Aftershock (14 page)

“The guards don’t protect you?”

“Hell, no. They take bribes to look the other way.”

“Before you joined, did you get...attacked?”

“No,” he said, heat suffusing his neck. “I joined the gang
because I felt like it, and I got the tattoos because I wanted to.”

Maybe he’d protested too much, because her mouth softened with
sympathy. Then she sucked in a sharp breath and grabbed his hand again, crying
out in pain. Each contraction seemed to last longer, and hurt more. Her
fingernails cut into his palm.

When it was over, she opened her eyes to look at him. Her
lashes were wet with tears, her lips trembling. “Your stories suck.”

He couldn’t argue there.

“I’m so miserable,” she moaned, rolling over again. Although
her stomach was huge, she looked slim from the back. “Keep talking.”

Owen tried to think of a pleasant subject. He wasn’t used to
having polite conversations with women. Even before he’d gotten locked up, his
interactions with the opposite sex had been limited. Good girls ignored him. So
did bad ones, unless they were drunk. And then...they hadn’t done much
talking.

“My last name’s Jackson,” he said, opting for neutrality. “I
have an older brother named Shane.”

“The murderer?”

“Yes. He’s in San Quentin. We grew up by the Salton Sea.”

“Where’s that?”

“East. In the desert.”

She curled her hands under her head, listening.

“My dad was born in Salton City, like us. His name is
Christian. My mother is Sally. She’s from Palm Springs.”

“Describe the sea.”

Owen stared at the back of her head, memorizing the part in her
hair, the graceful curve of her neck. “It’s dark blue, and full of fish. Feels
like heaven to go swimming in the summer.” In reality, the sea was a vast
wasteland. It
stank
to high heaven, and felt like
brine. “My dad took us out in his boat every weekend when we were kids. We’d
drink beer and fish all day. When we came home, my mom would fry up the fresh
catch.”

“You drank beer?”

“Root beer,” he amended, moistening his lips. Damn, he was
thirsty.

“What else?”

“We worked on old cars after school, or whenever we had spare
time. For my sixteenth birthday, my dad and I fixed up a Chevy SS. It was
midnight-black, with leather interior. Mint condition. Sweetest ride I’d ever
seen.”

“Is that what you were driving when your brother robbed the
liquor store?”

“No,” he said, backpedaling. “I was driving his car.”

“Did your dad really take you fishing every weekend?”

“Yes.” The Jacksons did whatever it took to make ends meet.
Owen had eaten enough carp to last a lifetime.

“What’s your mom like?”

“Tough,” he said honestly, picturing the heavy lines in her
face. “Protective. She favored me over Shane. My dad always complained when she
told him to lay off of me. He said she was making me a sissy.”

She fell silent for a moment. “My dad said I’d shamed our
family.”

“By getting pregnant?”

“Yes. He asked me to give the baby up.”

“What about the baby’s father?”

“He didn’t want us.”

Owen couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting Penny. It was beyond
his comprehension.

“My aunt offered to take me in. But now she’s dead.”

When she started crying again, he didn’t know what to do. His
real stories were depressing and his fake stories were stupid. He reached out to
squeeze her shoulder, but his hands were clumsy. As soon as he touched her, she
screamed.

It dawned on him that she was having another contraction. This
one seemed to go on forever.

“I feel like pushing,” she gasped.

He stared at the apex of her thighs in horror. “Well,
don’t!”

“I can’t help it.”

“I’ll get Lauren.”

“Hurry,” she said, her eyes wild.

Heart racing, he jumped to his feet and ran out the door.
Inside the tent, Garrett was laid out next to Don. They both looked peaked.
Lauren was giving Don blood through an IV line. Cadence had fallen asleep on the
ground beside him.

“Penny thinks the baby’s coming,” he said in a rush.

“She feels the urge to push?”

He nodded, swallowing dryly.

“I can’t leave Don right now,” she said. “He’s still hanging by
a thread. You’re going to have to help her.”

“What?”

“Wash your hands with the foam cleanser and go back to the RV.
The last stage of labor usually takes about an hour. I’ll be there as soon as I
can. Just let her push and be supportive. Don’t reach in or pull on the
baby.”

His jaw dropped. He turned to Garrett, incredulous.

“Garrett just gave two pints of blood, so he can’t move,”
Lauren said. She gave Owen a few more instructions. “Try to stay calm, for
Penny’s sake. She’s young and healthy, and the baby is in the head-down
position. Everything should be fine.”

