Ariel

Love happens accidentally and is as strong as a heartbeat…

 

 

 

It’s been twelve weeks since the night we said goodbye to Willow. There has been no physical activity where Dillon’s father Eric is concerned. I feel like he’s either laying low since his wife has disappeared, or he knows he is being watched and is being cautious and biding his time. My theory is that he’s running scared, and knows his wife has told us that he is my stalker. Dillon believes his dad is smart enough to have figured out he’s being tailed. But see, here’s my issue with that, he’d be expecting the bikers to follow him, but his own police brothers…I somehow doubt he expects them. His ego is big enough, that he wouldn’t imagine that they’d turn against him.

The Rage Ryders aren’t known for working too well with the police, they don’t trust them and with good reason. The one detective who they used to be friendly with, the one who helped them rescue Riley, he’s been transferred to another state. He took a higher paying position that was offered to him, I know this to be fact because Skylar told me one time when we had lunch before she moved away.

I’m currently eighty-months pregnant, or so it feels. Technically I’m thirty-eight weeks and I can’t see my feet and I have a hard time sitting and getting up on my own, which has men running around jumping to my every need. I could say it pisses me off, but in reality, I’m so tired lately that I don’t mind them doing things for me—for once. I still give them a hard time, I can’t let them get used to doing everything for me, because at some point this baby will make its appearance. And when that day comes, I want my independence back. I’m currently working on a client, she’s getting a butterfly on her right ankle. I’m making it unique and colorful, I don’t want her to have the standard tat that everyone is walking around with. I put a spin on things I tattoo so no one can copy it…that’s the hope anyways. I’m sure pictures have been taken and shared and someone has copied my work on someone out there. Just as I put the final blot of color in one of the wings, I feel a pain hit me out of nowhere. I lean forward, tat gun still in hand and turned on and take deep breaths, it subsides and I turn my gun off and get up to walk my client to the front. Once she’s out the door, I go into the breakroom and stretch out on the couch. I have a pillow and blanket here for my down times.

I pull the pillow and blanket down from the back of the couch and put the pillow beneath my head and wrap myself tightly in the blanket. I lay on my side and put my phone down beside me. It seems I can’t lay on my back without losing my breath, and my front is out of the question. I snuggle down on my right side and settle in for a short nap before my next client comes in. Every time I close my eyes I feel a twinge in my back, I try to move around from my right side to my left, but nothing seems to be helping. Finally giving up, I go to get up and find that I can’t. I really need to pee and not being able to get up on my own is hindering me in relieving my bladder. These back pains are nothing new to me, I’ve been having them since last night and have shrugged them off thinking they are nothing other than stress on my body from carrying Dillon’s boy. His dad is big and my boy is taking after him, in more ways than one it seems.

“Emory! Rainey! Can someone come help me please?”

“What’s wrong?” Rainey says as she comes barreling into the room.

“I can’t get up,” I tell her, and she tries to hold back her laugh, which she is unsuccessful in doing, causing me to scowl at her. “It’s not funny, Rainey! I gotta pee, get me up before my bladder explodes all over the place.” I get another pain and grab my stomach and lean over it the best I can in my current position.

“What’s wrong, sis?” she asks me worriedly, the smile gone from her face.

“I think I’m experiencing those Braxton Hicks contractions the doctor told me to be on the lookout for.”

“What the fuck are those?”

“The doc says it’s false labor, my body’s way of preparing to give birth to the baby. Supposedly, my body needs practice for the big finale,” I tell her gritting my teeth through the pain.

“Looks painful,” she says. Isn’t it freaking obvious that it is? I mean I have sweat dripping from my forehead and I can feel my hair is soaking wet from the moisture.

“It is, very,” I eventually get out.

