No. You can’t do either. Not yet.
They’d arranged things with Julianna’s doctor so that he and Drake could be in the delivery room and watch their child enter the world. A whole new wave of panic consumed Trevor as the fear of passing out, face first and onto the floor, roared through his head.
Forty-four anxious minutes later, Julianna sat in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV and several monitors. Mika sat next to her, smiling and talking in soft, soothing tones, while Trevor held Drake’s hand in a death grip as the two sat on an unforgiving leather couch beside her bed.
Nurses buzzed in and out of the room like bees, drawing Julianna’s blood and taking her temperature and blood pressure. Trevor was getting dizzy simply watching all the comings and goings. At one point, Mistress Sammie popped in briefly to give hugs and kisses all around.
“The waiting room is full again. We’re all anxious for the little one to make an appearance.” Sammie grinned excitedly. “Everyone sends their love and wishes for a quick and easy delivery.”
Before she left, she squeezed Trevor tight, kissed his cheek, and bent in close to his ear. “Don’t look so terrified, sweet boy. We women aren’t really the weaker sex. We’re a lot tougher than you think. We’ve been bringing babies into the world for eons. Everything is going to go just fine. Soon you’ll have a bundle of joy all your own, so for fuck’s sake…smile.”
Trevor had a soft spot for the powerful, petite Domme. She had a huge heart and was more a mother to the subs than Dominant. But at the same time, he knew, when provoked, she could be as wicked and evil as Drake. He flashed her a smile and nodded as she hurried out of the room.
The minutes passed like hours. The electric-charged energy in the room settled to a humming undercurrent of anticipation. As the labor pains grew closer together and increasingly more painful, so did Julianna’s huffs and puffs. Once again the energy around them amped up.
Julianna’s eyes narrowed as she pinned both him and Drake with a hateful glare. “If you want this kid to have a sibling, you’re going to have to find another surrogate. I’m not doing this shit again…for anyone.” She snapped her head toward Mika and sent him a scathing smile. “That goes for you too, mister.”
Trevor blinked. He’d seen Julianna pissed before, but he’d never witnessed this side of his sweet sub sister. He swallowed tightly and wondered if before this was all over he’d see her head spin completely around and green shit come spewing out of her mouth.
Mika simply brushed back her sweat-soaked hair and gently kissed her forehead. “Yes, you will, sweetheart. Just not anytime soon.”
“The fuck I will,” she railed.
“Jesus,” Drake mumbled under his breath. He squeezed Trevor’s hand and covered his crotch with the other. “Mika wasn’t shitting.”
Trevor bit back a grin. “Is there anything I can do for you, Julianna?”
“Unless you can reach inside my cunt and yank this baby out…no!”
“Where’s the gloves, sister? I’ll get that baby out of you.” He flashed her a crooked smile as he stood and eased in close—but wary of her, all the same. “Do you have any idea how much I love you? Love you for going through all this pain and torture for Drake and me? I’m not worthy of this sacrifice. I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you, my precious friend.”
Tears scalded his eyes, but he blinked them back.
Julianna’s features softened. She reached up and cupped his cheek. “You are worthy, Trev. You’ve always been worthy of happiness and love. There have been fuckers who’ve tried to steal that from you, but every one of them failed. Your spirit is too bright. Too alive. No one will fill this baby’s life with more love than you and Drake.”
A tear trickled down her cheek as she sent him a quivering smile. Trevor leaned down and kissed her tenderly while his own tears fell.
Suddenly Julianna sank her fingernails into his back with a hiss. Trevor let out a yelp and tried to jerk away but only succeeded in setting her claws in deeper.
“Fuck!” he cried. “What is wrong with—”
“Mika!” Julianna screamed. “I need to push!”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Okay, baby. Pant,” Mika calmly instructed. But when he turned his focus on Trevor, there was an edge to his voice. “Push the call button for the nurse.”
Before he could follow through with that request, Drake had moved in behind him and was dislodging Julianna’s fingernails from his back.
Trevor hit the button, and within seconds, all hell broke loose. Drake led him to a quiet corner of the room. Trevor stood with his lover’s strong arms wrapped around his waist and his rugged body pressed up against his back. They watched the controlled chaos take form.
