in pain in the kitchen. I’m scared.”
“Shit!” He grabbed his robe while I turned away. Then he followed me to the kitchen.
Jade was still doubled over.
“Baby? What’s wrong? Tell me.” Talon knelt beside her.
“I don’t know. It hurts.”
Talon scooped her into his arms. “We’re going to the hospital.”
That meant a trip to Grand Junction. Talon could get her there before an ambulance made it out to the ranch.
“I’m going too,” I said.
“You have to stay with the boys,” Talon said. “Call Jade’s doctor and have her meet us there.”
Right.
“Talon, the baby…” Jade sniffed back tears.
“The baby is fine,” he told her. “Think good thoughts.”
“Tal,” I said. “You can’t take her to the hospital in your robe.”
“The hell I can’t.”
“Lay her down on the couch in the living room and get changed. I’ll stay with her.”
“All right. All right.” He easily lifted Jade, walked through the foyer to the living room, and laid her down gently before taking off for the bedroom.
“Are you bleeding?” I asked.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Let’s check.”
“The boys…”
“I sent them outside for a few minutes. Can you sit up?”
She nodded.
“Stand?”
She nodded again, and I handed her a tissue and then turned my head.
“Marj!”
I turned back to her. She held out the white tissue.
Streaked with red.
“Talon!” I screamed. “Hurry!”
A few seconds later he appeared fully dressed, his hair still dripping wet.
“She’s bleeding, Tal. You need to go quickly.”
“Damn!” Talon rushed to her. “Did you call the doc?”
“Not yet. I’m on it.”
“I don’t want to lose this baby,” Jade pleaded.
“You won’t, blue eyes. Not if I have anything to say about it.” Talon scooped her up again and raced toward the door.
“You call me as soon as you know anything!” I yelled.
Talon nodded as I closed the door behind him.
My heart was pounding like a bass drum against my sternum as I called Jade’s OB and alerted her.
This was not happening.
Talon and Jade had been through so much.
I couldn’t even let my mind go there.
I sat down on the couch Jade had vacated and breathed in. Out. In again.
Steady, Marj. Steady.
After a minute or two, I rose.
I had two boys to feed.
Two hours.
Two freaking hours ago Talon and Jade had left.
And not a word. I’d forced myself not to call Talon’s cell. His attention needed to be focused on Jade. I hadn’t called Joe or Ryan either. I had no news.
The boys had taken their baths and were in their bedroom. Talon and Jade had given them separate rooms, but that hadn’t worked out. They needed each other right now. They could change bedrooms when they were older.
Eight thirty was bedtime, but they were both fighting it.
I didn’t have the strength to force them to go to sleep. The light still shone under the doorway of their room, and Donny chatted, with Dale answering in short sentences. Dale talked the most to his brother, and I didn’t want to discourage it.
Besides, I was too worried about Jade to fight them.
I desperately wanted to talk to someone, but the person I always turned to when I needed to talk was Jade.
I still resisted calling Joe and Ryan. No need to worry them, and Joe and Melanie had just gotten such great news about their own pregnancy.
I fiddled with my phone as I sat in one of the recliners in the large family room.
A little before nine. Early yet. Not too late to call anyone.
Not too late to call Bryce.
His was the voice I wanted to hear. His was the voice I knew could soothe me. But he’d walked out on me.
I sighed. That didn’t matter. I needed him, and I knew, though he’d never admit it, that on some level he needed me as well.
My fingers hovered over his name in my contacts.
Chapter Ten
Bryce
Kissing Heidi was like kissing an ashtray—a sour marijuana ashtray.
I broke away. No need for kissing. I could keep my eyes closed and simply fuck her, pretending she was Marjorie Steel.
I jerked when my cell phone started playing Styx in my pocket.
“Ignore it, babe,” Heidi whispered huskily in my ear.
I pulled away, my heart beating faster. “Sorry. It could be my son.” I pulled my phone out.
Damn.
Marjorie Steel.
Why would she be calling me? I put the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Bryce?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s Marjorie. I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to talk to someone.”
“Is everything okay?”
“No.” She sniffed. “Talon took Jade to the hospital. She’s bleeding and cramping. It’s been two hours and he hasn’t called. I have to stay here with the boys. They don’t know what’s