Page 66 of July 27

"I'm so glad you're here." Cora closed her eyes. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I need Wire here."

He cut through a parking lot instead of waiting for the light to change.

"Well, it looks like you've got me." He grunted. "It won't be the first time I've seen a baby enter the world."

She looked at him. He put his attention back on the road and turned onto the road that would take them to the hospital—five more minutes.

"You don't want to be with me." Cora panted.

"I never said that."

"Liar."

"I'm here now." He glanced at her. "I'll help you."

Another contraction hit Cora. He held on as she squeezed the blood out of his hand. The grip on her lasted longer than the last one and was coming faster.

She groaned loudly. "I want my mom."

He couldn't understand why she'd want a woman who could turn her back on one of her children, but she'd had a different life with her parents than he had with them. He wasn't bitter. He was glad she would never have to carry the burden of being unwanted and not good enough.

Sobs filled the cab as Cora tried to catch her breath. "I can't do this alone."

"You can do this." He spotted the sign for the Hospital again. "You're an Albright. We're tough."

"I'm entitled." Cora grabbed her stomach. "That's what you called me. Spoiled."

"You are, but I never said that was a bad thing." He pressed the pedal, needing to get to the hospital now. "That means you're tough and stubborn. You'll have the baby and do what you have to do."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. It's time to get tough, sis." Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he'd be the one coaching his little sister as she brought his niece into the world. "Show me how strong you are."

"You'll stay with me the whole time?"

Hell, no. The minute Wire showed up, he planned to leave. He wanted to run, pretend Cora wasn't his baby sister, but he couldn't leave her. She was blood, and unlike his parents, she seemed to accept him for all his faults and disappointments.

He glanced at her. "I'll be with you as long as you need me."

He gave her that, not because she was scared and no one knew what would happen in the coming hours. He gave her that because he had Rachel in his life.

He wanted to give Rachel a reason to stay. The more support she had around her, the more she'd be able to love him.

"Hold on." He turned toward the hospital. "I'll get you into the emergency room and then park the truck. I'll find you and stay with you."

"Call Wire again." She gritted her teeth. "He needs to be here."

The next several minutes of nurses taking Cora from him was a blur. He stood around useless, hating the way they made him feel. Now that he committed to being there, he hurried to park. Jogging back to the hospital, he took out his phone. Where were the fucking contacts? What would Rachel put him under?

Wire. Found it.

He pushed the button. Nothing happened.

He stopped in the middle of the road and slowly touched the connect button. The screen changed. It was dialing. Thank, fuck.

A recording came on.

"Hey. You there?" He looked both ways as he crossed the street. "I'm with Cora. She's having a baby. Get your ass to the St. Joseph Hospital." Thinking better of leaving the rushed message, he slowed down. "She's okay, man. You'd be proud of her. She's strong."

---