Chapter 64
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
“ H ow much longer we going to sit back and watch this crap and not do anything?” Moon complained to Shade and Viper as they all watched the live security monitor.
“Until we know who killed Pace.” Viper gestured toward the monitor. “The camera at the club shows he wasn’t there. They’ve been lying low. Shade and Reaper haven’t seen any evidence of him meeting any of The Last Riders away from the factory. So, how are they passing off what’s stolen?”
“I vote we ask the motherfucker.” Moon was pacing back and forth in the small booth. He wanted to quit wasting time and beat the information out of the thief.
Viper swiveled in the computer chair. “Whoever’s behind this is the ringleader. I don’t want the little peon. I want the head.”
“Between Cash and me, we can get—”
Moon broke off to mute his phone, but when he saw it was Kendra, he accepted the call. That bitch of a mother of hers wouldn’t call him if her life depended on him answering.
“Yes?”
“Larissa is in labor.”
A rush of fear bombarded at him. Staring at Viper and Shade, he blanked out for a moment, his mind going to all the terrible things that could happen if anything went wrong during the delivery.
“Moon?” Kendra’s voice came over the phone.
“Moon?” Viper asked, seeing his reaction.
“I’m on my way.” Feeling as if he had swallowed a frog, Moon disconnected the call.
“I need to leave. Larissa is in labor.”
Both men stared at him inquiringly when he made no move to leave.
Viper’s lips quirked into a smile. “Shade, perhaps you should drive him.”
Shade stood up to take one of the vehicle keys off the pegboard on the wall. “Let’s go. She already at the hospital?”
“No, she’s having the baby at home,” he croaked out. The event he had been looking forward to had taken on a nightmare quality.
“Brother, it’s going to be all right,” Viper sympathetically assured him.
Moon nodded, steely determination settling into his mind, clearing the fear that had struck him unexpectedly. “She will be … right after I drag her ass to the hospital.”
M oon rushed into the bedroom, only to find himself sprawled out face-first on a sheet of plastic. Stunned, he just lay there, trying to gather his scattered wits and pondering when his life had gotten so out of control.
When he raised his head, he was faced with a variety of expressions on the faces staring down at him.
Lana was standing by the end of the bed, looking at him in concern. “Are you all right?”
Apologies were written all over Priss’ face as she bent down, trying to help him up. “I was laying out the birthing pool. I was going to move it the side once I was able to find an electrical socket the cord could reach.”
While the other two were filled with concern over his fall, the wicked bitch from Bowling Green was making no effort to hide her amusement.
“You wouldn’t fall so much if you looked where you were walking,” she advised him with a smirk.
Ignoring Priss’ outstretched hand, Moon got to his feet. He shook his hair out of his face, then opened his mouth to give the bitch a piece of what was left of his mind when a low moan came from the bed. Feeling the color wash out of his face, he stumbled over a cord, barely managing to save himself. He sat down on the bed before he hurt himself further and kicked the cord away.
“Are you okay?”
She grinned at him. “I was going to ask you that question.”
Moon gave Kendra a thunderous expression. “Your family is trying to take me out, aren’t they?”
Larissa rolled her eyes at him. “You’re being ridiculous.”
Deciding not to argue the obvious, he took her hand. “How far apart are the contractions?”
“They’re are about ten minutes apart,” Lana answered from next to him. “She hasn’t gone into active labor yet.”
“Good.” Moon bent down to slide an arm underneath her shoulders, the other under her knees.
Larissa gave a startled scream when he started lifting her. “What are you doing?”
“We’re going to the hospital. My baby is going to be born there, like ninety-nine percent of the population.”
“Moon, put me down!” she shrieked at him. “I’m having the baby here.”
“Nope, you’re having the baby in the hospital,” he argued, fighting off the sudden dizziness assailing him.
Afraid he would drop her with how dizzy he felt, he laid her back on the bed.
“I’ll be back in a second.” Reaching out to hold on to the headboard, he waited until the room quit spinning.
“Where are you going?” Larissa looked at him strangely.
“To get Shade. He’s waiting downstairs. I’m going to get him to carry you to the car.”
Larissa gave him a long, drawn-out sigh. “Moon, you are not bringing Shade in here. We’ve talked about this. I’m having the baby here. Go have a seat.” She gestured to a chair on the opposite of the bed. “Priss and Lana are going to set up the birthing pool.”
Determining he was useless until the dizziness passed, he went to sit down. He just needed a couple of minutes. The contractions were ten minutes apart. He still had time to get her to the hospital.
Putting his head in his hand, he tried to think himself better.
“Darn it.”
Moon lifted his head at hearing Priss’ mutter.
“What’s wrong?” Larissa asked.
