by Anne Mercier
“Never,” she replies.
“Good answer.”
39
DAMIAN
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Celeste tells me as we edge along the darkness of the building.
“We just need to see for sure, then we get the fuck out,” I whisper.
She nods.
We’re both decked out in black, including a beanie and gloves.
Where I’m wearing jeans, she’s wearing leggings, and, holy fuck, do they fit her well. I need to divert my attention, or I’ll be walking around with a fucking hard on.
A vehicle approaches around the corner of the building, I stop moving, and put an arm in front of Celeste to stop her, too.
We flatten ourselves against the building, our guns at the ready.
The car lights turn off, and a car door slams.
Muted voices carry on the wind, but we can’t make out the words.
“Looks like the party’s getting started,” I tell her.
She nods. “Let’s find out.”
We inch forward quietly. No security outside—at least on this side. If they’re on top of the warehouse, they won’t be able to see us down here. When we reach the corner of the building, we lean back, then I slowly look around the corner.
“Six cars,” I whisper when I lean back. “No guards.”
“They’re all inside,” she guesses. “I heard someone up top before, too.”
“There’s no way they can see us. We need to get to that window, and we need to make it quick. No telling who’s in there and how long they’re gonna stay.”
Celeste nods. “Camera and gun ready to go.”
“All right. Silent but fast.”
We move through the night, the light on the front of the building illuminating in front of the door and a little to both sides of it, not far enough to catch us.
We get to the window, and I get a good look.
“Fuck.”
Celeste doesn’t pay any attention to me. Her camera is clicking like mad.
“Gotta go,” I whisper, seeing a couple of the guys stand up, looking like they’re ready to head out.
She tucks her camera inside her shirt and holds her gun the same way I hold mine. She should. We learned together.
We make it around the side of the building just as the door opens.
“They’re fucking with the Russos,” one of the dude’s says.
The other takes a drag of his cigarette and blows out the smoke. “I’m not so sure I want to get wrapped up in that. I know Mick won’t.”
“Will Murphy force his hand?” the first guy asks.
“He’s not strong enough for that, and no one’s stupid enough to fuck with Mick Duffy.”
“Not unless they’ve got a death wish.”
“Same with the Russos.”
“Fuck that. I’m outta here.”
“Let’s go.”
Two car doors slam, an engine starts, lights come on, and they’re gone.
Celeste and I make our way past the building and through the dark field we came from. About a quarter mile away is our vehicle. We both get in and sit in silence for a minute.
“Murphy and Duffy. Son of a bitch,” I mutter.
“Sounds like Duffy won’t want any part of it,” Celeste says.
“Maybe, but Murphy seems to be recruiting allies. That means he’s likely talking to the Kellys, the Walshes, and the MacNamaras.”
“What’s Murphy’s beef?” she asks.
I look over to her. “He’s Nicole’s father.”
She flinches. “The one who beat her mother so badly she nearly died?”
I nod.
“Well, that’s one hell of a clusterfuck.”
“He found her a couple months back. Made it known when Cage and Sera were at a charity function and two of his goons were eyeballing them to the point Sera was wigging out,” I tell her.
“If Sera wigs…”
“Yeah. We’re going to have to amp up security and talk to Nicole and Ben.”
“The kids…” Celeste adds.
I nod. “They won’t get to them. No way Gio allows it, and since I’m a betting man, I’ll bet Salvatore Manzini throws in with us and finds a couple more, too.”
“You think?”
I nod.
“Irish against Italian,” she lets out a low whistle.
I turn on the car. “Let’s get back and figure out who all of them are. Then we need to see the Boss man.”
“Which one?”
“Both.”
Celeste nods. “Murphy is so fucked.”
“But arrogant enough not to realize it.”
Dumbass.
40
LINC
It’s two weeks later, and I feel pretty good. Still the occasional twinge in my scapula and ribs, but even my casted hand doesn’t hurt.
There’s shouting from downstairs. I’m hauling ass without a thought. If someone’s hurting my family, they’re gonna get a beat down.
Tera’s bent over yelling something at Xan who looks like he’s just seen a ghost.
“What the fuck’s going on?!” I shout.
Tera’s sweating and a whimper works past her lips.
“Oh hell. You’re in labor?” I ask.
She nods, teeth gritted.
“What’s his deal?” I point at Xan.
She rolls her eyes and breathes with relief as the contraction passes. “He’s been standing there like a statue. He’s no help to me. We need to call Dr. Mack and get my bag from upstairs.”
I turn to Xander, grab his shoulders, and shake him. “Snap the fuck out of it, man! Tera needs you!”
He blinks.
“Man up! Go get the fucking bag and call your dad on the way!” I shake him again. “Move, now!”
He turns, grabbing his phone out of his pocket and hauling ass up the stairs.
Tera starts panting again.
“How far apart? That seems close.” Yikes.
“I don’t know. I was baking with Mama and I got a backache. I get them all the time carrying this big baby around. But then they started in my abdomen and I knew.” She whimpers again.
“LUCY!” I bellow.
She comes running. “What’s going on?”
“Tera’s in labor.”
