Page 53 of Property of Big Daddy

Months later

“You’resure?”Iaskonce more, making sure I’m hearing correctly.

“I think I’d know better than you if my water broke.”Lucie snaps at me from the other end of the call.

“Don’t get testy.I’ve gotta swing by and pick up Gwynee.Do you need us to bring anything?”

“No.Just get here.I’m in room 257.”

“See you soon.”I end the call with Lucie and text Gwynee.

It’s time.

She responds with a flurry of emoji faces and hearts.She’s so damn excited you’d think she’s the one about to give birth.

Since Lucie graduated from her rehab program, she moved into a sober living facility.I’ve got to admit she’s done better than expected.She’s been putting in the effort to keep on the straight and narrow.Been taking parenting classes and took a job as a drug counselor.She’s really turned her life around.

Hell, she’s even warmed up to Gwynee and checks in with her a few times a week.We still don’t know who the father of her baby is, and she seems to want to keep the secret.

I can’t force her to share his identity and try not to push too hard since every time I bring it up, she gets defensive and shuts down.

Part of me thinks the baby belongs to Meko, and I guess I should feel bad for sending that asshole to hell when I put a bullet between his eyes.But the truth is, I don’t.Meko got what was coming to him.The bastard fucked my club over and messed Lucie up so badly she had to go through months of rehab to get clean.The prick got off easy compared to what he put my niece through.

I pull up at the salon and honk for Gwynee.She rushes out and hops into the passenger side.“I’m so excited.I can’t wait to hold the baby.”

We arrive at the hospital and find Lucie’s room easy enough.She’s laid up in the hospital bed, hooked up to a monitor that measures her contractions.

“How’s your pain?Did they give you an epidural yet?”Gwynee takes the seat next to Lucie’s bed.

Lucie responds by gritting her teeth as an intense contraction hits.

After a few minutes, one of the labor and delivery nurses comes by to see how far she’s dilated.“We’re still at five centimeters,” the nurse says, reading from the chart.“You’ve got a way to go but once you reach seven it will go quicker.”

“Great,” Lucie grumbles.“Oooh,” she cries, grabbing the sides of the bed, her knuckles whitening as another contraction comes.

“Breathe with it, okay?In and out,” Gwynee coaches her.

Lucie follows her advice, groaning through gritted teeth.

“Are you ready for that epidural now?”The nurse questions and Lucie eagerly nods her head.

She was trying to be brave and give birth with no pain meds, but there’s no shame in needing help.I know she was worried about it because of her struggles with addiction, but she’s doing great.

“All right, Lucie,” the new nurse on duty, an older woman with kind eyes, says.“I’m going to check how far along you are.”She pulls up the sterile sheet covering Lucie’s legs, her face betraying no emotion as she quickly examines her.After a moment, she nods.“You’re at seven centimeters,” she announces.“It won’t be long now.”

“Thank god for that.”Lucie groans, collapsing back onto her pillows.She looks exhausted already, her face pale and sweaty.

Gwynee is with her every step of the way and if you’d asked me months ago if they’d ever get to this point, I’d said no way.But they’ve grown close and bonded somewhere along the way.

The first few weeks once Lucie and the baby are released from the hospital, they are coming to live with us at the clubhouse.

It’s crucial that my niece has a good support system in place and help caring for the baby.I’m proud of how hard she has worked, but I still have lingering doubts in the back of my mind that she’s going to slip right back into her old habits once she’s no longer pregnant and has more freedom.

Within a few hours, my great nephew is born.

“Welcome to the world, Liam,” Gwynees coos over the baby while Lucie has a much needed rest.Seeing my woman holding a baby hits me square in the gut.Guilt at telling her I never want another child eats at me.She’s a fucking natural.

My heart clenches in my chest.If Gwynee is ever going to be a mother, I’ll have to let her go.She wants a future I can’t give her.I love her and would do anything in the world for her, but creating another child is the one thing I can’t bring myself to do.My reasons may sound selfish, but they are valid.

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