Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 131821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
She shakes her head, but I push on.
“You can. You’re the strongest person I know, and you’ve fucking got this. And if for some reason you need a little help, I’m right here. Hold on to me. Yell or scream or claw at me, tear me a-fucking-part if it helps, and know that I’ll still be right here, no matter what. You amaze me, gorgeous girl. You’ve got me in every sense of the word.” I press my forehead to hers, our gazes still locked. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Big blues blink up at me, a tenderness taking over her tense features.
“Promise,” she whispers. “Promise me, Mason. No matter what. Promise me.”
A shudder runs through me, my eyes burning as I stare intently into hers. “I promise, Pretty Little.”
She stares a moment longer, and then a small smile breaks her lips, a choked laugh escaping. “Oh my god, I’m about to have a baby.”
A laugh breaks from my lips, and I look up over my shoulder to see Parker now back with a wheelchair, the others rushing down the path from where they had to park.
I face the angel at my side with a smirk. “Yeah, you are. So what do you say? You ready to meet your little man?”
She licks her lips with a nod, smiling wildly now. “I’m ready.”
I open the car door, and in the hospital we go.
I’m really fucking glad I gave Payton that pep talk before we stepped into the hospital, because apparently her water breaking at home was just the beginning. I mean, I knew that, but it wasn’t until we got up in the room, the monitors all hooked up and the doctor coming in for the second time, that shit got real.
Parker stepped out, glaring at me when all I did was move back a few feet, but that was only for his benefit. The doc told him to wait outside, and I’m not sure why the woman didn’t tell me to go, too, but she didn’t. The only reason I moved at all is because Payton gave me a small nod.
Maybe because she didn’t want to hurt her brother’s feelings, or maybe it was because the doctor threw Payton’s gown up to her waist like she was simply looking under the hood of a car, but either way, I slipped out.
Of course, the second Parker and the others turned around and a nurse came out the double doors blocking her from me, I snuck through them before they could close. I went right back to her bedside, ignoring the looks Kenra was shooting me from Payton’s opposite side. I was so fast, only out maybe a solid minute, that the doc hadn’t even had time to stand from her little rolling chair.
I don’t know what it was they put in Payton’s IV, but it’s been only five minutes now, and the whole-ass game has changed. Payton’s contractions have finally started, and according to the nurse with her head between her legs right now, she’s moving at an accelerated rate.
It’s absolute fucking torture.
She’s crying, gripping the bars on the side of the bed, and writhing in agony, tears fogging her ocean eyes. She can hardly sit still, and I’m as useful to her right now as a condom would be.
But I don’t move from my spot at her side. I wouldn’t dare.
Not when every few minutes, she lifts her pretty head to look at me, as if to make sure I’m still there.
I swallow, moving with the nurse toward the door, and whisper, “How much longer?”
She smiles brightly as she pulls her gloves off and tosses them in a red bin. “Any time now, hon. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and you’ll get to meet your little one soon.”
“Mase.”
I whip around to find her hand outstretched and hurry back.
I press my palm to hers, and it’s she who links her fingers around my own. Her eyes close, and I look over at Kenra.
She’s got her lips pursed, but I shake my head, bending to rub my free hand over Payton’s forehead, blowing cool breaths along the sweat beads building there.
“It hurts,” she cries, squeezing me tighter.
“I know. I know it does, but you’re doing so good.”
She starts to scream, her entire body coiling and shoulders caving in. She pants, gasps, and thrashes against her pillow. “I need to… I don’t know. I think…”
The nurse runs back in, lifts Payton’s gown, and I wait for her to panic or scream for help.
The crazy woman in lime-green scrubs smiles at us and says, “It’s time.”
We all freeze. I look from Payton to Kenra to Payton.
Payton’s eyes are wide, her lips trembling as she looks from my cousin back to me.
They both look at me as if I’ve got all the answers, but I don’t have shit. I’m fucking terrified here. “Should I get Parker?” I take a guess, thankful when she nods eagerly.