Secrets Collide (Bluegrass Brothers) (22 page)

“That is strange. And strange that her mom got all that money just a couple days before getting pregnant.”

“Yep. I think Mr. X is Sarah’s father. Got a Vegas dancer knocked up, pays her off, and she moves away from Vegas with all this new money to try to become a star.”

“And the picture?”

“I’m going to put the photo on the Internet with a caption about my great talk with Sarah. I’ll have Cade work his magic so he can capture the IP addresses of whoever looks at it. I bet one of those addresses will belong to Mr. X. I also bet it’s going to make him very nervous to see us both with her. So nervous that he’ll make a move he’s not prepared for.”

“Are we heading home then?” Gemma asked.

“Not yet,” he smiled. “I have plans that involve the marble soaking tub. Plans that will take most of the night and morning.”

“Who needs sleep?” she asked as Cy slid his hand up her legs. “Totally overrated.”

“What’s not overrated? You in that dress. Now take it off.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Dani looked at her husband and gave him a smile. She felt a little useless as the house was in chaos this morning while they were getting ready to take the king’s plane to Rahmi for the birth of her child. Mo was directing what needed to be put on the plane versus what needed to be shipped when Bridget came in.

“I swept the limo and the plane. No explosives, and Marko and I are ready for the flight. Just let me know if you need me to help with anything else,” Bridget said as she gave Marko, her explosive-sniffing Belgian Malinois, a scratch behind his ear.

“Thanks, Bridget. It really means a lot that you’ll take time off to come to Rahmi with us. I feel safer just having you there.”

Dani stood up from the table as Ahmed came in, looking serious as always. “The last of the bags have been sent to the airport. Your parents are waiting outside with the royal family. Nabi and Bridget will escort you while I lock the house down and instruct the remaining staff. My brother has all your security covered for your arrival and I will be in Rahmi as soon as Cy’s back with your plane.”

“Thank you, Ahmed. I don’t know what we’d do without you, my dear friend.” Dani clasped his hand and screamed.

Mo caught her as she fell to the ground and Marko barked as the tension in the room escalated. Dani blinked her eyes and took some deep breaths as her parents and four royal in-laws came running into the room along with most of the security force and staff.

“What is it?” Tony De Luca cried. She tried to give her dad a reassuring smile, but oh my God, she was in pain.

“I’m in labor,” Dani said between clenched teeth.

Her mom pried her hand from Ahmed’s and placed it in hers as Mo gathered her in his arms. “That’s right, dear. Breathe.” Her mom’s confident voice soothed her.

“No!”

Dani’s head shot up as the king loomed over her with a panicked expression on his regal face. “What do you mean, no?” Dani groaned.

“You can’t have the heir to Rahmi in the United States. You must simply cross your legs and wait.” Dani choked and sputtered, but nothing came but another contraction.

“Father.”

“What? I’m giving her an order and she needs to obey, umph.” The king stared in utter shock at his wife. “You hit me? You hit the king?”

“Well, dear. Someone had to knock some sense into you. It’s better me than your son or, heaven forbid, Danielle. Now shut up and support your daughter as she gives you an heir.” Fatima smiled at Dani. “But shouldn’t we be going to the doctor’s?”

“Oh no. The doctor is in Rahmi waiting for you,” her father said.

“Don’t worry, I know what to do,” Ahmed said calmly.

“What? Pass out on me?” Dani snapped as she started to sweat.

“That only happened once. I have sawn off limbs in the battlefield,” Ahmed defended. He shook his head and held up a hand. “I’m getting the limo ready and calling Dr. Francis to meet us at the hospital.”

Dani grabbed her mother’s hands as Mo and Ahmed helped her up. She had a death grip on Mo’s hand as he led her to the limo. She was so worried about the baby coming early that she didn’t care when her parents, in-laws, Bridget, and even Marko got into the limo first. Nabi and seven other security guards came running and leapt into two black SUVs, one in front and one behind the limo.

“Dr. Francis is going to meet us there. She’s in a fitting for her wedding dress but started taking it off as we talked,” Ahmed told her as he opened the driver’s door. “Oh no.”

“What?” Dani and Mo asked as the same time. Ahmed pointed to the large white car pulling into the drive.

