The Bad Baller Collection

by Kiss, Tabatha

“Yes.”

  She laughs as she disappears into the hall.

  Chapter 32

  Hunter

  Daisy tightens her grip, practically choking me as I carry her up the stairs. “Please don’t drop me.”

  “I’m not going to drop you,” I say, flexing my arms. “You’re not even heavy.”

  “You say that now.” She fires a skeptical look. “But we’ve still got weeks to go, Hunter. Day in, day out, lugging me around all day to the bedroom, to the bathroom, to the kitchen—”

  “Daisy…” I pause on the landing. “You’re beautiful.”

  “Shut up.”

  I laugh and move us toward her apartment door. “Do you mind unlocking, please?”

  She finds the key in my jacket pocket and opens the door with one hand, keeping her iron clench on me with the other.

  “Bed or futon?” I ask her, kicking the door open wide.

  “Futon, please.”

  I carry her through the darkness, trying my best not to run into anything. I’ve only been here once before and I lack the talent she has for seeing the dark. Luckily, I find the couch in the center of the room and slowly lower her down onto it. She reaches behind her and flicks on the lamp on the end table.

  “Okay…” I take a breath. “What do you need? Water? Juice? A blanket?” I smirk. “A mind-shattering orgasm?”

  “I’m pretty sure bed rest means no sex, Hunter.”

  I blink. “Well, shit…”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “It’s okay. We’ll live.” I lean in to kiss her and she smiles. “There’s plenty of ways we can be affectionate without it.”

  “Yeah?” she asks.

  “Oh, Daisy… Have you forgotten how good I am with my hands?”

  “Maybe. You should remind me.”

  I pull from the kiss and stand up. “Later. Right now, there are arrangements to be made.”

  “Arrangements?”

  “I need to call Devin. See if he’s willing to help me move in here.”

  “You’re moving into my apartment, are you?” she asks.

  I nod. “Laura and I talked it out. I’ll move in to take care of you so she doesn’t have to close down her firm. She’ll take on fewer clients for a while, just in case, so if something happens, it’ll be easy for her to drop everything and fly back here to help out.”

  “L—Laura?” She blinks. “You’re on a first-name basis with my mother now?”

  I keep talking, drawing more adorable confusion to her eyes. “She’s already emailed me a few listings for apartments across town. Better neighborhoods, extra bedrooms. We need more space.”

  “Okay, wait—”

  “And I need to call my parents,” I say. “My mother really wants to meet you.”

  She frowns. “She does?”

  “How about dinner tomorrow night?” I ask, her eyes filling with horror as I make my way toward the kitchen. “I’m not much of a cook, but she’s fantastic. I’ll have her teach me some recipes. Dr. Jones told me to keep you healthy. Less sugar, more protein.”

  “Hunter.”

  I glance through the empty cupboards, making a list in my head. Bread, milk, eggs. “My parents live just outside of town, so we have help there if we need it.”

  “Hunter.”

  “Do you have extra pillows and blankets?” I ask her, passing through to the hallway closet. “You need to be as comfortable as possible. Couch and bed only. Keep your feet elevated. Sponge baths. I’m personally looking forward to those.”

  “Hunter.”

  I turn to Daisy. She’s sitting up with her hand on her stomach and a serious look on her face. “What? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  “Come here,” she says.

  I rush over and fall to my knees by her side. “What’s happening? Should I call 911?”

  She takes my hand and lays it on her belly, sliding my fingertips beneath her shirt and across her skin.

  I feel it move from the other side. One small, gentle swipe against my hand and my heart stops. I forget to breathe. All of my senses except this one dissolve as I feel my baby girl push against my palm.

  “Wow...” I whisper.

  Daisy reaches out and wipes the lone tear off my cheek. “She’s going crazy in there.”

  “Why?” I feel a jolt of panic. “Does it hurt?”

  “No. It’s you.”

  “Me?”

  “I think she recognizes your voice. She missed you.”

