Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
The lady at the registration desk pales when she sees the four of us racing in. We bypass the elevators, taking the stairs two at a time to the maternity ward.
More stunned faces and a few shrieks sound when we burst through the door.
“Really? You guys are going to send the hospital into a shutdown acting like lunatics.” Jewls greets us from the waiting room couch.
Harley, Rowan, and Wyatt are at a table playing cards. At the sight of me, Wyatt leaps up and launches himself at my legs. “They kicked me out of Aunt Lo’s room. She was crying.”
The thought of her hurting is like a fiery blade through my chest.
“Hey, buddy, I will take care of her.”
“Can I come?”
I set him down and rumple his hair. “Let me check on her and see what’s happening. Stay with the guys.”
He’s heartbroken, but I’ll deal with that later.
Without another word, I run to her room, taking a second to compose myself before barging in.
“Here’s another contraction,” Stacy says soothingly.
“This baby has to wait a little bit longer,” Willow grinds out.
I step around the partition and my world stops. Willow is perched in the bed, her hands gripping the sheets, her face a mask of pain.
Her head shoots up and relief floods her expression. “You made it.”
Stacy steps away from the machine at the bedside, making room for me. I crawl in beside Willow and cup her stomach.
“What do you need?”
“Just you.”
“Someone should have fucking called me,” I say to the room, my gaze passing over Bex, Chase, Sterling, and Stacy.
“I asked them not to. You didn’t need the distraction.”
“Distraction? You think raiding a drug ring is more important than you going into labor?”
“Yes, especially if there are flying bullets and exploding cars.”
Stacy gasps at Willow’s flippant remarks. I’m rethinking my pledge to relay the specifics of my job to my wife.
“Princess, bullets and explosions are part of the job. Still not an excuse.”
“Exactly, you need to stay focused.” She bares down on my hand, cringing in pain.
“I’ll get the doctor.” Chase makes a move as the door opens and Willow’s OB waltzes in.
“Heard the dad arrived.” She grins. “You and your friends made quite the spectacle of your arrival. Half this hospital went on lockdown protocol.”
It’s then I realize exactly why people were reacting.
Four large men, still in our SWAT gear, racing into a hospital could raise suspicion.
“Can everyone step out so I can check my patient?”
They all pile out the door and I slide off the bed and step to the side, removing my vest, belt, and firearms, while the doctor examines Willow’s progress.
“Ooowwwwww,” Willow cries out painfully, the monitor showing a spike that lasts forty-six seconds.”
“This baby is in place and eager.”
“Not as eager as me. I really need to push.”
I watch helplessly as Willow writhes, her face twisting agonizingly.
“Shit, do something.”
The grin on the doctor’s face ratchets up my irritation. “Knew you’d be one of those.”
“Oh yeah, he’s totally going to be your nightmare.” Willow’s morphed back into herself.
“We’ve had his type in here before. Let me warn my staff.”
The doctor winks at Willow and leaves with a snicker.
“What can I do?” I take her hand.
“Don’t get us banned from the hospital.”
“You are hurting.”
“It’s childbirth, honey. There is a baby coming out of my body. It’s not supposed to be pleasant.”
“You show any signs of distress, we’re going with option two.”
“Mmhmm,” she hums without an ounce of sincerity.
“Serious, Princess. This takes a turn, I’m making the call.”
“No, the doctor makes the call. And seeing as this boy is already in position and I’m in active labor, it’s probably a good thing you removed your taser and gun.”
“Why?”
“Because if you piss me off, the impulse to neutralize you may take over.”
I can’t help but chuckle at her lingo. “Not happening.”
“Then behave. Hold my hand, rub my head, let me scream at you, and don’t hold it against me.”
“I can do that.”
A nurse comes in, rolling the portable baby bed. “Sounds like we’re ready to have a baby.”
Willow’s eyes mist over, the glistening green orbs shooting straight into my soul.
“We’re ready,” I answer, bending to kiss her gently.
“We can arrange the recliner for your comfort.”
I glance at the nurse in confusion. “I’m not leaving her side.”
Her eyebrows shoot up and she does a once-over of my body. “Sir, our concern is for your wife.”
“As it should be.”
“Which means we shouldn’t worry about you.”
“Why the fuck would you worry about me?”
“Oh no,” Willow whispers before bursting into giggles, hurling forward.
The poor nurse looks between us with alarm. “Mrs. Simms, please don’t push yet.”
“This is too too much.” Willow holds her vibrating stomach.
“What is happening?”
Willow motions for the nurse to go on, wiping her eyes.
“Your friends warned us you have a tendency to faint, so we’d prefer if you weren’t in the vicinity of the mother in case of an episode.”