He knew by the numerous kisses Drake pressed to his head and temple that the man was equally nervous and excited. Still, watching the pain Julianna was enduring nearly ripped Trevor’s heart to shreds. Yes, he knew they called it labor for a reason, but he’d had no idea the level of excruciating agony childbirth involved.
“Push, baby. Push down hard,” Mika coached as he gripped her hand.
“Fuck you. I am!” Julianna screamed.
Mika didn’t even flinch. He simply smirked and cooed soft words of encouragement to his girl. There was no trace of the Master/slave dynamic visible in the room. It made the sacrifice and gift the two were giving them all the more special.
It was only seconds later when a cry of life filled the room. It was the sweetest sound Trevor had ever heard.
“It’s a girl!” the doctor announced with a wide smile.
Trevor’s heart swelled until he thought it would explode, and a sob of unadulterated joy launched from his throat.
“A girl… Oh, my god.” Drake’s voice quivered.
In tandem, they both lifted to their toes, trying to peer over the shoulder of the nurse who was wiping off the wiggling, purple-skinned baby. Seconds later, she wrapped the infant in a fresh blanket and placed her in Julianna’s arms.
“Look at her,” she gushed. “Such long fingers and all that blond hair.”
“She’s beautiful,” Mika whispered in awe. He raised his head. Tears filled his eyes. “Are you ready to meet your daughter?”
“Daddy,” Trevor whimpered. Clutching the man’s hand, he wasn’t at all certain his feet could move.
“Yes,” Drake choked out on a ragged voice as he quickly wiped his eyes. “We are.”
Still clutching him tightly, Drake led him across the room to Julianna’s side. Mika stepped back, allowing them to ease in closer still.
Tears filled her eyes as she gently kissed the red bow of the tiny girl’s mouth.
“Hope Elizabeth Abrams.” She whispered the name Drake and Trevor had chosen for a girl. “Meet your amazing and incredible daddies, sweetheart.” Julianna’s voice wobbled and cracked. “They’re going to give you the most beautiful life in the whole world, sweet girl.”
Tears spilled down all four of their cheeks as Julianna lifted the baby into Trevor’s arms. He sank down onto the bed beside her. Stunned. Speechless. He ever so gently caressed the tips of his fingers over her perfectly smooth, porcelain pink skin.
“Hope. Oh, my sweet, beautiful, Hope. I love you, baby girl. I’ll always love you, forever and a day,” he whispered reverently.
Lifting his head, he peeked up at Drake. He and Mika had their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders as tears poured down their cheeks. Trevor had never seen Mika cry. He’d only seen Drake cry once, the night he’d rushed to Trevor’s side in the ER. But these were different tears. They were tears of joy and faith and blissful happiness that words could not describe.
As he cradled Hope in one arm, the warmth of her tiny body sent a searing wave of love to crest through him. Trevor reached up and threaded his fingers through Drake’s. He sniffed a couple times and cleared his throat. “What do you think, Master. Should we keep her?”
Julianna snorted on a sob. “She’s not going back the way
she came. I guarantee it.”
Through his tears, Drake’s mouth split in a wide grin. Love and light danced in his eyes. Trevor had never seen him look prouder or happier.
“Definitely, my love. We are keeping our precious Hope. Keeping her safe, healthy, happy, and will spoil her rotten with all the love in our hearts. Forever and a day, no matter what.”
~Eight weeks later~
The mid October sun shined brightly. While the wind rippled through the trees and cast shadows to dance on the sidewalk, an unseasonably warm and satisfying breeze blew in off the lake. Families, joggers, and several people walking their dogs had congregated in the park to enjoy the beautiful day.
With a contented smile, Drake pushed Hope in her fancy pink stroller while Trevor, Julianna, Mika, and Tristan walked alongside him. He held his head high, chest puffed out in pride, while he pushed his daughter, cracking a grin now and then when her gurgles and squeals tickled his ears.
