Текст книги "AIDEEN"

Автор книги: L.A. Casey

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“Holy Mary Mother of God, I’m dyin’!”

I smiled as I stirred two sugars into the two Christmas printed cups of tea before me. I put the spoon into the sink when I was finished and glanced at a packet of painkillers Kane left out on the counter before he went to bed this morning when Bronagh and Alannah woke up groaning in pain.

I gripped the handles of the cups and left my kitchen and entered the sitting room, shaking my head at Bronagh and Alannah who were both still on the sofa bed, but both were buried under the blanket that covered them.

“I have tea,” I announced, keeping my voice low.

Both of the girls grunted.

I placed the cups on the coffee table without uttering another word. I went back into the kitchen and checked on the fry-up I had cooking. The eggs were scrambled, the sausages, rashers, pudding and hash browns were cooked and ready to serve.

I turned off my cooker, dished up two plates for the girls and put a cover over the remaining food for Kane when he woke up. I brought the plates into the sitting room and stood at the door for a few seconds. I grinned to myself when I heard both of the girls sniffing.

“Are you able to eat?” I questioned.

Bronagh popped her head out from under the blanket. “I’ve puked four times since I woke up, I should be able to stomach somethin’ now.”

I walked over to her and waited for her to sit upright and adjust cushions behind her before I handed her the plate of food that would cure her hangover.

“Alannah?”

She groaned but came out from hiding under the blanket and sat up like Bronagh. I walked around to her and handed her the food, smiling when she licked her lips.

I adjusted a few of the ornaments on my Christmas tree then refocused on Alannah and frowned at her.

“You okay?”

She lightly shook her head and winced as if the action hurt.

“No, me head is bangin’.”

I went back into the kitchen and grabbed the packet of painkillers from the counter and returned next to Alannah, holding the packet out to her.

Her shoulders sagged with relief as she offered me a pained smile and accepted the packet.

I chuckled. “You’ll be fine in a few hours.”

She popped two tablets from the packet, placed them in her mouth then reached for her tea and took a few test sips before gulping some down.

“Hmmmm,” she moaned. “You make a mean cuppa, Ado. It’s really good.”

My chest swelled with pride. That was practically the best compliment an Irish person could ever receive.

“Thanks.” I smiled, feeling a little smug.

Bronagh copied Alannah’s actions and swallowed down some painkillers with her tea and moaned with delight when the liquid slid down her throat.

“She’s right, these are even better than Ryder’s and Branna has taught him well.”

I was pretty proud of myself as I sat in Kane’s one seater and watched the girls eat their food.

“I’m so embarrassed about last night,” Alannah mumbled before chowing down some of her hash brown.

I smiled. “You were drunk.”

“We were legless,” Bronagh corrected. “I can’t even remember some of the shit we did. I don’t care what that waiter said either, they weren’t just fruity cocktails.”

Alannah mutely nodded in agreement then flicked her eyes to me. “I remember certain parts, but not everythin’... how bad was I?”

I rubbed my jaw. “The truth?”

She nodded.

“You asked us all to strip naked for an orgy, then you got mad when no one did and proceeded to ask someone to have sex with you and said that you were really good at it. It went on for a bit.”

“Oh, Christ,” Alannah whimpered and covered her face with her hands.

I gnawed on my inner cheek. “You also were in just your knickers and everyone saw your tits. You asked Dame if they were bigger than the last time he saw them.”

“Oh, fucking hell,” she shouted but quickly grabbed ahold of her head.

I looked to Bronagh and found her looking at me.

“What did I do?” she asked, her expression fearful.

I snorted. “Tried to rape Nico in the elevator, asked him to shimmy with you … oh, you titled yourself MC Hammered, too, which was pretty funny.”

Bronagh flushed crimson. “I’ll never live this down.”

“You won’t?” Alannah grumbled. “I can never look the Slater brothers in the eye ever again.”

Bronagh was quiet as she ate some food and did some obvious thinking. I saw her eyes well up with tears just as she said, “Do you think I hurt the baby with the alcohol?”

