23. Lennon
LENNON
No matter what happens, it was worth it.
Loving you. Being yours. Every second of it was worth it.
—Lennon’s Secret Thoughts
“Y ou know...” I sip my tea and tilt my head, trying to get a glance around the corner of the man currently standing in my kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee. “I thought once Grandfather ordered Maria back to Mornea, maybe we could do without bodyguards for a while.”
After all these years together, it would be hard not to miss Maria. She always made it a point to keep things professional, but she was my friend, even if she didn’t want to admit it.
Maddox looks down at me as he slides on his coat. “You can look cute and pouty all you want, but it’s not going to change anything. You need bodyguards, tesoro .” He drops a kiss on my lips and another on my gigantic beach ball of a bump. “You both do.”
I hate knowing he’s right.
Maybe one day, people will lose interest, but since news broke of our wedding and my pregnancy, interest has only grown. Grandfather lost his mind. My father publicly disowned me. Monty has laid so low, I’m pretty sure he’s hiding on a private island somewhere, drinking himself into a stupor as he tries to understand how he didn’t get his way for the first time ever. And my brothers... I feel terrible for Atticus and Rhys because they’ve had to say no comment so often, it should be tattooed on their foreheads.
Grandfather is still deciding how to deal with me, so nothing has officially been done yet, but I expect my title to be revoked any day now. To be honest, I’m shocked it hasn’t already happened. Not because he wants to, but because he has too.
“Besides, Ajax is family. He’ll keep his distance, but he’ll also keep you safe when I can’t.” He sits down next to me and lays his arm behind my neck, and even knowing he has to leave, I can’t help the warmth and peace I soak in.
I know we’re still in a honeymoon phase, but if it’s possible, real life is even better than our honeymoon was. And we had the most incredible, relaxing, sex-filled week that I didn’t even want to come home.
Screw reality.
I’d rather we’d have stayed in the fantasy for a little bit longer.
“Fine... What did you think of the names I left for you to look at last night?” I ask and burrow deeper under the warm, cashmere blanket I pulled from the back of our couch. The new one. Not the bachelor one that had definitely seen more than its fair share of life over the years, judging by the condition it was in. “I tried to stay up but lost the fight sometime around ten.”
“I’m sorry. There have just been so many last-minute things to get done for il leone’s grand opening party tonight. I’m not even sure what time I got home.”
I close my eyes and lean my head against his chest. “I know. I wasn’t mad. Just curious about your thoughts. We’ve got a month left and no name. It’s starting to stress me out,” I tell him and try to get comfortable. Something that’s getting harder every day.
“I liked Luke,” he says, matter-of-factly as he steals a piece of the donut he’d given me earlier, and I may or may not growl in response.
Maddox lifts a brow, clearly amused.
“What?” I ask innocently. “I’m eating for two.”
“I fucking love you.” He kisses me again and rises. “The car will be here to pick you up at six-thirty. It’s getting Callen and Caitlin, then heading here. I’ll see you at il leone. Call me if you need anything.”
I grab his face and pull it back down to mine. “I am so proud of you. Tonight is going to be amazing.”
“Ajax,” he calls out, and my new bodyguard, one of the many on the team, rounds the corner.
“Yeah, Madman?”
“Don’t let her out of your sight. Not now. And not tonight.” He kisses me one more time and breaks off another piece of donut. “You hear me?”
“You’re crazy. I’m not even going anywhere until the car shows up tonight,” I tell him and grab the rest of the donut before he can. With each week that’s passed, it’s like his worry has grown, and I’m not sure what I can do to give him peace of mind.
“I’ll see you tonight, principessa .”
* * *
“L ennon...” Caitlin calls out as she and Callen let themselves into the house, and my eyes fly to the clock.
Shit. It’s already six-thirty.
“I’m upstairs. But Callen can’t come up. I’m not dressed,” I holler down and walk into my closet, staring at the gorgeous navy-blue gown I’m supposed to wear for il leone’s opening. Thank you, Everly Wilder. My new best friend. The fact she can somehow make me feel like anything less than a killer whale is amazing at this point in my pregnancy.
“Where are you hiding, Lennon?” Caitlin asks as she walks into my room, and I giggle and push the closet door wide open and stand sideways in all my huge pregnant glory.
