Chapter 28 Penelope #2
I stopped, watching as his expression worked, his light brows caving in, his lip turning down as if he wanted to say something more, but wasn’t sure how to. My heart hummed with hope, but then he broke the silence.
“Be safe.”
He let me go and turned back toward the car.
I tried to smile with everyone else as Laura took the stage. She was glowing from how happy she was. I wasn’t assuming; I knew she was happy. She’d come over to the cabin with a tub of ice cream in tow the other night, crying over what Killian had done for her.
He’d paid to renovate this place for her.
New stage, lights, the piano was top of the line. The space was larger, the bar in the back extended, with new appliances. The entire place looked new.
There were even comfortable seats to sit in after Laura had heard me whine about my back. Although this chair wasn’t nearly as comfortable as it seemed last week.
No matter how I sat, my back seemed to throb in pain. I hissed, trying to adjust again, only to have Callie glance over.
“What’s wrong?”
I adjusted again. “Nothing, just can’t get comfortable.”
“Here.” She stood, trying to help me. “Stand up, I’ll find you a pillow.”
“Where are you—” She’d already walked off, and the house lights were dimmed, indicating that Laura was about to start singing.
I stood as Callie rushed back, a small pillow in hand, but then she froze a few feet from me, her eyes going wide…and dropping to my feet.
Oh shit, I must have spilled my drink. My jeans were wet and…
“Your water broke!”
My water…Oh.
“Laura!” Callie cupped her hands, yelling over the heads of all the people sitting at tables to hear Laura sing.
My face flushed. Callie’s filter was non-existent these days, not that I had known her long enough to know if she used to have one.
Laura rushed off the stage, right as Natty made her way from the bar.
Harris, Brick and another member of the Stone Riders, Riley, hurried over as if they’d sensed danger.
“She’s in labor!” Callie urged and gripped my hand.
Harris seemed to panic; his eyes wide as he looked down at my stomach. My blue jeans were soaked, and to think I was feeling prideful just yesterday about how I could still fit in them as long as I folded them down.
“Jameson will need to know,” Riley said, carefully guiding me up the stairs.
Fuck, why did this place have such steep stairs?
Each step felt like daggers were being dragged over my stomach.
“Want me to carry you, Penny?” Harris asked hesitantly. I was shaking my head when a burning pain seared across my abdomen, making me groan in pain.
“Yes, fuck. Please carry me. Get me the fuck out of here.”
I slammed my eyes closed as Harris picked me up and began to run. I held onto my stomach, not watching as he tucked me into someone’s car, or to even see where my friends went. I was focusing on breathing.
The next thing I knew we were pulling into the front of the hospital, which was thankfully just a few blocks away from where The Hollow was.
My eyes wouldn’t open because the pain was so intense.
“Where is he?” Harris asked gruffly. I knew he was asking about Jamie.
I wanted to know too; he’d mentioned business in Pyle but that was hours ago. Surely, he was done now.
“On his way.” That was Brick.
When had I made it into this room?
“You’ll need to get into a gown, Penelope.” Doctor Beckett suddenly came into view, informing me, calmly.
She ushered the men out of the room but allowed me to have one friend. I chose Natty, who promised to text updates to Laura and Callie.
“Here.” Natty helped me into the god-awful gown; it was gray with blue stripes.
“It’s completely open in the front.” I gawked, peering down at my breasts and stomach.
A nurse walked in, carrying a tray with needles, and something else I had no clue about. Was I ready for this? I didn’t feel ready. I had—shit, my diaper bag was at home. Did Jamie know to get it on his way over?
“Yep, not much privacy from here on out.”
Right, the nurse.
“Natty, text Jameson and tell him he needs to get my bag and the baby’s.”
Natty squeezed my hand, then rushed off to find her phone in her purse. The nurse came back over. “You can tie these strings over your breast to keep them somewhat covered.”
I fumbled with the strings, awkwardly arched as pain continued to rip through my middle.
“Just get into bed, Pen. I’ll do all this for you.
” Natty came back, urging me toward the bed.
I did as she said, awkwardly crawling in.
I had watched videos of women who had used midwives to have their babies, while soaking in bathtubs.
