A Baby Before Dawn Read online

  He knew.

  His heart raced. Not because of the men with guns, but because he was remembering the last time he’d been with Lily. Seven-and-a-half months ago…

  When he looked at her, he saw the answer in her eyes. He saw the truth and it shattered him as surely as any bullet. “Is the baby mine?” he asked hollowly.

  His own words stunned him. He stared at her, feeling his world shift on its axis.

  Lily stared back, her green eyes startled and slightly defiant. A lock of curly red hair had come loose from her ponytail. She’d always hated her hair, but he still dreamed of it. His fingers itched to tuck the errant strand behind her ear, but he didn’t dare touch her. Once he did, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop.

  “No,” she said quickly. “I—I had an affair shortly after we parted ways. I was…careless.”

  The denial rang false in every way. Chase knew better than anyone that Lily wasn’t the kind of woman to jump from one man’s bed to another. That could only mean one thing: The baby was his.

  His.

  Holy Moses. The supposition slammed into him like a Mack truck traveling at a high rate of speed. The scar above his eye, courtesy of shrapnel in Afghanistan, throbbed again.

  “You’re lying,” he heard himself say.

  That she didn’t deny it drove home the cold hard truth of it. He felt as if he’d just been punched between the eyes with a set of brass knuckles. “I deserved to know the truth.”

  “Yes,” she agreed. “You did.”

  “Then why—”

  She gestured angrily toward the dangers behind them. “Look at what you’ve brought into my life. Men with guns. That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you. This baby, my baby, deserves to be safe. I put her well-being above the truth. Above you. For that, I’m sorry. But your knowing changes nothing.”

  “The hell it doesn’t.”

  “You have no say in the matter.”

  Chase wanted to talk about this. A thousand emotions churned inside him in a kaleidoscope of shock and regret and newfound optimism. But there was no time to voice any of them. They had to get out of this alley and to a safe place. “We can’t discuss this here.”

  He reached for her hand, but she pulled away. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she repeated.

  For the first time, Chase’s temper kicked in. He was tired of being blamed for all that was bad and wrong in the world. Even more tired of being kept in the dark and denied the things that mattered most. So what if he had a dangerous job? Someone had to keep the bad guys away. “If you care so much about that baby, you’ll be reasonable.”

  “Don’t you dare try to manipulate me using this baby,” she hissed. “There’s nothing reasonable about any of what’s happened.”

  “Maybe not. But you know I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “How can you say that? It’s because of you that we’re in danger to begin with.”

  The words stung, but he didn’t let himself react. There was no time for emotion or blame or the rehashing of ancient history. “I’m the only reason you’re alive right now. Like it or not, I’m your best hope of making it through the night.”

  LILY COULD BARELY HEAR him over the hard thrum of her heart. She hadn’t wanted Chase to know about the baby, but she’d never been a good liar, especially when it came to him. There was no denying the timing of it. She and Chase had been together seven-and-a-half months ago. She knew lying was wrong. But for the first time in her life, she hadn’t cared. Since the instant she’d found out she was pregnant, the baby had come first. She’d done what she had to do and accepted the consequences of her actions.

  She just hadn’t expected it to be so damn hard.

  “These people want you, Chase, not me,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be safer if you walked away from us and left us alone?”

  His jaw tightened. “They know they can get to me through you. If I cut you loose now, they’ll be on you like wolves on a lamb.” Stepping close, he set his hand against her cheek. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let that happen.”

  “Chase—”

  “If I walk away, I may as well put the gun to your head and pull the trigger myself,” he cut in. “You’re a target now. I’m sorry it went down like this. I wish I could change things, but I can’t. Until I figure out who these bastards are, you need me to stay alive.”

  Anger burst through the gnarly layers of fear. “That’s exactly why I didn’t—” She cut the words off abruptly, shocked that she’d nearly said them aloud.

  But he finished for her. “Tell me about the baby?”

  Lily couldn’t answer. Staring into his striking topaz eyes, she felt the old feelings begin to churn. A cauldron of anger and attraction and something deeper she would not acknowledge. But those feelings were tempered with the certainty that wherever Chase went, danger followed. With a child to think of, Lily could not let herself be drawn into the maelstrom of his life.

  Shouting from a newspaper kiosk across the street saved her from having to answer. Chase glanced over his shoulder, his head cocked, his body going stone still.

  “My God,” he said.

  “What is it?”

  “Vice President Davis has been kidnapped.”

  “Is that what this blackout is all about?” she asked, shocked by the news. “Someone was after the vice president?”

  “He was at the black-tie ball where I picked up the guy who ambushed me.”

  “Do you think those gunmen back there are somehow involved in the kidnapping?”

  “I’m going to find out.” He reached for his cell phone, hit a button with his thumb and cursed.

  “What is it?” Lily asked.

  “Battery’s dead.”

  She might have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so dire. “What about Irma? Can you recharge the battery using the cigarette lighter?”

  His eyes softened at her mention of the limo. “Too far away. I wrecked her not far from the Hancock Tower.”

