Page 180 of Moon's Promise

“Ow.” Larissa pressed a hand to her abdomen, bending over.

“Oh God!” Moon shouted.

“Oh my God.” Kendra gave him a disgusted face. “Larissa, I have several reservations about your taste in men.”

Larissa patted him on the shoulder. “I think it’s cute. Do you need anything, Moon?”

“Something cold to drink would be nice.” His throat was as dry as the desert.

“Mom, would you get Moon a glass of orange juice? I think it would help him feel better.”

Kendra’s brows furrowed. “Are you serious?”

Larissa nodded. “Please. I wouldn’t mind some lemon water, too.”

There’s no way I’m drinking anything she gives me, he thought.

“Am I the only one hot?” Frantically, Moon started fanning his face harder. “Lana, you’re standing next to the control. Turn it down.”

“Moon, is Shade still here?”

Moon nodded at Larissa eagerly. “Yes. You finally ready to go to the hospital?”

“No. I want you to go downstairs and sit with him for a while. The baby won’t be here for hours. Take a break.”

“I’m not leaving your side …” Moon hunched over and grabbed his stomach. He felt as if he had been hit in the gut with a bowling ball. He broke out in a cold sweat. “Turn the air conditioner off. It’s freezing in here,” he complained.

Lana and Larissa simultaneously yelled, “Shade!”

The sneaky bastard must have been listening in the hallway because it didn’t take him but a hot second before he stepped into the room.

“You need some assistance?”

“Yeah,” Moon started before the women could. “Convince her to go to the hospital before I die.”

Larissa gave Shade a pleading look. “Could you please help Priss fill the pool then convince Moon to go to the living room until I need him?”

“Be glad to.”

The whole time Shade filled the pool, Moon was determined to keep his ass exactly where it was … right until Shade finished and he was dealing with more excruciating pain in his stomach than he had experienced in his whole life. He didn’t have any strength left to fight the brother when Shade took his arm and lifted him from the chair.

“How have you gone through this three times?” Forced to lean the majority of his weight on him or risk falling, he let Shade usher him out of the room.

“I better be the one who cuts the umbilical cord!” Moon shouted over his shoulder. “Or there’s going to be hell to pay.”

“Brother, you don’t have the strength to cut a fart, much less the umbilical cord.”

“Watch me. I just need to get some fresh air. Take me to the dining room and open the sliding doors.”

Shade settled him at the table before opening the sliding door, allowing a small breeze inside. “Better?”

Moon nodded. “I think I have a concussion.”

Shade’s lips twisted wryly. “So I heard. Why are you holding your stomach?”

“I think Larissa’s mother poisoned my breakfast.”

“Brother, you need to get a grip.”

---