“Oh shit. How far apart?” Lucy asks.
“Don’t know. I just started timing. Xander’s worthless,” I tell her.
“JESSE!” Lucy shouts nearly as loud as I did.
Jesse comes sprinting into the room, eyes wild. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Tera’s in labor. Go help Xan call his dad and get the packed bag for Tera,” Lucy tells him.
Jesse doesn’t say a word. Just starts taking the stairs two at a time.
Tera’s eyes scrunch together, and I look at the clock.
“Three minutes apart and they look fucking painful,” I tell Lucy.
“I. Need. Drugs.” Tera pants.
“Car’s ready,” Frank announces from the door.
Tera hobbles out the door, not bothering to wait for Xander.
Ethan runs down the stairs. “Jesse threw this at me and said to go.”
I chuckle. “What about Xan?”
Ethan shrugs.
Tera yells over her shoulder, “He can find me when he finds his balls.”
Lucy laughs. “We’ll meet you there. Go with her.”
Ethan and I hop into the back of the car with Tera.
“Hurry,” she says, sounding a bit like a demon.
“Already speeding,” Frank assures her.
“I’m never letting Xander touch me again!” she growls.
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.
“What can I do?” Ethan asks.
“Glue my legs shut!”
Now I can’t help it. I laugh.
“How’s the baby…” Ethan begins.
“After the baby’s out, you doofus,” Tera snarks.
“Be
sides the glue, what can I do? Rub your back?” Ethan asks.
“Touch my back and I’ll break your other hand.”
We pull in front of the hospital, and Frank rushes in for a wheelchair.
As Ethan’s about to step out, she pulls him down with a fist in his t-shirt. “You want to help me, get me drugs immediately. You’ll forever be my favorite.”
Ethan swallows hard then nods. “I’m calling Dr. Mack right now.”
Tera nods.
“Big brother, remind me why this was a good idea?”
“It’ll be worth it once you see her beautiful little face,” I remind her.
Jesse and Xander pull up, Xander jumps from the SUV, grabbing the bag from our car.
“Baby,” he starts.
“Don’t you baby me! Find your dad and get me some drugs!” she seethes as another contraction hits.
“She’s down to two minutes apart,” I tell the nurse or whoever who comes with the wheelchair.
Just as she sits down, a gush of water floods her pants and shoes.
She looks heavenward. “I feel like I just pissed my pants, but I know I didn’t because now the pain is excruciating!”
Someone puts a towel on the wheelchair.
“Let’s get her settled in.”
41
TERA
I’m only dilated to six. What the fuck?
I took a quick shower to wash all the goop off my legs. I told them to just toss the clothes in the trash. I don’t want to remember that moment. There were people around, families. The children pointed and laughed saying I peed my pants.
Somehow my filter managed to work, and I kept my mouth closed… or maybe it was Linc’s hand covering my mouth.
This labor thing is brutal, but the epidural is bliss.
Still, what the hell was I thinking?
Truthfully, I wasn’t. Thinking, that is. Who can think when Xander does all the things that brought me to this moment?
Surprise of surprises, I got pregnant in spite of what happened to me all those years ago. They didn’t break me after all.
Burn in hell, fuckers.
42
XANDER
“Lucy said you’ve been nesting all day. You never bake,” Linc tells Tera.
“I just wanted some apple fucking pie,” she bites out.
“Is the epidural helping?” Linc asks.
“Oh yeah, so much better. I still feel pressure, but I don’t feel like the spawn of Satan is trying to claw its way out my abdomen,” Tera jokes.
“You been cheating on me, wife?” I tease.
“You. You don’t get to joke. You’re lucky I don’t give you a vasectomy right here and now,” Tera sneers.
“Baby,” I croon.
She looks at me. “I can’t help it. This is brutal. If you ever complain about a headache or cold again, I’m going to grab you by the balls and show you what pain really is.”
“So harsh,” I tell her, looking and feeling more than a little afraid.
“I’m going to check you again, Tera,” Sandy warns. “You’re at ten!”
“Did I win something? You sound so excited,” Tera tells her, and she snickers.
“You get to push now.”
“Yippee?” Tera questions.
“I’d forgotten what a bear you are when you experience any pain,” Dad says when he walks in. He goes to the sink and washes his hands.
“Oh,” Tera mutters. “I feel like…”
Her face gets red. “I think the epidural is wearing off because I’m felling all kinds of weirdness.”
“Jesus, Tera. Wait for Dad,” I scold.
She glares and I step back.
Sandy’s down there. “She’s fine. Why don’t you sit behind her to help prop her back up?”
I look at Tera and she sits up. I move in behind her, the pillow between us.
“You hold her right leg, and I’ll hold her left,” Sandy says.
“Damn. Doesn’t that hurt?” I ask.
Tera shakes her head. “Not as bad as birthing this baby.”
“All right. Next contraction, we’re going to push hard,” Dad tells Tera.
She nods, catching her breath. I take the cool washcloth and wipe her forehead.
“That feels good, Xan.”
I blot the droplets of sweat at her temples and on her cheeks, then her forehead again.
