I reach for my phone, my fingers fumbling, as I dial his number. It rings once before going straight to voicemail, which only makes me feel worse.
I know I’m meant to be resting, but the last thing my mind needs is the opportunity to spiral. So, I throw on a sweater, wincing as the skin around the cut on my arms stretches, as well as some leggings, and slip quietly out of the bedroom.
The house is still dark, so I pad softly on the carpet as I head down the hallway, hoping that Ronan might be up and can tell me where the hell Kieran has gone.
After spending all of those hours chained up and terrified, I think it’s going to take me a while to not panic every time I wake up alone.
Light spills from under Ciara and Ronan’s door, so I pause outside. I’m about to knock when I catch a low, guttural groan.
“Ciara?” I call out.
Ronan throws open the door, and I stumble back a step at the tense look on his face. He runs a hand through his hair, clearly flustered.
I frown. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” The tight line of his jaw and the worry in his eyes tell a different story.
My gaze shifts beyond him to where Ciara is doubled over in the bed, gripping her stomach as she groans.
Her face is pale and sweat glistens on her forehead as she clenches her teeth so hard I’m worried she’s going to break them.
“I take it those aren’t Braxton Hicks?” I glance nervously at Ronan.
“They sure as hell don’t feel like it!” Ciara cries out as another contraction rips through her.
“Where’s the doctor?” Panic claws at my chest as I push past him to get to Ciara.
“He got called away on an emergency.” Ronan looks completely devastated as he watches his wife fight through the pain.
“Thisisan emergency.”
“I wasfine,” Ciara says through clenched teeth.
“You’re not now.”
Ronan groans. “I never should have let you convince me to let him go. I knew this would happen.”
“Oh, yeah? I didn’t realize you had a crystal ball,” Ciara snaps.
I sigh. “Let’s all take a breath.”
“Easy for you to sayyy—” Ciara’s hit by another contraction.
I don’t know much about labor, but from how close together her contractions seem, I don’t think we have a lot of time before she’s going to want to start pushing.
“Have you tried calling him?” I ask Ronan as calmly as I can manage.
I don’t want to panic Ciara and risk her blood pressure skyrocketing when she’s already high risk as it is.
“I’ve been trying to get him on the phone for the last hour, but he’s not answering.”
“He’s not going to get here in time…” I think out loud.
“What?” Ciara looks panicked.
“Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine,” I assure her, even though I don’t know the first thing about labor or the birth of a child.
But unless I want to end up delivering these babies myself, I need to get Ciara to the hospital. “Ronan, start timing the contractions. I’m going to call an ambulance and alert the guards to expect it.”