I imagined braving something as beautiful and natural as that, but my fear of the unknown had me opting for traditional care.
“We’re going to get you hooked up to an IV, and all situated so you start to feel comfortable, okay?”
I nodded at the nurse and continued to breathe.
Right as she left the room, I could hear someone yelling from the hall.
I craned my neck trying to see, but Natty moved first.
“We’re being guarded, don’t worry.”
I wasn’t, but I still absently touched the band on my ring finger.
“What if…” I started when the door burst open.
“That’s my fucking baby!” Luke suddenly appeared, pointing at me with a shout. His neck was straining, veins on the brink of popping.
I took in his disheveled look, his closely cropped chestnut hair and hazel eyes.
The way his handsome face still tugged at the abandonment and rejection he’d left me feeling.
The life we’d nearly built together. I didn’t even have time to process that Luke had somehow found me, because someone came in right after him.
Jameson barreled through the door a second later after Luke’s gaze fell on me, but it didn’t go to my stomach.
It went to the finger I was touching and the ring resting there. I wanted to say something, explain myself and tell him why I’d done it. How there was no other option for me. It wasn’t real, but I didn’t owe him that. My mouth clamped shut, even as I registered his reaction.
Pain and hurt flashed in his eyes as Jameson pushed past him. “Yeah, well that’s my fucking wife.”
Jameson’s eyes burned in a way that I had never witnessed. His jaw was clenched tight, his hands loose as if he were ready to hit Luke. He moved so he was between Luke and where I was in the bed.
“How did you get in here?” He better not have hurt Harris. I would kill him while pushing this baby out if I had to, if he hurt Harris.
Luke smirked. “Chaos Kings, Penny, remember. Create a little chaos, distract, and sneak in. You remember that playbook.”
My stomach turned, thinking back to all those times in high school. At least that meant Harris was okay.
“Okay, there are too many people in here, and we’re about to have a baby,” Dr. Beckett said loudly as she walked in between Luke and Jameson. Natty watched, sticking close to me, gripping my hand.
“I’m not leaving,” Luke said, his bloodshot eyes still flicked to me as if they were trying to silently talk to me. “She wanted to meet me, she asked—she wanted me here.”
“No, Luke, I didn’t.” What the hell was he talking about?
He pulled out his phone. “You said you wanted to meet. I was on my way to see you when one of the fuckers who defected with Jameson texted me that my son was about to be born. Or was that just another fucking lie, like you not being married to him?”
His gaze slid back to Jameson as his voice cracked. I had no idea why it mattered when Luke had eviscerated me by fucking anything with legs right after I had discovered I was pregnant.
Still the confusion lingered, why did he have a text saying I was going to meet him? My stare cut over to Jameson. Right as I opened my mouth, a burning pain cut across my middle, making me groan in pain.
“Out. All of you out, right now,” Dr. Beckett ordered, and a few nurses quickly came in, surrounding her.
Luke planted his feet, his jaw tensing as he glared at Jamie. “My fucking kid.”
Jameson’s tone was deadly as he snarked right back, “my fucking wife, get out. Now.” Dr. Beckett looked between the men, and then glared at a nurse. “Call secu—”
Killian and Wes suddenly ran in, gripping Luke by the shirt and yanking him out of the room. Callie and Laura were there, holding their hand out for Natty. She gave me one last glance, checking to make sure I was okay before I nodded, and she slipped out.
Jameson gave me a sad glance before taking a step toward the door.
I could let him go…he’d clearly communicated with Luke using my phone, or something similar.
But the way he’d claimed me in front of Luke after all those years of letting me go.
..All those years when all I wanted was for him to step up and say that I was his.
He’d finally done it, and I wanted to cling to that feeling a little longer.
Especially while I was about to have a baby…
without my mom, or anyone from my life. Anyone who really knew me.
I held out my hand. “Wait.”
Another wave of pain hit me, forcing my eyes closed.
“That was a big contraction. I need to see how far along she is.” Dr. Beckett slid around on her rolling stool as the contraction ebbed.
Jamie still stood there, eyes fixated on the nurses and doctor.
“Stay,” I wheezed. “Jamie, I need you.”
He was at my side in one long stride, his hand in mine, his lips at my hairline.
“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”