by Penny Dee
“It means you’re in good hands,” Caleb said soothingly.
I was expecting the EMTs to arrive and I would give birth surrounded by all the medical equipment and comfort of an ambulance. But looking at Caleb’s ashen face, I knew my reality was going to be vastly different.
My face crumpled. “Are you telling me I’m going to have my baby on the side of the road?” When Cade and Caleb’s expressions confirmed it, my eyes widened. “Oh, no. No, this isn’t happening.”
Caleb gripped my hand so I’d look at him. “Listen to me, whatever happens, I’ve got you. Okay? I’m not going to let anything happen to you or our baby.”
His voice was calming, and the way he was looking at me made me believe him. I swallowed back my pain and nodded. Instead of freaking out, I focused on my breathing.
When a set of headlights approached us through the bad weather, relief spread through me. “Oh, thank God.”
A car pulled up and a window rolled down.
“Everyone okay?” The elderly driver asked.
“We have one injured in the pickup and a lady in labor,” Cade explained.
“We need to get Honey to a hospital,” Caleb added. “There’s no cell service so we can’t call for an ambulance.”
“This spot is notorious for no phone coverage. Climb in, I can take her and anyone else who needs to go. I should be able to make a call few miles down the road. Send some help.”
“You and Honey go with him, I’ll stay here with the other driver and this mess,” Cade said.
“No!” I cried out. Liquid trickled down my thighs. My water had broken. This baby was coming, and it wasn’t waiting around for an ambulance, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to wait until we got to the hospital. “We won’t make it to the hospital in time.”
“Take the other driver,” Caleb said. “And call for the ambulance as soon as you can.”
The elderly gentleman nodded. Cade helped the driver of the pickup into the car, and within minutes the car drove off.
“See, baby, helps is on the way,” Caleb said, stroking my cheek.
His face was calm, his blue eyes full of confidence and comfort. He sat me down on the back seat, but just as he did, my labor pains started all over again and I leaned forward and let out a loud groan.
“That one was the worst,” I moaned. But just as the pain began to wane, it suddenly flared up again and I cried out. I looked at Caleb. “Oh God, I need to push.”
His bright blue eyes glittered over my face and they were full of confidence. “I’ve got this. If I have to deliver our daughter on the side of the road—”
“Now!” I cried. This baby was coming. “Oh, God, she’s impatient.”
Caleb nodded and sucked in a deep breath.
“You okay to do this?” Cade asked him.
“No, not him,” I cried. “I’ve heard what happens when a man sees his woman’s hoo-ha giving birth.”
Both men looked at me like I was crazy.
“Angel, lots of men deliver their babies—”
“Please,” I sobbed.
When I started crying they both nodded and a silent agreement passed between the two brothers.
“All right, let’s do this!” Cade said.
Caleb sat behind me doing his best to soothe me, rubbing his big hands over my lower back. I kept my head down and focused on my breathing, praying to God that an ambulance was going to arrive soon.
Another contraction hit me and I cried out in pain. I had a very sudden urge to push and I couldn’t fight it. My body clenched and started pushing, overriding the very specific command from my brain to not push. “Oh, God, she’s coming.”
Cade disappeared to the back of the car and I heard him rummaging around in the trunk. He reappeared holding a towel and a picnic blanket.
“Here, put this under you,” he said, unfolding the towel and laying it across the backseat. It was a reminder that things were about to get messy and I felt an overwhelming need to cry.
I turned to Caleb. “I don’t want to do this.”
His face softened. His thumbs gently caressed my hands. He leaned in and kissed my tears away. “By the looks of it, our girl takes after her mama. Once she’s made up her mind, there’s no stopping her.”
Cade kneeled into the back seat of the Acura. “Hey, I’ve got this.”
“You’ve delivered a baby?” I asked between the rapid onset of contractions. There was no space between them. They were right on top of each other.
