The pain came again with barely a second of respite in between. She clenched every muscle in her body and pushed with all her strength.
“Head’s out,” Alex said excitedly. “Next push will get the shoulders clear and it’ll be over, Mal. Our baby is nearly here and I’ve got you both.” His eyes met hers and flicked to the gun. “Trust me. Nothing will get past me to hurt either of you.”
She withdrew her hand from the weapon as another contraction clenched her body. She squeezed and felt the baby leave her body in a rush. Alex caught him-or-her and placed the warm infant on her chest.
Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.
A perfect, scrunched up little face peered up at her, absolutely unimpressed by the change in accommodation. The baby had a snub nose and a thatch of black hair on its head and huddled against Mallory’s chest.
Alex dragged off his t-shirt and wrapped it around the newborn who made a mewling sound. Then Alex cut the gray umbilical cord with a pocketknife. “Sorry. It’s the best I can do.”
Hopefully it didn’t matter. “Help me pull my dress up for some skin on skin bonding.”
“My favorite kind,” he joked as he maneuvered damp tulle out of the way so the baby could lie on her breast.
She was virtually naked, sitting on the grass in the woods, rough bark poking her shoulders as flies buzzed around. Her baby snuggled into the comfort of her body, and Mallory realized she’d done it. Given birth without the support of modern medicine. And although it had been rough, she’d managed. She was so glad Alex had been here to help.
He kissed both their foreheads and picked up the SIG. “We have a perfect baby girl.” His voice cracked. “You are amazing, Mrs. Parker.”
Joy shot through Mallory even as she worried about Ava and Dominic. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, Mr. Parker.”
He shook his head. “Not even close, love. Not even close.”
Then the baby started to cry.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The sound of a baby squalling cut through the air, and a rush of relief raced up Dominic’s spine.
“Thank god Suzanna is dead,” Ava spoke against his chest.
“Why?” he asked, tightening his hold.
“She was going to steal Mallory’s baby. Claimed the child was a gift from Galveston. Okay. You have to put me down now. We need to go help her.”
“I’m not putting you down or letting you go ever again, Ava Kanas.” Dominic strode across the road and into the woods still carrying her.
“I—”
“I quit the Bureau by the way. Of course, you ran out so fast I didn’t get to impress you with my dramatic exit.”
“Don’t quit the job you love for me,” she said tiredly.
There was blood all over his white shirt. Exactly like the day Calvin Mortimer had died.
“It wasn’t for you.” He looked into her eyes. “It was for us.”
She reached up with her good hand and touched his face. “I’m sorry I was such a terrible bodyguard.”
“You thought I was mad with you, but I was trying to control my temper and not lash out.”
“You better teach me your technique.”
“I’ve had years of training as a negotiator, Ava, and I still had to work hard not to punch the guy in the face.”
“Getting arrested wouldn’t have helped anyone.” She smiled but then her lips trembled and the smile fell off her face. “Suzanna planned this for a long time. She almost succeeded.”
Dominic’s stomach churned. “I can’t believe I slept with her.”
“You didn’t.”
“What?”
“She said you couldn’t get it up.”
“Thank god.” He narrowed his eyes as realization struck. “The bitch drugged me. No wonder I couldn’t remember anything about that night. I felt like shit all year, and it was all part of her plan to make me suffer.”
Ava’s head started to bob against his chest.
Dominic spotted a bare-chested Parker up ahead holding his SIG.
“Bernier is dead,” Dominic shouted.
Dominic walked around a huge fallen tree and saw Mallory Rooney cradling a newborn against her chest, covered by what must have been Parker’s shirt.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” Mallory said firmly. “We’re fine. Is Ava?”
Dominic looked down and realized she’d closed her eyes. He gave her a nudge, but she didn’t stir.
“She’s been shot,” Mallory said.
“I put a tourniquet on it.” But Mallory wasn’t pointing to her arm. He eased Ava away from him and realized there was a bullet wound on her hip, and she was bleeding steadily all over him.
Panic raced through him. He hadn’t realized she’d been shot twice and didn’t think she had, either.
“Alex. Call a medivac—”
“It’ll be faster if I drive.” Alex took the baby gently in one arm and eased Mallory to her feet with the other. Then he handed the baby back. “Can you manage Ava alone?” he asked, putting a supporting arm around Mallory.
Dominic nodded. He couldn’t speak. He turned and jogged back to the road. “Don’t fucking die on me now, Ava.”
He’d barely survived his mother’s death. He’d never survive Ava’s.
“I can’t drive too fast because of the baby, and I don’t have a car seat.” Alex grabbed a medical kit out of the Audi’s trunk. “There’s Quikclot in there and bandages. Press down as hard as you can. We’re fifteen minutes from a hospital. Twenty from a trauma center. Stop the bleeding, and we can keep her alive.”
They maneuvered Ava onto the backseat of what had been Suzanna’s car, him on his knees beside her, applying the white powder to the two bullet wounds and checking for more.
Alex got behind the wheel. Mallory climbed into the front passenger seat with her precious cargo.
“I’ll call the cops for an escort and to warn the hospital.” Mallory buckled up as fast as she was able, kissing the bundle she held to her breast.
Alex executed a quick three-point turn. “We’ll probably pass SWAT on the way.”
“I’ll call them too with an update,” Mallory assured them.
Ava was ghostly white, her lips drained of color, chest barely rising up and down.
“Drive as fast as you can safely go,” Dominic begged. He didn’t want anything to happen to the baby and knew Ava wouldn’t either. “But please hurry.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven