Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“I’m going to find Cian,” Myla murmured to me as she left the room a few minutes later.
“I bet it’s a lot cheaper to have your baby at home,” Frankie mused, pulling a pillow off the couch so she could stretch out on the floor. “No hospital bills.”
“My insurance covers it,” Noel replied.
“It is a lot cheaper,” Lou added. “But it’s riskier, too. If something goes wrong, I mean.”
“Women have been havin’ babies at home for thousands of years,” Bas countered. “Just ’cause somethin’ could go wrong doesn’t mean it will.”
“Just because I could get into a car accident doesn’t mean I will,” Lou shot back. “But I still wear my seat belt.”
“Apples and oranges,” he argued.
“She’s got a point, Bas,” Frankie cut in. “Women have also been dying in childbirth for thousands of years.”
“They die in hospitals too,” Bas replied.
My entire body locked up.
He looked at me, like he’d just realized what he’d fucking said. Out loud. In front of a woman who had to give birth soon. “Rarely,” he snapped. “In places they don’t have the resources.”
Noel’s hand rubbed my thigh soothingly but I couldn’t sit there any longer. I got to my feet and strode into the kitchen, my chest so fucking tight I was having trouble breathing. Jesus Christ.
“Titus,” Noel called, following me. “He didn’t mean it. He was just trying to win an argument.”
“Gimme a sec,” I rasped, turning to face the sink.
“Hey,” she murmured, setting her hand on my back.
“You’re not gonna fuckin’ die,” I choked out angrily.
“Of course I’m not,” she soothed. “I’ve done this before. Piece of cake.”
I laughed humorlessly.
“Okay,” she mused, rubbing my back. “Maybe not a piece of cake. But I’ll be fine. I’m not worried.”
“I can’t believe he fuckin’ said that shit,” I barked, turning to face her. “What the fuck?”
“He was just trying to prove a point,” she replied softly, setting her hand on my chest. The weight of it was like a goddamn brand. “And he’s not wrong. People die in hospitals all the time, of all kinds of things, pregnancy is no different.”
“You’re not gonna die,” I repeated.
“No, I’m not.” She watched me for a moment. “Breathe, Ty.”
I jolted. She hadn’t called me that in so long, I’d almost forgotten that she used to.
Without thought or any internal debate, my hands rose to her face and my head dipped. Her mouth was exactly like I remembered, her lips plush and soft. Her tongue tangled with mine, and beyond the part of me that whispered finally, finally, finally, another part whispered she’s not going to die over and over.
I honestly couldn’t even believe it when one of her hands rose and wrapped around the base of my throat and I barely registered the way her belly pressed into me as I pulled her closer.
Fuck.
It was where I was always meant to be. Right there with her in the quiet of the kitchen. Kissing like we couldn’t get enough while the kids slept upstairs. I speared my fingers into her hair, feeling it loosen from the bun at her nape. She clenched the front of my sweatshirt in her fist.
“I am so sorry,” Bas said from somewhere over her shoulder. When she jerked her mouth from mine in surprise, his tone changed. “Oh, shit. I am so sorry.”
He was staring at us, a mixture of surprise and remorse on his face as his eyes met mine.
Yeah, man, neither of us saw this one coming.
“It’s okay,” Noel said, turning to face him as she smoothed her hair back. “We know you weren’t even thinking about it.”
My stomach sank as she took a careful step away from me.
“I’m an asshole,” he replied, looking down at her. “Shouldn’t have said that shit.”
“Really, it’s fine.” She glanced my way without meeting my eyes. “I’m going to head up to bed.”
“Alright, g’night,” he said as she hurried out of the kitchen.
I didn’t bother to call out my own good night.
“Brother, I am so sorry,” Bas said to me, eyes wide. “If I’d known—”
“Don’t worry about it,” I replied with a sigh. I licked my lips. Yeah, they still tasted like Noel.
“Looks like shit’s movin’ forward,” he said slyly, leaning against the wall. “Good news.”
“Did you see her race outta here like her hair was on fire?” I asked dryly, running a hand over my face. “Don’t think it’s time to celebrate.”
Chapter 13
Noel
“Look at you,” my sister teased as she helped Flora out of her car seat.
I lifted a hand and ran it down one of my braids. I’d woken up that morning after a night of restless sleep and finally decided, I didn’t like wearing my hair in a bun. After a little trial and error, I’d finally figured out how to do French braids on my own hair and was currently wearing two of them.