“Pretty sure there’s no hiding this.” I run my hand over my stomach, and my beautiful sister-in-law smiles wide. “Listen, even nine million months pregnant, you’re still hot. Now get your dress on and let’s go before my big brother has a stroke, wondering why you’re not there yet.”
I wince as the baby kicks right up into my ribs.
I can’t even take a deep breath anymore.
He’s taking up all the space.
And don’t even get me started on how much I pee...
“Fine. Can you help strap me into this thing?” I grab the gown on the hanger and give it to her while I hold the massive island in the center of my closet for balance.
“Ummm...” She looks at her own floor-length, tight gown and laughs before yelling, “Callen... Come up here, but close your eyes.”
“How the fuck am I supposed to do that?” he yells back.
She scrunches up her nose and mouths sorry . “Carefully, sweetie. We need your help, and I can’t bend down.”
“Caitlin—I’m in a thong and a strapless bra. Your brother is going to kill me, and you and I don’t even want to think about what he’s going to do to poor Callen.”
“I second the poor Callen thing,” the man in question groans from outside the closet. “My eyes are firmly closed, ladies. Now what the hell am I supposed to do?”
“Oh my God. This is ridiculous.” I take the dress from Caitlin’s hands and try to bend over to step into it but can’t. I look at Caitlin and know if she squats down, she’s going to rip her dress. Fuck me. “Callen, open your eyes.”
“Nope. Not a fucking chance, princess.”
“Callen,” Caitlin patronizes her husband. “You won’t be looking at her boobs. I promise. Just squat down and hold the dress for Lennon to step in, then pull it up.”
“Why can’t she put it on over her head?” he asks, but it honestly sounds more like a child whining. It’s actually pretty funny until I look at the time.
“Oh, good grief. I used to change backstage in front of dozens of people. It’s tits and ass and a belly the size of a gigantic beach ball. There’s nothing pretty about it. Just open your eyes and man up, Sinclair,” I put my foot down and wait.
“Damn, you’re kinda mean,” he tells me, shocked as he cracks open one eye but leaves the other closed as he takes the dress from Caitlin—who’s smiling from ear to ear—and squats down.
“I know, right? Kinda hot, isn’t it?” she teases him, and he groans while I laugh.
“Don’t make me laugh. I’ll have to pee again,” I whine.
“Christ, I’m not one of the girls. I don’t need to know this shit,” Callen bitches as Caitlin holds my hand, and I step into the dress. “Bad enough I’m doing this. Maddox will want to kill me... again .”
Caitlin’s eyes sparkle with mischief as I shake my head because he’s right. Maddox will want to kill him. “Pull the dress up, honey, and I’ll suck your dick later.”
“Promise?” he asks with a ridiculous amount of excitement.
She nods, and he pulls the dress up with his one partially opened eye, looking at her until she moves him out of the way and takes it from him, tying the long blue silk around my neck and situating it over my shoulder and down my back. “Perfect. Now where are your shoes?”
I point to the shelf, and Caitlin laughs. “Oh, Callen...”
The things we do for love.
* * *
“W hat is with this traffic?” Caitlin grumbles as we sit at a standstill at least a ten-minute’s walk from il leone, and there’s no way I’m walking ten minutes in these shoes. “It’s a Thursday night. What the hell is going on?”
“Relax, Cait.” Callen checks his phone, then looks at his wife. “We’re almost there.”
I move awkwardly, trying to stretch out in the limo, and shove my hand into my side, trying to get the baby to move off whatever nerve he’s sitting on. “Were you this uncomfortable a month out from your due date?”
“I had Anastasia a month before my due date. But I had all kinds of complications. So don’t go by me,” she drops that like it wasn’t a massive bomb.
“What?” I ask as a cramp hits me hard and sharp, and I grab her arm and squeeze.
“Shit, Lennon.” She gives me her hand, and I unclench my nails. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure,” I tell her as the pain lingers for a few moments, then passes. “It didn’t feel like a kick.”
“You okay, princess?” Callen looks between the two of us with concern.
He’s one of the few people in the world besides my husband who thinks it’s fun to call me that, and from him, it’s almost sweet. It’s not like he’s using it as my title. More like I’ve been accepted into an elite club. Their whole group of friends seems to have nicknames for each other. More so than any of us ever used growing up.