  She looked around the narrow, crowded streets of Chinatown, feeling uncomfortably exposed. “What do we do now?”

  He glanced over his shoulder. “We need to get off the street and stay out of sight until I can figure out what’s going on.”

  “You think they followed us?”

  “Even if they didn’t, it’s only a matter of time until they start looking in this area.”

  A chill swept over her at the thought of some unseen gunman hunting them down like animals. Already she loved her child more than her own life. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Chase was right. She needed him to stay alive.

  Lily started when he took her hand. Her initial reaction was to pull away: she couldn’t risk getting too close to him. Chase Vickers was her one and only weakness, the one man in the world who could make her lose her head and forget about doing the right thing. With the baby to worry about, she couldn’t risk letting down her guard.

  But she allowed him to lead her through a narrow courtyard, past a smattering of quaint shops, most of which were closed. A few of the die-hard shopkeepers who’d kept their stores open stood outside on the sidewalk, chatting in Chinese.

  Lily and Chase reached a main thoroughfare. Cars jammed the intersection, engines rumbling, horns blaring. The smell of exhaust filled the still night air. Abruptly, Chase stopped. The next thing Lily knew he had grasped both her arms and ushered her quickly toward a narrow courtyard.

  “What is it?” she whispered.

  He pushed her against the brick of an old building and placed himself between her and the street. “We’ve got company.”

  A deep chill passed through her body. She could almost feel the pistol sights leveled on her heart. Unnerved, Lily leaned against the brick and tried to catch her breath.

  “Where?” she asked, resisting the urge to duck.

  “Southwest corner. By the newsstand.”

  She followed his gaze. Sure enough, the gunmen she’d encountered in the cafeteria stood a
t the corner, talking into a cell phone and gesturing angrily. She wished she could hear what he was saying because she was almost certain it had to do with Chase and her.

  “What do we do now?” she whispered.

  “I need to get my hands on a phone.”

  Spinning, he urged her into a run. They sprinted through the courtyard, past a rusty fire escape and the darkened windows of a seafood shop where selections and prices were written in Chinese.

  They ran for what seemed like forever. But Lily didn’t think about the discomfort or fatigue. All she could think about were the armed gunmen who obviously meant her harm. She’d always known something like this would happen. How could Chase do this to her and the baby? How could he place them in danger like this?

  At the end of the block, she pulled her hand from his. Bending, she gulped deep breaths until the aching in her back subsided.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  She wasn’t all right. Not by a long shot. She was frightened and angry and worried. Her physical stamina had long since run its course. “I can’t keep up this pace,” she said between pants.

  “Are you in pain?”

  “No, I’m just…exhausted.”

  Setting his hand protectively on the small of her back, he looked around, his topaz eyes scanning the surrounding shops and fire escapes that laced the old buildings like steel spiderwebs. When his gaze met hers, Lily saw concern and a tenderness she didn’t want to acknowledge.

  “There’s a homeless shelter a few blocks away,” he said. “We can rest there and try to come up with a game plan.”

  “All right.”

  Avoiding the more populated areas, they stuck to the shadows beneath colorful awnings and darkened neon signs. Lily usually loved Chinatown. She walked it often, buying fresh vegetables and fish when she had time to cook. But tonight, the narrow streets and alleys seemed ominous. Every stranger they passed seemed dangerous. At every corner, she found herself looking for men with guns.

  Even coolheaded Chase appeared uneasy. He held her hand a little too tightly. At every intersection he made her stop so he could check both ways, even scanning the tops of the buildings and fire escapes before they crossed the street. All the while his eyes took in every detail, assessed every person they passed.

  This wasn’t like Chase. He was usually the kind of man who jumped first and thought about consequences later. Tonight, his recklessness had been replaced with a caution she’d never before seen. She didn’t want to think about what that meant. Was he concerned for her and her child’s safety? Had he changed? Lily didn’t think so.

  She knew he cared for her. That he would protect her with his life. But it was too little, too late. Their relationship had already been shattered beyond repair.

  At the north end of Chinatown, they passed an Asian man walking a fat brown Labrador retriever. Chase surprised her by stopping him and speaking in fluent Chinese. But then she’d learned to expect the unexpected from him. He was so unpredictable, so complex and intense, Lily had always felt a little out of her element when she was with him.

  Chase removed his wallet and dug out two twenty-dollar bills. The man shook his head. Chase dug out two more twenties. Smiling, the man handed him his cell phone and gave a slight bow of his head.

  “Expensive phone,” she muttered.

  “Worth its weight in gold if I can find out what’s going on and get us some help.” He motioned toward a dilapidated building at the end of the block. A hand-painted sign welcomed them to the Joy Family Shelter of Boston.

  The homeless shelter was nestled in a brick structure that had once been a textile factory. Plywood splattered with graffiti covered the windows. A colorful mural depicting a Chinese parade replete with fire-breathing dragons graced the brick facade.

  At the door a white-haired man with a tiny matching goatee smiled at them. “Welcome to Joy Family Shelter,” he said in broken English.

  Chase dug another twenty from his wallet and handed it to the man. Despite her unhappiness with him, his generosity touched her.

