The Ramsey Doms

by Mardi Maxwell

  Addison sighed, then perched on the edge of the bed. “Okay, we need to talk about this. I know you’re still upset that he just popped up out of the blue. You don’t have to love him, but you have to feel something for him.”

  “Why?”

  “Let’s put aside the fact that he’s your dad and just look at what he’s done to keep you and your brothers safe.”

  “He could have done that from here.”

  “Really? So he should have come home and let Mendez know he was alive so he and his men could come after you and your brothers? How do you see that turning out?” Addison got up and paced the room. “You know what I think? I think that if he’d done that your life would have been a lot different.”

  She turned to face him. “No running wild with your brothers because you would have had to watch out for Mendez. Or maybe Mendez would have only got one or two of you? How about that? Maybe Luc and Logan? Wonder what he would have done with them?” She opened a bedside table and sorted through the items. Several items flew toward the pile by the dresser while she shoved the rest back into the drawer and slammed it shut.

  Cade watched her while she went through another drawer. “Okay, you’ve made your point.”

  “You have to at least respect him for staying away. Can you imagine how hard it would be to do that? Could you stay away from me and our children if it was the only way to keep us safe?” She sat down on the bed. “I want you to hold me now.”

  He sat down and lifted her onto his lap. “Tell me the truth. How bad are the contractions?”

  “Not too bad. Some hurt more than others. Walking helps.” She rested against him. “When they get worse, I’ll let you know. I just don’t want to go to the hospital and sit around there when I can be here. Okay?”

  He rubbed her back and felt her relax against him. “Then we’ll stay here until it’s time to go to the hospital.”

  “I love you, Cade.”

  “I know. I love you, too.”

  “Let’s go eat. I want to bake something,” Addison said.

  Cade went down the steps in front of her, prepared to catch her if she tripped. Once in the kitchen, he helped her onto a stool at the central island and Nate set a bowl of rich chicken broth in front of her. Addison ate several spoonfuls, then looked around and smiled. “It seems like we always end up in the kitchen together. Like a family.”

  “We are a family,” Jenna said.

  “I guess we are,” Addison said. “I want to make cookies.”

  “Okay,” Nate said. “Jenna and I will mix them and you can put them on the cookie sheets. What kind do you want?”

  “Peanut butter chocolate chip,” Addison said.

  “And apple pie,” Cade said. “I’ll peel and cut the apples.”

  “Nate, you make the pie dough,” Jenna said. “I’ll make the cookie dough.”

  Cassie and Ravyn walked in with Luc and Logan behind them. “We’re baking?” Cassie asked. “I thought Addison was in labor.”

  “I am, but I don’t have to go to the hospital for a while yet.” Addison slid off the stool and walked around the room. Cade shadowed her. After several minutes, she returned to her seat.

  Jenna set a bowl of cookie dough in front of her along with several baking sheets. “Twelve to a sheet.”

  They spent the next two hours baking and reminiscing about past holidays and meals they’d shared. Every now and then, Addison got up, walked around then sat down again. She insisted everyone take a turn walking with her as her contractions intensified. Finally, she leaned against Cade.

  “I think it’s time now,” she said.

  “Thank god. Jackson, get the truck.”

  “It’s waiting on the driveway with her suitcase in it.”

  “Nate, make sure the security team knows where we’re going. We’ll see you and Nymph at the hospital,” Cade said.

  “We’ll come with them, and we’ll bring Cassie and Ravyn with us,” Luc said.

  “I’ll send a message to Zane to meet us at the hospital,” Logan said.

  Jackson led the way from the room with Jenna beside him.

  Cade tried to pick Addison up, but she pushed his hands away. “No, I need to walk.”

  “Okay, but go slow,” Cade said.

  Once in the truck, Jackson sped toward Rendezvous.

  “Did anyone call Doc?” Addison asked, her voice going up on the last word.

  “Damn, forgot.” Cade pulled his cell phone from his pocket and made the call. “He’ll meet us there.”

  “What time is it?” Addison asked.

  “Two-thirty,” Cade said.

  Addison gasped, then held her belly and leaned forward. “Oh, that hurts.”