  I lean in closer and brush my lips along her navel. “I missed you, too,” I say. “I’m not going anywhere, baby. I promise.” Another soft kick strikes my hand and I know she hears me in there.

  Daisy pulls me up and kisses me. I embrace her, holding on as if my life depended on it.

  Because it does.

  Chapter 33

  Daisy

  38 Weeks

  “Oh, fuck…” I moan into the pillow.

  “There?” Hunter asks me, digging in.

  “Oh, yeah. Right there. Don’t stop.”

  He chuckles and presses a little harder into my back, massaging deep and my muscles sing from his touch beneath the hospital gown.

  I grip the pillow beneath my head and lean a little more into his hand. Nine miserable weeks I’ve laid around on my back and now I’ve suffered through twelve — make that thirteen — hours of labor.

  “Ugh, can we skip to the end, please?” I mumble on my side.

  “Soon, Daisy.”

  “Now?”

  “Soon.”

  I roll onto my back again and Hunter throws on another smile. “I don’t see how you can grin at me right now.”

  “Because you’re beautiful,” he says.

  “Oh, please.”

  “You are!”

  “You’re a lousy liar—” Another contraction fires through my pelvis and I grit my teeth. “Ow.”

  “Hang in there, Daisy,” he says. “You’re doing great.”

  “You know what?” I heave an angry breath. “No. No more of this fake, soft-spoken, supportive fiancé crap. All right?”

  He stands a little taller. “Do you want me to be honest with you?”

  “Yes!”

  “Do you want me to tell you how ugly you look?”

  “… Yes?”

  “And how mean you’re being and how much I hate you right now?”

  “… No.”

  “Then, what do you want?”

  “I want this damn baby out of me!”

  “I can’t do that,” he says. “But I can stand here, hold your hand, and tell you that you’re the strongest, most beautiful woman in the whole world. Think you can handle that?”

  I pause. “Yeah, I guess that’s okay.”

  He takes my hand and brings it to his lips. “Okay, then.”

  The door opens and Dr. Jones steps inside looking happy and well-rested. What a bitch.

  “Good morning, Daisy,” she greets. “I hear you made quite the impression on the hospital staff tonight.”

  “They kept giving me ice chips,” I say.

  “Those are for you to chew on, not to throw at the nurses.”

  I wrinkle my nose. “Stacy called me sweetie.”

  She laughs and looks at Hunter. “Did you get any sleep?”

  He shakes his head. “And leave the poor nurses defenseless?”

  “You’re a true hero, Hunter,” she says, reaching into her coat for a few rubber gloves as she moves down to my ankles. “How far apart are your contractions?”

  “Like all the time,” I say.

  “About twenty minutes,” Hunter corrects.

  “No, seriously, it’s like every twenty seconds.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  I gawk at him. “Whose side are you on here?”

  “The baby’s.”

  I look at Dr. Jones. “Can I get some ice chips, please?”

  She ignores me but smiles a little wider. “Looks like you’ve dilated three extra centimeters since I checke
d you last night.”

  “That’s all?” I wince and collapse down onto the pillows.

  Hunter lays a hand on my shoulder. “Hang in there, Dai—”

  I point a finger to shut him up. “Stop saying thaaaa—Owwwww!”

  Pain blitzes up my spinal cord and I grab his hand, squeezing him so tight that his face turns white.

  “That was a big one,” Dr. Jones says, nodding. “You okay?”

  I hold my breath. “Yep.”

  “Would you like me to give you something for the pain?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Are you going to be nice to the nurses for the rest of the day?”

  I frown. “Even the ones with cartoons on their scrubs?”

  “Yes. Them, too.”

  Another mild pain rumbles through me, hinting at an incoming clusterfuck of agony. “Yeah, I’ll be nice.”

  “Good,” she smirks. “Then, I’ll hook you up.”

  “Thank you, Dr. J.”

  “Back soon.” She spins around and walks out.

  “Hey, Daisy…”

  I look at Hunter’s worried eyes. “Yeah?”

