Page 91 of Filthy Hot

CHAPTER

THIRTY-FIVE

KYLE

I pace.I’m not sure why I’m the one pacing. I’m not the one having a baby. I hardly even know Ryan. But I really like her, and I know that Rider cares for her. She’s part of his family, and these men and women, he loves them all fiercely.

“Shouldn’t we have heard something by now?” I demand. “It’s been a really long time.”

Shawn is standing a few feet away, holding Brendan in her arms as she sways from side to side. She hums but then gives me a kind smile. She isn’t making fun of me, but it’s clear she thinks it’s cute that I have no idea about babies.

Adam, Ryan and Atomic’s son, sits between two of the men, playing on a phone as he waits for his new sister to enter the world. I don’t know him very well yet, but I can’t help but watch him and wonder if he’s scared. Because I’m terrified.

“It can take a long time,” she says.

I want to ask her what could take so long, but I decide against it. I don’t know anything about babies, births, or anything else. Igave up knowing, caring, or even thinking that it was possible for me a long time ago.

I wasn’t going to have a family with Xavier. Not after I saw the real him. So, this scenario wasn’t ever going to happen for me. Except, now I want it. I want these people to stand in this room and wait to see my baby.

I want a whole room full of uncles who would kill for my baby, and I know they would—happily. I want built-in cousins and aunties. I want it all. For the first time in my life, I want everything that I never thought I could have.

“I’m worried,” I repeat before I turn my back to her and walk over to the windows.

We’re on the fourth floor, and I can see a courtyard where it appears nurses are having a break. I want to go down there and scream at them, ask them if they’re even doing their jobs because Ryan hasn’t had that baby yet.

I smell him before I feel his palm against my lower back. He touches his lips to the shell of my ear. “She’s going to be okay, baby.”

“How do you know?” I ask on a whisper. “I’m so worried.”

There is a moment of silence. I wait for him to say something, but instead of speaking, he spins me around to face him. His palm slides against my cheek as he tilts my head slightly so I am forced to look directly into his gaze.

“Rider,” I exhale.

He grins and opens his mouth, but before he can say a single word, we hear Atomic’s voice boom through the room. It’s loud, and Rider’s spine straightens as he turns to look over his shoulder in the direction of the shout.

“It’s a girl,” Atomic announces to the room. “She’s perfect. Eight pounds, three ounces. She’s twenty-one inches long, with ten fingers and ten toes. Absolutely amazing in every way,” he boasts proudly.

Tears fill my eyes. All the stress and anxiety leave my body in a whoosh of air. My shoulders even sag slightly. If anyone notices, they don’t say anything, but then again, nobody is focused on me. Atomic holds all the attention, as he should.

“What’s her name?” Shawn calls out.

They’ve been keeping the baby’s name a secret this whole time. We knew that she was a girl, but that’s all. Keeping my gaze on Atomic, I wait for his response. He takes one more step into the room, the smile on his face larger than life itself.

“Her name is Millie June Hughes.”

That is cute—really cute. I don’t think I could have ever thought of a name that cute in my whole life. I love it so much. Brendan Presley and Millie June. I’m not sure I could have a baby with this group. I can’t live up to the baby name pressure.

He offers to let us come in to visit them when they’re moved to their room in a couple of hours. A few of the guys leave, obviously not wanting to be part of any baby stuff. Hanging around in the lobby is one thing, but the actual hospital room with the recovering mom and brand-new bundle is a whole other story.

Rider, Shawn, and King stay. Eventually, men begin filtering out, but I notice that Brew stays. “He’s Atomic’s biological brother,” Rider murmurs, noticing my stare and answering my unasked question.

“Oh, wow. Is anyone else related?” I ask.

He hums. “My father is still a member, so is King’s, of course, Brew and Atomic. A couple of the guys said their little brothers want to prospect here shortly. A lot of us don’t have real close relationships with our families,” he says.

I get that. I don’t want anything to do with mine, and Rider isn’t super fond of his father. The whole concept of family is odd to me. I thought I wanted one with Xavier, that his parentswere going to be amazing, but they weren’t, and he wasn’t. I just assumed I wasn’t going to have one—ever.

“I knew about some of them, but I didn’t realize so many people were involved,” I say.

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