Mallory concealed herself behind a large maple, back pressed against the rough bark, and prayed. A contraction hit, and the pain was almost unbearable, a giant slice of sensation that cut her slowly in half. She didn’t move and didn’t make a sound. She endured.
The best thing about the dress she was wearing was the fact it had pockets. In those pockets was her cell, and she knew Alex would be tracking her. She knew it as well as she knew her own face in the mirror. They just had to stay alive until he got here.
She gritted her teeth and tried to breathe. All her planning. The birthing classes. The private medical professionals she’d lined up. The nightshirt she’d chosen. The comfy pillows. She’d even booked a freaking birthing pool.
Birth plan—ha!
The contraction eased, and Mal could inhale again.
She listened intently, not daring to move, knowing this crazy bitch wanted her baby more than anything else. But Mal had no intention of letting her get her hands on their little bean. Even if that meant sacrificing Ava in the short-term. Alex would find them, and he would deal with Suzanna and save them all.
Hold on, Ava.
The other agent was deliberately drawing her away, Mal realized with a rush of love so huge it almost made her sob. As soon as Suzanna headed off after Ava, Mallory went back up to the road. She contemplated getting behind the wheel of Suzanna’s car, but Alex would be here soon and if she had a contraction she couldn’t drive anyway, and the contractions were coming fast and furious.
Instead Mal shuffled across the highway as quickly as she could and disappeared into the forest on the other side of the road.
Guilt ripped through her, as powerful as any contraction, but she forced herself to keep moving. Away from Ava, away from the danger. She cupped her hands around her distended stomach. No way was that psycho getting hold of her baby. Suzanna would kill Mal as soon as the baby was born. She knew how these lunatics worked.
If only she had a gun, but this stupid dress and lack of a waist meant she hadn’t worn one. Plus, she’d been going to an engagement party for a governor for heaven’s sake. She should have been safe. She walked through the woods, parallel to the road, each gunshot behind her making desperation crawl along her nerves.
Alex would come. Mal needed to have faith and hold on to that knowledge and pray her baby, and Ava, survived.
Another contraction hit, dropping her to her knees. Agony ripped through her, and she bit down on a scream. Any noise and Suzanna would find her and kill her and steal her baby.
Not happening.
Another gunshot.
She jolted. Damn. But a distraction might save Ava…
Mallory felt as if she were being torn in two both physically and mentally. But this baby was coming, ready or not, and Mallory could only fight one battle at a time.
She spotted an upturned tree, its jagged roots towering into the air. She staggered onwards barely able to move more than a couple of inches per step because of the pressure growing between her legs. Hidden behind the massive roots was a grassy area where she lay down out of sight.
Her improvised birthing plan involved less pillows, more insects and a whole lot less pain medication.
Another contraction pressed down on her, and she lay there panting, forcing herself not to push as it couldn’t be time yet. Her fingers closed around a short piece of wood in the grass beside her, and Mal clamped it between her teeth and bit down on the whimpers that wanted to emerge from her throat.
The baby wasn’t here yet, but it wouldn’t be long. If Suzanna found her before Alex did, she was dead.