  “Can you let go of me now?”

  I release my forgotten, white-knuckle grip on his hand. “Sorry…”

  He takes a step away from me and rubs the life back into his blue fingers.

  I offer an apologetic smile. “Am I still hot?”

  Hunter grins.

  My phone rings on the bedside table and I stretch my arm out to grab it.

  “Is that Rose?” he asks.

  “No…” I read the name, biting my lip. “It’s Trisha. I was supposed to email her to approve a photo spread last night, but then my water broke and I forgot to tell her. She’s calling to scream at me, I bet.”

  Hunter holds out his hand. “Give it here,” he says. “I’ll talk to her.”

  I hesitate. “Are you sure?”

  He snatches it from my fingers and answers it. “Hello, Trisha,” he greets. “No, you can’t talk to Daisy right now. … Because she’s in labor, so she’ll have to get back to you some other time, okay? … No, I can’t narrow down that window for you.”

  I hold back my laugh, wincing slightly as my core muscles scream from the all-night workout they’ve been getting.

  “These things happen when they happen, Trisha…” he says, his voice growing firmer. “No… No, I won’t just run home and grab her laptop. Trisha, my fiancée is giving birth to my child right now, so she’ll call you back in a few days. Uh-huh. … Deal with it.”

  Hunter hangs up and slides the phone into his back pocket.

  “Wow…” I smile. “I love it when you go all alpha like that.”

  “I don’t know how you deal with her as your boss.”

  “She’s fine in small doses.” I shrug. “You do realize that she’s just going to want you even more now that you’ve spoken to her like that, right?”

  “She doesn’t stand a chance against you, Daisy. Never has.”

  “Better not.”

  “Did I miss it?”

  My jaw drops as Rose rushes into the room. She holds a cardboard carrier with three cups of coffee inside and a fourth clenched in her other hand.

  “Rose!” I grin. “What are youuu—”

  A contraction grows in my gut and I pause, waiting with tight fists until it passes.

  “Ohhh, you’re really into it, aren’t you?” she asks.

  “Yep…” I take a breath. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have school?”

  “You thought I’d miss this? I caught the red-eye,” she answers. “Mom is in the air, too. Should be here in a few hours. Hey, Hunter.”

  “Good morning, Rose,” he says.

  “You look exhausted.” She holds up the coffee carrier. “I came prepared. Double espresso, just for you.”

  “Thank you,” he says, sliding a cup free.

  She points at me. “You can’t have any. Sorry.”

  “Hey, I got the good stuff coming any minute now,” I say. “I don’t need your overpriced bean therapy.”

  “Good.” She laughs and takes a seat beside me. “So, now that the baby is coming… can you please tell me what you’re having? I’m dying here.”

  “You’ve waited this long,” I tease. “You can wait a few more hours.”

  She pouts at me.

  “Daisy…” Hunter chuckles. “Come on. She caught the red eye.”

  I glare at him, once again hoping for some ice chips to pelt at his face. “Fine.”

  Rose shifts in her chair, smiling wide. “Thank you, Hunter.”

  He sits down beside me and watches with excitement. “Go on.”

  I look at my twin. “It’s a girl.”

  She squeals and clenches my hand. “I knew it!”

  “We’re going to name her Violet.”

  Her jaw drops. “Oh, that’s beautiful.”

  “It was my idea,” Hunter says, flashing a smug smile.

  My belly rumbles with a quick pain and I squeeze Rose’s hand as it fires through me.

  “Okay, ow…” she says.

  Hunter nods. “I’ve been doing that for thirteen hours, Rose.”

  She slips from my grasp. “Yikes.”

  “Oh, yes, please,” I bite. “Tell me all about how much pain you two are in.”

  They sip their coffees.

  Chapter 34

  Hunter

  Daisy sleeps. She deserves it.

  I know a thing or two about working yourself to exhaustion, but I can honestly say I’ve never been as tired as she looks right now. She’s been through hell and back and at the end of it, she smiled.

