Protecting Her Royal Baby

A woman in labor. A man on a mission.

The Mansfield Brothers series continues…

All Brianna Coleman remembers of the near-fatal accident is the hero who saved her. Not her name or the father of the baby she delivers hours later. Until news of a coup in a foreign nation triggers a memory. Her baby's father is the missing member of a royal family…and her son the next target.

After saving them, Hunter Mansfield won't abandon them. But can he defend them against international assassins who pursue the newborn? He'll do anything—pay the ultimate price if necessary—for one chance to protect the woman he loves and her little prince.

"I loved this book. I will be adding it to my list of favorites, that will be read again someday.  I love books with danger, action, suspense, and romance. This book had it all. It even had a sassy cat, that I feel in love with." -- Paula Legate, GoodReads

"This book is full of drama, action, danger, mystery as they try and figure out Brianna's history and keep her safe at the same time. Their is even a prince and a traitor. This is a clean read that I enjoyed reading.  I would like to read the other two books in the Mansfield brothers series." -- Rhonda, GoodReads

"Very good book. The action and suspense started immediately and kept me hooked throughout the book.  The ending confrontation had an interesting twist and lots of intensity..." -- Susan, GoodReads

"It is a wonderful read for me even though the journey wasn’t smooth for Brianna and Hunter. They met at the worst possible way and yet, I happy that they found the happiness that they deserve in the end. I like the ending too with a twist that I did not expect it to come." -- Hsiau Wei, GoodReads

"A tough, protective hero is at the center of this suspenseful story.  Good pacing, expert storytelling and sweet chemistry make this story a page-turner." -- Melanie Bates, RT Book Reviews

"A lovely, light read!" --Monica Cardoza, Amazon.com

"Exciting right from the start, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Very exciting this book is full of drama, action, danger, and mystery." -- Monica Pulliam, GoodReads

"OMG - I absolutely adored this book. I couldn't wait to turn the page. I liked the twist on the amnesia thing, especially we as the reader knew what she'd forgotten. I found the phone call from the prince thing a little too obvious, but maybe it was meant to be. I'm so glad I picked this book up to read. I I gotta track down others in the series because I loved the Mansfield family." -- Tory Michaels, Amazon.com

Copyright Beth Cornelison 2014

The car was coming right at him. Weaving. Speeding. With him at twelve o’clock.

Adrenaline shot through Hunter Mansfield. Irritation and alarm nipping the back of his neck, he slowed to a stop along the rural Louisiana road where he jogged every Sunday afternoon. He assumed a ready stance on the balls of his feet, prepared to jump out of the way of the erratically lurching vehicle as it neared. The glare of sunlight reflected off the windshield, preventing him from seeing the driver. A drunk? A distracted teenager?

The small blue Honda’s engine roared, and the car lurched forward, its wheels kicking up gravel as the passenger-side tires moved from the pavement onto the narrow shoulder. Hunter braced, rapidly weighing whether to dive for the four-foot ditch to his left or feint right into the road, assuming the car wouldn’t correct its path in time. Both posed risk.

The ditch.

Just as he shifted his weight to spring to his left, the sun slipped behind a cloud. He caught a glimpse of a face behind the steering wheel. A woman. A startled, frightened look. A last-second swerve, tires squealing.

He jumped aside but not fast enough. The sedan clipped his hip as he launched himself toward the ditch. He landed with a tooth-jarring thump. Rolled. Pain streaked from his shoulder down his arm.

He twisted to watch the Honda rocket past, grumbling an invective under his breath.

Still traveling at a high speed, the car overcorrected from the swerve to miss him and fishtailed. In seconds, the driver had lost control. The sedan careened off the road at high speed, flipped and rolled into the ditch.

Horror punched him in the gut. Scrambling to his feet, Hunter ran down the road to the inverted car and crouched at the broken driver’s window. “Hey, are you okay?”

A pained and panicked cry came from inside.

Unable to see the front seat even from a squat, he got on his stomach and peered inside. The sight that greeted him backed his breath into his throat.

The woman lay crumpled on the roof of the sedan, which was now below her. Her forehead was bleeding. Her face was wrenched in a mask of agony. And she clutched her…rounded belly.

Hunter’s anxiety ratcheted up a notch. She was pregnant. And judging from the pool of bloody fluid under her hips, her water had broken in the crash.

Another wail of pain from her confirmed it. She was in labor.

“Damn,” he muttered as a chill slid through him, despite the warm autumn sun. “Ma’am, are you hurt anywhere other than your head?” He reached in far enough to put the car in park and turn off the engine.

She turned wild blue eyes toward him. Frightened eyes. “Don’t hurt me!”

He raised his palms. “I won’t. Calm down.”

“Please! Don’t hurt me. I’m not—” She stopped with a gasp and a moan, holding her stomach.

Hurt her? What the—?

“I’m not going to hurt you, ma’am. Why would you think—?”

“My baby!” she gasped between shallow pants. “It’s coming!”

“Yeah. I see that.” He jerked at the Velcro strap that held his cell phone strapped to an armband while he jogged and dialed 911. “I’m calling an ambulance now. Try to slow your breathing. You’re hyperventilating.”

Another frightened groan answered him, and she cast a nervous glance around her. “Where am I? What happened?”

Hunter arched an eyebrow. “You don’t remember?”