Whatever Jag had been about to say was cut off when his eyes turned as hard as stone. Seconds later he was striding across the room to where Regan leant against the back of a chair, one hand cradling her belly.
Noticing nothing out of place, Rafe followed, wondering at the tense set of his brother’s shoulders.
‘Goddamn it, Regan, I knew we shouldn’t have come here tonight,’ Jag said, steel lining every word, his hard gaze riveted to his wife.
‘Don’t swear,’ Regan admonished. ‘I got the all-clear to fly this weekend, remember?’
Sick with dread that his brother’s seemingly solid relationship had gone the way of his parents’, Rafe was about to step between them, as he had done with his parents many times during his youth, when Regan let out a low moan. ‘How was I to know that my waters would break tonight?’
Her waters had broken?
Comprehension dawned on Rafe in a brutal rush.
‘If something happens to you,’ Jag ground out, his voice ragged with emotion, ‘I’ll never forgive myself.’
‘Nothing will happen. I’m in labour. I’m not dying.’
‘A month early!’
‘Babies come early all the time. It’s—’ Her breath cut off as another contraction hit her. Jag swore and lifted her into his arms.
Acting purely on instinct, Rafe pulled his phone from his pocket, dialling the emergency services as his eyes searched for Alexa.
Before he’d located her, he felt her hand go into his, squeezing gently. ‘What can I do?’
‘What you are doing.’ He brought her fingers to his lips, his worried eyes on his sister-in-law and brother. After organising emergency services he dialled another number, relieved when the call was answered on the first ring.
A ripple went through the room as the guests started to get wind of what was happening.
‘The ambulance is two minutes away,’ Rafe told his brother. ‘And a friend of mine who is probably the best obstetrician in Britain will meet us at the emergency door of the hospital.’
‘Thanks.’ Jag swallowed hard, his eyes watering.
‘She’s going to be fine,’ Rafe assured him. ‘You focus on her. I’ll take care of everything else.’
* * *
Two hours later, Rafe felt ragged as he waited for news, any news, that Regan was okay and the baby had been delivered safe and well. He’d never felt so helpless as he had at the sight of his powerful brother brought to his knees with worry.
This was why he wanted nothing to do with love. It churned you up inside and spat you out, battered, at the other end. It was such a stupid emotion. He had no idea why people actually sought this kind of thing out.
As if reading his thoughts, Alexa glanced at him from across the room. Two steps and she’d be in his arms and he’d feel one hundred times better, but he resisted the urge. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to rely on someone else to make him happy.
But wasn’t that already what had happened? All week he’d talked with her, laughed with her, held her in his arms and danced with her and that was exactly how he’d felt. Happy. Content. Complete.
Two of Chase’s top security operatives stood to attention at the door of the waiting room, four more coordinating with Jag’s special envoy outside the building and outside the delivery suite.
‘I’m sure she’s fine,’ Alexa offered tentatively, a wary expression clouding her eyes. She was only trying to make him feel better so why wasn’t he holding her? Comforting her? Taking comfort from her?
‘Coffee.’ Milena returned, bearing three steaming mugs. ‘The café is closed at this time, so it’s vending machine only, I’m afraid, but what can you do?’
‘Alexa doesn’t drink coffee at night,’ he said absently.
‘I will tonight,’ she said, straightening to go to his sister. ‘I think I’d drink anything right now. Thanks for thinking of it.’
‘I needed to do something and since Sherlock here—’ Milena gestured to the Chase security expert Rafe had asked to stay with her during the whole proceedings ‘—wouldn’t let me go for a walk, or go find a decent café, that’s it.’
The security operative’s expression didn’t change as he handed over a bag of snacks to Milena.