My chest tightens, and pain shoots straight down my back.
“Callen... Tell them to take us to the hospital and call Kenzie,” Cait says calmly.
I’m about to tell her I don’t think I have to go to the hospital when that first strike of back pain is followed by another. This one worse than the last. “Call Maddox...”
* * *
Maddox
“Y ou really did it,” Grace slides in next to me and throws her arms around my neck. “I’m so proud of you, Madman. This place is amazing.”
Her husband, Ares, clears his throat, and she rolls her pretty eyes.
“Relax, god of war,” she kisses my cheek and rests her head on my shoulder. “He’s married.”
Ares wraps an arm around his wife’s hip and pulls her to him. “So are you, woman.”
“Put your dick away, sweetie. No need to pee on me. I’ve pushed five of your babies from my body. I’m pretty sure the world knows I’m yours.”
That seems to make him happy enough to smile. “Yeah well, just making sure Beneventi doesn’t get any ideas.”
“Where’s Lennon?” Grace asks, sighing like she’s trying to ignore her husband. “I haven’t seen her.”
That’s a good question...
“Madman,” Maverick interrupts us with his fiancé, Emmie, at his side. “Fucking fantastic food.” He holds up a Wagyu meatball and pops it into his mouth. “It actually melts in your mouth.”
“Oh my goodness, try chewing with your mouth closed, Mav.” Emmie’s eyes narrow, and her face pinches as she hands him a napkin. “Thanks for having us.”
“Thanks for coming.” I smile, distracted as my phone vibrates in my pocket. “Excuse me.”
I pull my phone from my pocket but get interrupted before I can answer. That seems to be a theme too. By the time I finally get a chance to look at my phone, I’ve missed eleven calls from Callen. I hit redial and walk outside as Rome grabs my shoulder. “Hey. Give me a minute?—”
Rome shakes his head, clearly upset. “No can do, Madman. We gotta go. Callen has been trying to reach you. The baby is coming.”
“What?” I ask, sure I misheard him. “ What ?”
“Your wife is in labor.”
I stand, shocked, before my adrenaline kicks. “Shit. I need my keys.”
Tires squeal as my Escalade rounds the corner.
“Nah... Lucky’s got it. Let’s go.” Rome opens the front door for me, just as Lucky stops in the valet lane and waits for me to get in before he climbs in the back. “Pedal to the metal, little brother. We’ve got a new Beneventi prince to meet.”
My heart sinks, and I call Callen’s number.
“Maddox...” Lennon whimpers back. “Are you here?”
“No, baby. I just got the message. I’m on my way right now. Lucky’s about to pull onto the fucking sidewalk to get around this traffic.” I glare at my brother as we sit stuck behind a row of cars and cover the phone. “Fucking move, man. Get us there.”
His smile is feral as he does just that and hops the curb.
I don’t give a shit what kind of trouble we get in for this.
I’ll get us out.
“How are you doing, principessa ? What happened?”
“I’m so sorry. I thought it was just cramps, but it turns out, the back pain was actually labor. The baby is facing the wrong way. Kenzie’s monitoring me. She’s going to try to flip the baby.” Emotion wraps around every word she says, and I wonder if running the thirty blocks to the hospital would be faster.
“Which hospital?” I ask, but Lucky answers.
“She’s not that far.”
“We were almost to you when my water broke.” Her voice cracks.
“Lennon—”
“Hey, man,” Callen’s voice answers. “She’s having a contraction...” The phone sounds like it’s moved away from his face as I hear a muffled yeah, okay . “Hey, Kenzie says don’t do anything stupid to get here. You’ve got time. But this kid is coming. Leave it to a Beneventi to be impatient and want to do things on their own damn schedule. Due date be damned.”
I swallow down my rising fear. “Don’t leave her alone, man. Is Caitlin with you?”
“She’s holding Lennon’s hand.” He gives me a little relief. “We’re not going anywhere. We’ve got your girl until you get here.”
“I owe you.” I blow out on a deep exhale.
“Callen Beneventi sounds good,” he tells me dryly.
I hear my sister laugh in the background. “You can take my last name any time you want.”
“Shit,” Lucky yells as we swerve around an open driver’s side door.
“I’ll be there in ten more minutes,” I tell him before I hear Lennon scream in the background.
Fuck.