  “Breathe, Addison,” Cade said. “Like this.” He lifted her chin with his fingers until their eyes met, then inhaled and exhaled with her. When the contraction ended, he smiled. “Better?”

  “Yes.” She leaned against him. “What time is it?”

  “Two thirty-four,” Cade said.

  Just as they turned onto the street that would take them to the hospital, Addison groaned then began panting. Cade held her.

  “That one was bad,” Addison said. “What time is it?”

  “Two thirty-eight,” Cade said.

  “The contractions are four minutes apart now and they’re lasting longer,” Jenna said.

  The truck pulled up beneath the emergency room canopy. Cade opened the door, then lifted Addison out.

  “Cade, put me down.”

  “No.” He walked toward the entrance and the doors slid open. He carried her inside, then stopped. He wasn’t sure where to go. He’d never brought Addison to the hospital before when she hadn’t been injured and in need of emergency care. A nurse stood behind the nurses’ station. He recognized her but couldn’t remember her name. “My wife is in labor.”

  Addison smiled, then waved. “Hi, Janet. Cade, you remember Janet, don’t you? She was in the emergency room when I fell off Diablo.”

  “Hey, Addison,” Janet said. “So, it’s the big day?”

  “Yes, finally. Cade barely got home in time. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  The nurse glanced at Cade. “Yes, uh, wonderful.”

  The nurse lifted the handset and said, “Code Ramsey in the emergency room.” She hung up and tried to smile, then edged out from behind the nurses’ station.

  “I’ll get a wheelchair.”

  “She doesn’t need a wheelchair. She has me. Just tell me where to take her.”

  “It’s hospital policy,” Janet said.

  “We’re pre-registered,” Addison said, then smiled when Cade sent her a narrow-eyed look of inquiry.

  “When’d we do that?”

  “While you were in Colombia.”

  “I’m sorry, baby. I haven’t been around much lately.”

  Addison stroked her hand down his cheek. “Not your fault. Besides, I want to find Thor and Marisol as much as you do.”

  The nurse returned with a wheelchair and Cade stubbornly held onto Addison. “No.”

  The nurse shrugged, then pushed the empty chair toward a small glass window. “Addison is here.” She glanced at Cade. “With Cade.”

  They heard a small groan, then a trembling hand appeared holding a wristband and several papers. A disembodied voice said, “Give them this and send them to the third floor.”

  Janet took the wristband. “Hold out your wrist.” Addison did and Janet attached the band.

  Addison held it up. “Look! Just like at the club.” She gave him a flirty grin. “Want to spank my bottom?”

  Cade frowned, then shifted her and grabbed the papers from Janet, crumpling them in his hand. “Let’s go. Maybe some drugs will shut you up.”

  Janet hurried to the bank of elevators just as Jackson and Jenna walked in with Addison’s suitcase.

  “We got a good parking place,” Jenna said, looking pleased. “Right outside the door. It’s starting to rain.”

  “Oh, good, then we might ge
t a rainbow. That would be nice,” Addison said. “Did you bring the red ribbons?”

  Jenna pulled them from her purse and held them up. “Yes, I’ll make sure they get tied over the cribs.”

  “Did you move all the rocking chairs out of the house?” Addison asked.

  “Luc and Logan are going to do it before they come to the hospital. No evil spirits are going to take up residence on my watch,” Jenna said, and Jackson snorted.

  “Addison, you are not going to start in with all that Irish superstition,” Cade said.

  “Do you want the good people to cause mischief, Cade?” Addison asked, scandalized.

  “Good people? You mean fairies?” Cade growled. “There are no fairies, Addison.”

  “Now you’ve done it. You should never, ever call them that. Jenna, I need salt.” She snapped her fingers. “Now.” Addison held her hand out, palm up.

  Jenna pulled a shaker from her purse then shook some crystals onto Addison’s hand.

  “Just because you’ve never seen one doesn’t mean they don’t exist,” Addison told Cade before she tossed the salt on him.

  “You’re supposed to toss that at the devil,” Jenna said, then glanced at Cade, and she and Jackson laughed.

