Page 117 of Mile High Daddy

She nods without looking at me.

She’s lying.

I don’t call her on it.

Inside, I order food, figuring she probably hasn’t eaten properly all day. I don’t expect her to talk much, but I don’t expect her to disappear into the bedroom without a word either.

Something churns in my gut.

Something uneasy.

I give her a few minutes before I follow, pushing the bedroom door open.

And my chest tightens.

She’s curled in on herself, her body a small, trembling shape beneath the blankets, her shoulders shaking silently.

She’s crying.

I’m across the room in an instant, sitting at the edge of the bed, pulling the blanket back just enough to see her face.

“Lila.”

She doesn’t answer, her breath coming in uneven gasps.

“Talk to me,kiska,” I murmur, brushing a hand over her damp cheek.

She sniffles, squeezing her eyes shut like she’s trying to hold it all in. But then she lets out a soft whimper, her hands clutching at her stomach.

And something in me goes cold.

Her breath stutters, her body tensing. “Mikhail—” she gasps, and her fingers dig into my forearm, clutching me like I’m the only thing anchoring her.

Panic flashes through me, sharp and instant. “What is it?” I demand, my voice tighter than I want it to be.

She lets out another whimper, her body trembling against me. “The babies,” she gasps. “I—I think I’m having contractions.”

My blood turns to ice.

The babies?

No.

It’s too soon.

“Lila,” I say, my hand already reaching for my phone, my brain kicking into damage control.

Her grip on me tightens, and I can feel her body tense again.

“Are they coming?” I ask, forcing my voice to stay calm, even as my heart hammers like a war drum.

She doesn’t answer—she just presses her face into my chest, breathing hard.

And I know.

I need to get her to a hospital. Now.

I don’t remember getting to the hospital.

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