“Honey,” I sighed. “You only had a few glasses; the baby will be perfectly fine. Don’t worry yourself, do you hear me?”

Bronagh nodded her head, wiped her eyes and continued to eat her food. I lowered my hand to my belly as the baby began to move around, but I quickly snapped my gaze back to Bronagh when she gasped. I watched her knife and fork fall onto her plate as she flung her hands over her mouth.

“What is it?” Alannah asked, panicked.

“I asked Dominic to marry me!” Bronagh hollered.

I erupted with laughter. “I forgot about that.”

Bronagh growled. “How could you forget somethin’ like that?”

I shrugged. “I was thinkin’ of all the funny shit you both said and did.”

Bronagh’s eyes were wild. “I can’t believe I asked him that. I can’t fuckin’ believe it.”

I raised a brow. “Do you want to marry him?”

“What do—”

“Do you want to marry him?”

Bronagh blinked. “Yes, I love him.”

“Then it’s a done deal. He said yes anyway.”

Bronagh gasped again. “Did he really?”

I nodded. “Yep, you asked him to marry you and he said yes.”

She scrambled off the chair and practically dove for my house phone. She grabbed the phone, pressed on the buttons and placed it to her ear.

After a few seconds she said, “Did you say yes to marryin’ me last night? ‘Cause Aideen said you did.”

No hello, just straight to the point.

I watched as Bronagh suddenly burst into tears.

“Are you playin’?” she asked Nico.

Nico’s response caused her to squeal.

She spun to me. “He was serious, we’re engaged.”

I got up and gave her a big hug followed by Alannah doing the same thing. Bronagh hung up the phone after Nico promised to come right over for her.

Bronagh turned to me and swallowed. “You don’t feel like I stole your thunder, do you?”

I blinked. “Come again?”

“You and Kane just got engaged, and now me and Dominic. I’m sorry I asked him so close to Kane askin’ you—”

“Don’t say another word, you eejit. I’m delighted for you both.”

Bronagh relaxed and gave me another hug. We sat back down after clearing away the girl’s food and putting the plates into the dishwasher.

“Do you want to see it?” I asked.

“See what?” Bronagh and Alannah replied in unison.

I took my phone out of my housecoat pocket and wiggled it in their faces.

“The video I recorded of you two last night.”

The look of terror that passed over both their faces caused me to laugh, loudly.

“You... you recorded us in that state?” Bronagh asked, both annoyed and shocked.

I nodded my head. “I couldn’t help it, you were both hilarious.”

“I don’t want to see it,” Alannah grunted.

Bronagh folded her arms across her chest. “Me either.”

I playfully rolled my eyes. “I’m not goin’ to show it to anyone... except—”

“Except?” Alannah cut me off, her brows drawn together.

“Except I may have sent it to Gavin last night, but he deleted it after he watched it because he said you were both his friends and he wouldn’t be involved in slaggin’ you both.”

“For God’s sake,” Alannah grumbled and put her face in her hands.

“Delete the video.” This was from Bronagh.

I frowned. “But it’s funny—”

“Aideen.” Both girls cut me off.

I huffed as I tapped on the screen of my phone and brought up the option to delete the video. Before I tapped delete, I looked to both of the girls one more time and said, “You both sure?”

“Yeah.”

I sighed and deleted the video, then pocketed my phone.

“You both suck.”

“The mortification I’ll live with is what sucks,” Alannah mumbled.

I gnawed on my lower lip and said, “It wasn’t that bad …”

She cut me off with a stare so I said, “Okay, it was, but you were drunk.”

“Like that matters to the brothers,” she mumbled.

We sat down and watched some television, only chatting here and there in lowered voices as we waited for the painkillers to kick in. Twenty minutes after taking them, the brunt of their pain had eased off which was perfect timing as the hall door to my apartment opened and a voice shouted, “Where is my phat ass fiancée at?”

