Page 33 of A Trident Christmas Baby

He glanced sideways at Derek, who was walking with his usual commanding presence, though there was a faint twitch of amusement at the corner of his mouth.

“I know you want to ask, so go ahead,” Ace muttered.

Derek snorted a laugh as they hit the stairs.

“How in the hell did you end up with three elves and Santa and Mrs. Claus? And let’s not forget about the sleigh.”

Ace shook his head. Thinking about it now, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Let’s just say that we were trained well.”

“What?”

“When plans don’t go our way, we improvise, adapt, and overcome. And I can honestly say that we fulfilled each of those terms tonight.”

Derek chuckled. “Again, I can’t wait to hear the full story.”

As they made it to the second floor, Ace’s attention was back on Alex. He looked at Derek.

“How close is she?” Ace asked.

Derek snorted, not breaking stride. “Close enough that if you’d taken one more scenic route with Santa, you’d miss the birth.”

Shit!

Ace picked up his pace, his boots pounding against the polished floor. As they approached the waiting room, Derek stopped.

“This is my stop,” he told Ace and then pointed down the hallway. “Alex is in the last room on the left.”

Ace nodded and continued walking.

His heart thudded louder than his footsteps as he neared Alex’s room. He could hear Tenley’s calm, steady voice, but then Alex’s voice cut through, pleading, “I can’t do this without him, Ten. I need Ace. Derek said he was just minutes away.”

Alex’s words sliced through him, a mix of heartbreak and admiration flooding his chest. She was strong—stronger than anyone he knew. But hearing her in pain, longing for him, made him feel like the worst kind of man for not being there sooner.

Without hesitation, Ace pushed the door open, his breath catching as his eyes locked onto Alex’s emerald-green ones. Tears streamed down her face, and as soon as she saw him, she broke into a sob.

“Ace!”

He was at her side in an instant, taking her hand and kissing her forehead, then her lips. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

Before Ace could respond, Alex winced, biting her lip to stifle a cry. His grip on her hand tightened as he turned to the doctor in alarm.

The female doctor smiled warmly. “It’s time.”

Ace’s pulse skyrocketed as the room seemed to shift into high gear. Nurses bustled around, adjusting monitors and preparing the delivery table. Ace focused entirely on Alex, marveling at how calm she looked despite the sweat beading on her forehead and the strain in her expression.

“You’ve got this, sweetheart,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You’re the strongest woman I know.”

Alex nodded, her jaw set. “Let’s do this.”

She’d opted for a natural birth, of course, because Alex was nothing if not a warrior. Ace held her hand, feeling her grip tighten with each contraction. He murmured words of encouragement, wiping her brow with a cool cloth and wishing he could take the pain for her.

“Okay, Alex. On the next contraction, I want you to push,” the doctor instructed, her voice steady. “You’re doing amazing.”

Alex gritted her teeth, her body trembling as she bore down. Ace kept whispering to her, telling her how incredible she was, how proud he was, how much he loved her.

It only took a few minutes—though to Ace, it felt like hours, before the piercing cry of a baby filled the room.

---