Chapter 12

Holy shit.

Holy fucking shit.

“This is not happening. There is no way this is fucking happening right now,” I mutter to myself, my body shaking as I try to push past the mass amount of people standing in my way.

“You need to calm down,” Grayson says beside me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Rosie says the girls took her to the hospital. Everything’s fine.”

I shake my head, unable to make my lungs open up and breathe. I feel like I’m suffocating, and I want out. “I can’t,” I say, swallowing down the large rock sized knot in my throat as I glance at the people blocking the exit. “I can’t fucking calm down. My wife is having my baby. Right fucking now.” Jesus . The words coming out of my mouth make the situation ten times more real, and I can’t fucking breathe again.

I can’t even imagine how Leila is feeling right now. She was supposed to be having some fun with the girls tonight, but instead she’s in fucking labor.

And I’m not there.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” I yell, shoving past everyone in front of me, not giving a shit what anyone thinks. The only thing that matters is getting to the hospital .

I should have fucking left when I wanted to. The guys were all drunk, and I was clearly winning the game of poker, and all I wanted was to get out and see Leila. If I had listened to my gut, I’d be with her right now, and this wouldn’t be happening. I’d be with her when her water broke. I’d be with her when we got a cab and headed to the hospital. I would have fucking been with her.

“Hey, what the fu—Aiden Pierce?” I turn my head to the side, seeing a group of guys looking like they’re in their early twenties with their eyes on me. The one in front narrows his eyes as he sizes me up, but then they widen when he realizes it’s me. “Holy shit. It is you. Yo, man, can we get a picture? I’m a huge fan.”

I shake my head before I can even think about it. “I’m sorry, not today,” I tell them, barely casting them a glance before I push through the crowd again. Any other day I would have stopped to talk to them, maybe take a picture or sign their shoes or something. But nothing in this world is going to stop me from getting to Leila right now. No matter what I have to do.

“Aiden.” I turn around at the sound of Lucas’s distinct voice, and see him gesturing to the corner of the club which is pretty empty, joined by Chris who looks like he’s about to pass out. I don’t think he’s been this drunk in a long time, and I kinda feel bad that his bachelor party ended abruptly, but then again, I’m about to meet my baby. “There’s another exit over here.”

“Thank fuck,” I mutter under my breath, turning around to head toward him. Grayson follows behind, and we push through the back doors, the cold air hitting our skins as soon as were out of the club.

“I’ve called a cab,” Grayson says, pocketing his phone a second later. I blow out a breath. This is the worst thing right here. Waiting. Standing around with nothing to do but think, and worry, and think some more. “Are you okay, man?”

I shake my head, words jumbled up in my brain, my heart beating a million miles per hour, and sweat dripping down my back. “I can’t believe Leila is having the baby right now.”

“She just went into labor,” Lucas says, reassuringly. “She won’t be having the baby right this minute. You still have time.”

I blow out a heavy breath, hoping he’s right, but at the same time, my mind won’t stop overthinking. “You don’t know that,” I say, feeling my chest ache. I just want to be with my girl right now.

“Hey, calm down,” Grayson murmurs. “It’s going to be okay. Leila’s strong.”

I know. She’s the strongest woman I know. The best woman I know. The best mother I know. And… damn it. I should be there. “I just… the baby was supposed to be here in three weeks. We still had three weeks left to prepare.”

“These things happen,” Chris slurs, slowly sobering up as he pats me on the back. “But there’s nothing to worry about. You’re ready man. You’re a great dad.”

I almost laugh, seeing him drunk as he tries to help me, but then the cab pulls up, and panic settles in once again. I don’t waste time, opening the doors and sliding in the black cab, the guys joining me before it drives off .

“I’ll give you a hundred if you speed,” I tell the driver, whom doesn’t think twice before pressing his foot down on the gas, speeding through the traffic.

“We’re here,” the driver murmurs a few minutes later, which makes me breathe again.

I don’t even know how long it takes for me to get out of the cab, and rush inside those hospital doors, but it can’t be more than a minute. And by the time I reach the front desk, I’m out of breath, and unable to speak properly.

“Wife,” I pant, trying to catch my breath. “Baby.”

The woman at the desk widens her eyes, and her lips part as she takes me in. “Aiden Pierce?” she asks, seemingly shocked.

“I don’t have time for this,” I say, leaning on the desk. “My wife is having a baby right now. Where the hell is she?”

