Page 48 of Strip for Me

“She shouldn’t be there. It’s Tuesday, and the club isn’t open,” Kaiden says as he pulls up on the side of the road after the lights turn green, and he turns the car around.

“Send a text to Todd, letting him know where we are going and to come to the club. I don’t like it. Would you stay in the car when we get there?” Kaiden asks me.

“No, we go in together,” I say, and he sighs. I’m sure it’s just a water or electric problem. I text Todd and sit back, rubbing my stomach as my little girl kicks away. Kaiden pulls up outside the club about twenty minutes later. I wait as he comes around the car and helps me out. It’s gotten hard to get out of the car with how big my stomach is now. Kaiden holds my hand as he unlocks the club, and we walk in.Why would Annie be in a locked club?

“I don’t like this. Why would she lock it?” I ask Kaiden, he nods with a frown. I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing. We walk down the steps and right in the middle of the stage is Annie, strapped to a chair and standing next to her is Drew. Annie is passed out, blood trickling from her forehead onto the stage.

“Ellie, it’s about time you came. You’re just in time for the fun,” he says with a smirk. Everything seems to slow down as he lifts the gun in his hand and aims it at us. Kaiden pushes me out of the way, just as I hear a bang. I slide across the floor, slamming onto my side.

“Ahh,” I scream out when I feel a tightening pain around my stomach, just seconds before I feel my legs getting wet.Holy ducks, my waters have gone.I pull myself up into a sitting position, seeing Kaiden on the floor next to me, his lower stomach is bleeding. He pushed me out of the way to save me. I stand up shakily and walk over to him, holding my stomach and feeling more water pouring down my legs. I can’t focus on anything other than Kaiden, unconscious and bleeding on the floor.This can’t be happening.

“Time for us to leave,” Drew snaps from next to me as I finally get to Kaiden and press my fingers to his neck. I feel a pulse, and he moves a little. I scream when Drew lifts me up from behind, and another contraction rips though my stomach.

“Put me down, you asshole,” I mutter, and he laughs as he holds my arm tightly in his grip. I struggle to stand, and his hand grips my upper arm harder as I bite my lip to stop myself screaming from the pain. The smell of smoke is the first thing I notice as he walks us away from Kaiden and towards the stairs out of the club. I glance behind us, seeing the flames on the stage behind Annie, and she’s struggling to get out of her chair as her panicked filled eyes meet mine. At least, she is awake now.

“No, don’t do this. Please don’t,” I beg Drew, and he only laughs as I struggle to get his hand off my arm as he pulls me along.

“I suggest you put our girl down before I beat the shit out of you,” Andre’s voice comes from in front of us. I glance up the stairs to see him, Todd, and Dominic standing at the door.

Drew only laughs as a response as he pulls the gun out of his pocket. I grab it, and he doesn’t expect it. I pull the trigger as we both hold it, and the bullet hits his foot. He lets me go as he screams out in pain, and I step backwards, watching as he drops the gun and falls to the floor. Another contraction takes over, and I start to feel a pressure to push as I cry out in pain.Holy ducks, not now.

“Ellie, it’s okay. I called the police, and I’m taking you to the hospital, we don’t have time to wait,” Dominic says as he picks me up. I hold my stomach tightly as I focus on breathing for a second.

“Kaiden and Annie are in there,” I say, and he nods.

“Todd is getting them,” he says. As we walk up the steps, Andre is punching Drew, who looks unconscious.He needs to help Todd.

“Andre, stop,” Dominic says stopping next to them, and he does, straightening up and looking at me in worry. Andre rests a hand on my bump.

“The baby is coming, and Kaiden has been shot, Todd won’t be able to get them both out. Go please,” I say, holding my stomach, and he kisses my cheek before rushing back into the club. The cold air washes over my face as we step outside, and Dominic puts me into the seat of his car and shuts the door.

I glance back at the club and pray that Kaiden is okay. I can’t do this without him.

Forty

ELLIE

“Dom, it bloody hurts,”I say as Dominic drives us as fast as he legally can towards York hospital. I want to tell him to put a foot on it, but I can’t, knowing he can’t go any faster. Between the awful pain of my contractions and worrying about Kaiden, I can’t think straight.He has to be okay.I think back to when we first met and the cheeky smile he had. The sweet date he took me on at the butterfly farm and every little moment we have had together. I know I can’t lose him now, it wouldn’t be fair. Kaiden has to survive this so he can meet our little girl. I panic when I realise how early she is, I’m not even thirty-seven weeks yet. I think back to my last midwife appointment when she told me about how babies born after thirty seven weeks are more likely to have no problems. She has to be okay, just like Kaiden.

“We’re here,” Dom says, he sounds as relieved as I am, and I lean back in my seat as he pulls up outside the giant hospital. The hospital looks like one giant block, with God knows how many windows at the front in rows.

“Holy ducks, get me in there, so I can find the drugs because this bloody hurts,” I say to Dom, who nods with a look of worryand undoes my seatbelt and his. Dom gets out of the car, with one more look at me as a contraction takes over, and I have to bite down on my lip to keep the scream in.

“Help us, my girlfriend is in labour,” I hear Dom shout, just as my door is opened. Dom leans in and helps me out, just as another contraction comes and the urge to push is so strong with that one. All I want to do is push, and I know I can’t, not yet.

“Dominic,” I say in a whimper, and he picks me up in his arms, holding me close as he moves us.

“Here,” I hear someone say, and Dom puts me down on a bed, staying close to my side as some paramedics wheel us into the hospital. I hold in a scream as another contraction comes, and the pain is blinding. They rush us into a lift, and then out into another corridor. Another two contractions come, and I have to push. I can’t stop the urge to anymore.

“The baby is coming,” I pant out, just as I’m pushed into a room. A midwife comes in with a big smile, and she is followed by two other doctors who run around the room. I look around and see the small cot by the window, just seeing that makes me want to push and meet my little girl. This pain is just temporary.

“What’s your name?” she asks me.

“Ellie,” I say.

“She’s only thirty-six weeks, the baby is early,” Dominic says as he stands next to me.

“Seems your little one is in a rush. Now don’t worry, but I’m going to have a look, okay?” she asks as she pulls my dress up, and I nod. I help her get my knickers off, and she places a blanket over me.

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