Midnight Hero - By Diana Duncan Page 0,64

Con alone. Her first decision had been made in cowardice. This one was forged in conviction. He couldn’t afford distractions. She refused to behave like a fool and destroy his focus.

Tears threatened, and she blinked them back. She would not cry. Would not cling. She poured her feelings, her emotions, all her longing into the kiss. Telling him how much he meant to her.

Gently, he broke contact. “I have to go.”

“I know.” She touched his cheek. Warm skin, bristly stubble, exuding confidence and vitality. So alive. So precious. “I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

“I love you, too, darlin’.” His mahogany eyes crinkled at the corners. Sorrow, yearning and hope mingled in the warm brown pools. “Wait for me in the pub, in the food court.”

She bit the inside of her cheek, fighting the compulsion to beg him to stay. To hold on to him and tug him out of harm’s way. Keeping him safe wasn’t up to her. Never had been.

He had to choose duty over her. Just like her father. But for the first time in her life, she understood why. She knew he’d made the right choice.

Just like her father.

Heroes had to be heroes. They couldn’t be anything else. Countless lives depended on them. The women who loved them had to accept that. And keep on loving them, anyway.

Just the way they were.

Con turned and walked away, and her heart shattered inside her chest.

Chapter 11

10:00 p.m.

Con had taken only five steps when the light attached to the blue walkie-talkie at Bailey’s waistband blinked. After speaking to the robbers, both she and Con had set their units on standby. Bailey’s nerves jumped. Tony wanted to speak to her again. “Con! We have a transmission from the bad guys.”

Con whirled. Both simultaneously activated their units. Con would be setting his to receive only, so as not to alert the robbers to his presence. Bailey flicked the switch for voice activation. She donned the hands-free headset, and then cleared the nervousness from her throat. “This is the Sugarplum Fairy.”

“Hello?” a woman’s tremulous voice whispered. “Bailey, are you there?”

“Nan?” Bailey couldn’t believe her ears. “Is that you?”

“Yes. I’ve escaped.” Nan drew a shuddering breath. “That’s the good news.”

Foreboding settled, thick and heavy, on Bailey’s chest. “What’s the bad news?”

“I’m…I…” Nan gulped. “I’m in labor. Heavy labor.”

Incredulity slashed Con’s face. He didn’t move, scarcely breathed for too many tense, thumping heartbeats.

“Con?” Bailey started toward him. “Are you—”

“Of course she’s in labor,” Con muttered between clenched teeth. “If tonight follows true to form, I’ll soon have a newborn to protect.” He spun and pounded the wall. “Holy freaking hell, who did I piss off? What else could possibly go ass-over-teakettle during this scenario?”

The anguish in his voice made her tremble. Her brave knight had borne tremendous pressure during these long hours without batting one long, dark eyelash. Fought insurmountable odds without losing hope. Unquestioningly assumed responsibility for everyone’s safety. She didn’t blame him for being upset at the latest turn of events. Talk about going from bad to worse. The more things that went wrong, the less chance of a timely, safe ending. This awful situation would strain anyone’s resources.

But if he lost it, they were all goners.

She rested her hands on his back and kneaded the taut muscles. “We’ll handle it. Don’t fall apart on me now.”

His shoulders hitched, and his body vibrated as he battled for control. “I’ll maintain. Just…give me a sec.” He ran a hand across the tips of his spiky hair and sucked in a deep breath. “Get her location.”

She continued rubbing Con’s shoulders, and spoke into the headset mic. “Where are you, Nan?”

“I’m hiding in Office Max, on the other side of Death by Chocolate. I couldn’t run any farther.”

“How did you get the walkie-talkie? Are you alone?”

“Yes. Tony put it on the desk beside me. Letty pointed it out and helped me form an escape plan. I told Tony unless he let me use the restroom, he’d be dealing with a nasty mess. I slipped the unit into my jumper pocket when I stood up. The robbers were arguing.” Nan sounded like she might cry. “They’re on edge and fighting because two guys are missing, and they’re surrounded and everything is fouled up…Bailey, it’s awful!”

Bailey flipped her mic below her chin to talk to Con. “Things have gone wrong for us, but tonight hasn’t been a stellar event for the robbers either.” Con chuckled, and his bunched muscles slowly relaxed under her ministering hands. She wrapped