“Well, let’s get you up and moving around, maybe that will help,” she says extending her hand for me to grab. I place my hand in hers and her other one goes under my arm to assist me in getting my ass up and off the couch. As soon as I’m on my feet a gush of fluid comes flowing out me, landing everywhere, even on Rainey’s feet. She jumps back like it’s something that jumped up and bit her ass. “Eww…Ariel, that’s disgusting, you just peed all over me!” I start laughing at her startled look and feel more leaking out of me.

“Help me to the bathroom,” I say between my fit of laughter. She grabs ahold of my arm and helps me slowly make my way to the bathroom. When I finally make it to the bathroom, I shoo her out the door and go to pull my pants down. Once I’m seated on the toilet I look down at my underwear and see a ball of slime, which I’m assuming according to the books I’ve read is my mucus plug. What really grabs my attention is the twinge of blood inside of my panties. “Rainey!” I scream out in alarm. She throws the door open and sees the fear on my face.

“What is it, sis, why do you look so freaked out?”

“There’s blood in my panties!” I tell her scared of what it could mean. I don’t remember reading anything about possible blood being present. “Can you send one of the guys over to Dillon’s building and get him for me?” I grit out as another wave of pain comes over me. She runs out of the room screaming out Carson and Levi’s names. Feeling disgusting I divest myself of my pants and panties. I get up and walk over to the sink, with only my shirt and bra on, and grab a wash rag and begin to clean myself up.

“What the fuck are you doing! We need to get you to the hospital…now!” Rainey screams out. I notice that not only did Rainey come back to the room, but Em is standing right behind her.

“I need my go bag out of the back of my car if one of you wouldn’t mind getting it for me please,” I say to them. I need that bag, it was packed in case something like this was to occur.

“I’ll get it, are the keys in your purse?” Emory asks me.

“Yes,” I tell her holding onto the counter as my back has yet another spasm take hold of me. If this is false labor, I don’t think I’m ready for the real deal.

“Let’s get you cleaned up before Em comes back,” Rainey says to me, and I have to say, I could use her help.

“Please,” I say just as Dillon comes skidding into the room.

“Careful there, bro, you don’t want to face plant into the door there,” Rainey says.

“Shush it,” Dillon tells her coming to stand next to me at the sink.

“What’s going on, baby?” Dillon asks me as he grabs the wash cloth from my hands and bends down and begins cleaning me up.

“I peed all over myself and Rainey,” I begin to cry as mortification comes over me. I’ve never been so embarrassed in all of my life!

“This isn’t pee, baby,” he says gently to me as he continues to clean me up.

“Well then what the fuck is it?” Rainey asks him.

“Her waters broke,” he answers her.

“Her waters? How many does she have to break?” If I wasn’t in pain right now I’d laugh at her silly question.

“Just the one,” he answers her. He’s being gentle, sweet and caring and soft and patient as he answers her question.

“What the hell is taking Emory so freaking long?” I ask, tired of standing here with no bottoms on, I’m getting cold.

“Carson went with her, they’re probably talking about how excited they are,” Rainey tells me.

“Where’s Levi?” I ask.

“Right here, lil’ momma,” I hear him say from the hallway. He must be close to the door, I appreciate him not coming in to join us giving me the privacy I need. As I go to thank him, we hear a gunshot coming from out back. Next thing I know, Rainey is thrown in the room with me.

“Lock the door and don’t come out no matter what you hear,” Dillon tells us firmly. I can hear the fear and anxiety in his words.

“What in the world was that? Was that a gunshot?” Rainey asks me.

“Sounded that way,” I tell her sitting down on the toilet, my legs are shaky and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m in labor or if it’s stemming from fear.

“Oh no! Emory is out there,” she screams out. Guilt for sending my sister out to get my bag hits me and I begin to shake and cry.

“Please let my sister be okay,” I whisper out as I wrap my arms around my middle and begin to rock myself back and forth.

“She’s gonna be okay,” Rainey says wrapping her arms around me. “She has to be,” she says with a whisper of her own. We both begin to pray for our sister, we promise everything and anything we can to the man upstairs, to bring our sister safely back to us.