Cassidy Chapter 1- Present

I grimaced as I opened my eyes. The room was dark. I had no idea what time it was, but I knew it was still the middle of the night. Glancing to the right, I saw the red digital numbers on my alarm clock. It was two in the morning. As things became less foggy in my sleepy brain, I realized why I woke up. I had to pee. And not just pee, but piss like a racehorse, as the saying goes. I eased back the covers and wiggled to get myself to the edge of the mattress so that I could get up. It wasn’t easy to do these days.

My feet never reached the ground before Sean popped out of bed. He rounded the corner of the bed and came to stand before me. “Cass, why didn’t you wake me? Here, let me help you. I’m turning on your light,” he warned seconds before my bedside lamp snapped on. The room was flooded with a yellow glow, which allowed me to see him clearly.

Even with my urinary urgency screaming at me, I wasn’t able to help myself. I took several precious moments to run my eyes over him. It never failed. No matter what or how long we’d been together, he always aroused me. I gave him my hands.

“I can go to the bathroom alone, Sean. I’m not crippled. I’m just pregnant with your second spawn, who loves to lay on and kick his momma’s bladder,” I informed him sarcastically.

He merely chuckled, gripped my hands, and boosted me to my feet. I would never admit it to him, but I adored how he treated me—well, at least I did most of the time. Whenever I was pregnant, he became even more protective, and I had to make threats to keep him from smothering me. He held my hands firmly with one of his and wrapped the other around my back.

“I know you’re not crippled, but you’re not as steady as you usually are, either, babe. The baby is throwing you off balance. The last thing I want is for you to fall and hurt yourself or the baby. We’re in the home stretch. Just a week to go,” he reminded me as if I needed one.

“Yeah, we are, and I can’t wait. Ooh, hurry before I piss myself,” I hissed as I tried to waddle faster. In the end, I barely lowered myself to the toilet seat before I was peeing. Did he leave me alone to handle my business? No. He stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for me to be done.

“Can’t a woman get some privacy?” I complained, knowing the answer.

“Nope. I know everything about you. There’s nothing for you to be embarrassed about. I’ve touched, kissed, licked, and fucked every square inch of your beautiful body, Cassidy.”

His words were enough to turn me on. God, why did he have to do that? We weren’t supposed to be having sex since we were so close to my due date, but God, did I want to. “Stop saying stuff like that! You’re making me horny, and we can’t do anything about it,” I reminded him as I maneuvered to wipe myself. He moved toward me, but my scowl froze him in place.

“I can wipe myself. Don’t think for a second that I’m going to let you do it. Yeesh, is there no indignity we women don’t have to endure?” I muttered as I wiped, then stood.

I’d given up on wearing underwear at six months. All they did was cut into me or get in the way. Sean loved it. He hated I wore anything, but with Noah, we couldn’t sleep naked like we used to. I dropped my nightie and then moved over to the sink. I allowed him to turn on the water for me.

His arms came around my middle from behind. He kissed the back of my neck. I shivered at the sensations that tiny kiss sent blazing throughout my body. “Cassidy, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Taking care of you and our children is my top priority. Come back to bed. You need your sleep, Foxy.”

His nickname for me always made me smile. I was turning to face him when a pain shot through my stomach from my back to my belly button. I gasped and hunched forward.

“Cass, what’s wrong?” he asked in a panic.

Before I could tell him, I felt warm liquid running down my legs. Oh shit, I guess there would be no going back to bed to sleep tonight. I gripped one of his hands and squeezed.

“It looks like we’re having a baby. My water just broke. We need to get me dressed and put our things in the car, then head to the hospital in a bit. I’ll call Dr. Maggio’s answering service so they can let him know. My overnight bag is in the hallway closet by the door. Why don’t you get it while I clean up and get some clothes on?”

I saw his incredulous expression in the mirror we happened to be facing. “There’s no fucking way I’m leaving you alone to do shit! I’m sending out the bat signal, calling the doctor’s service, and then I’ll help you get cleaned up and dressed,” he half-growled.