“Good Lord, what is going on?” Miss Lily asked as she came out with a basket of baked goods. “Oh, now I see what all the runnin’ about is for. How exciting!”

“Please excuse us, we need to get going,” Mo said as politely as possible.

“Does she have a chocolate chip muffin in there?” the king asked as he leaned out the door.

“Father!”

“What? A king does not eat hospital food and this may take a while. Enough time to fly to Rahmi, I daresay,” he muttered before a delicate, bejeweled hand appeared and thwacked him in the head.

“Here ya go,” Miss Lily handed the basket over to him. “Well, get going. You’ll do wonderfully, Dani.” Miss Lily gave her a kiss on the cheek and Dani suddenly wasn’t as annoyed. In fact, now she felt like crying.

“Okay, Ahmed, get us to the hospital,” Mo called as he gently helped her into the limo.

The first security team was already in front of the hospital along with two nurses when Mo helped her out of the limo. The busy hospital seemed peaceful compared to the limo ride. Marko had whined the whole time. Ameera had been kind, but her silent looks of longing were making Dani feel horrible. Her mother sat on the other side of her calmly stroking her hair as her father and the king debated over going to the hospital versus trying to make the plane trip to Rahmi. She had managed to text Kenna and knew her girls would be there soon to support her. In the meantime, avoiding arrest for killing someone would be a good day.

“Stop right there. You can’t bring that dog in here. And you, you need to get in line and register before you’re admitted,” the nurse shouted. Bridget stood with Marko and three men from her security team ready to do a sweep but an irate nurse stood in their way. Damn. There goes not killing someone today.

“I am King of Rahmi and you will get out of our way or deal with the queen. While you do that, my security detail will sweep this hospital along with your security personnel.” The king pushed past the pissed-off lady and with a quick smile, Bridget followed.

“Well, I guess he is good for some things,” Dani whispered to Mo as a wheelchair approached her. She took some deep breaths as she felt another contraction coming soon.

“I’m so sorry. Nurse Shelton is just getting off a twelve-hour shift, Your Highnesses. I’m Dr. Forge, the head of obstetrics, and will be assisting Dr. Francis. She just arrived and is preparing everything. Please, come this way,” the man in green scrubs said as he offered Dani a wheelchair and led them to the elevator.

Dani felt as if she were leading a carnival procession as the whole royal family, her parents, and a team of security all stepped onto the elevator. Mo and the doctor were squeezed in beside her as they rode to the sixth floor.

“So what do we have in there?” the doctor asked.

“We don’t know,” Mo answered for her.

“It’s against our customs for the royal family to be told anything. We don’t even like ultrasound. But we are trying to embrace technology in our country so I allowed them to have one to determine if my heir is healthy, provided the doctor tell no one the results,” the king explained.

“Yes. See, we don’t want to accidentally say he or she in an interview. There are strict customs for when an heir is born, so it’s best we don’t know a thing,” Mo finished.

“Lots of couples do it that way. It’ll be a nice surprise for us all then. Here we go,” Dr. Forge said as the elevator opened and Dani made her push for fresh air.

“This is the lobby for family. Through those doors are the patient rooms. So if you’d like to say your goodbyes to the group, I’ll take you back along with anyone else you may want.”

“Ahmed, you’ll come with us and guard the delivery room. Nabi, stand guard here at these doors,” Mo directed.

“Guard from whom?” Nabi asked as he took his post in front of the two doors.

“The entire town of Keeneston,” Mo said ominously. Nabi’s face blanched and a look of fear shot through his eyes before he squared his shoulders and nodded his head.

“Mom, can you get me registered?” Dani asked as her brother-in-law and sister-in-law took a seat in the waiting area and two of the security men made their way to the opposing stairwells to stand guard.

“Sure. You’ll do wonderfully. Just call me if you need me, okay?” Her mother gave her a kiss on the cheek and a quick pat on her head that made her think her mother was remembering when she was born.

“When it’s all over, I’ll make stuffed shells that will make you forget all about pain. You just think about those shells.” Her father kissed her gently, and with tears in his eyes, gave the king a pat on the back. “Let’s go wait to become grandfathers.”

“Wait, I’m going with them.”

“Father.” Mo rolled his eyes and Dani almost laughed.

“What? I need to verify my heir is brought into this world correctly.”

“If he gets to go, I get to go.” Dani's father almost stomped his foot and she felt like crying again.

