A Baby Before Dawn by Linda Castillo Read Free Book Online Page A

other cot vacant. Where was he? On the table next to her sat a plate heaped with crackers, cheese and some fruit. That he’d thought to bring her food shouldn’t have touched her, but it did. Chase had always affected her that way. She saw the good in him above all else. She saw his flaws and human imperfections only when confronted with them.
    He was the only man she’d ever met who could make her act first and consider the consequences later. A cautious person by nature, Lily had never understood her reaction to him. It scared her almost as much as the power of her feelings for him.
    She knew he cared. As much as he could, anyway. His background explained some of the reasons he was unable to give her the stability she needed. Chase didn’t talk about it much, but one rainy night, lying in her bed, he told her about his childhood. He told her about his father disappearing without so much as an explanation when he was just a boy. He told her about his mother dying when he was only ten years old. About his half brother, Shane, going off to college and leaving him to the foster care system. A system that hadn’t worked for an angry kid full of resentment and pain.
    The truth of the matter was she cared for him. Too damn much if she wanted to be honest about it. But there was no way she would let her feelings for Chase dictate her life. Not ever again.
    The baby chose that moment to kick, driving home the knowledge that there was no place in her world for the kind of dangers Chase presented. She had no desire to live her life wondering when, or if, he would return home from one of his secret missions.
    It crossed her mind that now was probably a good time to steal away. But even though he represented all the things she didn’t want in her life, deep inside she knew if anyone could keep her safe in the face of danger, it was Chase Vickers.
    In a physical sense, anyway. Lily wasn’t so sure about her heart. Despite her efforts to free herself from him and everything he represented, something profound remained between them. A special bond she hadn’t been able to sever no matter how hard she tried. A link she could try to deny until forever. But she knew that no matter what happened, there would always be a special place for him in her heart.
    Her weakness for him only proved she’d done the right thing by walking away. Once electricity was restored to the city and the gunmen were caught, she planned to walk away again.
    But in the darkness of the homeless shelter, knowing there were men with guns who meant her harm, that knowledge was little comfort.
    Setting her hand on her abdomen, she swung her legs over the side of the cot and struggled to her feet. The ache in her back had eased, but only marginally. The most pressing matter, however, was her need for the ladies’ room, the bane of her pregnancy.
    Taking a final look at the empty cot, she moved down the darkened hall toward the main room. Beds filled with sleeping bodies lined the walls. Several privacy dividers had been set up. Relief slid through her when, in the glow of battery-powered lanterns, she saw the Restroom sign at the far end of the room.
    The ladies’ room stood in near darkness, the only illumination coming from a battery-powered night light. Quickly she took care of business, then washed her face and hands. She was midway down the hall when the shuffle of shoes just beyond in the main room stopped her cold. She wanted to think it was Chase, looking for her, but inexplicably, her heart began to pound.
    On impulse, Lily stopped and pressed her back to the wall. Peering around the corner, she saw the silhouettes of two men. Muffled voices reached her. But it was the sight of the gun that sent her heart into her throat.
    All she could think was that they’d found her. But how? She couldn’t imagine anyone getting the drop on Chase. Then again she’d never imagined an ambush at the hospital, either. She wanted desperately to find him, warn him, but