I rolled my eyes. What he called the bat signal was a text group he created forever ago. It included me, him, my brother, Undertaker, and his wife, Sloan. They weren’t the only ones. His other two best friends, Gabe and Griffin, along with their wives, Gemma and Hadley, were part of it, too. I joked around all the time about where the signal in the sky was. Guess what his favorite cartoon was as a kid?

“I want you to sit back down until I get back with my phone,” he ordered.

I didn’t fight him. I knew it was no use. He flipped down the toilet lid after he moved me back to it. He lowered me down and then rushed out of the room. I wanted to giggle but knew he wouldn’t find this situation funny.

As I waited, I rubbed my stomach. “Not much longer, little guy. I can’t wait to meet you in person, and I know your daddy can’t. Noah asks every day if today is the day he gets his baby brother. Wait until we tell him yes.”

Speaking of Noah, I hoped we wouldn’t wake him up. He was down the hall sleeping. Our almost-three-year-old usually slept like the dead, but with our luck, tonight he wouldn’t. My thoughts were cut off by Sean bursting back into the bathroom. He was texting like mad one-handed. Lord, I couldn’t do that to save my soul, but he and the others seemed to have taken a class on how to do it.

“How’re you doing?” he asked.

“I’m fine. Just want to get this mess off me and the floor.”

“Let me and the others worry about the mess. Come on, they’ll be here soon. Do I need to call an ambulance?”

“No ambulance. I’m not about to pop him out any second, Sean. We have time.”

“Okay, but if anything changes, tell me. Getting you in the shower is the easiest way to get you clean. Let me start the water.” He moved to turn it on.

As it got hot, he stripped off my nightie and his underwear. Jesus, the sight of his cock made me ache in a whole different way. I wasn’t able to stop myself from grasping him. I stroked up and down his length a couple of times. He groaned and instantly hardened.

“Baby, stop. We don’t have time for this, although it kills me to say that. We need to get you clean and ready to go. Do you know what Mark would do if he came in here to find me fucking his sister while she’s in labor? Undertaker would come out, and I’d be dead. I’m still not sure he likes the fact I stole his little sister and dirty her up on a regular day, let alone when you’re pregnant.”

I laughed. “Mark knows you didn’t take advantage of me, Sean. I was the one who did the chasing, remember?”

“I do, but it wasn’t all you. Not in the end,” he reminded me.

He got me into the shower before I could go down memory lane. He swiftly, although gently, washed me. By the time I was clean and dried and we were both dressed, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it.

“Your brother is here,” he said as he replied with his text.

I never heard their footsteps. One moment, we were alone in the bedroom, and the next, Mark and Sloan were there. She hurried over to hug me. Mark was holding their barely awake son, Caleb, in his arms. He was a year younger than Noah. Caleb gave me a sleepy smile and then closed his eyes.

“Is she ready to go? Where’s the ambulance?” Mark barked like a drill instructor.

“I don’t need an ambulance. We have plenty of time. Now that you’re here, we can get sorted to go. Sloan, are you still alright with staying here and watching Noah for us?”

“I sure am. Of course, I’d love to be there to see every second of this one’s journey into the world, but I can wait. At least Mark will be there. Honey, why don’t you slip Caleb into bed with Noah? They need their sleep. While you do that, I’ll help Cassidy. Sean, why don’t you get her go-bag from down in the closet?”

Both men were less than happy, but they did as she asked. I knew if they didn’t, Sloan’s inner badass would’ve come out and made them. My sister-in-law was no pushover. As they left, I sighed in relief.

“Have I told you lately that you’re my favorite sister-in-law?”

She laughed. “No, but technically, I’m your only one, so I take it as a given. Gemma and Hadley don’t count. They don’t have to put up with your brother. You should give me a medal,” she teased.

That made me laugh. I sat down on the bed. Sloan puttered around getting last-minute things together as I called them out to her. She’d reduced my stress by merely being here. It was a matter of minutes before I had the other four arriving in our bedroom. Gabe and Gemma had a sleeping four-month-old Greer with them. She was so cute and had her daddy wrapped around her finger as tightly as her momma had him.

