Chapter 8

 

 

Running my hand through my hair, I pace the front lobby. My body is tense—I fucked up. One time, one goddamn time.  That’s all it took. I should have been smarter.

“Fuck!” Screaming, I spin around, slamming my hand into the wall behind me.  Devil’s hand lands on my shoulder, not so much calming me either.

“I don’t even fuckin’ know her like that, Devil.” Glancing over at him, he shrugs.

“Don’t mean shit. You’re havin’ a kid with her. You better get to know her.” His words slam into me like a fucking freight train. I’m having a kid.  That’s something I don’t need. I can’t have a kid. What the hell am I supposed to do with it?

“You tryin’ to stay with her, Ghost?” Roc’s voice is grating on my nerves. He’d be a good dad, not me.

“I don’t know. I like her. I don’t love her. I don’t even know her like that.” Tugging at my hair, it’s true. I don’t love her. I haven’t even known her that long. As I pace the floor, screams pierce the room.

“DEVIL!” Angel’s cries tear into me. Devil and I connect eyes for a split second before we both take off down the hallway.

It wasn’t Angel’s cries that hurt me, it was Nessa’s. We shove our way into the room where Nessa is doubled over, holding her stomach.

“What the fuck?” The words tumble out of me; I don’t know what to do here. Devil moves up next to her. “What happened?”

“It hurts, Ghost!” Nessa cries. Roc shoves me a little to get my ass moving but I drop to her side like I should.

“What hurts? What happened?” I ask.  Gripping her hand in mine, I try to calm her.  Aria’s eyes are full of tears when I look over at her. “She just grabbed her stomach. She said it hurt.” She’s worried, and now, so the fuck am I.

“Devil, go get the truck out front.” I roar. Devil nods, leaping off the floor and heading out the door.

“Move!” Shoving the girls away from Nessa, something in my chest aches.  I lift her in my arms, nuzzling my face into her hair.

“Everything’s gonna be ok. Shh… It’s ok.” Carrying her to the front, I wait for Devil. He needs to hurry the fuck up.

 

***

Dragon met me at the hospital. The other guys stayed back with the girls. They didn’t need to be here. The nurse said she might be having a miscarriage. That’s not happening. I know it’s not. As much as I don’t need this in my life, maybe it will be the little bit of light that I need in it.

“She can’t lose it,” I say shaking my head. I tug at my hair when Dragon stands.

“She won’t. She’s tough. She’ll be fine. You know a kid isn’t always a bad thing, Ghost.” Glancing over, I can see the off look in his eyes.

“You know that for sure?” I question. Dragon nods. His face grows dark, haunted even.

“I can’t talk about it right now. Just know, that havin’ a kid is the most amazin’ thing in the world. Your life will come into prospective in a way you never saw comin’. It will throw your ass into a tailspin, but you will love every goddamn minute of it.” Dragon walks away, sitting in the corner. I didn’t miss that tear in his eye. I wonder what the hell happened?

“Family of Nessa.”

“ME!” I don’t let him finish when I stalk toward him, Dragon’s on my ass.

“Is she ok? The baby?” I ask as the doctor looks between us before focusing on me. My heart slams into my ribs. Any harder and that shit would burst right through.

“Nessa is fine. She was dehydrated. That’s what caused the cramping. She needs to drink plenty of fluids, and I’d like for her to stay off her feet for a few days until she feels better. She needs to rest.” He says, relieving some of the tension that was holding me. Swallowing hard, I finally blow out the breath I was holding for so long.

“The baby?” I ask.  He never said if the baby was ok. Shit!

“The baby is fine. As I said, she needs to drink more.” Nodding, the nurse steps up next to him.

“Which one of you would like to go back with her?” Dragon slaps a hand on my shoulder. When I look over at the smile on his face, I want to ask questions. Now isn’t the time, though.

“I’ll meet you back home.” Giving Dragon a quick nod, I follow the nurse into the back.

There she is—Lying on a bed, with a tube sticking out of her arm. Her eyes are puffy from crying but that doesn’t make her any less beautiful.