The baby kicked twice inside. Lately, it had been more active, its schedule like someone on another planet—always livelier at night. I rubbed my belly and said, "Be good, Mama needs to sleep."
Then I actually drifted off, until a sharp pain jolted me awake.
That intense contraction surging from deep in my lower abdomenmade my heart leap. I looked down and saw a dark stain spreading across my nightgown, seeping quickly along the fabric.
My water broke.
Damn it, I wasn't even at my due date yet. At least three weeks early.
Outside, the drizzle had turned into a downpour. Thunder rolled from the distance, one crash after another. Lightning flooded the room in harsh white light. My hand trembled toward the phone on the nightstand. I dialed emergency services.
No signal.
I tried again. Still nothing. The storm had cut communications.
I didn't give up. I tried Grandma Ruth's number, Mrs. Douglas's number, and every number I had saved. Same result every time. Unable to connect.
Fear poured over me like ice water. I was alone in this house, rain pouring outside, phone useless, the baby pushing to come out. My mouth filled with the taste of blood—I'd bitten through my lip.
When the next contraction hit, my body arched uncontrollably. The pain nearly made me black out. I slid off the bed onto the floor, back against the bed frame, legs curled up, nails digging into my palms. The bottom of my nightgown was soaked through. A small puddle pooled on the floor.
I was going to die. Me and the baby both. When that thought exploded in my head, my whole body shook. My teeth chattered, hands and feet numb with cold.
I tried to crawl to the door. Maybe I could crawl next door for help. Maybe Mrs. Douglas was back? Or someone else outside. My fingers clawed at the floor, dragging myself forward, but another contraction slammed into me. The pain nearly robbed me of all movement.
I lay on the floor, face pressed against the cold wood, tasting tears and blood mixed together.
That's when the door crashed open.
The sound of rain instantly flooded the room. A figure rushed in,soaked to the bone, clothes plastered to his body, hair stuck to his forehead, water streaming down his jawline.
Enzo.
Enzo, who should've already left.
When he burst in, his shoes slipped on the wet floor, and he dropped to one knee. His eyes swept the room and found me curled on the floor. The color drained from his rain-soaked face.
"Chloe!"
Enzo lunged so fast I couldn't even react. His arms slid under my knees and back, lifting me completely. My hands instinctively grabbed his collar. His entire chest was ice-cold with rain, but his arms were warm—even through the soaked clothes I could feel that living heat.
"My water broke," my voice shook unrecognizably. "The phone wouldn't work. I was alone. I didn't know what to do."
"I know." He pulled me tighter against him. His heartbeat pressed against my ear, racing, but his voice stayed low and steady. "I'm here. I'm here, Chloe. Don't think about anything. Leave it to me."
After experiencing that helpless terror, falling into this embrace, all the resilience and defenses I'd been clinging to completely collapsed. All the tangled resentments between us got shoved aside.
"Why did you come back now..." I broke down in his arms, screaming, tears smearing his collar. "The power's out, the phone's dead... I thought me and the baby were going to die here. I was so scared, Enzo!"
Enzo didn't flinch. He let my fingers dig into his skin. He just held me tighter, his broad palm cradling the back of my head.
Another violent contraction slammed through me. I gasped and buried my face deep in his burning chest.
"Deep breaths. Look at me, Chloe. I'm here. Nothing's going to happen to you or the baby." Enzo kissed the top of my head, soothing me gently.
Feeling his strong, steady heartbeat and his arms wrapped tight around me, I pathetically found an unprecedented sense of security in the arms of the man I'd desperately tried to escape.
As if as long as he was here, nothing in this world could hurt me or my child.