“Not exactly. But I was in the room when Indy gave birth to River.” He winked at me. “Practically makes me a pro.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I yelled. My eyes shot to Caleb. “Is he fucking kidding me right now?”
“Baby, you need to breathe. There’s not a lot Cade can’t do.” Caleb tried to sound soothing, but I could see he was just as concerned about his brother delivering our baby as I was.
Another spasm gripped my uterus and shook it about like a dog with an old shoe. I cried out. Never having given birth before, I didn’t know what was going on down there, but it pretty much felt like a bowling ball was attempting to crawl out of my vagina.
“Okay, now I need you to try and relax a little for me.” Cade positioned himself at my feet. “I need to see what’s going on down there.”
When he tried to pry open my knees, they wouldn’t budge.
“Okay, Honey. You need to open these,” he said.
“Are you kidding me, that’s how I got in trouble in the first place!” I sobbed, overwhelmed by it all.
Cade grinned. “You’re safe with me, sweetheart. I promise. I’m a well and truly-married man.”
I wanted to burst into tears. I wanted to open my legs up and expose my crowning vagina to Cade about as much as I wanted a lobotomy with a hacksaw. But as another spasm tore at my body, I realized I didn’t have any other options.
I threw my hands over my face and spread my knees, showing Cade everything.
“Wow,” he said. He looked at me, his face set. “I’m no doctor, but I’m pretty sure that this is what they call crowning. And if I’m not mistaken, I think your baby is almost here.”
Another spasm hit me. Followed by a need to push.
“I have to push,” I breathed. I gripped the edge of the seat. “I’m not kidding, I need to push now!”
“Okay, good.” Cade seemed to study my vagina, but I was in too much pain to give a goddamn anymore. “Now I need you to breathe, Honey. Take a deep breath.”
“Breathe, baby,” Caleb echoed, squeezing my hand to the point of pain.
I wanted to push so bad.
I turned to look at the tough biker crouching down beside me.
“I’m scared,” I sobbed to Caleb.
He wiped a lock of sticky hair from my forehead.
“I know, baby, but I’m right here, okay.” He kissed my temple. “You can do this, do you understand? You’ve got this.”
I looked up into his beautiful face, and the way he was looking at me gave me strength. I squeezed his hand as another contraction squeezed my uterus and screamed until I couldn’t push any more. Feeling spent, I collapsed against the back seat.
“I told you I can’t do this,” I panted.
“Yes, you can,” Caleb said. “You’re the strongest woman I know.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not. I’m a pussy. And I’m scared.”
He leaned his face close to mine. “Don’t be scared, baby. I love you. And I know that if anyone can do this, it’s my woman. And that’s you, Honey. You’re my queen.”
“You’re only saying that because I am squeezing a goddamn watermelon out of a hole the size of a nickel. A watermelon you put in me,” I sobbed.
He smiled, and then his face softened as he wiped my sweaty hair out of my eyes. “I’m sorry I haven’t told you before today. But I love you so much, baby. And I can’t wait to be a family with you and Bump. I don’t want to lose you. I know I should have told you all of this sooner. But I didn’t bec
ause I am an idiot, and I didn’t want to crowd you. Christ, Honey. I’m so in love with you. I can’t imagine doing any of this with anyone but you.”
“Really?”
The look of affection on his face left me with no doubt.
“Really,” he assured me.
Another spasm flared in my uterus and I felt our baby stretching me. I winced and gritted my teeth, and with one more push, I felt our baby’s head enter the world.
“We have a head!” Cade cried. “Holy shit!” He looked at me. “Alright, Honey. You’re going to need to push, okay. One big, almighty push and your baby will be here.”
I looked at Caleb and gripped his hand. And summoning up what little strength I had left, I pushed and I pushed, and I screamed and then I pushed some more. And just when I didn’t think I could push anymore, I felt our baby leave my body and slide into Cade’s waiting hands.
Within seconds, our baby’s cry echoed through the car.
