Cold & Deadly (Cold Justice: Crossfire #1)(110)

A tiny whimper escaped, and she clamped down on it, terrified of giving herself away.

Suddenly Alex was crouching beside her.

She spat the stick out of her mouth and grabbed onto his hand.

“You found us.” She started panting, pain tearing her apart.

He smoothed her damp hair off her forehead and kissed her there. His eyes scanned the area. His SIG stayed in his hand.

“Is she still loose?” Mallory whispered.

“Those last shots sounded like a Glock. What weapon did she have?”

Mallory laughed and wished desperately for some water. “A semi-automatic. I don’t know exactly. I avoided looking at it.”

His eyes softened, and a smile played around his mouth. “Sheridan’s got this.”

“What if Ava’s dead? It’ll be all my fault—” Another blast of agony bore down on her.

She panted but Alex gained her attention and coaxed her to breathe the way she’d been coached.

“Breathe through the pain, Mal.”

Her nails bit into his flesh. He placed the weapon on the ground beside him.

“As soon as this contraction is over, I’ll take a look at how dilated you are. Figure out how to get you to the car.”

She shook her head. “This baby is coming, Alex. I’m not going to make it to the car.”

Alarmed eyes met hers. “You can’t hold back a little? Slow it down?”

“That’s not how it works! This baby is coming,” she hissed. “Now.”

She lay back as Alex lifted her skirts and dragged her panties down her legs. “Don’t let Suzanna find us,” she pleaded in a whisper. “She wants to take our baby as her own.”

“No one is taking our baby, Mal. You know that.”

She did. But she was still terrified.

Alex nudged her thighs wider apart. Her hand touched the grip of his SIG in reassurance. She didn’t pick it up. She wasn’t stupid. But it was within reach and if that bitch showed up Mal would put a bullet between her eyes, contraction or no contraction.

“I can see the baby’s head.”

Mal closed her eyes. Oh crap. All the planning and preparation they’d done and she was having the baby in a grass patch on the side of the road.

“You have to push with the next contraction, Mal.” He looked up and met her gaze, his silver eyes filled with concern. “It’s time.”

Fear overwhelmed her, and panic made her pulse skip. “I can’t do this.”

He smiled. “You can do this.”

She wanted to cuss and swear at him, but another contraction hit, and the instinctive urge to push took over.

When it was finished, she gasped out a keening sound, rubbing her finger over the pattern on the SIG’s grip.

The pain came again with barely a second of respite in between. She clenched every muscle in her body and pushed with all her strength.

“Head’s out,” Alex said excitedly. “Next push will get the shoulders clear and it’ll be over, Mal. Our baby is nearly here and I’ve got you both.” His eyes met hers and flicked to the gun. “Trust me. Nothing will get past me to hurt either of you.”

She withdrew her hand from the weapon as another contraction clenched her body. She squeezed and felt the baby leave her body in a rush. Alex caught him-or-her and placed the warm infant on her chest.

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.

A perfect, scrunched up little face peered up at her, absolutely unimpressed by the change in accommodation. The baby had a snub nose and a thatch of black hair on its head and huddled against Mallory’s chest.

Alex dragged off his t-shirt and wrapped it around the newborn who made a mewling sound. Then Alex cut the gray umbilical cord with a pocketknife. “Sorry. It’s the best I can do.”

Hopefully it didn’t matter. “Help me pull my dress up for some skin on skin bonding.”

“My favorite kind,” he joked as he maneuvered damp tulle out of the way so the baby could lie on her breast.

She was virtually naked, sitting on the grass in the woods, rough bark poking her shoulders as flies buzzed around. Her baby snuggled into the comfort of her body, and Mallory realized she’d done it. Given birth without the support of modern medicine. And although it had been rough, she’d managed. She was so glad Alex had been here to help.

He kissed both their foreheads and picked up the SIG. “We have a perfect baby girl.” His voice cracked. “You are amazing, Mrs. Parker.”

Joy shot through Mallory even as she worried about Ava and Dominic. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, Mr. Parker.”

He shook his head. “Not even close, love. Not even close.”

Then the baby started to cry.





Chapter Thirty-Six





The sound of a baby squalling cut through the air, and a rush of relief raced up Dominic’s spine.

“Thank god Suzanna is dead,” Ava spoke against his chest.

“Why?” he asked, tightening his hold.

“She was going to steal Mallory’s baby. Claimed the child was a gift from Galveston. Okay. You have to put me down now. We need to go help her.”

“I’m not putting you down or letting you go ever again, Ava Kanas.” Dominic strode across the road and into the woods still carrying her.