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My father and Guillermo were waiting in the lobby. We’d escaped the media with ease, thanks to the vast wealth of security Connor had left behind. The elevator in the penthouse descended straight into a private underground garage, which was reserved in its entirety for the O’Connells’ fleet of vehicles. We had been met with row after row of sleek cars in every shape and size, from basic to luxury. The armed drivers—which were kept on rotation—had immediately stepped forward to assist us with Shannon, their calm authority welcome during the panic. Connor’s first lieutenant—Arthur, I now knew his name to be—had insisted on accompanying us, although he looked haggard, as though he hadn’t rested in weeks.
Guilt and grief hadn’t affected just the family members.
After they had made sure she’d arrived at the hospital, Shannon had thanked our three male companions and asked that only I enter the Labor and Delivery ward with her. By now, she’d already requested Faye’s presence twice, and my anxiety was through the roof.
I didn’t want to be alone with Shannon while she gave birth. I’d never seen anyone go through that. I didn’t know how to encourage her, especially with Connor gone. She was going through hell and, if no one else showed up in time, I would have to face the fire with her.
“Hello?”
Finally! Mickey Kelley’s gruff voice was like a lighthouse for a ship lost at sea. He was with Jack and Kieran in Ireland. He could tell them to get their asses back here.
“Mick!” I screamed, then lowered my tone when a nurse glared from her station. “Shannon’s having the baby. Like, now. Are you with Jack?”
“Shit…” I could hear laughter in the background, along with Irish rock music and yelling. “She’s not due for another month!”
“Tell that to the baby,” I huffed. “I tried calling Jack, but he didn’t answer.”
Mick was silent again. On his end of the line, glasses clinked and people spoke over one another. Were they at a pub? I knew the O’Connells liked to party, but it seemed a little gratuitous to be celebrating so soon after Connor’s death. Then again, they were Irish.
My suspicions were confirmed when I heard a woman’s voice, soft and feminine, say, “Here’s your drink, a ghrá.” Jack responded, but he was too far from the phone for me to discern his words, or his tone.
“I’ll let Kieran know.” Mick grunted. “He should be on the first plane tomorrow morning.”
“And Jack?” I asked, biting the side of my thumb. Why wasn’t Mick answering my questions about him? Did Jack know I was on the phone? Was he purposefully not taking my calls? I was being paranoid. The hospital setting wasn’t helping. “Is he coming back?”
Mick cleared his throat. There was something in his voice that I disliked—pity. “Jack’s handling some business here, lass.”
“Is he okay?”
My heart galloped inside my chest. Mick wasn’t telling me something. What was it Jack was doing in Ireland that made Mick uncomfortable to talk about? My mind immediately jumped to conclusions, but I refused to breathe life into them.
“Jack is…” Mick stammered. “He just misses you is all.”
I released the air from my lungs. “So, is he coming home with Kieran tomorrow?”
Mick swore. “Sorry, Emma, bad reception. Text me updates!”
Click.
Damn it.
“Emma?” A nurse materialized in the hall, shutting the door to Shannon’s room. “It’s about that time. You’ll need these.”
She held out a navy-blue set of scrubs, shoe covers, a hairnet and a surgical mask. The blood rushed from my head, but I took the items between two hands like I was receiving a flag at a military funeral.
“I know this is a rough situation, sweetheart,” the nurse said, her face open and honest. I slid the loose pants over my jeans. “I assume Shannon’s husband is the one that’s been on the news?”
I nodded, slipping the hair net over my messy bun.
The nurse shook her head, somber. “I need you to look at me, sweetie.”
I did, eyes huge and panicked. The nurse squeezed my shoulders, earnestness adorning her strong features. She had a slight Southern accent, which I found comforting.
“Now, I don’t know how you’re related to Shannon, but you’re all that girl’s got right now. When you go in there, you need to be strong for her. You hold her hand and you don’t leave her side for a second. The only way she’s gonna get through this is with you helping her.”
The nurse’s reassuring words washed over me. My panic went from full-fledged to a small trickle in the recess of my mind. Shannon needed me. It didn’t matter that I’d never been through this before because she hadn’t either. She was about to give birth and the father of her child, the love of her life, was dead. No one else was here but me. I had to be enough.
I closed my eyes and took a deep, settling breath. When I opened them moments later, the nurse had disappeared into Shannon’s room. I followed her, leaving my self-doubt behind. This wasn’t the time or place for it.
