to be the strong one and keep the boundaries in place.

That was our last kiss.