“Okay, contraction coming,” Dad announces. I look at the monitor and, holy hell, that’s a big one.
“Push,” Sandy commands.
“Ten seconds Tera,” Dad reminds her.
“Again,” Sandy says, “Push, two, three, four, five, six…”
My girl, she’s giving it all she’s got. There’s a whole lot of nasty coming out down there but pushing that out makes room for our little girl.
“Relax for the next one,” Sandy tells us.
Tera leans back and I use the cool cloth on her face and neck.
“You shouldn’t look in the mirror, Xan. It’s pretty disgusting,” Tera tells me.
“Hell no. I want to see everything. You’re incredible,” I tell her, kissing her temple.
“Here comes another,” Dad tells us. I pull her knee back.
“And push, two, three, four…” Sandy counts.
“It burns!” Tera wails.
“I can see the head,” Dad says, and I look down and sure enough, there’s a tiny part of the baby’s head showing.
“Okay. Push, Tera. Just a little more,” Dad tells her.
“Screw you. You push. Just a little more. I’ll give you a little more,” she yells.
“Good, let’s go!” he replies. He’s got bigger balls than I do. I’d never in a million years say that to Tera right now.
She growls and digs deep, pushing hard. I’m sitting behind her, helping to support her back while she leans forward, giving it all she’s got to give birth to our baby.
“There’s the head,” Dad praises and Tera pants.
“Lots of hair,” I mutter.
Tera’s flopped back against me. “I’m too tired to look.”
“I’ll look for both of us.”
She nods.
“We might have to give you an episiotomy, Tera. I don’t want you to tear,” Dad says.
“Do what you gotta do,” she tells him.
Sandy takes a syringe from another nurse and hands it to Dad.
“Big poke,” he warns.
“That’s what he said,” Tera jokes, then winces.
Dad chuckles. “You’re all numbed up. We’ll try a small cut.” He looks up at me. “You sure you wanna watch this part?”
I shake my head. “No, not that.” I smooth back Tera’s sweat-damp hair, my hands wrapping around her, and rubbing her belly. “It’s so hard.”
Tera nods. “Not for long.”
“All right. Time to push,” Dad instructs.
Tera pushes with all her might while Sandy and I hold her legs open.
I lean over her shoulder to take a look. I make a face at all the goo and blood and Tera snickers. “You should see your face right now.”
I grin. “All that… goo and blood. She looks like an alien baby.” I scrunch up my nose.
“I’m totally not looking. I don’t want to see how big my vagina has gotten to accommodate this child,” she pants.
“It all goes back to normal,” Dad reminds her. “Do Kegels.”
“Kegel this,” she says, giving him the finger.
Dad laughs. “I know you don’t really mean that. It’s the pain talking.”
“No, it’s really not. I mean it. I mean it a whole fuck of a lot,” she replies.
Dad just laughs more.
“Dad,” I begin, “ixnay on the aughinglay.”
He laughs again.
“You got a death wish, old man?” I ask, in shock.
“One more little push, not too hard, Tera. You’re a superstar,” he croons.
“Damn right I’m a superstar,” she answers. “Just look at t
his baby hanging out of my vajayjay.” A contraction hits and she groans, pushing a bit, and out slips the baby.
“Whoa,” I mutter.
“Here she is, your baby girl!” Dad announces. “Do you wanna cut the cord?”
“I don’t want to move,” I tell him.
“No worries.”
They bring the baby close and hand me some scissor-like thingies to cut the cord. It’s kinda gross, really. I get mesmerized by our daughter as the nurse suctions her mouth and nose, and a second nurse cleans off the gunk. Yuck.
“Jesus, Tera. Look at her. She’s so small. Look, her face is all scrunched up just like yours does when I fart. And look at all that dark hair,” I ramble.
“It’s no wonder you had heartburn,” I continue. I read that in a book somewhere. I think Tera thinks it’s bullshit, but I think it’s all true.
“Hold the phone!” Dad yells.
I sit up, and so does Tera.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Is that a foot?” Sandy asks, and my skin grows cold. I begin to sweat.
“What?” I squeak.
“Damn, would you look at that,” Dad announces.
“What are we looking at!” I yell. “Answer me, old man!”
He looks up at me, the baby crying in the background while the nurse swaddles her, his eyes crinkled in laughter.
“Just kidding!” he tells me with a laugh.
“You are in so much trouble, old man,” I begin, then notice Tera’s shoulders shaking with laughter. “You!” I accuse. “You were in on this?!”
She laughs even harder, then groans when Dad does something down there.
“I think I peed my pants a little,” I confess.
“Life with you is never going to be boring,” Tera tells me through her giggles.
“You know it. I’m full of all kinds of fun, and everyone knows life is more fun with a little Xananigans.”
“If only you wouldn’t panic and turn into a statue, it’d be all good,” she chides.
“I said I was sorry, and I am. You just… it just…” I sigh.
Dad chuckles. “Such a wimp.”
I nod. “I can admit it. I freaked the fuck out.”
“No F bombs. You’re gonna have to stop that,” Tera reminds me.