Her brows furrow, clearly confused on who my wife is, which… come the fuck on . She’s the hottest model ever to walk this earth, she glances down at her monitor screen, and clicks about a thousand times before she asks, “Name?”

“Leila Pierce.”

Another million fucking clicks, and then she lifts her head. “She’s in room ten.”

My shoulders slump, and I turn around, heading into the elevator, the guys following behind.

As soon as the ding goes off, and the doors open, I run out of the elevator, down the corridor, when I see Gabi blowing into a paper bag. My heart immediately starts to pound in my chest. “What’s wrong? Is Leila okay?” I ask .

She nods, pulling the paper bag away from her face. “She’s fine. I’m just…” She shakes her head, and waves her arms. “Just go, she’s in there.”

Chris reaches Gabi, lifting her chin to make her look at him, and I turn around, pushing open the doors until I see my girl on the bed, her hair tied up in a messy bun as she rests her arm on her forehead.

My body immediately calms and I blow out the biggest breath. “Baby,” I murmur, smiling when I see her eyes lock with mine.

Her eyes widen and she reaches out for me. I grab her hand and sit on the chair beside the bed. Rosie and Madi leave the room, and I lift Leila’s hand, pressing my lips against her knuckles. “I tried to get here earlier. There were so many people in my fucking way, and then the cab took forever and…” I squeeze my eyes closed, placing her palm against my cheek.

“You’re here now,” she says, her voice sweet, and calm. “That’s all that matters.”

I chuckle a little, eyeing her subdued state. “The drugs doing their job?” I ask.

She nods, a soft hum leaving her lips. “That baby’s coming.”

“I know, gorgeous.”

“Are you ready?” she asks, her sweet green eyes blinking up at me.

I let out a laugh. “You’re the one going through labor, baby. I should be asking you that. How are you feeling?”

She sighs. “The drugs mellowed me out. ”

“I can see that,” I murmur, brushing the stray strands of hair out of her face, feeling the sweat build up on her forehead. I lean down to press my lips against hers, my body warming at the feel of her. “You’re doing so fucking good, baby.”

She twists her head to face me, slightly narrowing her eyes. “I’m not even doing anything yet.”

I shake my head. She doesn’t realize how wrong she is. “You’ve been carrying our baby for nine months. That’s a hell of a lot of work. You’ve made an amazing home in there, and now, you’re about to deliver our baby.”

Her green eyes soften when she looks at me, and my heart beats so fucking loudly with the love I have for this woman right here. “I love you,” she says with a sigh.

“I love you,” I tell her, staring into her eyes as her hand squeezes in mine. “I’m grateful every day for that spin the bottle game back in college or else I would have never known what true happiness would be like.”

The door opens, and I turn my head to see a woman walking in, smiling at us. “Hi, you must be the dad,” she says, glancing down at the medical sheet before she lifts her head. “You guys ready to have a baby?”

I swallow harshly. “Wait. She’s having the baby right now?” I ask, my eyes widening, unable to make sense of it. I thought it’d be maybe an hour or two before she was ready to push but fuck, it’s happening right now. And I’m so glad I got here in time.

“Yep,” she replies, pulling on her gloves before she reaches under my wife’s gown. “She’s at ten centimeters, it’s time to start pushing.”

“Holy shit,” I murmur, turning back to Leila. “You’ve got this, gorgeous.”

She stares into my eyes, and squeezes my hand as the doctor puts her in position, ready to push.

The next hour and a half go by in a quick blur. Groans, screams and so much sweat, until the world unblurs and I hear the sound of a baby crying.

“Holy fuck,” I murmur, glancing at the doctor as she picks up my baby, and Leila lies her head back on the pillow, blowing out a much-needed breath. “You did it,” I say, tears streaming down my cheeks as I reach down and kiss Leila, brushing the hair sticking to her forehead away. “You fucking did it, baby.”

“Congratulations,” the OBGYN says, as she walks toward us with our baby. “It’s a girl.”

My eyes widen, and a grin spreads across my face as she places our baby girl on Leila’s chest. I smile down at my two girls, feeling like my life is complete. My heart feels like it’s about to burst.

“Hi baby,” Leila murmurs, lifting the baby’s finger as she cries out in her mother’s arms.

Leila lifts her head to meet my eyes. “It’s a girl,” she murmurs. I nod, unable to say anything, the feelings inside me too fucking much, and Leila’s lips twist into a smirk. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course, baby,” I say, cupping her face in my hand .

