Page 65 of Landen

“No.” Heshook his head. “I need to see her now.”

“Then Iwill take you.”

“I am going topop out for a few hours. I have some clients I need to see.”Brian told them quietly. “Call me if there are any changes.”He looked at Landen. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Landen followed Karenfrom the room and along a passageway. “She is in a privateroom.”

Pushing the dooropen, she nodded to the attending nurses. “This is herboyfriend-”

“Mr. Chapman.Of course.” The nurse gave him a flirtatious smile, which wascompletely ignored.

“I would liketo be alone with her.”

Karen touched his armbriefly. “I will check in on her later.”

He nodded curtly,his eyes drawn to the woman lying still on the bed. Her sister hadtold him to brace himself, but he was unprepared for what he saw. Hehad been told that she lost a significant amount of weight, and thatmuch was obvious. She was skin and bone. Moving toward the bed, hepulled up a chair and felt a jolt as he stared at her.

She was stillbeautiful, of course, but she was emaciated, the bones jutting fromher collarbone. Her arms were skinny, and her face was drawn. Hisheart constricted as he continued to stare at her. Picking up herhand, he pressed it against his hair-roughened jaw, closing his eyesat the feel of her skin on his.

“You shouldhave called me,” he whispered hoarsely. “As soon as yourealized you were carrying my baby, you should have called me. We aregoing to have words about this love. I cannot understand why you didnot inform me. We spoke almost every day and -”

He closed his eyesand fought to regain control of his emotions. “I am sorry ashell. I breezed into this country and was so bloody arrogant, socarefree. I did not think. I got you with child and just left.”Turning her hand over, he kissed the palm and felt the emotionsveering sharply inside him.

“I am herenow,” he told her wearily. “And I am never leaving youagain. That’s a bloody promise.”

*****

“What’sgoing on?” He demanded as soon as the doctors finishedexamining her.

“Her bloodpressure is elevated.” Dr. Sheffield told him, gesturing toLanden to follow him out of the room. Closing the door behind him, hecontinued.

“What does thatmean?”

“We are tryingto get the pressure down, of course, and the fact that she isdehydrated is another concern.” He shook his head hastily asLanden opened his mouth. “We are taking care of that issue aswe speak. She is being fed intravenously, and her heartbeat isstrong. “

“What now?”Landen asked him tersely.

“She needsrest, which is what the medically induced coma is for. We are doingour best to get her strength back up.”

“I hope youdon’t mind my asking, but do you know what you are doing?”

Dr. Sterling was usedto the curtness and abrupt manners, or lack thereof, of the verywealthy and did not bat an eyelid or take offense. “We have thebest obstetrics department in the city, and as I said before, we areproviding around-the-clock service for Ms. Chambers.”

“I hope yourealize that money is no object.”

“Of course.”The man told him with a smile. “We will monitor hertwenty-four-seven and inform you of the slightest change.”

“You dothat.”

“Might Isuggest something?”

Landen nodded.

“There willcertainly not be any change for the rest of the night. I wouldsuggest you go home and get some sleep.”

“Are you tryingto tell me that I look like hell?”

---