Chapter 23
When we arrive at the hospital, I start demanding answers about what is happening with my woman.
The nurses start throwing words and phrases out that I don’t fucking understand, and my brain wants to explode.
Ian and Melissa come out of a room where a security guard is standing and right over to me.
“How are they?” I ask, holding my breath and bracing for the worst.
Melissa’s eyes soften as she grabs my hand.
“As good as can be expected,” she starts.
“Sutton hasn’t had prenatal care for almost eight months, so we are running every test and giving her as many nutrients as we can without overloading her system.
She’s underweight, but the baby is measuring pretty big. ”
“That’s good, right?” Riot asks beside me as I try to soak all the information in.
“It is considering what she’s been through,” Ian speaks up after clearing his throat. “Our biggest worry is her blood pressure. We think it’s the cause of her passing out and cramping. Preeclampsia is our concern—”
“What’s that?” I find myself asking.
“It’s a condition formed after twenty weeks that affects both mother and baby.
It can cause the mother to have high blood pressure and can damage her organ system because the blood vessels begin to narrow.
It disrupts the blood flow to the placenta causing a lack of oxygen and nutrient supply to the baby.
In some cases, it can be fatal if it goes untreated,” Ian tells us like he’s reciting the dictionary.
“And she has it?” I warily question. “What about all the blood?”
Melissa squeezes my hand. “Her blood pressure is high, and we are monitoring her organs and urine. We think the blood is a cervical issue, but everything with the baby looks good. It has a strong heartbeat, and the scans so far are positive and healthy. Sutton’s done a great job considering what she’s been through.
She’s going to be here on bedrest until I deem her safe to deliver or go home and wait to deliver. ”
“Fuckin’ hate hospitals,” Riot mumbles under his breath.
“The most important thing for her right now is to stay calm and stress free,” Ian says raising an eyebrow.
Melissa knocks her hand against Ian’s side, chastising him like a child for saying something he shouldn’t in front of people.
“We don’t want anything to raise her blood pressure, so keep everything light and loving.
The goal is to get her to at least thirty-four to thirty-six weeks if we can,” Melissa tells us.
“I think it’s best we don’t share what happened with Rocky until a later time.
” Melissa’s eyes well with tears. “They were very close, but I think it’s best if you hold off until we can make sure she’s stable enough to receive that type of news. ”
“And if she asks?” Riot speaks up.
“We’ll tell her that he’s sick or off on a mission that Stone or his dad set up for him,” Melissa chokes out. “We are not going to risk her health or that precious baby’s.”
“Can I see her?”
“Of course,” Ian says, motioning towards the room they exited earlier. “She’s awake. We have a nurse sitting with her. We’re going to be moving her up to the labor and delivery area of the hospital after we get a few more tests back.”
I turn to Riot. “Call in a few prospects to start shifts. Until we know our next move on Sanchez, I want her protected. There’s no telling what that bastard will plan now that we’ve ruined his and Walter’s scheme.”
He nods and pulls out his phone, making the calls while I follow Ian and Melissa to the cubicle.
Ian slides the glass door open, and when my eyes gaze at the woman in the bed hooked up to monitors, my heart skips a beat.
Sutton looks even more like an angel than the first day she walked into that bar and sealed her life to mine.
Her jade colored eyes meet mine, and my feet nearly sprint over to her side. She’s cleaned up and in a hospital gown with several blankets across her lap. A prominent belly is poking out with little discs strapped around it.
“Beckett,” she says my name like a prayer, and even though she’s got an oxygen mask on, I can still hear the disbelief in her voice. “I’m not dreaming? You’re really here?”
I grab her hand with my left one, leaning my head down so that our foreheads touch, while placing my other hand on our growing baby.
“I’m here,” I say as she uses her free hand to touch my face.
Tears stream down her cheeks, and I have to close my eyes to keep mine from falling.
My woman needs her strong man right now, not one who’s falling apart.
She removes the mask, and I waste no time sealing my lips over hers.
It feels like drinking water for the first time after being denied for weeks in the desert.
You never realize what little things you miss about a person until they aren’t there anymore.
Her lips on mine is something I’ve missed and never want to be without again until I die.
A throat clears, causing us to break from each other.
“We need to keep calm, remember?” Ian says looking right at me. I roll my eyes but concede.
“Do we want to know the gender of our baby Roberts?” Melissa changes the subject, holding up a long string of ultrasound photos. I recall those from when Debbie was pregnant with Zane.
“It’s a boy,” Sutton says, making me turn her way.
“How do you know? Did they do a scan on you?” I ask. Maybe she did get some medical attention.
She shakes her head, but a smile graces her beautiful face. “No. I kept having these dreams that it was a boy. I’d be in the kitchen looking out the window, watching as you and Zane were pushing a little boy on the swing set in the backyard. He looked just like you,” she says.
I have to clear my throat a few times to keep my emotions in check.
“If for some reason it’s not, then we’ll keep trying until you have your dream, Angel,” I vow. Leaning down close to her I say, “I love you so much, Sutton. I’m sorry it took me so long to find you, but I promise that you’ll never be taken from me or Zane again.”
“I love you too,” she starts to cry, not caring that we have an audience in the room. After the shit we’ve been put through, I don’t care who hears or knows how I feel about this woman. “I’ve missed you and Zane so much, but I knew you’d come for us.”
Something pushes against my hand, and my eyes travel down Sutton’s body. A thump hits my palm, and my woman giggles then winces.
“I think the baby agrees,” I find myself saying. “You okay?” If I can feel the kick I know she is really feeling it.
“He’s always moving when I talk about you or his older brother,” she shares.
“Well…do you want to know for sure?” we hear Melissa tease.
Sutton and I both look at each other and nod.
“Confirm our boy,” I say then hold my woman tight to me.
“Baby Roberts is a…” Melissa holds the photo to her chest and looks over at Ian. “Drumroll, please.” She gives him a look, and his confused face makes us both laugh. It melts something inside of me to hear that sound again. Ian looks put out then pats his thighs. “A sweet baby boy!”
“I told you,” Sutton exclaims, and there is nothing I won’t do to keep that perfect smile on her face.
“You sure did,” I say bending down to capture her lips. Once I’m satisfied I’ve thanked her enough with my tongue, I crouch down, level with the bed. My head is eyelevel where my second son is located. “Hey baby boy, I’m your daddy.”
I hear Sutton gasp and feel her hand press against my cheek. A sniffle sounds in the room, and I turn to see Melissa wiping her eyes. She comes over to both of us and places a hand on each of us.
“This baby is so blessed to have you both as his parents,” she says, placing a kiss on each of our cheeks.
“I’m the lucky one,” I say looking at Sutton. The last few months flash through my mind, and the entire series of events that led up to today spins through my vision. So much time has been taken from us, and I’m not willing to let anymore pass us by. “Marry me,” I blurt out.
“Whaaat?” Sutton looks at me like I just spoke to her in a foreign language.
“Marry me,” I repeat. “Right now. So much time has been stolen from us that we shouldn’t put this off. I love you and you love me. You love Zane, and now that you’re safe, we shouldn’t wait. I want you to have my name and every part of me legally…”
“Dude, what part of stress-free—” I hear Ian pop off in the corner while Melissa says, “Havoc, remember we talked about not causing any—”
“Yes!” the other people in the room fade away when Sutton opens her mouth and answers.
“Yes?” I ask her.
She snorts, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I hop up from my crouching position as Melissa steps back from the bed. I hover over my future wife.
“No take backs. Once you agree, it’s forever,” I tell her.
“No take backs,” she agrees. “I want you forever.”