“The air pump isn’t working. This setup is brand new. It should be working.”
Lana went to the air pump and unplugged it then moved it to another outlet. “It’s not working.”
Priss gave her sister a wry look. “No joke. I’ll drive to the office, get the air pump from the extra birthing pool, and bring it back. I won’t be five minutes.”
“Hurry!” Larissa yelled after her.
Priss didn’t answer; she was already gone.
Moon raised his brows at her when he caught her eyes. “You ready to go to the hospital?”
“No, I’m not,” she snapped.
His heart stopped when he saw her face twist in pain. “You’re having a contraction.”
Larissa’s eyes shot sparks at him. “How do you know?”
“I can tell.”
“Can you tell what I’m thinking, too?”
Moon glanced away from her glare. “Yeah.”
“Good. Then sit there and shut up.”
Moon snapped his mouth shut when Kendra gave him a threatening glare.
Taking out his phone out, he started texting.
“The contractions are coming eight minutes apart, Larissa.” Reaching down, Lana pulled out Larissa ponytail to gather the loose tendrils then tied a tighter ponytail.
As he witnessed the affectionate gesture, he caught Kendra staring at him. Bitch was probably planning how to kill him in his sleep.
Priss was back before the next contraction hit.
“Here we go,” she said, plugging it in.
Nothing happened.
“What in the world? It worked perfectly when I check it out last week.”
“Are you ready to go to the hospital now?” he asked eagerly.
Four sets of female eyes turned on him.
“I’m not going to the hospital.” Larissa’s pearly whites snarled at him. “You’ve been on board with us having the baby here. It’s too late to change your mind.”
“How’s it too late?” Moon looked at Lana. “How far apart are the contractions?”
“Eight minutes.”
“Shade can have you at the hospital in three minutes.”
“Moon …” Larissa grabbed Lana’s arm when she made a movement toward him. “Fix the air pump.”
“I don’t know anything about air pump motors. Train and Rider are the ones who work on the bikes. You want me to—”
He gripped the arm of the chair when Larissa gave a low moan.
A wave of nausea hit him, forcing him to swallow the stomach acid rising into his throat.
Kendra’s critical eyes latched on to his face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom. The contractions aren’t as bad as I expected.”
“They’re going to get worse,” she told Larissa matter-of-factly before steering her grave look back toward him. “And I was asking Moon. He looks as if he’s going to hurl.”
“I haven’t had lunch.” Moon started fanning his face. Why was it so fucking hot in this room?
“None of us have. It’s going to be a while. Why don’t you take a break and make yourself a bowl of soup?”
The mention of food turned his stomach. “I’m not hungry.”
Larissa extended her hand to Lana. “I want to move around.”
Moon wanted to get up and help her, but he was afraid if he moved from the chair, he would vomit. His head was still swimming, and there was no way he was going to do another faceplant on the floor.
Off the bed, Larissa went to the air pump. “Priss, go to the garage. There is a tub with a yellow lid. That’s where I store the air mattress for when Mom would come and visit us. Bring that air pump; it might work on the pool.”
“Good call,” Pris replied, already heading for the door.
“Mom, could you quit glaring at Moon? I don’t think he’s feeling well.”
His misery was making the old bitch’s day. He could tell from the amusement plain on her prune face.
“He’s going to pass out.”
Moon glared at Kendra. “I’m not going to pass out. I hit my head when I fell. I think I have a concussion.” Shifting to his other ass cheek when the women all gave him penetrating stares, he lifted his hand to the back of his head. “I feel a lump.”
“You fell face forward,” Kendra informed him drily.
“Let me check.” Lana made a move toward him.
“I should go to the hospital and get an MRI. Larissa and I can go together. That way, I won’t miss the baby being born.”
“On the other hand, Shade could drive you, and we’ll call you when the baby is born,” Kendra countered.
“If I die from a concussion, it’s going to be your fault.”
Larissa came to his side to peer at his head. “Where does it hurt?”
Kendra crossed her arms over her chest. “He isn’t hurt; he’s faking it.”
Lana came to his other side. “I don’t think he’s faking it. I think he’s having Couvade syndrome.”
Growing worried at the way Larissa and Lana were looking at him, he leaned back in the chair to lay his head back. “We need to go to the hospital,” he begged.
“Don’t worry.” Lana patted his arm. “You’ll better as soon as the baby’s born.”
“I’ll be dead by then,” he groaned. “That syndrome sounds bad. What is it?”
“It’s fake sympathy pains, moron,” Kendra huffed out in exasperation.
“What’s wrong with Moon?” Priss asked when she walked back into the room.
“What isn’t?” Kendra answered mockingly.
If Priss weren’t blocking his sight, he would have given the bitch a gesture her old ass would have been able to recognize.
