Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
He brushed his lips to my forehead after he pushed open the door, walking out into the sunlight. “I know, but breathe. Not breathing is going to make it hurt more,” he reminded me.
Caiden somehow speed-walked to his car without jarring me, and as soon as I was in the passenger seat of his still-running car, Christian’s voice came through the speakers. I sobbed with relief.
“My moon, I need you to breathe,” he calmly stated. “I’m on my way to the hospital. I’ll be there when you guys get there, okay? Just breathe, beautiful.”
Caiden grabbed my hand in his and brought it up to his lips, holding it there as he pulled out into traffic, heading to the hospital. “I’m not ready for this,” I whimpered.
Caiden softly laughed. “Baby, it’s a little late to say that.” I wrapped my arm around my belly when it began to tighten again. “Just keep breathing, baby. We’re almost there,” he assured me.
When we got to the hospital, Christian was waiting outside of the emergency room doors for us, and Julian was there beside him. Caiden slid out of the car, and Julian immediately took his place in the driver’s seat, most likely to go park it for him.
Christian reached in and slid his arms beneath me, gently lifting me from the car. “You’re doing so fucking good, my moon,” he praised. I gave him a watery smile. Both of my men smiled back at me. “There you go. Keep smiling, beautiful. It’s going to be okay.”
“It hurts so bad,” I croaked.
Caiden grabbed my hand in his, walking beside us as Christian carried me into the emergency room. “I know, baby. Just breathe and remember that all of this pain is going to be worth it in the end.”
Caiden pulled my wallet out of his back pocket once we got up to the desk and slid the receptionist my ID. “She’s in active labor,” he told her. “Contractions are about a minute and a half apart. They started abruptly. She’s forty weeks and three days pregnant.”
I gaped at him. “How do you memorize all of that?” I asked him, breathing a little bit easier now that my contraction had passed for a moment.
“Military training, babe,” he told me with a cheeky grin. He grabbed my ID back and quickly filled out the form as a nurse brought over a wheelchair to take me up to the labor and delivery floor.
“Oh, God,” I cried as soon as I was sitting in the chair, another contraction tightening my belly. Christian grabbed my hand in his, allowing me to squeeze as Caiden quickly filled out my HIPAA paperwork.
“Is it supposed to hurt this bad?” I wheezed.
“Labor pains are different for every woman,” Christian gently reminded me. “Breathe, baby. You’re not breathing.”
Tears slid down my cheeks. “It hurts,” I whined.
“I know.” He held up my wrist so Caiden could put the plastic identification bracelet on me. Once that was on, I was wheeled to the elevator, Christian still continuing to hold my hand.
As soon as I was placed into a room, the nurse gave me privacy to get changed into the hospital gown. Christian and Caiden both set to work on getting me undressed. I was sweating by that point, the pain almost unbearable. Both of my men kept reminding me to breathe and to just count back from one hundred through the contractions since it made me focus more on counting than the pain.
It somewhat worked, but fuck, it still hurt like a bitch.
Christian and Caiden were standing on either side of me when the nurse began to check my cervix. I gritted my teeth, clenching their hands, trying to force myself to breathe.
“Hun, you didn’t notice any labor contractions before a little while ago?” the nurse asked me. She was trying to hide the alarm in her voice, but I could still hear it, and I was doing my best not to freak out with her. What was going on?
“No,” I gasped out.
“You’re ten centimeters dilated, honey,” she informed me. What? “But I need to get the midwife. Your baby is breeched.”
“What?” I asked, momentarily forgetting the pain. My heart thumped crazily in my chest. “That’s not possible. She was head down at my last appointment.”
“I don’t know how she turned, honey, but she’s definitely breeched. Just hang tight.”
Tears poured down my face. “What’s going to happen?” I cried.
“Easy, baby,” Caiden told me, his voice hard and firm. “Panicking isn’t going to do anything but raise your blood pressure, which is bad for the baby. You need to stay calm.”
“But—”
“Breathe,” he snapped, his harsh tone grounding me. Christian only squeezed my hand in his, pressing soft kisses to my fingers. “You need to breathe, baby. Focus on me and just breathe. We’re going to get through this, and you’ll still give birth to a very healthy baby girl.”