Enzo didn't waste another second. He grabbed a thick coat nearby, wrapped it securely around my soaked, shivering body, and held me firmly in his arms.
Then he scooped me up, using his broad shoulders to shield me from the wind and cold, kicked the door open, and without hesitation carried me straight into the howling storm.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Enzo&Chloe
Enzo
My car sat right outside her gate. I carefully settled Chloe's pain-wracked body into it, then raced around to the driver's side and fired up the engine.
The damn rain was coming down hard. Driving fast in weather like this wasn't easy, but I had no choice. I was basically gambling with death at the speeds I was hitting.
"Ahh!"
Chloe screamed beside me. Through my peripheral vision, I saw her arch up, consumed by pain. Her hands clawed blindly at the air before finally latching onto my right hand on the gearshift, squeezing hard.
But I couldn't feel any physical pain. My heart was already being crushed by pure terror.
Nobody knew better than me how goddamn dangerous childbirth was for women. That's how my mother died.
Why the hell hadn't I prepared more? Why didn't I bring some doctors from New York when I came?
Chloe's grip on my hand slowly loosened. Eyes closed, she seemed to be losing strength.
"Chloe, Chloe!" I called her name desperately. "I'm here, Chloe. Look at me! Breathe, breathe with me—in, out. Please, keep your eyes open, don't you dare fall asleep!"
Chloe seemed too wracked with pain to hear me clearly. Her pale face was covered in cold sweat and rain.
"Open your eyes and look at me, Chloe! Talk to me! I won't let you pass out! You hear me? I won't let anything happen to you!"
The car tore through the storm for fifteen minutes. Those fifteen minutes felt longer than a century. I controlled the sliding vehicle with one hand on those rain-slicked curves, constantly turning to check on her. Every time she convulsed with pain, my face went another shade whiter.
For the first time in my life, I felt a suffocating, crushing sense of helplessness and fear.
Finally—finally—we arrived.
I slammed to a stop at the emergency entrance of the town's small community hospital. Didn't even close the car door. I jumped out, ran to the passenger side, pulled her out, and charged toward the emergency room doors like a madman.
"Doctor! Someone!" I kicked open the glass doors, bellowing like a lunatic. "She's in labor! Her water broke! Help her!"
The duty nurse stuck her head out from behind the counter. Seeing this drenched, wild-eyed man carrying an equally soaked pregnant woman, she immediately hit the call button. A gurney came rushing over. They tried to take Chloe from my arms.
My fingers were still wrapped around her hand. I wouldn't let go. My whole body was shaking. I was terrified that if I loosened my grip, she'd vanish.
"Sir! Let go! I understand how you feel, but trust us!"
The nurse shouted at me to release her. I finally snapped back to reality and loosened my grip.
The nurses finally got Chloe from my arms and rushed her towardthe delivery room. I didn't bother wiping the rain off myself, just followed right behind.
But a nurse stopped me at the door, her tone firm. "Sir, you can't go in like that. You'll catch a cold, and it's not sanitary."
A muffled groan of pain came from inside. My face went white instantly.
"I'm the baby's father. Let me in, please. I have to see her." I gripped the nurse's arm so tightly she kept crying out, but I barely noticed.
God, if I couldn't see her, I was going to lose my mind.
