Chapter Twenty Nine
“I like this whole waddling thing you’ve got going on,” Tracker says, eyes laughing at me. I’m now almost nine months pregnant, and the whale jokes are getting old.
“You guys are such jerks,” I say around a mouthful of ice cream.
“And I can see why Sin is so whipped,” he says, watching my tongue lick the top.
I pause. “You’re a sick bastard, you know that?”
“I don’t get any complaints,” he adds, rubbing his chest with his palm.
“How’s Allie?” I ask nosily, wiggling my eyebrows.
His expression doesn’t change. “Why don’t you ask her?”
I lick my ice cream and pout. “Fine don’t have a deep and meaningful conversation with me.”
“You want it deep?” he replies in a low tone.
“Is that your sex voice? Hot!” I reply, fanning myself.
He doesn’t look impressed, but I think I see a lip twitch. “There’s a danger is loving someone too much...”
“That’s a song!”
“What?”
“That line is from a song,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m a hundred percent sure it is.”
He stares at me for a few tense seconds. “I’m going to get a drink.”
As he walks out of the living room, I feel something.
Shit.
I walk into my bedroom, looking for Dex. I hear the shower on, so I open the bathroom door. The room is filled with steam, and he’s singing the lyrics to an Incubus song.
“Dex...” I call out. The shower curtain opens and his head sticks out, still covered in shampoo.
I look down my legs, to where my water’s just broke. “I need to go to the hospital. It’s time.”
I speak to him in a calm tone, but as soon as the words penetrate I can see the panic fill him. “Now?”
He turns the shower off and jumps out. “Babe, wash the shampoo out first.”
He runs a hand through his hair then jumps back in, not even waiting for the water to get warm. I walk back into the room and grab my already packed overnight bag, and the smaller bag which is packed for Clover. When he runs out and starts to get dressed, I get into the shower and breathe through the contractions. Dex slides open the curtain. “How are you doing?”
“Okay. Can you call the hospital and let them know we’re on our way?”
He nods and leaves the bathroom. I turn the shower off and dry myself. I’m putting lotion onto my skin when Dex stops in front of me.
“Really? Do we have the time for this?”
I hide a smile. “I’m ready; I just have to put on my dress and some panties.”
He helps me dress, then we walk out of the room. Tracker walks towards us, drink in hand. “You okay?”
“She’s having a baby, no she’s not f*ckin’ okay,” Dex growls.
“Dex,” I snap.
Tracker’s eyes go wide, and he starts to stare at my crotch like the baby is going to drop out at any second. “I’ll go get the car ready.”
Rake walks over and holds my other side. “Say goodbye to your tight...”
“Do not even finish that sentence!” I snap at him. “Dex please hit him for me.”
“I will afterwards,” Dex replies, opening the front door for me. Tracker is standing by the car, with the doors wide open and the engine running. Dex helps me into the front seat and fastens the seat belt for me. Rake and Tracker both take turns kissing me on the forehead and wishing me good luck.
“You okay?” Dex asks as he reverses.
I breathe in and out. “So far so good. Luckily the hospital isn’t too far away though.”
Dex reaches over and takes my hand in his.
We’re almost at the hospital when I cry out. “F*ck!”
“What?” Dex yells, panicking.
“That contraction hurt. Oh my god! It hurt!” I say, trying to breathe through the pain.
Dex starts cursing. “We’re almost there babe.”
“This is all your fault!” I yell, looking for someone to blame for the pain I’m in.
“Babe, we’re here. You can yell at me all you want let’s just get you in there.”
And yell at him I did.
*****
Thirteen hours later, I hold an eight pound Clover Mary Black in my arms. With her father’s black hair and my hazel eyes, she is absolutely adorable. She has chubby cheeks and little pouty heart-shaped lips.
She’s perfect.
“You were amazing,” Dex tells me, blue eyes sparkling. “That was... something else.”
“Scarred for life are you?” I ask, trying not to laugh.
He scrubs a hand down his face. “You didn’t see it! A thick head of black hair stretching the shit out of your...”
“Dex!” I growl when the nurse starts to give him dirty looks.
He takes Clover from me, holding her in his large arms. “She’s so tiny. Is she meant to be this small?”
“She’s very healthy,” I tell him. “Everything is as it should be, don’t worry.”