Bronagh squealed—it caused Alannah to plug her ears with her fingers—and scrambled off the bed as she ran towards the sitting room door. Nico appeared in the doorway and laughed as he caught Bronagh who jumped on him when she was close enough to do so.

Bronagh covered Nico’s mouth with her own, and kissed him long and hard. It caused me to clear my throat and say, “I’m happy for you both, but get a fuckin’ room.”

They separated and laughed, but before Nico set Bronagh down on the ground, he gave her arse a squeeze and glanced over his shoulder.

“Are you coming in or what?”

I cringed when Damien walked into the room and leaned against the doorframe.

He ignored Nico, lifted his hand and gestured with his finger for Bronagh to come to him. Bronagh practically floated over to him.

“Congrats, sis,” Damien murmured before wrapping her up in his arms, hugging her body to his.

Bronagh hugged him back and laughed when he gave her behind a squeeze purely for Nico’s benefit.

“I swear to God,” Nico mumbled to himself.

Alannah was on her feet and in the middle of pushing the sofa bed back into the chair. It went in smoother when Nico helped her. She avoided looking at him and busied herself with placing the cushions back in their original positions. When she finished that, she folded up the blanket that covered herself and Bronagh throughout the night then she laid it on the back of the sofa.

Damien remained by the doorway and followed her movements with his eyes. He looked over his shoulder when my apartment door opened. He nodded his head in a ‘what’s up’ gesture and moved aside to let the visitor into the sitting room.

When I saw my brother Gavin, I mentally snorted.

Everyone had a damn key to my place.

“What’s the story?” Gavin asked the room, grinning at Alannah and Bronagh.

Alannah flushed and looked away from him while Bronagh narrowed her eyes.

“Please don’t do or say somethin’ that will have everyone sendin’ me back to anger management.”

Gavin laughed and held up his hands. “I’m not openin’ me mouth.”

Bronagh looked to me and grinned. “You’ve taught him well.”

“It’s what I do.”

She snorted and sat down on the sofa next to Nico and Alannah.

Gavin came over to me and sat on the arm of the chair I was sitting on. He leaned down and kissed my head in greeting. I moved closer to him and leaned against his chest.

I was meaning to ask the little shite if he had backed off from Brandon’s circle, but I remembered that Keela assured me her uncle was weeding Gavin out without him knowing it. He respected my decision that I wanted what was best for my brother, and that his gang was not it.

“Damien,” Nico sighed. “Why’re you standing over there?”

Damien shrugged, still staring at Alannah who was pretending to pick dirt from under her nails.

Nico glanced to Alannah then back to Damien and said, “Come on, you two. Is this how it’s goin’ to be every time you are both in a room at the same time?”

Alannah clenched one of her hands in a fist and said, “Drop it, Nico.”

He did, but wasn’t pleased to do so.

“Hi Alannah,” Damien suddenly said.

She refused to look at him as she grumbled, “I wish we were social media accounts. Preferably Twitter.”

Damien furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “Uh, why?”

“So I could un-follow you in real life and have zero interaction with you. I want it so you would never be able to think or freely speak of last night’s... events.”

“You could still do that,” Damien grinned, “but it would be called first degree murder.”

I snorted, but looked away when Alannah shot me a glare with her still bloodshot eyes.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

Gavin draped his arm over my shoulder. “I’m enjoying it,” he murmured. “She was so quiet in school, I wouldn’t believe what she did if you hadn’t shown me that video.”

Damien snapped his neck in our direction.

“Aideen!” he bellowed.

Fuck.

“They made me delete it... besides, it not like it was zoomed in on their bits.”

Gavin snorted. “Still a quality video without seein’ them... I didn’t know you could twerk, Alannah.”

She couldn’t, he was slagging her.

Nico lowly chuckled, but looked away when Damien pinned him with a glare.

“I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.” Alannah sniffled. “This is the second most embarrassin’ thing ever to happen to me.”

“What’s the first?” Gavin asked.