Griffin and a pregnant Hadley rounded them out. They had about six months to go before we got our hands on their first baby. I was hoping for another girl to help Greer corral our sons. The men thought it was the opposite, that the boys would look after the girls. We let them believe that, but we knew the truth.

Hadley, Gemma, and Sloan had worked out the babysitting details weeks ago. Sloan would take the first round. Later, she’d traded off with Hadley and, finally, Gemma. Eventually, the dads would watch the kids, but they all saw themselves as my brothers, and there was no way they’d remain at the house while I had my son. The ladies understood and were great about it.

After hugging and kissing the new arrivals, I knew it was time to get on the road. It wasn’t due to the baby coming, but my man seemed about to lose it. He was pacing. “Let’s get this mission done,” I quipped.

Like magic, I was swept up and away. I was hustled outside and into our car. I had to threaten Sean to keep him from carrying me to it. Mark joined us. Gabe, Gemma, Hadley, and Griff got into Gabe’s vehicle. On the way to the hospital, I had to keep reminding my man not to speed that we had plenty of time. Whenever I did, he’d barely ease off the accelerator.

I felt for the poor staff when we arrived. We came through the doors into the maternity ward, which was where I’d been told to go when I went into labor, like a military platoon. Dr. Maggio had answered Sean’s text on the way here and reiterated where I was to go. Four massive, dangerous men come storming in, and you’d want to hide. I knew the staff wanted to. I wasn’t sure why all the staff was that way. Several had been here when I had Noah and Greer and Caleb were born. They, at least, should be used to the Dark Patriots. Looking at my entourage’s faces, you’d think they were storming an enemy’s citadel. Their scowls were somewhat off-putting, so maybe I shouldn’t expect the staff to be at ease.

“Psst, smile. You’re gonna make the staff freak and run. Then what will we do?” I hissed at them.

“I’ll drag their fucking asses back,” Sean muttered before facing a nurse who was standing at the nurses’ station.

All the others were crowded behind it. She was standing tall. I was rather shocked. She didn’t appear to be the oldest, maybe a couple of years younger than my thirty. Many of those behind her were older. She exuded authority.

“Where the hell is Dr. Maggio?” Sean snapped at her.

“Sir, keep your voice down. This is a hospital, not a bar. Dr. Maggio is on his way. I assume it’s your wife who’s in labor. I’ll take her and get her situated. While I do, stay here and try to relax. After the doctor finishes examining her and says it’s alright, you can come back, but only two people at a time. Everything will be fine. She’s in good hands.” She did smile at me when she said the last part.

Sean bristled, and I put my hand on his chest. He glanced down at me. I smiled. “Honey, she’s right. You’ve got to calm down.”

“I can’t. This is something I can’t control, Cass. If anything happens to you or our kids, I’ll lose my shit,” he told me. He didn’t yell it, but he was loud enough, the nurse heard. She was close enough that I could read her name badge— Zia .

“Zia, pardon my husband and these other big apes. They’re just overly protective,” I told her with a smile.

She gave me one back and stated, “I understand.”

As I studied her, I couldn’t help but note how lovely she was. Glancing down at her hand, I checked if she wore a ring, although it wasn’t guaranteed she was unmarried if she didn’t have one. Her fingers were bare. Hmm, she had a backbone. If she continued to display it, I knew a few guys and even gals back at Patriots’ headquarters who might need someone like her. Of course, I wouldn’t say anything. Sean teased me enough about playing matchmaker with those who worked for us. Hey, what can I say? I wanted everyone to be as happy as I was.

She smiled at me. “Right this way,” she said.

Sean refused to let go of me until he kissed me. And it wasn’t a tiny peck on the lips, then go. No, my man kissed me like he wouldn’t ever see me again. By the time he let me go, I felt wobbly. Lucky for me, Zia had produced a wheelchair from somewhere, and she had me sit in it. I waved at my clan as she wheeled me toward my room.

When the door to my room closed behind us, she sagged and remarked, “Whew, they’re intense. That kiss was something, too. I thought I’d wet myself telling them to behave and getting those glares,” she said cheekily. She was helping me to my feet.

“Don’t worry. As long as you’re not out to harm anyone they love or someone undeserving of being harmed, they won’t bite. They’re all former SEALs who have the overprotective gene,” I assured her.