I roll my eyes as he fiddles with the Wind Dragons baby beanie he had made for her. “Everyone wants to come in and see her, is that okay? Or do you want to wait?”
“Send them in, I don’t mind,” I reply, covering my breasts with the sheet. In fact, I can’t wait to show her off. How did I create something so perfect?
Cindy, Allie, and Jess rush in first while Tracker, Rake, Jim, Trace, and Vinnie trail in behind. The women ooh and ahh, and the men stare at her like they have no idea what they are meant to do with her.
“You did well, baby mama,” Tracker says. I notice him and Allie holding hands.
“Did you expect otherwise?” I ask with a raised brow.
He grins and shakes his head. “I think we know not to underestimate you.”
Dex gently drags a tattooed finger down Clover’s rosy cheek. “I’m screwed, aren’t I?”
Tracker puts his hand on Dex’s shoulder. “We have your back, brother, always.”
Rake puts his hand on his other shoulder. “You think anyone’s going to want to touch the Wind Dragons’ princess?”
I roll my eyes at their protectiveness. “Give the girl some room to breathe.”
Clover starts to cry, and Dex starts fussing over her. We all watch with wide eyes as gently rocks her back to sleep.
“I’ve got this,” he grins smugly. Jim looks amused, wrapping his arms around Cindy and watching on.
Dex’s eyes find mine. “I’ve got this,” he repeats, kissing Clover on her forehead.
*****
We have six weeks of bliss before Dex has to go to court. Just as I had guessed, he got six months behind bars.
Six. F*cking. Months.
The day before he had to leave, I cried. I cried so much that Dex begged me to stop.
“Don’t cry Faye, I need to know that you’re going to be okay or I’m gonna go f*ckin’ crazy in there,” he says. He slides down onto his knees before me. “I need you to be strong for me.”
We make love frantically, then slow and gentle.
In the morning before I wake up—he’s gone.
That day itself, I move back into the clubhouse. No way am I staying alone in that house for half a year. I’d drive myself crazy in no time. Clover helps to make time go quicker than I thought. I miss Dex every day, but Clover is my shining light.
She gets me through the darkness.
“She’s looking more like you every day,” Tracker muses, staring down at Clover.
I look down at her angelic face. “Do you think so?”
He peers down at her again and bobs his head. “Yeah, she’s your mini me.”
We’re silent for a few seconds.
“How are you holding up?” he asks in a low tone.
I exhale heavily and lean back on the couch. “I’m okay because I have to be, you know?”
“You’re f*ckin’—” He looks down at Clover and then starts over. “You’re strong, you know that? Who would have thought that you—walking into the clubhouse with no clue, wearing cupcake pajamas and staring at us all wide-eyed like you had no idea what to do with us...”
He laughs and shakes his head. “You turned out to be the best thing to happen to Dex, and you’re more than old lady material. You don’t just take care of Dex...”
“Hey love the man love the club, right?” I add when Tracker trails off. I yawn, bringing my hand up to cover my mouth.
Tracker grins. “Let Allie and me watch Clover. You get some sleep.”
“Okay, if you two don’t mind,” I say, the exhaustion of being up all night with Clover catching up to me.
“Just ‘cuz Dex isn’t here—we’re gonna look after you,” Tracker says softly, running his hands through his blond hair.
“I know,” I reply. “So are you and Allie together?”
He tilts his head to the side. “I guess we are, yes.”
“Good, you deserve to be happy,” I tell him, meaning every word.
“For the record, we could have been f*ckin’ amazing together,” he says, stretching his arms above his head lazily.
I can’t stop the blush that makes an appearance. “Is that right? I’ve heard about your piercing. You know...”
“No I don’t, why don’t you tell me?” he replies, looking amused.
“Your piercing,” I repeat, pointing down to his crotch.
“Oh this,” he says, unbuttoning his jeans. “Do you want to see?”
I elbow him in the ribs, laughing. “I’m curious but not that curious. Dex would kill you.”
He smiles. “Good to hear you laugh again.”
I watch as he gently takes my daughter from my arms, then kisses the top of my head. “Sleep. Clover will be fine.”
“Thanks Tracker,” I mumble, my eyes already closing.
My last thought is of Dex before I fall asleep.