“Behave, Mom.” Larissa nodded toward the pump in Priss’ hands. “See if that will work on the pool.”
Priss plugged the air mattress’ air pump in, and after several adjustments, the low hum of the motor filled the room.
“It’s working!” Priss yelled.
“Yay.” Slumping back further into the chair, Moon wanted to cry.
“Ow.” Larissa pressed a hand to her abdomen, bending over.
“Oh God!” Moon shouted.
“Oh my God.” Kendra gave him a disgusted face. “Larissa, I have several reservations about your taste in men.”
Larissa patted him on the shoulder. “I think it’s cute. Do you need anything, Moon?”
“Something cold to drink would be nice.” His throat was as dry as the desert.
“Mom, would you get Moon a glass of orange juice? I think it would help him feel better.”
Kendra’s brows furrowed. “Are you serious?”
Larissa nodded. “Please. I wouldn’t mind some lemon water, too.”
There’s no way I’m drinking anything she gives me , he thought.
“Am I the only one hot?” Frantically, Moon started fanning his face harder. “Lana, you’re standing next to the control. Turn it down.”
“Moon, is Shade still here?”
Moon nodded at Larissa eagerly. “Yes. You finally ready to go to the hospital?”
“No. I want you to go downstairs and sit with him for a while. The baby won’t be here for hours. Take a break.”
“I’m not leaving your side …” Moon hunched over and grabbed his stomach. He felt as if he had been hit in the gut with a bowling ball. He broke out in a cold sweat. “Turn the air conditioner off. It’s freezing in here,” he complained.
Lana and Larissa simultaneously yelled, “Shade!”
The sneaky bastard must have been listening in the hallway because it didn’t take him but a hot second before he stepped into the room.
“You need some assistance?”
“Yeah,” Moon started before the women could. “Convince her to go to the hospital before I die.”
Larissa gave Shade a pleading look. “Could you please help Priss fill the pool then convince Moon to go to the living room until I need him?”
“Be glad to.”
The whole time Shade filled the pool, Moon was determined to keep his ass exactly where it was … right until Shade finished and he was dealing with more excruciating pain in his stomach than he had experienced in his whole life. He didn’t have any strength left to fight the brother when Shade took his arm and lifted him from the chair.
“How have you gone through this three times?” Forced to lean the majority of his weight on him or risk falling, he let Shade usher him out of the room.
“I better be the one who cuts the umbilical cord!” Moon shouted over his shoulder. “Or there’s going to be hell to pay.”
“Brother, you don’t have the strength to cut a fart, much less the umbilical cord.”
“Watch me. I just need to get some fresh air. Take me to the dining room and open the sliding doors.”
Shade settled him at the table before opening the sliding door, allowing a small breeze inside. “Better?”
Moon nodded. “I think I have a concussion.”
Shade’s lips twisted wryly. “So I heard. Why are you holding your stomach?”
“I think Larissa’s mother poisoned my breakfast.”
“Brother, you need to get a grip.”
“I will once the baby is here, safe and sound.”
“I’ve got bad news for you. It only gets worse after they’re here.”
“God …” Moon moaned in pain, clutching his stomach. “Don’t tell me that. I won’t survive.”
Shade went to the kitchen to get the juice Kendra had set there before going back in with Larissa.
Seeing Shade was about to bring it to him, Moon shook his head. “I don’t trust she didn’t put anything in it.”
Shade took a drink, making a face when he put the glass back down. “Poison might make it taste better.”
Moon threw an angry glance toward the bedroom. “Bitch knows I hate that no-sugar shit.”
“Can’t blame you there.” Shade went to the fridge to take out the regular juice.
“Don’t bother. There’s no sugar in it, either.”
Shade raised his eyebrows. “It says—”
“Trust me; it’s the same.”
“How about I just make us some coffee?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Moon lost track of time as they sat in the dining room. And as the afternoon progressed, he grew sicker.
“As soon as the baby is born, I need you to drive me to the hospital.” Holding his cup with a shaking hand, he confessed to Shade how much pain he was in. “I think my appendix has ruptured.”
Shade’s deadpan stare didn’t expose what he was thinking. “I’ll take you whenever you’re ready.”
“Thank you, brother. I can always count on you.” Fighting back unmanly tears, he was about to ask Shade for some paper towels when Priss came running to the end of the hallway.
“Moon, come on. It’s time.”
Using all of his strength, he ran into the bedroom and found Larissa on the bed with her legs opened wide. As he stepped further into the room, he was able to witness the head coming out.
Looking up from the sight, he met Larissa’s eyes.
“Can you see?” she asked him excitably.
Moon opened his mouth to answer, only to find himself falling into a bottomless void.