“Congratulations, mama. You have a baby girl,” Cade said, wrapping our daughter in a towel and holding her up for Caleb and me to see. He gently placed her on my chest and my arms instantly went around her. Love overcame me then, and all the pain and discomfort was forgotten. The fact that I was lying there in the back seat of an Acura with my legs spread and vagina exposed to the VP of the Kings of Mayhem MC was forgotten.
There was only love.
I looked at Caleb and his face was stiff as he fought his emotions. His eyes welled up. “She’s beautiful,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to my temple. “I love you so much.” And then he leaned down and pressed his lips to his daughter’s forehead. “And I love you, too, my little princess.”
Cade laid the picnic blanket over me so I felt a lot less exposed. “Thank you,” I choked through my tears.
He winked. “My pleasure, sweetheart.”
Caleb gave him a nod. “Thanks, brother.”
Our daughter squirmed against my chest and I realized that I had no idea what to do next.
Thankfully, the ambulance arrived not long after, thanks to the elderly driver calling for help as soon as he could.
Half an hour later, I was in the back of an ambulance with my newborn daughter in my arms. The EMTs cleaned her up and wrapped her in a warm blanket with a soft cotton cap on her little head.
Caleb rode with us. The EMTs took one look at him and quickly gave him some pain relief.
“I have a daughter,” Caleb murmured with disbelief, his eyes fixed firmly on his baby.
His baby.
“Yeah, you have a daughter.” I looked up at him. “How do you feel about that?”
He smiled and nodded. “Think I’ll buy a shotgun.”
CALEB
Twelve Months Later
I didn’t think life could be this way. Well, that’s not exactly true. I knew it could be as blissful as this because of Cade and Indy. They were so in love, and so damn happy, they could convert the biggest cynic.
But me?
Until Honey, I didn’t think I would ever find that girl who could me wake up every day feeling like I had won the fucking lottery, but I had. Every single day I woke up surrounded in the warmth of my beautiful woman, and I would wrap my arms around her and hold her against me, absorbing her into me, losing myself in the scent of her. Some mornings we would just lie there, entwined and wrapped in one another, and I would think how amazing life was with her in it and how magical every moment with her really was.
Other mornings I would be hard as fuck and consumed with a need for her, I would slowly make love to her, savoring her body, relishing in her passionate kisses as I moved in her. There would never be another woman for me. She was it. My goddess. She had given me my daughter, and I couldn’t wait to make her pregnant again. I didn’t care if it was a boy or girl, hell, our girl Ruby was the most beautiful little lady that ever existed. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a son, and every time I made love to her, I prayed we would be making him.
This morning Honey stirred beneath my touch. Still asleep, her lips parted in a moan as my hand made its way across her flat stomach and slipped between her thighs. With tender fingers I slid into her, slowly working her up, gently rubbing that little nub of nerves that drove her into euphoria whenever I paid it special attention. She shifted slightly, moaning and licking her lips, and I felt her body respond. It was more than I could take. With a growl, I rolled onto her, nestling myself between her strong thighs, dropping my mouth to hers and kissing her. She began to kiss me back, strong, hard, passionately, and she shifted beneath me, her body seeking my cock as I pressed my hips into hers. Unable to hold back any longer, I plunged into her with one long, hard thrust and she opened her eyes with a cry. Internal muscles clenched around me, pulsating around the intrusion, and I swear to God, I was so ready to come I had to do some serious mathematical equations in my head to stop myself from blowing my load.
Without words, we moved together, our hips meeting in perfect rhythm, our bodies moving in perfect time as we both worked toward our own ecstasies. Honey reached hers first. She cried out and pulsated around me, her thighs gripping me tightly, her nails trailing down my back as she came on my cock. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I dropped my face to her shoulder and moaned as I came hard.
Lost in her, I exhaled into the warmth of her neck and then rolled off her and onto my back, my heart pounding against my ribcage. Curling one arm around her, I pulled her to my chest and held her against me. I loved these moments the most. That time when my body was satiated from our lovemaking and my arms were full of the woman I was obsessed with.
