by J. M. Walker
“We need to go,” I grumbled.
“Why are you so grumpy?” she asked, grabbing her phone, wallet, and keys.
“Because I need to know what’s going on and I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t like it,” I said all in one breath.
Gigi stared at me. “It’s probably just my cycle being weird. It happens.”
“I don’t care. I’d rather err on the side of caution.”
“Why?”
“What the fuck do you mean, why?” I demanded, my voice coming out harsher than I intended it to.
She raised an eyebrow. “I’m fine, Vince. You’re worrying way too damn much.”
I grunted. If I didn’t worry, her father would cut me up into little pieces and spread me out across the fucking earth. “Don’t care.” I grabbed her hand, kissed her hard on the mouth, and led her from her house.
She huffed and mumbled complaints as I dragged her to my car but again, I didn’t care. Her health and safety came first and foremost.
***
(Gigi)
When we got to the hospital, much to my dismay of course, I checked in and told them what the issue was. Surprisingly, I was put in a room right away. My vitals were checked, and blood work was drawn. Now I was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, waiting.
Vince was pacing. With every step he took, the anxiety increased.
“You need to come here,” I told Vince, staring down at my hands that were resting on my lap.
“I’m always here,” he murmured, stepping up beside me.
He was losing it. I knew because I could sense it. I looked up then, being met by stormy dark eyes. Eyes that I could get lost in.
Vince slid the back of his hand down the length of my arm before slipping his fingers between mine. “I haven’t called your parents. I figured we would wait until we got answers before we worried them.”
I nodded, thankful that he was there with me and that I wasn’t alone. “Thank you for being here,” I said, voicing my thoughts.
“You never have to be without me again.” His eyes locked with mine. “It’s just us. You and me against the world, Queenie.”
I smiled, my heart stuttering at the passion in his eyes. But there was something else. There had always been something else.
He tilted his head. “What?”
I shook myself, not realizing I was staring at him. “Nothing,” I said as the doctor came into the room.
“Miss Rodriguez?”
“Yes, doctor?”
“We got the test results back.” She smiled at me. “You’re pregnant.”
My eyes widened.
“What did you just say?” Vince demanded, squeezing my hand.
“I’m sorry, Doctor. Not to be rude but that’s impossible. I had a miscarriage and we haven’t…” I looked at Vince.
“We haven’t had sex since,” he finished for me. “Not until last night. I’m no expert but even I know that symptoms don’t usually happen that fast.”
“Interesting.” The doctor frowned, looking at her chart again. “Your hCG level is high enough for an active pregnancy and not a lost one. I’ll order an ultrasound and we’ll get to the bottom of this for you.” The doctor took that moment to leave.
A nurse came in a moment later, took more blood and left.
“I can’t be pregnant, Vince,” I told him.
“It doesn’t make sense.” He kissed the top of my head. “But whatever it is, we’ll deal with it. Together. Okay?”
I nodded. “God, I’m so glad I have you.”
“Always and forever, baby,” he whispered in my ear. “Always and forever,” he repeated.
“What if I am pregnant? How is that possible?” I asked as the doctor came back into the room after what felt like years.
“The blood work states that you are in fact pregnant.” She flipped through the pages on her clipboard. “So, lets get that ultrasound set up and see what’s going on.”
“I…” I paused when a technician wheeled in a machine and stopped it beside the head of my bed. “I can’t be pregnant.” Not that I would complain if I was, since I lost the first baby, but this didn’t make sense.
The technician instructed me to lay back. She lifted the gown to my knees and gently pushed a wand inside of me.
Both Vince and I waited with bated breath.
A moment later, she smiled and turned the screen toward us. “There’s your baby,” she said, pointing at the screen.
My eyes welled, my throat burning at the hard lump suddenly lodged in it. “But how?”
The doctor took that moment to enter the room. “Do twins run in your family?”
I looked up at Vince before glancing back at the doctor. “Yes. My mom’s a twin.”
“Well it looks like you were pregnant with twins but as you already know, you lost one baby. But this one survived.” The doctor went on to talk about some medical things that I didn’t quite understand. All I could focus on were her words, this one survived.
“How far along is she?” Vince asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
“About eight weeks.” The doctor smiled at both of us. “I know that this has come as quite a shock.”
“That’s an understatement,” I mumbled.
“Did you want to hear the heartbeat?” the technician asked.
I gasped, nodding quickly.
Vince sat on the stool beside me, pulling it closer to the bed I was lying on, and gripping my hand tightly in his.
Suddenly a woosh sound filled the room. It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
“Your baby is healthy.” The technician pointed at a small spot on the black and white screen. “And your baby is strong.”
“I understand that you were bleeding tonight,” the doctor added. “So as a precaution, please try and take it easy. Eat as best you can. Take pre-natal vitamins. Get lots of rest. And this baby and you will be just fine.”
“Our baby,” I whispered.
The technician removed the wand from my body, pulling the gown back over my knees to cover me. She handed us a small picture of the ultrasound. “We’ll give you two a moment.” She left the room with the doctor following behind her.