It had been a shocking lifestyle change when he and Trevor first brought their daughter home. Sleep was but a distant memory the first few days until they’d devised a plan. Each took alternating nights to change, feed, and rock their precious daughter. And while those nights had been long and tiresome, they’d actually been a blessing in disguise. Both he and Trevor had time to bond with Hope. Even now, the more quiet time he spent alone with their daughter, the more she wrapped him around her tiny little finger.
But sleep hadn’t been the only hardship they’d endured. Julianna struggled with an exacerbated bout of postpartum depression. They’d spent numerous days and nights with the other couple, giving the girl as much time as she needed alone with her biological daughter. Tony had been a godsend once again. It only took a few weeks for Julianna to realize that she’d always be a part of Hope’s life. It was then that she was finally able to release her maternal hold.
“Me want ice cream,” Tristan cried when he spied the vendor far away in the distance.
Drake parked the stroller beneath a big oak tree and cocked a brow Trevor’s way. “I suppose you want some too, boy?”
“Nah, I’m all right. I’ll just lick yours,” he replied with a sassy smile.
“Darn right you will,” Drake growled mischievously.
“You all go on,” Trevor said with a wave of his hand. “I’ll stay here with Hope and let her wiggle her toes in the grass.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He nodded as thoughts of his slave licking more than an ice cream cone danced in his head. Drake gripped his lover’s hair and planted a kiss of promise on his lips. “We’ll be back in a few.”
“Take your time,” Trevor replied breathlessly before bending to lift Hope from the stroller.
Mika scooped Tristan off the ground and hoisted him onto his shoulders while Julianna slung an arm around Drake’s waist. Then the four of them sauntered toward the ice cream vendor.
“Trevor looks so happy…all the time now.” She smiled.
Drake’s whole body filled with warmth and pride. “He’s even mouthier than he used to be. I’ll definitely take that over the other, any day. It’s because of you, Mika, and Hope. You know that, right?”
Julianna simply smiled. “It was a small price to pay, Moses. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
“Uh-uh. You said never again.”
“I was in labor. I say a lot of shi—stuff when I’m in labor.”
“So I noticed.” He chuckled.
When they reached the vendor, Tristan couldn’t make up his mind. He wanted all the flavors, but after careful consideration and some mad negotiating skills on Mika’s part, the tike finally settled for chocolate chip. As they turned to make their way back down the walkway, Drake’s heart leapt to his throat.
He could see Trevor clutching Hope to his chest. His eyes were wide with fear as two men sneered at him, jutting in and out of his lover’s personal space.
“Shit!” he spat as he tossed his ice cream cone aside and began to run.
Julianna gripped Drake’s arm. “Wait.”
“Wait for what?” he barked. “For them to hurt Trevor and Hope?”
“No. I mean wait to see if he needs your help.”
“Of course he does!”
“Moses! If you go tearing in there, you’re going to kill those guys.”
“So?”
“So. You can’t do that in front of all these people. This could easily mess Trevor up again. You need to let him try to protect himself and Hope. If you don’t…we might lose him again.” She sent him a pleading stare. “He’s got a mother’s instinct. I can tell by the way he is with Hope. See it in his face…hear it in his voice. He’s not going to let anything happen to her or himself. Sanna’s made sure of that.”
“Jesus,” Drake groaned.
Walking at a fast clip, he slowed a few hundred yards from Trevor and Hope. Watching every minute detail like a lion stalks its prey.
#
Trevor’s heart hammered in his chest. The air in his lungs felt as if it were cement. Visions of that night in the alley came roaring back in a sick, black sludge of terror.
“Where’d you steal that baby from, queer?” the man with the yellow teeth and greasy hair taunted.
“I didn’t steal her. I adopted her.” He held Hope tightly to his chest as his gut turned to liquid.
“Adopted? You mean they actually let faggots adopt kids these days?” the other man with the ruddy complexion scoffed. “This country is going to hell. Goddamn dirty, sinning politicians.”
“You gonna raise her to be a lesbo or something?” Yellow Teeth jeered.
“Hey now, nothing wrong with lesbos. I kinda like watching them,” his ugly friend snorted.
“Go away. Leave me and my daughter alone,” Trevor demanded in an arctic tone.