“What if it isn’t?”

“Then come and get me. Now go. She’s probably scared.”

He used the cleanser she indicated and hurried back to Penny,
his stomach tied in knots. What if he did something wrong, and she died in
labor? What if the baby died? He couldn’t handle this responsibility. It was too
intense.

Selfless acts were not his style. His natural instinct was to
follow the path of least resistance. He was tempted to steal something to drink,
slink into the shadows and find a dark corner to hide in.

Owen had never been courageous. He hadn’t stood up to his dad,
or refused to go along with his brother’s schemes. Instead of challenging a
rival gang member, he’d marked his skin with racial epithets. He hadn’t told
Penny the truth about why he’d joined the Brotherhood, or what he’d endured his
first few weeks in prison.

Screw this. She hated him, anyway.

But when she screamed again, he wavered, thinking of the small
kindness she’d paid him. She’d listened to him. She’d cared about what he
said.

Cursing under his breath, he went to her.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

P
ENNY
STARED
AT
THE
DOOR
and focused on taking even breaths.

The contractions were coming very close together now, and the
urge to push was overwhelming. She wanted this baby out! Giving birth couldn’t
be any worse than labor. She was in agony, desperate for relief.

When Owen came back inside, she groaned with
disappointment.

“Lauren’s on her way,” he said, glancing around the space. “I
need those baby blankets.”

She pointed to the lower cabinet.

He opened it and rifled through the bag, selecting a soft white
blanket with little ducks. Then he found a stack of newspapers. Straightening,
he approached her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m going to put the newspaper under you.”

“Get away from me!”

Another contraction struck, robbing her ability to think. She
opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.

“Do you want to push?” he asked.

“Fuck you!”

He waited at the foot of the bed, quiet. His eyes were like the
sky after a gentle rain. Light gray-blue.

“I want Lauren,” she panted.

“She’s busy with Don. He’s dying. You’re just having a
baby.”

Penny’s blood ran cold. Lauren wasn’t coming to help her? She
shook her head in denial. “You’re a liar.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Go get Lauren, you fucking psycho!”

His brows rose at her choice of words.

Penny was surprised by the unladylike language, too. She rarely
used the Lord’s name in vain, let alone dropped the F-bomb. But the words
just...exploded from her mouth. She felt out of control, as though a stranger
was speaking for her.

“Lauren will be here as soon as she can,” he explained. “She
said you could push if you wanted to. It might take you an hour to get the baby
out.”

An hour? An endless wave of misery shuddered through her. Penny
sobbed and gripped her pillow, wishing it was over.

“Let me put this paper under you.”

She couldn’t believe this was happening. A white-trash jailbird
was going to look at her private parts. He was going to put his filthy, tattooed
hands on her baby. “I’d rather die,” she said through clenched teeth.

But her body wasn’t on board with that decision. As the next
contraction hit, she dug her heels into the mattress and cried out. She pushed,
surrendering to the innate need to expel the pain-causing entity from her
womb.

Owen slid the newspaper under her hips. “Good job,” he said,
glancing between her legs. “Keep breathing.”

She panted in and out. “Do you see the baby’s head?”

“No. I don’t see...anything.”

“I hate you,” she moaned, almost beyond humiliation.

“Okay,” he said amiably. “Are you comfortable?”

“No, I’m not!”

“Do you want some more water?”

She nodded. He gave her the last bottle, which she sipped and
shoved back at him. During the following contraction, she pushed again,
straining toward an elusive goal. He still didn’t see the baby’s head.

For what seemed like an eternity, the process repeated. It was
a marathon of suffering. She’d never worked so hard, or felt so awful, in her
entire life. He told her she was doing great. Tendrils of damp hair clung to her
face, and her jaw ached from clenching.

Finally, she felt a burning sensation between her legs. “It
hurts,” she gasped, startled by the fresh bite of pain.

Owen checked her progress. “Holy fuck!”

“What is it?”

“I see something. Oh my God.”

He sounded appalled, as if there was a monster down there, but
Penny was too far gone to care. This foreign object was coming out, ready or
not. The fact that part of it was visible just encouraged her.

“Wait,” he said. “I’ll get Lauren.”

“Don’t you dare leave me,” she rasped, gripping his
forearm.