  I move on soft feet, refusing to make any noise at all as I walk away from the window to stand over them. Daisy’s out like a light; her little eyes twitching behind her lids. I want her to be like that for as long as possible. She’s done enough. And the baby, well…

  Every moment spent not admiring Daisy is spent admiring her.

  My daughter, Violet, lies in a hospital bassinet beside the bed. A few hours ago, she didn’t exist at all. Now, she’s my entire world.

  And out of nowhere, she kicks her little feet, jolting out of sleep and just that is enough to make her want to cry out.

  “Oh, no no…” I whisper, glancing over at Daisy. The last thing I want is to wake her up but I have no idea how to handle this. I lean over the bassinet, waving my hands to draw the baby’s attention but I think that just scares her. “Shh… shh…”

  She starts to cry.

  “Ah, crap…”

  I take a quick glance at Daisy but she’s still deep in sleep. Another moment of screaming and she won’t be anymore.

  I reach into the bassinet and I pick up the baby. She’s so small, her entire body fits in both of my palms. I try not to think about how weird that is as I sway around like an idiot.

  “Hey, hey…” I whisper, tiptoeing away from the bed. “Don’t cry. Nothing to cry about.”

  And then, she opens her eyes and closes her mouth. Those eyes. Just like Daisy’s in every way. Small and blue. The tuft of dark hair on her head is all mine, though, so I guess that’s something.

  “Hey…” I say again. She squints at me as if to question what the hell I want but that’s yet another thing she’s got in common with her mother. “I’m your daddy,” I tell her, adjusting my hands to pull her just a little closer. “I’m not sure exactly what I’m supposed to do here but I guess I’ll fake it, I mean… I’ve got a quarter of a century on you, but you seem to have your shit together way more than I do right now.”

  She doesn’t laugh but I can’t imagine why I expect her to.

  We drift closer to the window. A little bit of moonlight falls in between the window slats, illuminating her face with a subtle blue.

  I clear my throat. “So, this is pretty awesome, Violet. I’m having a really strange experience here…”

  She blinks at me.

  “I created you,” I say, mostly to myself as reali
ty sets in. “I mean… she did most of the work. Like ninety-nine percent of it, but you wouldn’t be here now if I hadn’t have asked her to come home with me, so I’m taking some credit. I’m not sure if I should ever tell you about that night, though. I don’t know what the rules are on one-night stand babies, but maybe when you’re older — like thirty. Christ, when you’re thirty, I’ll be—”

  “What are you doing?”

  I spin away from the window to find Daisy staring at me from the bed. She grins at me from the pillow, just barely lifting her head.

  “Oh, sorry…” I wince. “She started crying and I didn’t want to wake you up so I just kind of… grabbed her and she stopped.”

  Daisy nods. “Good job.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You okay?”

  I look from her to the baby and back again. “Honestly, I’m freaking out a little bit. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “Does she still have arms and legs?”

  I pause. “Yes.”

  “Is she still breathing?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is she wearing clothes?”

  I look at my daughter in my hands; pristine and perfect. “Yeah.”

  She smiles. “Then, you’re doing okay.”

  “Good,” I say, exhaling hard.

  “Come here.”

  Daisy waves me over as she sits up, moving as slowly as I do as I walk across the room.

  “You know,” I say, standing beside the bed, “if this could be the last time I see you in the hospital, that’d be great.”

  She laughs. “If this could be the last time you put me in the hospital, that’d be great.”

  “Hey, that first time was an accident…” I look at the baby. “Although, I guess she was, too…”

  Daisy opens her arms and I lean down to pass our daughter to her. She cradles her in the crook of her arm, gazing down into her little face like I did but she seems far calmer than I am. Either she’s an instant know-it-all parent or she’s just really good at faking it. Neither would surprise me.

  “So, what were you guys talking about?” she asks me.

  “I honestly can’t remember…” I say. “The conversation was a bit one-sided.”