“I was secretly hoping it was a girl, too,” she whispers which makes me chuckle.

“You were?”

She nods, glancing down at our baby for a second before she meets my eyes again. “I want you to be happy, and I know you really wanted a girl.”

My brows dip, and I shuffle closer to her on the bed, shaking my head. “Leila, you make me happy. You always make me happy, baby, and I might have joked around about wanting another girl, but I would have loved this baby so fucking much even if it was a boy.”

She smiles, and then lets out a sigh. “We always have next time.”

I let out a laugh, nodding in agreement. I can’t wait to grow our family. “Deal,” I say. “But only after a very, very long break.” We waited three years before having another, and I think the time we spent with just Nova was perfect. I want to get to know my daughters before we decide to bring another baby into the mix. And besides, Leila needs a break. Raising two toddlers will be hard enough.

“Deal,” she murmurs, smiling down at our baby. “She looks just like you,” my girl whispers, both of our eyes locked on our sweet baby in her mother’s arms.

I let out a scoff. “I love her, but she kind of looks like an alien right now.” I arch a brow. “Should I take offense to that?”

Leila rolls her eyes, letting out a laugh. “She has your gorgeous blue eyes,” she says with a sweet smile that makes my heart thud against my chest .

Fuck. I love this woman. Every day, I wake up and think I can’t possibly love her more than I already do. And every day, I’m proven wrong.

I pick up my daughter’s tiny little fingers, which immediately wrap around my pointer finger. “What do you want to call her?” I ask my wife.

“I named the last one,” she says. “It’s your turn now.”

I steal a glance at Leila, my brows dipping. “Are you sure? You did the hard part, baby. You should get to name her.”

She shakes her head. “You can name her. If it’s horrendous, then I can always veto.”

A laugh bubbles out of me, and my eyes drift to my daughter, seeing her eyes closed shut, her pink, pouty lips pressed against her mother’s skin, her dark, brown hair matching Leila’s.

“Talia,” I murmur, the name feeling right as I look at my daughter.

“Talia,” Leila repeats to herself, her lips curling into a smile. “I love it.”

“Yeah?”

My wife glances at our daughter, holding her in her arms. “Hi, Talia Pierce,” she whispers to the baby. “Welcome to the world. I’m your mommy.”

“And I’m your daddy,” I say. “And I can’t wait to spoil you rotten.”

“Can we come in now?” I hear Gabi’s voice, from the other side of the door, and we let out a laugh and Leila nods.

I gently lift Talia into my arms, and hold her hand in my hand. She’s so tiny, so precious, so beautiful. “ Come in,” I tell them, because I have no doubt the rest of the guys are all behind that door.

The door opens, and they all walk inside, their eyes searching for the baby until they see her in my arms.

“Guys, meet Talia Pierce,” I whisper, letting them see my gorgeous daughter.

Madeline brings a hand to her mouth as her eyes well up with tears. “She’s so beautiful,” she whispers back, her voice growing wobbly. Lucas wraps his arms around Madi, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

“Why is she blue?” Gabi murmurs, her mouth half full, and I furrow my brows down at her.

“Are you… are you eating a sandwich?”

Chris lets out a laugh, now completely sober. “It’s her second.”

“I don’t know how you can eat at a time like this,” Grayson says, brushing his hair back.

Gabi shoots him a glare, swallowing down her bite. “I eat when I’m nervous, alright?”

“Why are you nervous?” Grayson asks her. “You didn’t have a baby.”

She shrugs. “Just am. Get off my dick, jeez ,” she says with an eye roll before taking another bite.

“I’m sorry we stole your thunder,” Leila tells Gabi, looking apologetic. “She was supposed to come in three weeks.”

“Blame the baby,” I say, shaking my head. “Not me.”

“Aiden,” Leila chastises.

I turn to my wife, giving her a look. “Have you seen Gabi’s right hook? I’m not getting hit with that.”

Gabi swallows, shaking her head, and reaches out to lift Talia’s finger. “Are you kidding? For this girl you can steal the whole damn sky.”

I smile down at Leila who returns my smile, and I know without a doubt, this is what I was put on this planet for. This was what I was made for, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world that my gorgeous wife even spared a second glance at me.

And I’ll make sure to show her just how grateful I am every day of my life.