  Before Cade could retaliate, the elevator arrived and the doors slid open.

  Janet held them open. “Third floor. They’re waiting for you.” She stepped back and let the doors slide shut behind them.

  “Damn it, Addison, some of that salt went down my shirt. It itches.”

  “Better safe than sorry,” Addison said, then curled up and moaned. “I want to lay down now.”

  Cade held her closer. “Not yet, baby, soon.”

  The doors opened and Doc Marshall smiled at them. “It’s about time you got here. This way.” He waved his hand and led the way to a large room at the end of the hall. It was set up like a living room with a bed along one wall. “There’s a gown on the bed. We’ll step out while you help Addison change.”

  Doc, Jenna and Jackson left. Cade helped Addison undress and slip into the gown. He tied the back together, then kissed her nape and helped her onto the bed before he opened the door and motioned to them.

  “Doctor Hanley is on her way,” Doc said. “I told her I’d take care of Addison until she got here.”

  “Who’s that?” Cade asked.

  “She’s a specialist,” Doc said.

  “Why do we need a specialist?” Cade asked, his voice suspicious. “What’s going on?”

  Addison grabbed his hand and tugged him toward her. “It will be okay, Cade. Trust me.”

  “I do trust you but someone better tell me what the hell is going on. Now!”

  Doc patted Addison. “It’s just a precaution since Addison is having twins. Do you want to know the gender?”

  Addison nodded and glanced at Cade. He shrugged. “Might as well tell us.” Addison smiled.

  “Two girls.”

  “Oh, my, God! Addison, why can’t you ever do as you’re told? I said no twins and definitely no girls.” Cade rubbed his neck, paced away from the bed, then returned. “I can’t have daughters. I know too much about teenage boys and the things they do to teenage girls.” He wavered and Jackson shoved a chair behind him just in time for him to collapse into it. Doc examined Addison.

  Cade glared at him as if it was his fault and continued to rant. When he stood up and began pacing again and his words ran into one long sentence, Jackson left and returned with Nate. He pointed toward Cade. “He’s protected Addison almost all his life, but he can’t do anything for her now. Do something before he loses it completely and they have to dart him.”

  Nate hesitated, then walked over and wrapped his arms around Cade, forcing him to stop moving. “Son, everything will be okay. Addison will be fine and the baby—”

  “Babies. Twins. Daughters,” Addison said.

  Nate smiled. “The babies will be fine.”

  “I don’t know how to be a dad,” Cade said.

  “You’re going to be a wonderful father, Cade. The best,” Nate said.

  “Are you sure? I don’t know what to do with girls.”

  Addison snorted. “They’re just like boys, but smarter, and if we’re lucky, they’ll both be Dommes.” She saw the warning look Nate sent her and smiled. “Sorry,” she said, followed by, “Oh, oh, Cade.” His name was a wail.

  Nate squeezed Cade’s shoulder, then gave him a little shove in Addison’s direction. “Go. You’re both going to be fine. We’ll be in the waiting room if you need us.”

  “No,” Doc said. “Addison needs her family here now. You all get in here and distract her.”

  Nate smiled, then opened the door and called for the others to join them. They trooped in and gathered around Addison’s bed.

  Cade grabbed Addison’s hand. “Pant, baby. Remember how they showed you to breathe in the classes?”

  “Screw breathing! I want drugs, the good kind, and don’t let Doc be stingy. Make him give them to me, Cade.”

  “Addison, you made me promise not to give them to you unless I was sure you needed them,” Doc said. “I want you to walk around the room and keep talking. As long as you can talk, you can keep moving. It will make your labor easier. I’ll be back in a couple minutes to check on you and if you still want the drugs then I’ll give them to you. Okay?”

  Addison nodded and Cade pulled her up, swung her around until her legs hung over the side of the bed, then eased her to the floor. He supported her with an arm around her waist while he walked her around the room.

  “Oh.” Addison stopped and clutched Cade’s arm. “Breathe, breathe, breathe.”

  “Keep talking, baby. It will help,” Cade said.

  “Are you mad at me for not calling you and telling you that we’re having twins?”

