The coffee in the mugs threatened to spill over with each step I took to get to Paxton. Last night was it for me. I’d pushed him away for so damn long that I couldn’t do it one more minute. I loved him. Always had. When we were kids, I knew it then.

The pain of loss was something I pushed down, but it was true—without him I didn’t feel complete. It felt like some love story in a movie, but what I felt was real. And it was without Paxton in my life that I was incomplete. I existed. I went through the motions. Sure, I got by, but with Pax it was like life was in color. The trees were greener, the sky was brighter, and everything was suddenly better.

I knew life without Paxton, and I wanted to have life with him.

I didn’t want to believe Pax was ready for us to start again. He’d hurt me so bad all those years ago when all I saw was us and our future together. It was laid out perfectly until he swiped the rug from underneath my feet, causing me to fall down a rabbit hole; it took me years to deal with.

The fear I had was so strong there was no way I could put myself out there once more and allow myself to be hurt. Last night though, with him coming close to dying and our connection burning so brightly, I knew he was with me until the end. I knew I had to take the chance. My body was deliciously sore from it, and I was fulfilled like never before.

This was happiness.

It was the only reason I gave myself fully to him. He was a part of me that no other man would ever fill. It was time to let the past go and look to a future with us at the forefront.

The goofy ass smile wouldn’t leave my face because everything was perfect. Well, not perfect. We still had a crazy man who was making things not safe, my brother could or could not be a father, and we were all living under one roof. But I had faith it would all work itself out in the end. I had to. My heart was on the line once more with Paxton, but I felt it in my gut that there wouldn’t be a repeat of all those years ago.

I set the coffee on the small table that sat in the hallway by Paxton’s door. Tuning the handle, it wouldn’t budge. I tried again and the small light on the outside key panel started to beep and red lights started going off.

What the hell?

I knocked. “Pax, open up it’s me.”

No sounds came from the other side. This was strange. I just left him in bed not ten minutes ago to get the coffee. He was asleep. I knew I didn’t lock the door when I came out because I was coming right back up to wait for him to wake. Was he still asleep? Was he hurt? The doctor checked him out and said he busted a stitch. He was fixed, cleaned, and the wounds re-dressed. I only left for him to get some rest and me to get some coffee because I needed some caffeine in my system with everything going on around us.

“Pax?” I set the other coffee down and used both palms to knock on it. “Pax!”

A small shuffle could be heard through the door, and relief swarmed me. He was okay, just a little slow to get to the door, which was perfectly understandable. I blew out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding in.

The noises stopped, but the handle didn’t budge. “Pax? Open the door.”

Nothing.

What the hell was going on here? He was fine before I got in the shower. He still had that look of hunger in his eyes as he laid in the bed getting fixed. I wouldn’t have left him alone if something was wrong.

“Paxton Williams, open this damn door now!” I screamed, feeling my heart pounding strong and fast. “Are you hurt?” That would not be good because I had no way of getting to him. Panic was building by the second.

“Angel.” His tone was soft.

I breathed out a sigh of relief. He was okay. Thank goodness.

“Open the door.”

“I can’t.” There was this hesitation that had me on high alert.

“What, did you forget the code?”

There was a long pause and I felt it, like a change in the tides or a problem so big no one could fix, yet there it was staring me in the face. He can’t be doing this. My heart was shattering in the hallway of a cabin that once held every good memory I had.

“Angel.” He breathed again, but this time I heard and felt the pain inside it. I knew it. Knew what was coming, felt it in every part of my body. “I made a mistake.”

“What the fuck do you mean by that? Open this door so we can talk.” My heart was being ripped out.

“Can’t do that, angel. Can’t see your beautiful eyes and watch me break you. We’re not right for each other. I’m not right for you. All of your money plus some is back in your accounts.”

“Don’t you dare do this, Paxton. I swear to Christ I will chop off your dick and shove it down your throat.” Anger. Anguish. Agony. It all tangled inside me.

“I know you will, but this has to be done.”

“You fuck me and then dump me?” Déjà vu. This was bullshit. He made me believe in him, in us. He took my whole life away to protect me. Except, in the end, he hurt me worse than dying at the hands of the man they said would’ve come for me. Paxton was killing me inside and leaving a shell of me to exist.

“Angel…” he broke. I broke.

We were both falling apart.

Screaming came from another room as my brother ran out, “Help! She’s having the baby.”

The anger rode high as I looked once more at the door then rushed off to help my brother. I couldn’t help Paxton, I couldn’t help myself, but I could help Riley. History had a fucked up way of repeating itself, and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Damn, I must be the stupidest person on this planet. Getting played once then twice by Paxton.

There would never be a third.

Melanie screamed from the bed that was covered in a huge wet spot along with some blood. She looked at me for help. While I’d never been around babies, I had to help her someway. This could be my niece or nephew in there.

Moving to her side, I grabbed her hand. “Breathe in and out.” At least that’s what they said in the movies. I didn’t know a single thing about having a baby, but breathing sounded like the right thing to do.

She looked at me like I had two heads. “You breathe in and out when you’re in this much pain!” she screamed, clenching my hand so hard I was afraid she’d break it.

