Page 64 of Landen

“How is she?”He asked faintly.

“She isunconscious, and they are administering IV treatments to make sureshe has something in her stomach.”

“The baby?”

“Surprisingly,the heartbeat is strong. My sister is a nurse at the hospital, andshe is monitoring her.”

“I am on thenext flight out. Please text me the details.”

Landen hung up andsat there frozen. Tessa was two months pregnant and had not seen fitto let him know. His anger, which was on the verge of erupting, wouldhave to wait. Right now, he was going to get to her. Picking up thephone, he called his mother and sister.

“You cannotleave!” His mother protested. “Your father-”

“I am not abloody doctor; he is getting the best care. Did you not hear the partabout Tessa being pregnant?” He was shoving things into hisbriefcase, impatient to be on his way.

“That woman isnot important-”

“She isimportant to me, and if you don’t want me to end thisconversation prematurely, you will not say another word about her. AmI clear? I am going to be with her. Please let me know immediately ifthere is any change concerning my father.”

He hung up on her andcalled the pilot.

*****

The flight seemed totake forever, and nothing was new to report. To his credit, thebrother he had never met was concerned enough to keep him updated.The man had not condemned him for not being there. But Landen washaving a hell of a time condemning himself.

He had planted hisseed inside her and kept making promises, ones he had not kept. Hewas boiling over with rage that she had not seen fit to inform himright away of her condition, but he had left her.

He had made promisesto her, told her he was in love with her, and he damned well was! Buthe had stayed in London, taking care of business and hoping everybloody day that his father would open his eyes and free him up toreturn to her.

“Anything elsefor you, sir?”

Lifting his head, hestared for a few seconds at the flight attendant as if he had no ideawhere he was.

“No.” Hecurtly shook his head, dismissing her, and returned to his darkthoughts. Deliberately staying away from looking at his watch tomonitor the time, he stared at the encroaching darkness.

They had flown out ofthe private hangar at noon and had been traveling for the past threehours. He calculated the time difference in his mind. He would getthere sometime in the afternoon and could hardly wait. She wassuffering. Had been suffering since the pregnancy started. And he hadnot been there for her.

That was hauntinghim. He had left her to face it alone and could not stop blaminghimself. He should have used something and protected them both. Hehad not been thinking at all. Nothing was settled between them. Hewas living in a bloody different country and should have consideredthat.

Grabbing the glass ofbourbon the flight attendant had brought him, he swallowed deeply,trying to wash away the bitterness inside his throat.

*****

Of course, his namecreated a stir, one that he used ruthlessly. He was a Britishcitizen, but even in the States, he was recognized. Upon arrival, hewas shown to a private waiting room where Tessa’s siblings wereseated.

“I was the onewho called you.” Brian rose and came forward to shake his hand.

“I am gratefulyou did.”

“You must beexhausted. My name is Karen.” The woman wearing the scrubsintroduced herself.

“I am notthinking about exhaustion right now. I spoke to the doctors incharge, and there is still no change.” He barely acknowledgedthe woman with a brief nod. “I would like to sit with her.”

“You are goingto have to prepare yourself.”

He went rigid andstared at the sister. “Is she that bad?”

Karen nodded. “Ithink you should go and freshen up.”

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