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“I love you, too. Good night.”
“’Night.”
Tae disconnected the call and dropped the phone at her side. Exhaustion hit her hard, and she decided she’d put the phone on the nightstand in a minute. She shut her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Twelve
The jagged pains across Tae’s belly woke her from sleep. She cried out, fear gripping her chest. This should not be happening. What was this pain? Blowing out shallow breaths, she tried to roll over from her back, and another cramp dropped her flat again. She pushed a hand beneath her hip to give herself a bit of leverage, and her fingers touched something damp. She froze. Can’t be, can’t be!
Feeling something hard on her other side, she realized she’d fallen asleep with her phone in the bed. Somehow she worked it out from under her and dialed Jax. He answered on the first ring, his voice thick with sleep.
“Tae, baby, what is it?”
She burst into tears. “Jax, I think something’s wrong. It hurts so bad, and I think… I don’t know. Please come get me.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t move, baby. I have the key. I’ll let myself in.”
She had argued with him when he insisted on making a copy of her apartment key. Jax wouldn’t let it go. He claimed she might need him unexpectedly, and she’d told him he just wanted to come and go as if he lived there. The man had had the nerve to tell her he didn’t care what she thought of his motives. He wanted to be sure he could get to her if he needed to. Now she was glad she’d given in to his bullying.
Sobbing but trying her best to calm down, Tae waited what seemed like an eternity. She took Jax’s advice not to move, hoping and praying it would save her baby’s life. Please, please…anything…I’ll do anything.
The front door banged against the wall, and she jumped. Seconds later, Jax rushed into the room and flipped the light on. He bent over her, touched her cheek, and whispered words of comfort she couldn’t understand, but she saw his expression, the anguish and tears when he examined the bed.
“No, no, no,” he whispered, this time his voice a concentration of pain. “We don’t have time to get you dressed. I’m going to wrap you in a blanket.”
He did, and soon they descended the stairs to the first floor and out to his car. Jax drove like a demon all the way to the hospital, running red lights. Tae shut her eyes, trying her best to hold onto the strap and her belly at the same time. As he drove, Jax’s hand covered hers, and he never stopped talking to her. His smooth, deep voice kept her from panicking.
When they screeched into the hospital parking lot, Jax barely made time to park before he ran around to her side of the car and scooped her into his arms. She marveled at the care he took not to jostle her when his usual way was so rough.
He barreled through the emergency room entrance, demanding service. “She’s cramping and bleeding. I need someone to look at her, now!” Nurses scrambled. Soon Tae found herself ensconced in a bed and a doctor examining her.
After a tense few moments when he asked her questions, the man looked up. Tae crushed Jax’s hand in her hold, but he never even winced. She shook from head to toe and pulled Jax’s hand to her cheek, desperate to absorb some of his strength.
“Your baby’s heartbeat is steady, and there’s been no major change in the condition of the amniotic sac. However, there has been as you’ve noted some leakage. I’m prescribing rest and absolutely no stress. You must remain calm. This is important for the health of your baby. Do you understand?”
Tae resented the condescending attitude, but she nodded her head. “For the rest of the term?”
“Not necessarily. Your regular doctor can monitor you, but for now you need to take a few days to put your feet up and stay in bed.”
“She will get the rest,” Jax promised.
“Good.” The doctor scribbled something on his clipboard. “It’s a good idea to see your regular doctor, no longer than a day or two from now.”
“Of course.” Tae sighed and lay back on her pillow. She loosened the death grip she had on Jax’s hand, and he flexed his fingers. “Sorry.”
He grinned and brushed the sweaty hair off her forehead. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t feel a thing.”
“Because you’re Superman?”
He stroked her cheek and then touched her belly. “Because I was terrified. I’m a man, but I’m only human.”
Her heart stirred. She recalled how he looked like he would cry. Jax thought the baby was Daniel’s, but he loved the little one, maybe as much as she did.
He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I’m going to go out and call Daniel. He should know.”
“Wait.”
He had started for the door but stopped and turned back. “What is it? Do I need to call the doctor back in?”
