She leaned back into his chest, her back cradled in his pelvis. He moved one hand up to push her hair from her face as another contraction seized her body. She trembled in his arms, and it was all he could do not allow his fear to override all else. When he’d returned to the house after exercising the horses, he hadn’t been able to find her anywhere. In that moment, a whole host of terrifying scenarios ran through his mind. Crazy, insane ideas, but they’d scared him nonetheless. Her ex-husband had escaped from jail. Or maybe he’d hired someone else to kill her. It brought back the memories of the night he’d lain helpless on the floor while Holly had been taken from him. His inability to save her, the fact that he’d failed her when she needed him most. He closed his eyes and buried his lips in her hair. The sting of tears burned his eyelids, and he took deep steadying breaths to try and remain in control of his emotions. He wouldn’t fall apart. Not now. Not when she needed him to be strong.