I elbowed him, and he grabbed at the point of pain on his body and hissed at me through clenched teeth.

“Arsehole!”

I grinned, but Damien only worked his jaw before looking at Alannah who had her face in her hands. “Look, Aideen deleted the video. No one else will see it, and I’ll warn everyone else not to bring it up again, okay?”

Alannah was silent for a moment then she looked up. “Why do you want to help me?” she asked Damien.

He blinked. “Because I want to be your friend, Alannah.”

“Little late for that, don’t you think?”

Damien was silent. “Look, I’m very sorry for what I did—”

“Stop, Damien,” Alannah whispered. “Not here, not now.”

Damien closed his mouth and gave a firm nod.

Things got awkward then.

“I’m goin’ to go home and die in the peace of me own apartment,” Alannah rumbled.

“I’ll drive you home,” Kane’s voice suddenly stated.

We all looked at the doorway and saw Kane standing behind Damien, fully dressed. He winked at me in greeting, earning a smile from me.

Alannah nodded her head without looking at him. She moved over to me, hugged me and kissed my cheek. “Call me if you go into labour, otherwise let me die with this hangover in peace.”

I saluted her. “Aye, boss.”

She lightly smiled at me before she hugged Gavin and pinched his arm, which had him hissing and calling her an arsehole like he did me. She grinned at him before standing upright.

“Thanks for helpin’ me last night,” she muttered to Damien then walked out of the apartment. Kane grabbed his car keys and jogged out after her.

Damien slumped down onto the sofa after the door to the apartment clicked shut. “She hates me.”

I got up and moved over to the sofa, and sat next to him.

“She doesn’t hate you, Dame... she’s still hurt, and just confused. This is hard for her too. You’ve been gone for so long.”

He was silent then and I looked at Bronagh and Nico who were frowning at him. I caught Nico’s attention and jerked my head giving him the signal to leave with Bronagh. He nodded once then made up an excuse that had him and Bronagh saying their goodbyes and exiting my apartment.

I looked at Damien.

“Talk to me.”

He was silent for so long that I thought he wasn’t going to open up, but he shocked me when he started speaking.

“I left for her.”

I blinked at the sudden admission and Gavin stood up when Damien spoke.

“I’ll go make tea while you both talk,” he said and left the room, closing the door behind him.

I looked back to Damien and said, “Explain that.”

He didn’t look at me as he said, “I’m sure you’ve heard what a prick I used to be to girls when I was a kid?”

I wasn’t going to lie so I nodded my head.

“I behaved the way I did because it was the only connection with other people that I could control. After my parents died... I was a wreck. My brothers have shielded me from all the shit as we grew up, so I didn’t hate my parents like they did. I had a girlfriend... I didn’t know it at the time but she was pregnant. She was killed when the shit storm with Trent started.”

I listened as Damien spoke, my throat sealed with emotion. I hurt badly for him. I cried my eyes out when Kane went into detail a few months ago about the things Damien went through.

“I wanted to go back to New York to make peace with her, and in my own way, I did.”

“Did you find her?” I whispered.

He nodded. “She was buried in a grave marked for Trent, Marco Miles’ nephew. I had the headstone removed and replaced with the correct information. I... I had an angel poem put on it, too, for our baby. I don’t know if a heartbeat even developed when Nala was killed, but it was a baby that was part of me. It was mine, you know?”

I absentmindedly placed my hand on my stomach.

“I wasn’t ready to be a dad, I’m still not, but I would have stepped up if Nala wasn’t killed and had the baby. I wouldn’t have left New York, I would have stayed and taken care of them.”

Tears spilled over the brim of my eyes.

“Of course you would have, honey,” I assured him. “No matter the things you have done, it doesn’t change that you are a good person. You left your family just so Alannah wouldn’t have to be hurt when she saw you. I know you also left to make things right for Nala, but you had Alannah’s best interest at heart, too.”

Damien licked his lips. “I didn’t just leave for Alannah. I left for me, too. I needed to figure shit out for myself, without my brothers helping me in some way like they have always done. I needed to fix me on my own.”

