Page 97 of Crown of Smoke

Another contraction hits, and I grip the back of a chair, breathing through it like we learned in class.

A moment later, we’re riding down the elevator to the garage. "Flint.” I look up at him. “We're having a baby."

His blue eyes shine with emotion as he presses his forehead to mine. "We're having a baby."

Another contraction hits, and I lean into him, breathing through it. His arms wrap around me, strong and secure. "I've got you, baby. Just breathe."

"I'm scared," I admit, clutching his shirt.

"Hey." He tilts my face up, his blue eyes intense. "You're the strongest person I know. And I'll be right here every second. We're about to meet our son."

I smile up at him. “Or daughter.” We don’t know for sure. We do know it’s not twins.

“Or daughter.” But he’s pretty sure we’re having a boy.

The elevator dings and opens.

"Ready?" He wraps an arm around my waist, his other hand holding the bag.

I nod, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what's happening. We're about to become parents.

The ideathat some women spend twenty or thirty hours in labor is inconceivable to me. The ten it took me to deliver our son was already unimaginable. But when it was over and my son was in my arms, all the pain and struggle left.

“He’s so beautiful,” I say in awe. I just birthed a person.

“Just like his mom.” Flint’s voice is filled with love and awe too. “How about Flynn?”

We've been dancing around baby names for months but couldn’t settle on any. "Flynn?"

He gives me a sheepish smile. “Maybe you don’t want to be reminded of my deception but?—”

“No. I like Flynn.” Our history together, even that deception, is a part of what brought us here, and I love the idea of honoring it. "Flynn Ifrinn." I test the name, loving how it rolls off my tongue. Of course, it will be Flynn Tine to the world. Until Flint and his brothers can reveal themselves officially, Flint is still Flynn Tine.

Exhausted but happy, I cradle Flynn as Flint's brothers file into the hospital room. Their tough exterior melts at the sight of their nephew, even Ash's perpetual scowl softening.

"He's got the Ifrinn eyes," Phoenix notes, peering at Flynn's wide-eyed gaze.

"Poor kid," Blaise jokes.

The brothers crowd around, taking turns holding him with surprising gentleness. These dangerous men who've spent years plotting revenge transform into doting uncles before my eyes. Flynn seems to know he's safe in their arms, barely fussing as he's passed between them.

"He's got your nose, though," Blaise tells me with a grin. "Thank God for that. Flint's got a beak on him."

"Watch it," Flint growls, but there's no heat in it. He hasn't stopped smiling since Flynn arrived.

After a while, Blaise checks his watch and hands Flynn back to me. "Hate to cut this short, but duty calls. Time to infiltrate the Keans’ sanctuary."

My arms tighten instinctively around Flynn.

"Be careful," I say.

Blaise winks at me. "Always am, Sis." He kisses Flynn's forehead before heading out.

I watch the door close behind Blaise, my heart tightening with worry. Though I'm relieved Flint has taken more of a behind-the-scenes role since we married, I can't help but fear for his brothers, especially Blaise, who's now at the forefront of their mission.

"He'll be fine," Flint says, reading my expression as he settles beside me on the hospital bed. "Blaise is smarter than I am about these things."

“Yeah, he won’t fall for a reckless, beautiful woman,” Ash jokes.

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