I quickly got dressed before sitting back on the edge of the bed. Vince took the hint and stepped between my knees. He held me against him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I breathed him in, taking all the strength I could muster. “Vince, can we do this?”
He leaned back, pinching my chin and tilting my head. “We can and we will.” Brushing the back of his hand over my stomach, he let out a shaky breath. “I wasn’t sure if I ever wanted kids. But after our first time together, I realized that I did. It wasn’t like we’ve ever been safe anyway. I know we’ve only been together for technically a few months, but I feel like we’ve been together for years.” Vince brushed his mouth along mine. “We can take this one day at a time, but I just want you to know that I’m not going anywhere. You and our baby have nothing to worry about. I am yours. I am both of yours.”
“Really?” My breath hitched. “You mean that?”
He gave me a small smile, cupping my cheek. “Gigi, I’m in—”
“Sorry to interrupt.”
I jumped, my head whipping around.
The doctor laughed. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
Vince pulled away from me. “I’ll be outside.” And with that, he left the room.
The air around me suddenly grew cold. I wasn’t sure what that was about.
“I just wanted to prescribe you something to settle your stomach. This isn’t harmful to the baby but please only take it if you can’t keep anything down for more than twenty-four hours. That includes water.”
I nodded, taking the prescription from her. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“You’re welcome.” She walked me out. “Anything you need, please don’t hesitate to call.” She handed me a business card. “But I have a feeling that it’ll work ou
t fine for both of you.” She turned on her heel and headed down the hall, barking orders at her staff.
“Queenie.”
I spun around, finding Vince coming toward me holding a yellow Teddy Bear.
“I got yellow just in case we wait to find out the sex. Although, even if it’s a boy, he can like pink all he wants, and our little girl can like blue.” Vince shrugged. “They can like whatever color they want.”
I took a breath and then another. Yes, the doctor was right. We could do this. And Vince was the only one I wanted to do this with.
***
(Vince)
Gigi was pregnant. With my baby.
I meant what I’d told her. I was in this. For the long run. For however long she could put up with my brooding and possessive ass anyway.
“Vince?” Gigi hugged the Teddy Bear against her chest, looking up at me with those big beautiful eyes of hers. “Thank you.”
Pinching her chin, I placed a soft peck on her mouth. “You don’t need to thank me. Ever.” I stepped back, holding out my hand. “Come home with me.”
Something flashed behind her eyes. “Okay. Can we stop off at my place first?”
“We can do whatever you want.” I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she was pregnant. Every male instinct in me wanted to shout it from the fucking rooftops that my baby was in her tight little body. But I wouldn’t. I would in time but not until Gigi gave me the go-ahead.
When we reached my car, she went to pull her hand from mine, but I refused and tugged her back against me.
She gasped, slapping her hands against my chest. “Vince?”
“Listen.” I cupped the side of her neck, wanting to tell her that I was in love with her. No, that I was fucking obsessed. With her. I almost did earlier and then the doctor interrupted us. “Whatever you need, I am here. I already told you before. If you need something to take the edge off, you fucking call me. Alright?”
Gigi frowned, her eyes darting back and forth over my face. “I’m not sure the sex you like would be good for the baby.”
I grinned, leaning down to her ear. “You mean, the sex we both like, Gigi. My girl has a dark side to her. Isn’t that right?” I kissed her cheek, mentally patting myself on the back at the shiver that trembled through her.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She pulled away from me, only because I let her, and went to open the passenger side door. I stopped her instead, slapping my hand against the top of it and stepping up behind her.
“I’ll remember that the next time I’m balls deep inside your ass.” I pressed my lips to her ear. “When you’re begging me to go harder, faster, rougher.” I growled the last word, pushing my hips into her.
“God, Vince.” She shook herself.
I chuckled, stepping away from her and going around to the driver’s side of the car. “Just remember, Gigi. I’ve been in every inch of you. I know what you like and what you don’t like. Which doesn’t seem to be much.”
She stared at me from the other side of the car. “I’m sure we could come up with something that neither of us like.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge?”
Gigi grinned, giving me a wink. “No, Vince. It’s a damn promise.”
My cock twitched at her words.
Even better.
Vince
It had been a few days since we found out Gigi was still pregnant. We kept it a secret, basking in the glow that we still had the life we unexpectedly created, when we thought we had lost that chance for at least a little while.
Gigi’s morning sickness started up again, coming at any time of the day but she never took the medication she was given. Luckily, she was able to keep crackers down for the most part, so it helped settle her stomach.
One night she was sleeping beside me, but I was restless. The fact that she was pregnant with my baby, stirred the beast within. I became more protective.
She would laugh.
I would kiss the hell out of her.
She would blush.
I couldn’t control it. This need. This want. This feral obligation to make sure she was in fact safe. If I could have baby-proofed my apartment and her house without her questioning my mental health, I would have. I didn’t understand it. Was it always like this? Did other guys go through this when the love of their life was growing their child?
