Chapter 1
“Oh dear God!” Emmy’sscreams of pain are so loud my ears start to ring. Her hand squeezes mine in a death grip; honestly, I’m surprised she hasn’t snapped my fucking fingers off.
“Just breathe through the pain, Princess,” Tyson tries to encourage her from the other side of the room, but the big dummy should know by now that saying anything at this point just sends my little sister into a more feral mood.
“Fuck you!” she growls, her face scrunching up in pain. “How about you fucking breathe through the pain as I stab one of Harlow’s daggers into your fucking ball sack! I should cut your dick right off. You did this. You and your evil dick did this to me.”
God, this is amazing. I love every second of this. Okay, sure, yes, I feel bad my sister is in pain –she’s about to give birth after all– but watching Tyson and Oliver stand against the far back wall, fearing for their lives as their girlfriend threatens to murder them, is hilarious.
“I’m sorry,” Tyson mutters. “I’ll keep my evil dick to myself from now on.”
“And what? Never fuck me again? Is it because your son is about to rip my vagina in two?” she asks, her mood switching from painful anger into a sobbing fit.
“What? No, Princess. Of course not. You”re the sexiest person on this planet. You could wear a paper bag, and I’d still think so.”
“So you think I’m so ugly I need a paper bag?” she cries harder.
I’m biting my lower lip, trying so damn hard not to laugh. My poor girl. These poor guys.
“Fucking hell,” Oliver curses, his eyes filling with concern. “Firefly, baby. Please, can I come over there and help you? Seeing you in pain, it fucking crushes my soul.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “Keep your dick away from me too.”
His eyes widen. “He’s the one who knocked you up, not me!” Oliver protests.
“Noooo,” she whines as she curls in on herself.
“Another contraction?” I ask, rubbing my hand up and down her back, any amusement I have leaving me instantly. I hate seeing her in pain like this.
She nods her head, sucking in a lungful of air. I help her until it passes.
She’s been wanting something for the pain for a while now, but no one has come to fucking check on her. I’m not fucking paying for the best care money can buy in this damn hospital for my sister to be ignored.
“That”s it. I’m going to get a nurse to come see if you’re dilated enough for an epidural.” I pry my hand free of her crushing hold and go over to the guys. “She’s not serious by the way, with the things she’s saying. She loves you, and she would hate herself if she ever actually hurt you.”
“I know,” Tyson sighs, running a hand through his black shaggy hair. He glances over at his woman with so much love and a distraught look in his eyes. “Doesn’t make her any less scary,” he mutters, looking over at me.
I finally let my grin show. “Like her big sis.”
Oliver snorts. “No one is more scary than you, Harlow.”
“Ah, yeah... Queenie.” I laugh. “That bitch is certifiably insane.”
Oliver’s eyes widen. “Don’t talk about her like that,” he hisses.
“You”re kidding me, right?” I raise a brow. “She’s in here.” I tap on my head. “Do you think she”s going to pop out and stab herself?”
“With her track record, you never know.” Tyson chuckles.
I grin. “Good point.”
“Why are you laughing?” Emmy asks. “Are you talking about me?”
“Good luck with that one. I’m going to find a nurse.” I snort, shaking my head. I’ve been through some pretty fucked up things in my life, and pain is not a stranger to me, but God, that looks more like torture than anything.
I leave them with Emmy and head over to the nurses’ station.
Ben, Talon, Neo, Axel, and Dean are in the waiting room, while Cass, Sam, Evie, and Charlie are back at my place with Rosie and Melody.
Emmy went into labor last night, and the poor girl has been in pain for hours now. They already agreed beforehand that Oliver and Tyson would be in the room for the birth of their son because the others were there for the birth of Melody.
At least this time, she’s having her baby in a hospital and not during a school shooting.
Thankfully, Emmy didn’t have to grow up like I did. If she did, anyone who would have hurt her would have been dead by now. But that doesn’t mean she’s had an easy life. Her mom was a piece of shit, and dear old dad, what a waste of space he was.
Not that we have to worry about either of them anymore. Both are swimming with the fishies now.
I found my sister late in life, in the middle of some heavy shit.
It’s why, after she graduated, I wanted her to move out here to be close to me. So I bought her the house next door to mine.
That was so I could keep an eye on, spend time with, and get to know her better. It’s only been about six months since she moved here, but it’s been amazing. I didn’t realize how much I needed family until I met my guys. Okay, lies, more like until I found Rosie. That little girl, damn it, she’s my whole fucking world.
So, finding my sister was a cherry on top.
Then there’s our brother, Seth. That”s still new, and I’m on the fence about that one. But I mean, I didn’t kill him, so I guess that”s good, right?
“Hello.” I give the nurse a sugary-sweet smile as I lean over the countertop. “Here’s the deal; my sister’s in room twenty-three. She’s in a lot of pain, and it’s been an awfully long time since someone has been in there to check and see how much she’s dilated. So how about one of you go on in there and check?”
The lady at the computer is new. She wasn’t here when we arrived at the hospital, and she wasn’t one of the nurses who”d come to check on my sister.
She looks up at me with bored, blinking eyes. Already, I want to punch her in the face. She has this look about her like she hates her life. Well, lady, you’re about to hate it a hell of a lot more if you keep fucking looking at me like that.
“All nurses are busy at the moment,” she replies in a slightly annoyed tone. “One will be in to check on your sister when someone is available.”
And the bitch fucking dismisses me. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath.
I will not stab her. I will not stab her. I will not take my fucking dagger and stab it through her fucking hand that”s typing away as she acts like I’m not there.