I pushed my hair out of my face. “And did you figure out what you needed to?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’ve made peace that I can’t change the past, but I can shape my future. I can be a good person and not use my exterior to manipulate people like I’ve done in the past. I’m in control, no one else.”

I reached over and pressed my lips to his cheek.

“You’re a good man, Damien.”

He looked at me and smiled. “Why did Kane have to meet you before I did?”

I giggled. “Shut up, I’m a lot older than you.”

He laughed and threw his arm around my shoulder. “It’s probably for the best. I don’t think I could handle you anyway. You’re too experienced for me.”

I was shaking with laughter because we both knew the kid could run circles around me with the amount of partners he has had, while I could count all the men I’ve ever slept with on one hand.

After we chatted about lighter stuff, Gavin came back into the room as Damien flicked through the stations on the television, and together we watched a film. I leaned my head on Damien’s shoulder and he relaxed against me. I understood him more in the last few minutes than I ever did when Kane spoke to me about him, and what I learned caused my heart great pain. Damien was a troubled man, and he was trying to right his wrongs.

I knew the only thing that was keeping him a prisoner to himself was Alannah. Until things were okay with them, I doubted he would be truly happy. I wanted to help in some way, but I knew he needed to do it on his own.

He needed to break away from the protective arms of his brothers and branch out.

The only problem was, I didn’t know if they would let him.

“I’ll be back in a few hours, okay?”

I nodded to Kane as I took a sip of my water. “Okay.”

He kissed my head then turned and left the house, leaving me in the sitting room with Nico, Alec, and Damien while Branna was in the kitchen.

“I bet you fifty euros he hurts himself,” Nico murmured to his brothers.

Damien snorted. “I know he will so I’m not taking that bet.”

“What are you both talkin’ about?”

Nico shrugged. “He hasn’t worked out properly in a while… he has been on edge since you got hurt, so he will go hard with Ryder during their session.”

I blinked. “He’ll know not to overdo it.”

I hoped.

I didn’t want him injuring himself.

“He’ll pull something, I’ve no doubt about it in my mind.”

I grunted. “I’m about two seconds away from followin’ him and makin’ him stay home, and I don’t want to do that because he has hardly left my side over the last few weeks so change the bloody topic.”

“Your leg,” Alec suddenly blurted. “How is your leg?”

I mentally laughed at him, he looked so damn proud of himself for changing the topic so quickly.

“It’s fine,” I said and bent and straightened it out. “It gets a bit stiff sometimes, but it doesn’t hurt or anythin’.”

“And your arm?” Damien asked.

I looked down to my forearm and grimaced at the nasty burn scar that marred it.

“The only thing painful about it now is lookin’ at it.”

“What about your throat?” This came from Nico.

I snorted at the three brothers.

“I’m talkin’ so it’s fine. I’m fine. Perfectly fine.”

They nodded their heads but kept staring at me.

I was about to laugh and question why they were staring at me until something happened.

Something wet and sudden.

I widened my eyes. As quick as I could, I jumped to my feet. I gasped and held under my belly as water gushed from between my thighs.

“Oh, shit,” Nico whispered as he stared at me with wide eyes. “Please tell me that’s not what I think it is?”

I couldn’t respond, my throat was clogged up with shock.

“Bro!” Alec hissed at Nico. “She is pregnant, don’t make fun of her for pissing herself. The baby is pressing on her bladder, have a heart!”

Alec looked at me then and smiled. “Don’t even worry about it, gorgeous, we’ll help get you cleaned up and—”

“Branna,” I called out, my voice shaking.

Silence.

Damien opened his mouth when he realised what just happened and called her name louder. “Branna!”

Alec shook his head. “Why do you three look like you’ve seen a ghost? It’s only piss—ew, why does it smell funny?”

I looked down to the clear liquid that was puddled around my feet. I gasped when more of the liquid flowed down my legs. It was the oddest sensation of not being able to stop it.