As she got me changed and into bed, we chatted about ourselves. It was something to fill the time between her questions about my condition. She was seamless about it. Before I knew it, I was in the hospital gown, hooked to monitors, and she was checking my cervix. She nodded her head as she withdrew her hand and removed her gloves.

“You’re progressing quickly. You’re already at five centimeters. Let me see if Dr. Maggio is here yet. Also, I gotta make sure your guys didn’t cause all the other staff to leave,” she added as she chuckled, then walked out.

I stared around the room. It was a replica of the one I’d had Noah in. God, in some ways, that felt like it had been forever ago, but in other ways, it felt like it had only been last week.

I recalled that delivery when there was a knock on the door, and then it was opened, and Dr. Maggio and Zia strolled in. I adored him. He was great. Of course, Sean hadn’t been thrilled that I had a male doctor when I first saw him when I got pregnant with Noah. He quickly warmed up to him, the same for Mark, Griff, and Gabe. The funny thing was that Dr. Maggio knew their type and got a kick out of them. He was sixty and loved to joke about how their worry made him feel young. He was smiling as he approached the bed.

“Well, look who had to interrupt my beauty sleep. I knew it would happen, too. And then I walk in here to see those four faces glaring at everyone. If all the staff run, I’m holding them responsible,” he teased.

“Doc, you know their bark is worse than their bites, or at least in this situation,” I reminded him.

“I know. I just love to make them snarl. I told Sean I was coming to check on my sweetheart. He almost blew a gasket.” He chuckled, and Zia giggled.

“Are they behaving? I left Gemma and Hadley with them,” I asked, almost afraid to find out.

“Those two are trying, but I think they may soon resort to knocking the other four out. Where’s Sloan? She needs to keep the big guy controlled,” he stated.

“My brother needs to keep himself calm. As for Sloan, she’s with the kids. She’ll be here later.”

“They’re intense. Once we get you ready, maybe letting a couple back here will calm them down,” Zia offered.

Dr. Maggio and I snorted and muttered, “Not in this lifetime.”

They worked swiftly. Dr. M examined me like Zia had, and he nodded once he was sure I was all set.

“I think we’re safe to let Sean and whoever in. Try to stay calm. Your water breaking will make you progress quicker. If you start to slow down, we’ll do the Pitocin and see what it does. Everything is looking good. I’ll be in and out. Zia or one of the others can always get a hold of me. If you need a knockout shot for the four devils out there, I’ll see what I can do,” he said with a wink, and then he was gone.

“I’ll be back,” Zia promised before she left.

It felt like no time passed before the door opened again, and in came Sean. On his heels was Mark. I loved Griffin and Gabe, but I loved Mark even more. He was my big brother. He’d looked out for me our entire lives. Sean came to the bed and kissed me on the lips. He was shoved to the side moments later.

“Stop drooling all over my sister. That’s how she ended up in this predicament. I should’ve killed you years ago, and then I wouldn’t be exposed to this god-awful sight,” Mark grumbled.

Sean elbowed him in the ribs. “As if you could kill me. And you have no one to blame but yourself, Undertaker. That’s what happens when you go undercover for five years in a motorcycle club,” he reminded him.

My anger over being kept in the dark and left to believe my brother had been dead when he wasn’t had mostly eased. Although, at times, it did rear its head. Lucky for them, it wasn’t today. Maybe it was because we didn’t tiptoe around the subject. What Mark did to save and protect others was incredible. He lost five years of his life due to his sense of honor and duty, but in the end, it led him in a crazy way to meet Sloan, so how could I hold it against him? Seeing him with her and their son made it worth it.

“I know that, but I thought Griff and Gabe would be able to keep you two apart. Now move so I can kiss her,” Mark told him.

He was scowling, but I saw the amusement lurking in his eyes. Sean gave a loud, weary sigh and reluctantly moved to allow my brother to reach me. As he hugged me, I couldn’t help but flash back to the first time I saw Sean. It was the beginning of us, although, at the time, none of us knew it. It was hard to believe it started nineteen years ago.