Julian hoped that was the case. He wanted to message her, but if Lucy was the only person with Kiara, he didn’t want her to get upset that Lucy had spilled the beans.
He knew Duncan would expect to meet with him, so he had to somehow explain why he was going straight to the estate instead of staying in New York, even for just a day.
After some thought, he tapped out a message.
I’m going to head right on to the estate. With Kiara being this close to her due date, I want to be available to her. I’ll set up a time to video chat with you once I’m there.
Julian was once again grateful for how their money made life easier because once they landed, they quickly switched planes. After the luggage was sorted out, they took off for Coeur d’Alene.
The five-hour flight seemed to stretch on forever. Anthony remained in contact with Lucy, so they knew that Kiara was still laboring.
When they landed, there were two SUVs waiting with additional security team members. One SUV took the luggageand the security team members back to the estate, while Julian, Anthony, and Elijah got in the other one and headed to the hospital.
Julian had told Elijah he didn’t have to hang around at the hospital, but he said he would keep Anthony company while they waited for the baby to make his appearance.
Going against Anthony’s instructions to wait for him, Julian practically bolted from the SUV when they arrived at the hospital, leaving Anthony and Elijah to handle the parking details. His heart hammered against his ribs as he strode through the automatic doors into the main lobby.
"I need to find my wife," he told the receptionist, his voice tight with urgency. "Kiara Burke. She's in labor."
The woman tapped on her computer. "Yes, she's in the maternity ward on the third floor. Take the elevators to your right."
Julian nodded his thanks and headed for the elevators, punching the button repeatedly as if that might make it arrive faster. The wait felt interminable, each second stretching into eternity. When the doors finally opened, he stepped inside and jabbed at the third-floor button.
His mind raced with a thousand thoughts as the elevator climbed. What if he was too late? What if something had gone wrong? Why hadn't Kiara wanted him to know?
The doors slid open, and Julian stepped into a quiet hallway. A sign pointed him toward the maternity ward, and he followed it, his footsteps quickening. At the nurse’s station, he stopped, trying to control his breathing.
"I'm looking for Kiara Burke," he said to the nurse behind the counter. "I'm Julian Burke, her husband."
The nurse checked her computer. "She's in Room 312. She's still in active labor."
Relief washed over him. He hadn't missed the birth. "Thank you."
Julian followed the room numbers until he found 312. He paused outside the door, suddenly uncertain. He'd told Kiara he didn't want to be in there with her. What if she hadn’t wanted him there to begin with?
But he couldn't just stand in the hallway—he needed to see her, to make sure she was alright. If she didn’t want him there, he’d go… but only as far as the waiting room.
Gently pushing the door open, Julian stepped inside.
The room was dimly lit, with soft beeping from monitors filling the silence. Lucy stood by the bed, holding Kiara's hand. When she saw Julian, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Julian," she said quietly.
Kiara's head turned toward him, her face flushed and damp with perspiration. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, curls escaping around her face. She looked exhausted but beautiful.
"You're here," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
Julian moved to the bed, his throat tight with emotion. "I'm here."
Lucy let go of her hand and stepped back from the bed. “I’ll go check in with Anthony.”
Julian nodded, his gaze on Kiara. “How are you doing?”
She lifted her hand to brush a curl back from her face. “I think I’m okay. All things considered.”
“Are you okay with me being here?”
Before she could answer, he saw her eyes flutter closed, and she began to breathe heavily. Realizing what was happening, Julian reached out and took her hand, which had curled into a tight fist. As soon as he took her hand, she loosened her fingers and gripped his.