He glanced at the door, conflicted. It was obvious he wanted to
get the hell out of there. But he stayed with her. “Okay,” he said, meeting her
eyes. “You can’t push hard anymore. You’ll...tear.”

“What?”

“Lauren told me that. You have to go slow at the end.”

Penny didn’t want to slow down. She felt like she’d been in
labor for a hundred years, and she was exhausted. It would take all her strength
to finish. During the next push, she tried to hold back a little. Although she
was afraid of tearing her delicate tissues, she was more afraid the baby
wouldn’t come out at all.

“You’re almost there,” he said, looking again. “I see the
head.”

“Is it halfway out?”

“No.”

She fisted her hands in the sheets, writhing in agony.

“Keep going, Penny. You can do it.”

With a strangled cry, she hunched forward, bringing her knees
toward her chest. She pushed with all her might, biting down on her lower lip
until she tasted blood. There was more burning, followed by the most intense
pain she’d ever experienced. It went on and on and on. Then she felt a
tremendous release of pressure.

“That’s it,” Owen said, his voice filled with amazement. “The
head is out!”

Sobbing, she looked over her rounded belly, trying to get a
glimpse of her baby. Its skin was purple.

He wiped the baby’s head with the blanket. “Hang on. I think—I
think the umbilical cord is around its neck.”

“What should I do?”

“I don’t know. Push some more.”

She pushed again, her mind screaming with panic. The baby’s
shoulders came through, and everything happened quickly after that. With a rush
of fluid, the entire body was out. Owen untangled the cord, which was still
attached to the placenta inside her.

The baby started bawling immediately. Penny was so relieved to
hear the sound, she burst into tears.

Owen wrapped the blanket around the baby and put it in her
arms. “It’s a boy.”

She was crying too hard to study his scrunched-up little face.
Instead, she just hugged him to her chest and wept.

When her emotions settled, she dried her tears and examined the
baby carefully. She counted his fingers and toes. They were all there. He was
definitely a boy. Those parts were unmistakable. His hair was dark and straight,
his skin wrinkled and purplish-red. As babies went, he was ugly.

Penny’s heart swelled with love for him.

Remembering that Owen was still in the room, she looked up. He
was leaning against the door, his back to her. Judging by the tremor of his
shoulders, and the way he had one hand over his eyes, he was crying.

“Thank you,” she said, touched.

He wiped his face, trying to play it off. “Sure. I’ll just...go
get Lauren.”

Penny nodded her agreement. The baby had quieted, but his mouth
was making sucking motions. Although she hadn’t planned on breast-feeding, she
unbuttoned the front of her dress, offering him the only milk available.

* * *

L
AUREN
TRANSFERRED
THE
LAST
half bag of
Garrett’s blood to Sam.

Don’s color looked better but she doubted he’d wake up. Older
patients had slower healing rates and needed more recovery time. He might stay
out for several days, like Sam. It was possible that he wouldn’t regain
consciousness at all.

She’d done everything she could.

Cadence was still asleep beside Don. Garrett had also drifted
off, depleted from the blood donation, a long night and a traumatic day.

She studied him with hungry fascination. He was lying on his
back, one arm tucked under his head, the other stretched across his stomach.
Streaks of grime darkened his skin. He had dirt in his hair and blood on his
shirt. The jeans he was wearing appeared almost black from soot, gasoline and
motor-oil stains. His legs were splayed wide, one knee bent. She didn’t even
want to know what was on his boots.

The faint lines that bracketed his mouth were now relaxed. His
chest rose and fell with steady breaths.

Although she’d cleaned his face, he was still filthy. He had
short, thick eyelashes, and heavy beard stubble that went well past his jawline,
shadowing the upper part of his neck. His hands were large and strong. The
bandage she’d applied yesterday had fallen off, revealing the neat black sutures
on his knuckles.

He looked dangerous, and disreputable, and highly unsanitary.
She wanted to strip him naked and...wash him.

For a few seconds, she indulged in a vivid fantasy of inching
up the hem of his T-shirt and smoothing her palm over his taut abdomen. Would he
have hair on that flat belly of his, a trail that disappeared into his
jeans?

He mumbled in his sleep, shifting his head to the other side.
She moved her gaze away from his stomach, her cheeks hot. Awake or asleep,
Garrett was off-limits. His confession had rattled her to the core. There was
something else he wasn’t telling her. He’d appeared racked by guilt when she’d
mentioned her father’s infidelity.