“Branna!” I called out again.

I heard the toilet flush from down the hallway. “I’m comin’, just washing me hands, honey.”

I took a few deep breaths then cried out when a sudden sharp cramping pain filled my mid-section. It was so painful and out of the blue that I slipped on the water that I stood in. I almost fell over, but Damien and Alec shot up from the sofa and each quickly grabbed one of my arms. They steadied me and tried to avoid standing in the water that was still dripping from me.

I could feel it.

“Oh, shit,” Alec whispered then turned his head and screamed, “Branna, it’s happening. Get your midwife ass in here!”

I heard an excited squeal come from the hallway, then quick-paced footsteps. Branna entered my sitting room, looked at the brothers on either side of me then to the water on my legs and at my feet.

A wide smile spread across her face. “Your water broke before your contractions started? That is brilliant, sweetheart.”

“I just had a sharp pain right after they broke,” I explained. “It only lasted for a few seconds though, is that bad?”

Branna shook her head. “Nope, usually contractions happen for a few hours, then your waters break, they intensify and bam, you’re a mammy.”

I blinked as fear suddenly filled me. “Why didn’t I get the hours of contractions first? Why did my waters go first?”

Branna chuckled and the brothers moved me out of the puddle I had created to a dry patch of floor. “Every labour is different, babe. You might a have a really quick labour, or you might be in labour until tomorrow or the next day. It all depends on how fast this little one wants to come out.”

“You swear this is normal?” I asked, suddenly shaking. “I still have two weeks to go. Can I not have a home birth anymore, do I have to go to the hospital?”

“Calm down, you don’t need to go anywhere unless I say so.” Branna placed her hands on my cheeks and smiled into my face. “Honey, you and the baby are fine. For about three in one hundred women their waters will break before they’re thirty-seven weeks along, and you’re at the thirty-eight week mark. Like I said, every pregnancy is different; there is no by-the-book way to have a baby. All of what I do is simply checkin’ on you and the baby throughout your labour. I follow the guidelines your body sets. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, I promise you.”

I nodded my head, and took a few breaths to try and calm myself.

“I’m going to switch into midwife mode now, okay?” Branna smiled.

I nodded and found myself smiling when Nico and Alec kissed my head in unison, followed by Damien who kissed my nose.

“Let’s do this, Ado,” Alec said excitedly.

I chuckled. “Can you call Kane and have him come home?”

Alec kissed me once more. “I’m on it.”

He moved away from me and jogged out of the room with his phone pressed to his ear. I looked at Branna when she moved over to the large bag she left here a few weeks ago. Since she was my assigned midwife, it made sense for her to leave it here since I rarely left my apartment.

“Your liquid has a slight yellow tinge to it which is completely normal,” Branna informed me. “I can see you’re still leakin’, but not by much. That puddle over there was an obvious gush so there won’t be much left to leak out of you, but just to be safe I’ll bring you inside to change. I want to put a pad on you to keep track of the colour of the water, okay? I’m going to be jottin’ down notes on your form as I go along.”

I nodded. “Okay, then what?”

“Then I’ll check the baby’s heartbeat and we can have a chat.”

Check the baby’s heartbeat and have a chat.

“Got it.”

Branna and Nico both held onto me as I left the sitting room and entered my bedroom. Nico and Damien left and shut the door so I could undress and change.

“Can I shower?” I asked Branna.

She shook her head. “Wait another hour. I just want to watch your water to make sure there is no colour change.”

I nodded my head. “Can you go wet a cloth then so I can wash down my legs, please?”

Branna bobbed her head up and down and then headed out of my room and into the bathroom. She returned with a warm, wet washcloth. She helped me strip naked and took the cloth and washed the lower half of my body.

I flushed. “I’m sorry you have to do this, I’m so embarrassed.”

Branna snorted as she washed my thighs. “Babe, I help strangers do this on a daily basis at work. I’m happy to help you, you’re one of me best friends.”

