Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
“That was… amazing,” I laughed weakly.
Baker kissed the back of my shoulder before he and Taj carefully set me down. My knees immediately tried to buckle, so Baker picked me up bridal style and carried me to the bathroom upstairs.
I leaned my cheek against his bare chest as the others followed. Before I knew it, I was in a warm bath with all of them surrounding me, a blissful smile playing out on my lips.
“I love you. All of you,” I told them as I looked at all of them. I was lucky to have every single one of them in my life, and I was excited to see the life we all built together. I already knew a big, happy family was in store.
Marlo leaned down and cupped the back of my head, his lips pressing against my forehead.
“We love you. Always,” he murmured.
That was a promise I knew would never be broken.
Epilogue: Madison
Seven months later
“Move! We have a baby on the way!”
Despite the deep ache of my contractions, I couldn’t help but crack an amused smile as Marlo impatiently waved at the cars in front of us from the driver’s seat.
When another contraction gripped me, making me slowly double over, I squeezed Gus’s and Taj’s hands as they sat on either side of me in the backseat.
“Ouch,” I breathed out, trying to remember the inhale and exhale so that I didn’t pass out.
“The contractions are definitely getting closer and closer together,” Baker said from the passenger’s seat of Marlo’s SUV as he turned to look back at me. His eyebrows furrowed together slightly in worry. “We’re going to make it, right?”
“We’re going to make it,” Marlo assured him before pulling into the next lane and rushing down the street toward the hospital.
I glanced over my shoulder through the back window, seeing Ti’s black sedan speeding behind us with Ti, Bryce, and Marcus piled inside. My water had broken while I was at the front desk of the tattoo shop, and the guys quickly ushered me into the closest car to take me to the hospital. All I had time to do was ask Aisling to pick up Chloe and bring her to the hospital because there was a baby on the way!
“I can’t believe this is already happening. I wasn’t supposed to give birth for another two days!” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
“The baby isn’t waiting,” Taj chuckled before kissing the back of my hand.
“We’re almost there,” Gus told me, threading his fingers with mine.
I breathed in deeply and nodded, listening to their comforting words until Marlo pulled to a stop in front of the hospital’s entrance.
“Let’s go,” I said with pure determination in my voice. They got me here safely. Now, it was my turn to bring our baby into the world, and I was more ready than ever.
With a shared smile, the guys helped me out of the car with gentle but firm hands and assured me inside, flagging down a few nurses who quickly admitted me and took me into a labor and delivery room. So much of it was a blur, but at least one of the guys was with me the entire time, making sure that I was okay.
When the doctor came in, one of the nurses smiled at me.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
I breathed in deeply and nodded, gathering every bit of strength I had. A lot had tested me during the beginning of my pregnancy, and I was stronger than ever before, especially with the men I loved by my side.
“More than ever.”
The beautiful sound of a baby’s first cries filled the room a little over thirty minutes later, sighs of relief following. The tension lingering in the air finally settled, and I let myself relax for the first time since my water broke. I did it. Our son was here.
“Hello, Nicholas.”
A wide-eyed, brown-haired baby boy gazed up at me as I finally got to hold him against my chest. Giving birth to my second child and only son was exhausting, but the moment the nurse handed him to me, it was like all of my strength flooded back. I smiled down at him and stroked his tiny hand with my finger.
“He’s beautiful,” Marlo told me as he stood next to my bedside, gazing down at his son with gleaming eyes. He held my hand the entire time, murmuring encouraging words to me when I needed to hear them the most.
“You did amazing,” Ti said from the other side as he stroked his fingers through my hair. He kissed me on the top of my head. “He’s perfect.”
I shared a warm look with both of them.
“Can you get the others?” I asked them. Only so many were allowed in the delivery room, so the others stayed with Chloe in the waiting room.