  “No, it’s okay.” Cade breathed with her. “There’s just two, right? No more surprises?”

  “Yes, just the two of them.” Addison began walking again. “The second one was hiding behind the first one. That’s why we just found out, but Doctor Hanley suspected there was another one when she saw how big I was.”

  “When did you see her?”

  “While you were in Colombia looking for Thor. She said everything is fine and the babies are healthy.”

  “We didn’t talk about girls’ names.”

  “Do you have any names you like?”

  “I’ve always liked La—”

  Addison stopped and glared at him. “No names of ex-girlfriends.”

  Jenna laughed. “That narrows the selection.”

  “Just don’t give them names that start with the same initials,” Luc said. “I can’t have anything monogrammed because of Logan.” He looked at Nate. “Dude, what were you thinking? Luc Declan and Logan Donal? Were you drunk?”

  “I like those names,” Nate said. “I served with two guys named Luc and Logan and your middle names came from my great-uncles. They were twins and fierce fighters. Traveled all over the world digging for gems and looking for gold. Inseparable, like the two of you.”

  “Were they still alive when you named Luc and Logan?” Addison asked.

  “Yes, but barely,” Nate said.

  “Well, there you go. That explains why Luc and Logan are so odd. You should never name a baby after a relative who’s still alive. It’s bad luck.”

  Cade snorted, then looked at Nate. “So I know my middle name came from our great-grandfather. Where’d you get my first name?”

  “A guy I fought with,” Nate said.

  “Were we all named after guys you fought with?” Jackson asked.

  “Yes.” Nate shrugged. “Men I admired.”

  Addison started giggling. “I never realized until just now, but Cade’s initials spell ‘car.’ Cade Angus Ramsey.” She giggled again.

  Jenna laughed. “Jackson’s spell ‘jar.’ Jackson Aiden Ramsey.”

  Addison laughed then gasped. “Dang, dang, dang.”

  “They’re getting closer together and la
sting longer,” Luc said. “You want me and Logan to walk with her now, Cade?”

  “No, I’ve got her,” Cade said. “Keep talking.”

  “We have to decide on names,” Addison said. “It’s bad luck to be born without a name.”

  “You made that up,” Cassie said. “I couldn’t find any superstitions about names.”

  “It’s my own personal superstition.” Addison began to pant as the contraction grew in intensity.

  “Katherine,” Nate said. “You could name one of them after Katherine. She was a fine woman.”

  Cade smiled. “That would be nice. We could call her Katie.”

  Addison nodded. “Katherine Adelaide Ramsey.”

  Nate smiled. “My mother’s name? Really?”

  “Yes. Would you like that, Nate?” Addison asked.

  “Of course,” Nate said. “If Cade agrees.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Cade said. “One more to go.”

  “If you’re going to name one after Katherine, you should name the other one after Jake,” Nymph said. “How about Jacqueline?”

  “That sounds good,” Cade said. “Jacqueline Fiona Ramsey.”

  Addison smiled. “After my mother.”

  “Yes, and best of all, their initials don’t spell anything.” Cade hugged Addison. “Do you want to lie down now?”

  Addison shook her head. “Not yet. I want Jenna to walk with me.”

  Jenna took Cade’s place with Jackson trailing behind them.

  “Logan, Cassie and I are going to go get coffee for everyone,” Luc said.

  “I want a root beer,” Addison said. “With lots of ice.”

  Luc smiled. “Okay. We’ll be right back.”

  Jenna smiled at Addison. “While we walk, I’ll tell you a snippet of gossip I heard.”

  “You’ve been holding out on me. No fair.”

  “I knew you’d need something to keep you going, so I’ve been keeping it until now.”

  “Okay, you’re forgiven. Talk. No, wait.” Addison moaned, then cupped her belly in her arms and bent over. “Oh, oh, damn, that hurts.”

  “Breathe, Addison, like this,” Jenna said, then got her to inhale and exhale with her.

  “Oh, this one is really bad,” Addison said, her voice high-pitched.

  “Keep breathing,” Jenna said. “Can you talk?”