“Aw, what’s a matter, Tinkerbell? You don’t like real men?”
“Nope, he only likes butt pirates.”
Yellow Teeth leaned in and extended his finger toward Hope’s face. “Gitchee-Gitchee-Goo.”
“Take your fucking hands off my daughter.” Trevor’s voice shook with fury.
The man pinned him with a hard, menacing glare. “Whatcha gonna do if I don’t, fairy boy?”
Trevor clenched his jaw. Keeping his eyes on both men, he gently laid Hope back inside her stroller. She whimpered as if she were going to start wailing but settled quietly instead.
“You need to leave. Now,” Trevor instructed.
The ugly man laughed, the sound a sick, evil giggle. Trevor’s skin crawled and his anger spiked. He’d struggled too hard and come too far to let these ass maggots hurt him and throw him back into that caustic hell he’d crawled out of.
Suddenly, Yellow Teeth drew back his arm. Trevor saw the punch coming straight for his face. Without even thinking, he blocked the blow with his forearm. Twisting, he brought up his leg and landed a kick to the fucker’s head. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud and didn’t move.
Shock ricocheted through him as a blast of pride and elation exploded. Thank you, Sanna, he inwardly cheered as he turned to face the other obnoxious homophobic prick.
“What the fuck did you do that for, queer?” the ugly man spat. His nostrils flared, and he lunged toward Trevor like a charging bull.
He didn’t even try to sidestep the asshole. Instead he curled his fingers and straightened his elbow, catching the idiot under the nose with the base of his palm. Trevor felt and heard the cartilage crumble as the bastard let out a howl of pain. Blood gushed from his nose as he bent and began to cry. Yellow Teeth sat up, dazed and confused. When he saw his partner in crime, his eyes grew wide and a look of fear slashed his features.
“Come on, man. Let’s get the fuck out of here. That ass-bitch is crazy.”
“I warned you…you stupid sons of bitches!” Trevor yelled, unable to wipe the grin off his face.
As the two men ran away, he started to giggle as he thrust a fist pump high into the air.
“Yes! Oh, hell yes!” Trevo
r cheered.
Suddenly Drake and the others rushed toward him.
“Daddy! Did you see that? Did you see—”
“Hell yes. I saw everything, my love.” Drake wrapped him in a tight bear hug. He pulled away only enough to plant a long, hard kiss to his lips.
“You kicked their asssss—behinds.” Mika laughed.
Hope began to fuss, but Julianna hurried to the stroller and lifted her into her arms to quiet their daughter.
“You were amazing, sweetheart. I’m so damn proud of you!” She beamed.
“I’m proud of me, too.” Trevor preened. “God. That was a rush. I talked to Sanna about maybe getting a gun and taking lessons but…oh, my god. I don’t need a gun.”
“No, you don’t, Rambo,” Drake drawled with a carnal grin. “Let’s go home and put Hope down for her nap. Then you can play with Daddy’s big, hard gun.”
“Will you tie me up?” Trevor whispered with a coy smile. Slithering against his lover’s chest, he closed his eyes and inhaled Drake’s arousing scent.
“Yes, but you’re already bound to me for all eternity, sweet slave.” Drake sent him a hungry stare that set Trevor’s soul on fire.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bestselling author Jenna Jacob paints a canvas of passion, romance, and humor as her Alpha men and the feisty women who love them unravel their souls, heal their scars, and find a happy-ever-after kind of love. Heart-tugging, captivating, and steamy, Jenna’s books will surely leave you breathless and craving more.
A mom of four grown children, Jenna and her Alpha-hunk husband live in Kansas. She loves books, Harleys, music, and camping. Her zany sense of humor and lack of filter exemplify her motto: Live. Laugh. Love.
Meet her wild and wicked family in her sultry series: The Doms of Genesis. Or become spellbound by the searing love connection between Raine, Hammer, and Liam in her continuing saga: The Doms of Her Life (co-written with the amazing Shayla Black and Isabella La Pearl). Journey with couples struggling to resolve their pasts and heal their scars to discover unbridled love and devotion in Jenna’s contemporary series: Passionate Hearts.
Bound To Surrender BN Page 13