I got emotional. “I’m so happy you’re going to be deliverin’ her.”

Branna stood up when she was finished and leaned in, wrapping her arms around me. “Me too, sweetie. It is an honour.”

When she separated, she got me a knee-length baby-blue nightie. She got a pair of granny knickers from one of the many new packets I bought for after the baby was born. She also grabbed one of my large pads and placed it onto the knickers then helped me slip them on.

I sighed. “I feel better knowing it will catch the water. It felt so weird when it just came out with no warnin’.”

Branna smiled as we sat down on my bed. She asked me a few questions about my water breaking then she laid me back on my bed and went to get the little portable Doppler she had so she could check the baby’s heartbeat.

When she returned to my room, Nico, Alec and Damien were hovering by the bedroom door looking in. I smiled at them and waved them in.

“Come in. I’m decent.”

They entered the room but quickly made a show of looking up at the ceiling when Branna lifted my nightie upwards until it sat under my breasts. I chuckled at them and said, “I have big knickers on, lads. All you will see is belly and leg if you look.”

They hesitantly peeked at me then fully looked when they saw I had nothing private on show. Alec climbed onto the bed and sat next to me while the twins stood a metre or two away from the bed, watching me warily.

“Where is Kane?” I asked Damien. “Is he on his way home?”

He licked his lips and said, “He didn’t answer his phone, but we left text messages and voicemails. We’ll keep on trying until he picks up.”

I frowned. “He is with Ryder, why don’t you try—”

“Already did.” Nico cut me off. “He isn’t answering either. They’re both probably doing sets and their phones are on silent.”

I blinked. “What if he misses the birth?”

Branna chuckled. “Darlin’, this takes a while. Trust me, he will be here.”

I nodded my head to Nico and said, “Did he take his injection this mornin’? I can’t remember if he did or not.”

“He took it,” Alec confirmed. “He binned the needle in that yellow bucket on the kitchen counter when I came over.”

I nodded my head and relaxed a little.

I glanced at Nico. “Did you ring Bronagh?”

“She and Keela are in town searching for a new bed since our base... broke.”

I snorted. “You broke the base of your bed?”

He shrugged, smirking. “It was bound to happen at some point. I’m actually surprised it lasted so many years of us having sex on it without caving in.”

I laughed.

My attention was brought to Branna when she squeezed some gel on my stomach. She turned on the little machine that found the baby’s heartbeat, then placed the Doppler onto the gel on my stomach and swirled it around.

There was some static, then almost straight away there was a beautiful thudding sound.

I smiled, and so did Branna.

“The heartbeat is as strong as ever.”

“Is it just me,” Alec murmured, “or does the heartbeat sound scary similar to the beat of the song Jingle Bells?”

We laughed and listened for a minute more before she put the machine to the side and wiped my belly free of gel. We chatted then for a few more minutes, until everything stopped when a pain struck.

“Oh, shit,” I winced and hunched forward, gripping onto my stomach as if it would somehow help ease the pain.

“Breathe,” Branna’s voice soothed. “Remember your breathing.”

Right, my breathing.

Big inhale, long exhale, big inhale, long exhale.

I dropped my head back to my pillow when the pain eased. “Shit, that really hurts.”

“That’s labour, darlin’.” Branna chuckled as she busied herself and grabbed different items from her bag, humming as she did so. There was a spring to her usual dragged step, and she looked happier than I’d seen her in a long time.

I hoped it was because of the baby coming and not because I was in pain because that’s what the next four hours consisted of. Pain, pain, some laughter, and more fucking pain.

It was excruciating.

I had never felt anything like it before in my life, and there was no let-up to it either. I had some gas and sucked in air for pain relief, but even that only minimised it slightly by making me lightheaded.

Through my pain I noticed Kane still wasn’t with me, and the more pain I felt, the more irritable I became about it. I needed him here, and he was nowhere to be found.

Damien even left at one point to go looking for him at the gym, but he came back alone and told me the manager said they left a few hours ago.