“That’s it,” Mo said in his scary calm voice. “This is my wife. I will verify anything that needs verification. You will
all
stay here. As a courtesy to you, Father, we will notify you first of the birth. Until then, stay here.” Dani smiled and squeezed Mo’s hand as he wheeled her around and through the doors into the labor and delivery floor.

“That was really sexy,” Dani said as she beamed up at her husband. He was her hero right now.

“Well, just try to remember that in six weeks,” Mo joked before softening his voice, “How are you doing, my love. Can I get you anything?”

Dani heard a thump and turned to see Nabi plastered against the window of the doors. “It looks like the town got here. I hope Edna didn’t bring her gun.”

Six hours later, Dr. Emma Francis rolled back in her chair and looked up at Dani and Mo. Emma was getting married in two days to Noodle and she’d had a test run on her hair and makeup with her dress today. Her makeup was flawless. Her hair was in a beautiful up-do and the amazing flowered and feathered fascinator was still in her hair. The prettiest doctor around would deliver her child. The pictures would look fantastic.

“Okay, you’re nine centimeters and ready to go. By the way, you should see the waiting room. Here, I had a nurse take a picture. I’ll show it to you after your next contraction,” Emma said as she put on new gloves.

The contraction hit hard and Dani tried to remember to breathe, but all she could do was push through the pain. “You’re doing great, my love. You are the most amazing woman I have ever seen,” Mo whispered to her as he wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Jane, show her that picture,” Emma said as she organized the equipment down by Dani’s feet. The nurse took the phone to Dani, and as she panted, she couldn’t help but be encouraged by the picture of the waiting room completely full of her friends. The Rose sisters, Edna, and John were giving Nabi a hard time. The king and her father actually looked like excited grandparents. The picture also showed her friends, her mother, and the queen smiling as they talked in a tight circle. And there were flowers everywhere. “Yeah, Neely Grace has whipped those Belles into shape. The flowers are from them along with baskets of food. Okay, push.” Emma said easily as she sat back down.

Dani pushed hard for what seemed like forever. But then she finally felt her baby’s head crowning. She gripped Mo’s hand hard as he calmly gave her encouragement, but his excitement was clear. She took a deep breath and pushed again.

“Congratulations! You have a son.” Emma called out as she held up the screaming infant.

“Oh, he’s perfect. I love you so much, Danielle,” Mo kissed her forehead and leaned down for a closer look at his small son. “Is he going to be okay?”

“Here, you can cut the cord and then the NICU doctors will look him over. He’ll probably have to stay here for a couple days. He looks about five pounds or a little less, so they’ll want to make sure he’s gaining weight and can breathe on his own before he goes home,” Emma told them as she showed Mo where to cut the cord.

Dani nodded; she knew he’d be fine. She felt it in her heart. Tears came to her eyes as Mo cut the cord and the nurse snapped some pictures for them. “Emma,” Dani gasped. “Something’s not right.”

The pain started again and Dani just knew this wasn’t normal. Fear flooded her as the pain came again. Emma pulled on a new pair of gloves and examined her. “Did you say you had an ultrasound and that everything was clear?” Emma asked.

“That’s what the doctor said. He’s not allowed to tell us anything,” Dani panted as Mo ran to her side after turning their son over to the doctors.

“Well, then I guess you wouldn’t have known you were having twins. Now push,” Emma ordered.

“Twins?” Mo said in awe as he stared at her. Dani didn’t know what to think; her body had just taken over as she pushed. Relief came and she fell back to the sound of more cries.

“It’s another boy,” Emma laughed as Mo cut one more cord before she handed the squirming bundle to Dani.

“Two sons. My father may forgive you for not crossing your legs until we flew to Rahmi,” Mo laughed. Dani felt the laughter start in her belly and then was laughing so hard she could hardly catch her breath.

“You better go tell him,” Dani said as she watched in amazement as the doctors examined not one, but two babies. Her babies. Hers and Mo’s. She looked up at her husband and felt like crying again. She was so happy she didn’t think she could stand it.

Mo looked upon his wife holding their two sons and thought he’d never seen a more beautiful sight. He called in his best friend and celebrated with hugs before handing his camera over for him to take pictures. Ahmed snapped the first family photo and some of each of his sons before he left to get the king.