  They entered a darkened foyer that opened to a large, rectangular room. A single battery-powered lantern sat on a bookcase, casting shadows onto scarred plaster walls and illuminating a dozen or so cots. Several were occupied by sleeping figures, many of which were women and children.

  Chase led Lily down another hall and into a second, smaller room. In the darkness he found two folded cots in the far corner and proceeded to unfold and set them up.

  Lily knew they wouldn’t be safe here for long. But she’d never been so glad to see a cot in her life. Her back ached with increasing intensity, telling her she needed to get off her feet, at least for a little while.

  “You look dead exhausted.”

  Bad word choice, she thought. Chase had unfolded a single blanket and set a thin pillow on the cot. For her, she realized. “I’m pregnant, not sick.”

  “You need to rest while you can.”

  “It’s hard to relax knowing men with guns are out there wanting to kill me.”

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He patted the cot. “Come on, Lily. I’m worried about you. You’re pale. Lie down for a few minutes.”

  Under any other circumstances Lily would have refused. She didn’t want to be here. Didn’t want to be with him. She wanted to go home where she would be safe and the world was predictable. But she could no longer ignore the ache in her back. She’d been on her feet far too long. At this stage of her pregnancy, she didn’t want to push her luck.

  “What about you?” she asked, her gaze flicking to the bloodstain on his shirt. In the darkness it appeared black.

  “I’m fine.”

  “It’s a bullet wound, isn’t it?”

  “It’s a graze.”

  She shook her head, disbelieving he could be so flippant about something as serious as a gunshot wound. “God, this is so you, Chase.”

  “I’ll take care of it as soon as we’re safe.”

  “And when will that be?”

  Grimacing, he lowered his eyes, but only for a moment. “Have you eaten?”

  Back at the hospital, she’d been famished, but the terror and adrenaline had stolen her appetite. “No, but I’m not hungry.”

  “There’s a soup kitchen in the back,” he said. “Let me see if I can rouse a volunteer and get you something to eat.”

  Too tired to argue, Lily sat on the cot.

  Before she realized what he was going to do, Chase leaned close and lifted her feet onto the thin mattress. “Lie down.” One side of his mouth curved. “Might be your last chance for a while.”

  She looked at him as he leaned his tall, sinewy frame over her, his long, unruly hair framing his face. She couldn’t see it in the dark, but she recalled the jagged white scar above his left eye. He looked even better than she remembered.

  His voice sounded so sincere, so concerned, she did as he said. The moment she stretched out, all the adrenaline that had fueled her for the past seventeen hours ebbed. Her muscles went slack as exhaustion staked its claim on her body. She didn’t want Chase to leave her, but she’d rather cut off her right hand than admit he made her feel safe.

  He must have noticed her uneasiness, because he hung back. “You’ll be all right here, Lily.”

  The way he said it almost made her believe it. Almost. But almost wasn’t good enough. “It’s not just me I have to worry about now.”

  She felt his gaze drill into her with an intensity that left her breathless. “At some point we’re going to have to talk about that.”

  Not now, was all she could think. She was too exhausted to face his questions and the truth she’d hidden for seven-and-a-half months. It wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. Lily had decided the moment she’d found out she was pregnant that she would never let Chase Vickers know his child.

  Chapter Three

  Aidan Shea couldn’t believe they’d gotten away. He’d been so close he could smell Vickers’s fear.
He could see the terror white on the woman’s face. He’d reveled in both, and hoped he could make good on all the things he had planned for them.

  So far, those carefully laid plans had done nothing but blow up in his face.

  He’d been meticulous in building his strategy. Months of planning and hundreds of hours of work had gone into this operation. He’d paid tens of thousands of dollars for the explosives blueprint. He’d dealt with men he wouldn’t turn his back on, lest he risk a knife between his ribs. He’d spent six months building two utterly flawless bombs—devices powerful enough to take out both power plants in the city and inflict enough damage so that it would be days before electricity was restored.

  Every aspect of the operation had been analyzed to the last detail, every variable countered with a constant. Every second had been synchronized so that the timing was perfect.

  What the hell had gone wrong?

  The question nagged like a migraine. But Aidan knew the answer. Chase Vickers was what had gone wrong. Evidently, the son of a bitch had nine lives and the luck of a gambler. Aidan had heard the man was good. Still, he’d underestimated him. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

  Disappointment ate at him, but he wasn’t unduly worried. Not yet, anyway. The game was still in its early stages. And he was, after all, a driven man—and with good reason. This mission was his life’s work. He had an old score to settle—for himself and his father. Come hell or high water, he would see it through to the end.

  The cell phone clipped to his belt vibrated. Glancing at the display window, he smiled and hit Talk.

  “Did you get the woman?” He recognized the voice on the other end. His father. Liam Shea.

  “She escaped.”

  “How did that happen?”

  “Vickers showed up.”

  “Interesting development.”

  “I thought so.”

  “Watch him. He’s very good at what he does.”

  “Yeah, well, so am I.”

  A tense silence ensued, then Liam asked. “Where are they now?”