Opening my eyes, I plaster on a smile once more. “Oh, you”re so funny. Just a fucking riot.” I laugh, growing really fucking irritated with this woman, then reach over and grab her by the collar of her scrubs. Her eyes widen as she gasps.
“Let go of me!” she shouts in outrage. “I’m going to have you kicked out of this hospital.”
“I’d like to see you try,” I snort out with a laugh. “I don’t think we’ve met. Hi, my name is Queenie.” I give her a pearly white smile, batting my eyelashes at her. The nitwit blinks at me a couple more times as what I just said sinks in. Her eyes grow comically wide as her mouth opens and closes with her indecision of how to reply.
Bingo. There’s the fear that I expect.
“Really?” Queenie chuckles inside my head. “Tossing my name around now, are we?”
“Listen, no one knows who Harlow McKaven is. And they can’t. So, be a doll and shh. Or do you want our sister to be in pain?”
“Fuck that. Make this bitch get in there herself. Or I’ll really come out and make her,” she growls.
“Then shut it, and let me handle it.”
“Sorry, voices in my head, you know?” I chuckle. “Can’t get them to shut up.” Her chest heaves in terror, eyes blinking. “So, where are we on the whole checking to see if my baby sister, who”s in excruciating pain —something that makes me very upset— is dilated enough for that epidural?”
“I’ll come in and check her myself,” she stutters quickly.
“You’re so sweet,” I gush, letting her fall back into her chair. “Thank you so much.”
She nods her head quickly and scrambles to her feet. Wanting to give them some privacy, I head to the waiting room to check in on the others.
Neo sees me as soon as I step into the room and shoots up to his feet. “Baby time?” he asks, eyes lighting up with excitement.
“Not yet.” I laugh. “God, you”re so cute, though.”
He gives me an adorable pout. “When is my baby going to be born?”
“Not your baby, dude,” Talon corrects, coming over to us. Neo shoots him a look that has Talon stumbling back. “Sorry, man. Totally your baby. Hell, I’ll even name him after you.”
“Really?” Neo perks up.
“No.” I laugh again. “Babe, you need to relax.”
“How can anyone relax when there’s a baby about to be born?” he whines. “I’m starving. Axel and Dean left and said they would bring me something back to eat, but I think they just wanted to get away from me. Assholes,” he huffs. “I’m going to get food.”
“You do that.” I pat him on the arm as he passes by me. He’s halfway out of the room before he pauses, turns around, and is back over to me in three long strides.
He towers over me, and I gasp in surprise as he slides his hand behind my head, gripping a handful of my hair. The bite of pain has me moaning, leaning my body toward his.
His lips crash down onto mine as he kisses me dirty, all tongue and teeth, until I’m a breathless mess. Pulling back, we’re both panting as he looks at me with hungry eyes. “I’m fucking you in one of these empty rooms when I get back,” he promises. “The next fucking baby that”s going to be born in this hospital is ours.”
He turns around and storms off, leaving me all horny and shit. Damn it. My pussy is a hussy for these men. Now I’m wet and wanting.
“He does know that”s not how this works, right?” Ben asks. I turn around, grinning like a fool.
“He does. But he’s also Neo. Let the guy think what he wants. Is it worth the argument?”
“Nope. Never,” Ben says.
“How”s our girl?” Talon asks.
“Got a nurse to go in and check on her. She’s in a lot of pain. Hopefully, she’s far enough along to get the epidural. You know you can come in and see her.”
“We know. But we also don’t want to take this away from Oliver and Tyson. I mean, they were being gunned down while our daughter was being born, and Oliver almost died. They deserve this time.” Talon sighs, moving over to the chairs to take a seat.
“I’m sure it won’t be much longer. I’ll keep you guys updated.”
“Thanks,” Ben tells me, and then I leave them to head back to Emmy’s room.
“Thank God for you,” Tyson says, coming over to me when I step in.
“Who”s that?” I ask, looking at the guy in scrubs at Emmy’s bedside.
“Anesthesiologist,” Tyson growls in annoyance. “Turns out she was six centimeters dilated. If you didn’t go out and demand the nurse, Emmy would have been in unnecessary pain for who knows how much longer.”
Well, that pisses me the fuck off. Am I going to be a little over the top and rain hell down on this hospital later? Fuck yeah, I am. She’s been in pain for no fucking reason.
Looking over, I see the guy wipe down her back, then bring out a big-ass needle. “Go hold her hand. She’s going to need you to. Come find me when it’s closer to pushing time.”
“Where are you going?” Tyson asks, and I give him a grin that makes him immediately regret his question.
“Going to bitch out some more nurses and doctors. Maybe if I put the fear of God in them, they will make sure to give Emmy top-of-the-line care while we’re here,” I tell them. “And then I’m going to fuck my man.” I casually shrug.
“Of course you are.” My bestie just shakes his head. “I should have known.”
I shoot him a playful wink before going over to my sister. “Hey, baby sis.” I crouch down so she can see me. She’s hugging a pillow tightly. “I’m gonna leave you with your men for now, okay? You”re in good hands. Try not to kill them. Remember you love them.”
Emmy looks up at me with exhausted eyes. “Are you leaving?”
I reach up and brush her sweaty hair out of her face. “Not the hospital. But your two guys over there, they feel like shit. They hate seeing you in pain. They just want to be here for you. You”re about to feel so much better. So, enjoy some sleep before our little man is here.”
“Yeah.” She gives me a tired smile. “Sleep, I could use some of that.”
I kiss her forehead and leave her with the guys.
Now, to find out who’s in charge around here, and get that out of the way before I go and find my man.
––––––––