Moving farther down the length of the bed, I leaned on my elbow and cupped her stomach. Gigi wasn’t showing yet, but I couldn’t wait for her to grow and become swollen with our baby.
“I don’t know you,” I told her stomach, careful to keep my voice low so I didn’t wake her. “But I’m already in love with you.” I brushed my thumb back and forth over her still flat belly. “I’m sorry we couldn’t keep your sibling but, God wanted them to come home and stay with Him.” I wasn’t overly religious. I believed in a higher power and that everything happened for a reason, but it wasn’t something I practiced daily. I just tried to be a good person and wanted to raise this baby and my future children, to be the same. “You’re strong, little one. We’ll keep you safe and protect you from the terrors of the world as best we can. I can’t wait to meet you and fall in love with you even more. You stay safe and warm in there, okay? And be gentle to your mama.” I kissed Gigi’s stomach and went to lay back down beside her when I caught her smiling at me. I chuckled. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Did you have a good chat?” she asked softly.
I nodded, wrapped her in my arms, and cupped her stomach. “You weren’t supposed to be listening. We were having a private conversation.”
She laughed.
Pushing my face into the crook of her neck, I breathed her in.
“Vince?”
“Mmmhmm?”
“Thank you.”
I lifted my head, staring down at her. “For what?”
Gigi rolled over onto her back. “I know you’re young. We’re both still young. I’m sure you weren’t expecting to have a baby at twenty-one.”
“I don’t give a shit about my age. We could have gotten pregnant the night of my eighteenth birthday, and I would be here.” I cupped her cheek. “I will always be here. I’m not leaving you and I’m definitely not leaving our baby.” And future babies, but I kept that little thought to myself.
Gigi’s eyes welled.
“Why the tears, baby?”
“You’re just…I can’t…” She sighed. “Thank you.”
I chuckled, laying back down beside her. “You never need to thank me, Queenie.”
She rolled over onto her side, facing me and cupping my cheek. Her thumb brushed along my mouth, sparking a hint of need somewhere deep inside of me. My cock twitched, jumping against the fly of my pajama pants. It begged for her but as much as I always wanted her, we hadn’t had sex since finding out she was pregnant a few days ago.
“Vince?” Her eyes darkened, her voice dripping with lust. “Can we…”
Slipping a hand beneath the covers, I brushed the back of my knuckles over her stomach and delved lower until I reached the apex between her thighs.
“Please,” she whispered.
“Shhh…I’ll take care of you.” I kissed her forehead, slipping my fingers into her panties. I wouldn’t have sex with her. Not yet. I feared that I would hurt the baby. Add to the fact that she wasn’t out of the first trimester yet, it increased the anxiety rushing through me.
“I want you.” She licked her lips.
“And I want you. I always want you, but we can’t.”
She pouted. “But—” My finger slowly slid inside of her. “God.”
“I want to make sure the baby is safe first.”
“It is.” She panted.
I chuckled. “I’ll take care of you, Queenie.”
And I did.
***
It was the following weekend and I was stuck helping Rory with the renovations he was doing on the house he had purchased. I hadn’t seen him in what felt like
forever and even longer since I’d talked to him.
When I showed up at his house, my stomach twisted as he bounded out of it, down the steps, and stomped toward me. Guess we were doing this now.
“What the fuck is this I hear that you hit on my girlfriend?” he demanded, closing the distance between us and pushing me.
“Excuse me?” I shoved him back. “That’s not what happened.”
“That’s not what she said.” His face was red, his eyes dark with fury.
“What the hell? I tried calling you, fucker. I wanted to tell you what happened, so we wouldn’t be where we are now, but you’ve been ignoring my calls and texts.” I took a step to the left when he went to shove me again. “Listen to me. She came over and hit on me. She said that it was a joke and that you put her up to it.”
Rory’s brows dropped in the center. “Why the hell would I do that?”
“How the fuck am I supposed to know?” I sidestepped away from him when he went to push me again. “Listen, something is going on with her, but I don’t know what it is. It’s none of my business but—”
“You’re right. It’s not your fucking business.” He walked past me, shouldering me in the process.
“That’s how it’s going to be? We made a fucking promise that we wouldn’t let a woman come between us,” I reminded him, unsure what the hell this was about. “We’ve known each other way too damn long for our friendship to end because you believe your girlfriend over me.”
Rory stopped, looking at me over his shoulder. “She’s always had a crush on you.”
My eyes widened, my stomach clenching. “What?”
“She hinted at a threesome one night when she was drunk.” Rory looked away, his shoulders slumping.
“Listen, I love you and Mason like brothers. I would never do that.”
“I know.” Rory sighed, meeting my gaze that time. “I told her that you were in love with Gigi and that there was no way you would ever consider doing that shit with us. Even if you were single. It’s not even my thing but I wanted to make her happy. So I suggested we ask Mason.” He shrugged. “But nothing happened. Just some flirting. I wouldn’t put him in that position anyway, but she’s been…”