Onyx and Garrett came barreling into the room and to my utter surprise got to work quickly. They moved around like seasoned professionals instead of the panicked people my brother, Melanie, and I were.

“Doc’s on his way back, let me look.” Onyx moved down to Melanie’s legs as she screamed once more. He gripped her knees and spread her legs apart.

“I told you drugs!” She lost her mind, and I had to pull my hand away from her. Fuck, she was strong. “This wasn’t supposed to be a natural birth!”

“Calm your shit,” Onyx ordered, opening her legs wider. Reaching down, he pulled her panties off and studied her girly parts like he knew what he was doing. While it was uncomfortable for all the parties involved, I was simply thankful he knew what he was doing or he faked it well. He shook his head at Garrett. “Fuck, this one dropped quick.” Onyx looked at Melanie and asked, “You been in pain?”

She nodded. “In my hips and back,” she panted as she screamed.

Onyx looked back at Garrett. “Head’s coming out. Garrett, get the emergency shit out now. This baby’s comin’. She’s crowning, and we can’t wait for the doc.”

“What!” Melanie panicked.

“This happens sometimes. You made it full-term,” Garrett explained to her, moving around as Onyx settled in to deliver the baby. “How long you been in pain? That pain in your back, describe it.”

“My back’s been hurting, but not like this. I thought I needed to drink more water and it was the weight. It’s been coming and going but staying longer the last two days,” she sobbed.

“Days!” Riley shrieked.

“Well, we were taken and tied up. I was too scared to think about my back,” she tried to explain between pants.

“My guess, baby’s sunny side up so you got back labor.” Onyx placed pillows under her feet. “When the baby dropped, your water broke, and well, Melanie it’s time to have a baby,” Onyx told her calmly. “I’m no doctor, but seen enough babies born to know this kid’s comin’ now. Next contraction you gotta push. Then you hold it so we can get ready. At the shoulders you’re gonna push and don’t you stop till I say so; that second push is gonna be a bitch.”

If I hadn’t been so wound up in emotions over the baby, I might have laughed at Onyx’s verbiage. Butterflies filled my stomach at the anticipation of watching my new little one enter the world. I never knew how much I wanted that until this moment. I hoped with everything inside of me that this baby was Riley’s. I’d be the best fucking aunt possible.

“Hold it,” Onyx ordered as Garrett left and came back in a flash, tossing down several things next to Onyx on the bed. Onyx grabbed gloves and put a towel underneath Melanie’s legs. He moved the pillows under her hips and positioned Riley holding one of her legs at the knee and foot with me doing the same on the other. Garrett started gathering things as well, but all I could stare at was the little human wanting to come out of Melanie’s body.

“Push, Mel,” Onyx said, looking as though he was going to catch a football. She followed his command, but was unable to budge the little one.

“Shouldn’t Paxton be here?” I asked the room.

Garrett looked up at me. I read his face. He knew. He knew Pax dumped me. “He’s down for a while. Once we get this sorted, you’ll be able to leave.” The words knocked me over as the reality of what was happening in my life was really kicking into gear. Paxton wanted me gone. For good this time. He had Garrett ready to make that happen for him. Tears sprung to my eyes just as Melanie screamed once again, my focus going to her. In a few pushes with some ugly screams, the baby’s head came out.

Shaking my head, I let go of Melanie’s leg while she took a moment to catch her breath. Garrett moved in to my spot as I felt the room spin a bit from what I was witnessing. I moved to my brother’s side who had the widest smile on his face. He was hoping without doubt that this baby would be his, I could read it in his eyes. I was right there with him. What a joy it would be for our little family. I let the excitement fill me.

“Get this thing out of me!” Melanie yelled again and truth be told, I was getting tired of the screaming. I got that it hurt and I wasn’t sure what I’d do in her situation, but the screaming was giving me a headache. Or maybe that was just Paxton. Asshole.

In a matter of moments and Onyx telling her to push, push, push, the baby came out covered in blood and fluids. Suddenly sounds of cries came through the room. “It’s a boy,” I whispered to my brother as I examined the baby. Onyx took no time at all cutting the umbilical cord and handing the baby over to Garrett who rushed from the room with the now crying, slightly bluish colored, squirmy baby.

I made a move to go with the baby, but Onyx glared at me. “No. No one goes with the baby.”

“But…” I had to swallow back my emotions. Everything was falling apart around me. This new life was something good to hold onto, but I was being stopped from even touching it.

“No, Laurel. None of you will have contact with it. The baby belongs to someone else.”

My heart fell to the floor, and the tears I was trying to keep at bay sprung open. But it was nothing compared to Onyx’s next words. “Pax has a room set up for you with all your stuff being delivered soon. Once we get this shit handled, we’ll take you home.”

I felt my knees grow weak as everything that had just happened laid heavily on my shoulders, weighing me down. He had it all worked out. There would be no discussion. Dammit. I allowed it to happen again. Allowed him in.

I felt like everything was being taken from me. Garrett took the baby that could be my nephew. I couldn’t look in his innocent eyes, hold him close, and tell him everything would be okay. Pax was kicking me out, expecting me to go on like he didn’t rush in and turn my entire world upside down. In less than an hour, I lost everything I allowed myself to see in my future. I had been down this road before and barely survived.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. There would be no other fool again.