Page 93 of Where We Promise

His gaze slid back to Jameson as his voice cracked. I had no idea why it mattered when Luke had eviscerated me by fucking anything with legs right after I had discovered I was pregnant.

Still the confusion lingered, why did he have a text saying I was going to meet him? My stare cut over to Jameson. Right as I opened my mouth, a burning pain cut across my middle, making me groan in pain.

“Out. All of you out, right now,” Dr. Beckett ordered, and a few nurses quickly came in, surrounding her.

Luke planted his feet, his jaw tensing as he glared at Jamie. “My fucking kid.”

Jameson’s tone was deadly as he snarked right back, “my fucking wife, get out. Now.” Dr. Beckett looked between the men, and then glared at a nurse. “Call secu?—”

Killian and Wes suddenly ran in, gripping Luke by the shirt and yanking him out of the room. Callie and Laura were there, holding their hand out for Natty. She gave me one last glance, checking to make sure I was okay before I nodded, and she slipped out.

Jameson gave me a sad glance before taking a step toward the door. I could let him go…he’d clearly communicated with Luke using my phone, or something similar. But the way he’d claimed me in front of Luke after all those years of letting me go...All those years when all I wanted was for him to step up and say that I was his. He’d finally done it, and I wanted to cling to that feeling a little longer. Especially while I was about to have a baby…without my mom, or anyone from my life. Anyone who really knew me.

I held out my hand. “Wait.”

Another wave of pain hit me, forcing my eyes closed.

“That was a big contraction. I need to see how far along she is.” Dr. Beckett slid around on her rolling stool as the contraction ebbed.

Jamie still stood there, eyes fixated on the nurses and doctor.

“Stay,” I wheezed. “Jamie, I need you.”

He was at my side in one long stride, his hand in mine, his lips at my hairline.

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

TWENTY-NINE

JAMESON

Penelope was superhuman. There was no other explanation for it.

Her contractions were so close, there wasn’t time for an epidural, which apparently would have made the entire delivery a bit more bearable. Pen was a champion, not even blinking when the doctor explained that she was going to have to push.

I stayed behind her, gripping her hand the entire time, while kissing her forehead and muttering a thousand words of encouragement to her. Three hours later, most of which was her pushing, the tiniest human I’d ever seen was born.

He was screaming as he entered this world, but the moment they laid him against his mother’s chest, he stopped. His eyes were focused on her as she stroked down his face and arms, her eyes full of emotion and glistening tears, but so much joy. Watching them, seeing her hold him, even knowing he wasn’t mine…something kickstarted in my chest, like a forgotten dream…a deep feral desire to keep them both close to me. To claim them as mine.

“Dad, come over here, want to cut the umbilical cord?” one of the nurses asked.

I swiped at my eyes, realizing my chest felt like a piece of sunlight had been shoved inside it. Dad. They’d said it, maybe didn’t mean it, but it felt right.

My hands were steady and sure as I cut, and then I watched as they cleared his lungs, and then wrapped him up, and then they placed him in my arms.

“Support the head, always,” the nurse said.

The tiny guy was suddenly tucked away in the crook of my arm, and I couldn’t stop staring at him. He looked like Penelope; he had her dark hair and her mouth.

“Hey buddy,” I said, feeling more tears gather. Fuck, he was so perfect.

I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed with Pen. “Look at him, Pen. Look at what you did.”

Her head was resting against the pillows as she stroked my arm.

“He’s ours now, Jamie. If you wan?—”

“I do.” I cut her off, not taking my eyes from him. My heart had already made room for him. Visions of teaching him how to ride, how to fix bikes, how to throw a baseball. All the things my dad had done with me, it all rushed in and seemed to fill in that bright spot in my soul that had recently been made just for him.

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