Damn
him. Damn all men.

Today was supposed to have been her wedding day, but she hadn’t
spared two seconds to think about Michael. Tragic events were supposed to
encourage you to reconnect with old flames, but she had no interest in seeing
him again. Instead of dwelling on the broken engagement, she shrugged it
off.

New troubles weighed more heavily on her.

Although she was focused on the present, she knew she needed to
learn from her mistakes. Maybe she was attracted to the wrong kind of men.
Disloyal charmers, like her father. She suspected that Garrett was living a lie.
Despite these concerns, and his disturbing past deeds, she still wanted him.

If he asked her to sleep with him, just once, she might say
yes.

“You’re crazy,” she muttered under her breath. She hadn’t been
the least bit tempted to forgive Michael’s betrayal. But for Garrett, she’d
throw her standards out the window. Why, because he was handsome, well built and
big all over?

Flushing, she focused on reading Sam’s vital signs. Even in a
survival situation, she couldn’t let hormones overrule her brain. Garrett had a
lot going for him, besides being a delicious kisser, but bravery and kindness
didn’t erase his other flaws.

Sam didn’t seem to be having a negative reaction to Garrett’s
blood, so she grabbed her medical bag and went to check on Penny.

Owen was walking away from the RV as Lauren approached it. “How
is she?”

“Okay,” he said, touching the bridge of his nose. “It’s a
boy.”

Lauren was surprised she’d missed it. Penny had gone through a
fairly quick labor and short delivery. Under these circumstances, that was great
news. Hopefully her recovery would also be free of complications.

“Thank you,” she said to Owen.

He mumbled something unintelligible, continuing to the triage
tent.

She entered the RV and locked the door behind her. Penny was on
the bed with the baby snuggled to her breast. “What did I miss?” she asked,
smiling at the sight. The day had been so full of tense, terrifying moments.
Lauren was relieved that one thing had gone well. She’d desperately needed a
bright spot.

Penny edged down the blanket so Lauren could see the baby’s
face. He appeared healthy, and full-term. Newborns were rarely adorable, but
this one was off to a good start. He had his mother’s fine, dark hair and even
features.

“He looks like you,” Lauren said.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been trying to feed him but it isn’t working.”

“We need to cut the umbilical cord.”

Penny frowned. “Will it hurt?”

“No.”

Lauren tied off the cord with gauze string and cut it neatly.
She also cleaned the baby’s skin with a damp cloth and gave him a quick exam. He
cried like a little champ the whole time. They didn’t have any diapers, but
she’d found a box of sanitary napkins. She taped one on him and wrapped him in a
fresh blanket.

“Strong lungs,” she said, giving the baby back to his
mother.

Penny returned him to her breast. After a moment of fierce
squalling, he calmed down and tried to suckle.

Lauren had to help Penny expel the afterbirth, which was
another uncomfortable task. Thankfully, her perineum hadn’t torn during the
delivery. Lauren inspected the placenta for clotting before wrapping it up in
newspaper.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“Tired. My whole body aches.”

She gave Penny a couple of pain pills and searched the cabinet
for something to drink. There were three diet sodas. Lauren cracked one open,
fighting the urge to gulp it down herself. She was extremely thirsty.

Owen rapped his knuckles on the door. “Everything okay?”

“Yes,” Lauren replied, unlocking it.

“I forgot I had this,” he said, handing her a small bottle of
water. “It was in my backpack.”

She passed the water on to Penny and offered the soda to
Owen.

“Don’t you want it?” he asked, hesitant.

“We’ll have to share.”

He took a sip and handed it back to her. She drank sparingly,
her throat burning for more. “Save some for Garrett and Cadence,” she said.

Nodding, he went back outside.

Lauren sat with Penny and the baby for a few minutes. He seemed
to be getting the hang of nursing, his little mouth working. It was another good
sign, as they had no access to formula. “How was Owen during the delivery?”

“Fine. Wonderful, actually.”

Lauren was warmed by the news that Owen had been gentle with
Penny. She hoped Cadence could come back to the RV to help her with the baby.
Garrett and Owen should rest for a few hours and conserve their strength
for...Jeb.

She dreaded the thought of a second battle on this side of the
cavern. The last thing they needed was bullets flying through triage.

Or the RV.

“Look at his grip,” Penny said, smiling at the baby. He’d taken
hold of her finger and wouldn’t let go.