Page 75 of Redemption's Inferno

“Okay.” Emilie was squeezing Chains’ hand, her eyes shut as she blew out a breath. Damn, this was a thousand times worse than when she’d had Simone!

“You got this, Em,” Viggo said, one of his big hands on her right knee.

“Okay, Emilie,” Dr. Diaz was saying. “Push!”

“FUCK!” Emilie let out a string of expletives in Swedish that had Viggo trying not to chuckle. She’d used every bad word she could think of and invented a few along the way.

“Good, Emilie,” Dr. Diaz was monitoring something intently. “Get ready for another.”

“How do you know if anything is happening?” Viggo asked, staring down in confusion.

“Because I’m screaming like an idiot?!” Emilie suggested sarcastically.

“The baby should crown on the next push,” Dr. Diaz interjected lightly. “Can you give me another one, Emilie?”

“Just close your eyes and imagine you’re somewhere else,” Chains whispered against her ear. “When I was being tortured, I let my mind leave my body—imagining I was with you, walking on the beach.”

Her eyes met his briefly before she let them flutter closed and did as he suggested. She thought back to the day they’d spent at Stonehenge, walking around the ancient structure as they’d discussed its historical importance and architectural significance. She was vaguely aware of Dr. Diaz asking her to push and she tried to separate the painful state of her body from the wonderful place her mind had gone.

“Come on, Em, you’ve got to concentrate,” Viggo was saying.

“She knows what her body needs,” Chains said, frowning at him. “Let her go at her own pace.”

“All right, Emilie, another one,” Dr. Diaz said.

“You’ve got this, Em!” Viggo encouraged.

Emilie groaned.

“Come on, once more,” the doctor said.

“Em, you’re not even trying!” Viggo protested.

“Bloody hell, mate, leave her be!” Chains growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

“She’ll do better if she focuses,” Viggo said to him.

“She’ll do better without someone telling her how to manage her labor.”

The two stared each other down, oblivious to Emilie’s short pants and Chains’ inability to get up.

“She’ll do better without the two of you acting like dogs trying to mark your territory,” Jamie growled quietly, looking from Viggo to Chains and back again. “Let her labor however she likes, babe.” He looked at his husband meaningfully before glancing down at Chains. “And while she needs your emotional support more than anything, let her find her own rhythm. She did this by herself with Simone, so I’m sure having all three of us here is a little freaky for her. If you need me to go, Em, I will.” He brushed his hand along her calf. “This is about you, not us.”

She locked eyes with the man who’d fathered this child and there was a moment of love between them the likes of which she’d never felt before. It wasn’t the all-encompassing love and passion she felt for Chains, or the fondness of half a lifetime of friendship she shared with Viggo, but rather the bond you felt with someone who’d been part of a life-changing event with you. Amazingly, the pain stopped for a moment, and she reached out her hand to him. He took it without hesitation and she smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered before turning to the others. “And no, I don’t want any of you to go anywhere—I just want everyone except the doctor to be quiet.”

The next contraction slammed through her midsection right at that moment and she shrieked. “FUCK ME LOUD! I need to push!”

Jamie hurried back to his original post by her left knee, glancing at Viggo worriedly. His husband merely gave him a sheepish grin before glancing over at Chains, who looked fairly sheepish as well.

“Okay, time to get serious,” Dr. Diaz said pointedly. “Give me a good one, Emilie. I think you’ll get the head out.”

Emilie nodded, closing her eyes and letting her mind and body separate once again. It was amazing how easy it was when she could concentrate.

“All right, that’s the head,” Dr. Diaz said with a smile. “Let’s have this baby. You ready, Emilie?”

“Yes!” Emilie squeezed her eyes shut and felt the pressure of Chains’ hand on hers as she prepared herself for another contraction. She was barely aware of her surroundings as she focused all her energy on the pain rolling through her body. A roaring in her ears made everything else in the room disappear and all that was left was the tightness in her abdomen as the baby’s head came out. She couldn’t hear the doctor anymore, lost in that private place in her mind she’d once retreated to when the guilt overwhelmed her; this time all she felt was the incredible relief that followed when the baby’s body slid out. Suddenly the room came alive with shouts of laughter and the wonderful sound of a baby’s cry. Emilie didn’t move, keeping her eyes closed and letting her mind come back from where it had retreated. She was completely spent, but Dr. Diaz’s gentle voice roused her.

“Emilie, say hello to your son.”

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