Just then, Ruby started to cry in her crib down the hallway, and I felt Honey grin against my shoulder. “At least she waited until we were finished this time.”
“That’s Daddy’s girl,” I replied. “She’s the best wingman in the world.”
Honey giggled as she sat up. “I’ll go get her.”
I sat up. “No, you stay, I’ll go get her.”
Honey put her hand against my chest and pushed me down. “Stay there, Caleb Calley. I’ve got a present for you.”
“You do?”
She grinned mischievously. “I wanted to give it to you last night, but you got in so late.”
“I know, baby, that security detail we’re doing has got us working some crazy hours.”
Since expanding the weed fields to cope with increasing demands, Bull had us all doing extra work to cover shifts, which meant crazy hours until we could get more Kings of Mayhem patched in. A few members from the Dakota and Carolina chapters were patching over, and once they were in, things would get back to normal.
My gorgeous queen leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. “It’s okay. You wait here.”
She climbed out of bed and I watched her with a head full of lascivious thoughts as she covered her gloriously naked body in one of my flannel shirts. She disappeared down the hall and I heard her talking with our daughter as she picked her up out of her crib. I tucked my arm behind my head on the pillow, listening to my girls.
Christ, I was a lucky man.
Honey and I had been married nine months now. We’d gotten married when Ruby was three months old, and Honey could bear to spend a night away from her. Since then, we’d settled happily into domesticated bliss with our adorable daughter. Honey’s cupcake business was thriving and she was able to hire more staff so she didn’t have to work as many hours.
Chance was back home. For the first few months he’d been required to stay in Maryland and receive ongoing treatment for his injuries. Now he alternated between home and the local hospital. It was a long road to recovery, but he was as strong as he was determined. When he put his mind to it, he could move mountains.
He didn’t talk about what happened the day he was injured, other than he was with his unit when a bomb ripped through the building they were in, but I got the feeling there was a lot to talk about eventually. Because my brother didn’t only look at me like a man who’d been to war,
he looked at me like a man who’d lost his heart. Something had happened over there and one day he would tell me.
When he was ready.
It made me realize just how lucky I was and to not take a moment of it for granted.
I smiled as I listened to my queen chatting to our princess in the next room.
A few minutes later my beautiful woman appeared with her very own mini-me at the end of our bed. Dressed in a white onesie with bumblebees all over it, my daughter looked too adorable for words. Her sweet little face broke into a smile when she saw me, and she stretched her arms out for me.
Yeah, she was Daddy’s girl, alright. And I loved it.
I cradled her in my arms as Honey sat on the edge of the bed. That was when I noticed the piece of paper in her hand.
I gestured to it with a nod. “What is it?”
Honey grinned. “Caleb Calley . . . ” She handed me the picture. “. . . meet your son.”
I looked down at the black and white image between my fingers, then looked back up at Honey. “This is a sonogram.”
“Yes, it is. A sonogram of your son.”
It took a few seconds to register.
Honey was pregnant?
“Since when?”
She settled herself onto the bed and tucked her legs under her. “Since I went to the doctor yesterday. I had my suspicions. I mean, my boobs have been tender and I suddenly can’t stand the thought of tomatoes.”
I studied the black and white image of our baby, and a tide of emotion welled up inside of me. Ruby cooed in my arms, and I looked down at her. Was it possible one man could have so much luck?
“We’re having a son?”
“In approximately six months and two weeks. Yes, we are.”
She grinned, and in my chest a wave of happiness crashed against my heart.
“A son,” I breathed out.
But one look at my beautiful queen and I knew that wasn’t the only thing she had to tell me.
“What are you up to?” I eyed her suspiciously.
With a mischievous grin, she leaned in and pointed to the sonogram.
“See this?” she asked.
What I saw was a faint smudge amongst a blur of grey and black tones.