by Anne Malcom
I shot him three times, just in case. I think his head was gone after the first, but I kept going anyway. Once I was sure he was dead I threw the gun beside me and plugged my fingers back in Steg’s chest, trying to listen for his breath. I panicked when he was silent.
“Please breathe, please be alive.” I chanted down at his ashen face. My whole body tightened as I felt another contraction.
I barely noticed the door crash open and someone gently remove Steg from my lap. I panicked until I saw it was Cade kneeling in front of me, I met his eyes.
“I shot him. Three times. I’m pretty sure he’s dead now. I had to though, he was going to hurt my baby.” I babbled, not registering the paleness of Cade’s face.
“You did good baby, real good, I’m so proud of you.” He reassured me, stroking my face, eyes darting over my body.
His presence made relief settle over me, this was short lived when the contraction made me scream. Cade’s hands were running over my bloodstained clothes frantically searching for a wound. I was aware of him barking orders at men surrounding us.
“Baby coming…now.” I choked out between breaths.
He froze and his eyes met mine before he lifted my dress to see the blood running down my leg.
“Someone get a fucking truck NOW!” He roared gathering me in his arms.
I screamed again, shit this is happening too quick. “No, no put me down, the baby is coming right now.” I bit out against the pain, feeling the overwhelming need to push.
Cade nodded, his face determined, calm. He placed me down on the couch, the Walking Dead still on the TV. He propped me on the arm, so I was sitting up slightly, spreading my legs and taking off my underwear. I was in too much pain to be embarrassed or notice Bull, Brock and Lucky standing nearby looking shit scared and helpless.
Lucky stepped forward uncertainly. “I’ll go and boil some water and rip up sheets.” He declared.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cade growled at him not bothering to turn around.
“That’s what they do in the movies when someone’s giving birth right? I don’t know what to do with them, but everyone always gets boiling water and sheets.” He wrung his hands like a fretting housewife and I bit out a laugh in between contractions. Cade’s eyes softened before turning to Lucky.
“Get a fucking doctor here now dipshit.” He ordered.
Lucky looked relieved and ran from the room.
“It’s going to be fine baby.” Cade soothed, kneeling between my legs, looking like he’d done this a thousand times before.
I could only smile weakly before a vice squeezed my stomach. I let out another scream and Cade flinched slightly.
“You gotta push on the next one kay Gwen? Hard as you can.” He instructed me, eyes meeting mine.
“Hey Bull, wanna come up by my head so you aren’t scarred for life?” I ground out through the pain. Bull started like someone shocked him and he knelt beside my head. I gripped his hand and squeezed as the pain ripped through me like a thousand knives.
“Fuck, asshole, bastard!” I yelled and pushed as hard as I could.
I was exhausted when Cade placed a screaming baby covered in goo on my chest, I gazed up at him for a second and it was like time stopped. It was just the three of us there, the clubroom, the frantic bikers running around, they all faded away.
“You did real good baby.” He told me quietly, eyes fixed on the beautiful, albeit slimy baby. I looked at my daughter and a piece of my heart I didn’t even know I had grew when her little finger gripped mine.
“Isabella.” I whispered, before darkness claimed me.
I woke up to an all too familiar smell. Fuck. I’m in hospital. Again. I opened my eyes slowly and glanced around at pink flowers and balloons covering every surface.
“Hey there sleepyhead.” A husky voice welcomed me.
I turned my to see an exhausted but ecstatic looking Cade sitting beside me with a pink bundle in his arms, his free hand gripping mine.
“You try pushing out a baby in a clubhouse with no anesthetic, you’d need a catnap too.” I joked.
Cade’s, grin faltered slightly before he stood carefully. “Want to meet our beautiful daughter?” He asked roughly.
I nodded and awkwardly pushed myself up, trying to ignore my discomfort. Cade’s free arms braced mine to help position me. He then placed the whole world on my chest.
“This is Isabella, I think you already knew that since you named her the moment you laid eyes on her.” Cade told me softly.
I didn’t take my eyes off her, “Steg?” I asked quietly.
Cade paused and my stomach dropped. “He’s fighting, doctors say its looking good.”
I let out a deep breath. Cade gently shuffled me over so he could squeeze on the bed and wrap us both in his arms.
“You okay Momma?” He asked me tenderly.
“Considering this is the happiest moment of my life…yeah.” I told him, thinking about how my life nearly ended in a hospital, now it was showing more promise than I ever thought possible.
***********************
Stay tuned for the next book in the series, Amy and Brock’s story…
About the Author
Anne Malcom has been an avid reader since before she can remember, her Mother responsible for her love of reading. It started with magical journeys into the world of Hogwarts and Middle earth, then as she grew up her reading tastes grew with her. Her love of reading doesn’t discriminate, she reads across many genres, although classics like Little Women and Gone with the Wind will hold special places in her heart. She also can’t get enough romance, especially when some possessive alpha males throw their weight around.
One day, in a reading slump, Cade and Gwen’s story came to her, and started taking up space in her head until she put their story into words. Now that she has started, it doesn’t look like she’s going to stop anytime soon, with many more characters demanding their story to be told as well.
Raised in small town New Zealand, Anne had a truly special childhood, growing up in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. She has backpacked across Europe, ridden camels in the Sahara, and eaten her way through Italy, loving every moment. For now, she’s back at home in New Zealand, and quite happy. But who knows when the travel bug will bite her again.
Thanks
I just want to say a huge thank you for reading my book, it’s very surreal to call myself an author and share my characters with you. If you enjoyed Making the Cut please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon. Your review will introduce other people to Gwen and Cade and all of the people connected to the Son’s of Templar.
Look out for Brock and Amy’s story COMING SOON
You can learn more about what I’m working on, or currently reading, check out my blog.