Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Natalie's in the front passenger seat, squeezed in with Summer. “We ride!” she yells.
This can’t be legal.
No way I'm going to find the buckles for the belts when we're four people back here, so I dig my fingers into Faith's seat and hope we get there in one piece. She drives like she owns the road. No doubt that her father is the president of a motorcycle club. I'm sure we're safe, but I've gotten very partial to how my guys ride, and I’m turning into a horrible backseat driver. I cling harder. Why didn’t we take two cars?
Faith parks across two spaces and jumps out, leading the way. “No time to fix it!” she yells.
We pour into the waiting room in the birthing wing. King, Alpha and Viking are waiting.
“Did we miss it?” Natalie gasps.
King shakes his head, looking at us like we're crazy. “Nah. Eagle-eye's in there with her now. Shouldn't be long, I figure.”
So the seven of us drop into waiting room chairs, and I'm still feeling all jittery from our rush to get here, which makes it hard to sit still and wait.
Have I really only been a part of this for two months? In some ways my life seems calmer than it used to be, and in others it's just downright crazy. Like when it's like this. My boys are out on patrol today, otherwise I'm sure they would've given me a ride instead of clown car-ing it with Emily. Just the idea that my life is now sometimes staying at home while my four biker men patrol the city is just a little wild for a girl who never seemed to be in the middle of anything exciting.
At least until I very definitely was.
Viking jumps to his feet. “Prez!”
And there he comes, straight-backed and barrel-chested, his one good eye sharp as ever, and with a squirming bundle in his arms. I don't know if I've ever seen a man look so proud.
We pile around him, everyone wanting to get a first look, but in the end we defer to Emily and Faith. It's their little half-sibling, after all.
“What flavor did you get?” King asks with a laugh.
Eagle-eye grins widely. “Ladies! Fuckheads! I want you to meet Damien. My son!”
Faith runs a finger of the baby’s wrinkled, red face. “Hey little bro.”
Emily smiles. “Can I say say hi before going in and checking on Mom?”
Eagle-eye looks at her like she's trying to ride off on his motorcycle after stealing his beer, but he nods. “You break it, you buy it, got it?”
“Yes. Because I've never held a baby before.” She takes Damien gently and immediately nuzzles against him. “Hey, little brother. Welcome to the wildest family you'll ever meet. It's going to be awesome.”
“Miriam's showering. She was a fucking trooper,” Eagle-eye says. “You can come in a little bit and see her, but let the poor girl rest a little, huh? Neither of us are spring chickens anymore. Damien's already beaten a lot of fucking odds to be here.”
And then Damien makes the rounds, to Faith, Summer, Alessa, almost everyone, until Kaylee gives him to me.
“Um, I've never—” With just Mom and me, there weren't any babies around. And I lost contact with most of my school friends long before they were baby-making age.
“You'll be fine,” says Emily. “Just put him in the crook of your arm like this. Make sure you're supporting the head, and… there you go. Perfect.”
I know babies don't really see things this early, but it still feels like he's staring right up at me with those big blue eyes. I think I read somewhere that all babies have blue eyes at birth, but maybe not? I have no idea. But having him right there, close and gurgling now instead of crying, feels strangely comfortable.
“Hey there, little guy. Welcome.” I feel a little silly talking to him like that, but everyone else did. “You're going to have the coolest group of uncles you've ever seen, so I hope you're looking forward to it.” I give him a little squeeze.