Page 97 of Captive Vows
Ever since I woke up this morning, I’d felt off. “No. Not real ones. Based on what I’ve read and what the doctors told me, this is when I’ll have Braxton Hicks.”
He furrowed his brow. “They look intense.”
Fuck, I can’t even breathe.I forced a smile. “Just practice.” I stifled a groan.
The universe couldn’t be that much of a jokester. This couldn’t be early labor because I’d come so hard last night. If that were the case, and Luka missed this delivery, I’d never let him hear the end of it. He’d also never let me hear the end of it that he’d basically fucked me into childbirth.
“You know, when my wife was pregnant and claimed to have those Braxton Hicks, it was the real thing.”
Please, don’t tell me that.I wasn’t ready. I needed Luka to be here when the time came. His comfort would ground me and make it more bearable.
“She was just dehydrated and they managed to hold off on her having Misha for a couple more weeks.”
I grabbed my water bottle and chugged it. He laughed, but when the heartburn came even from the plain water, I cringed. My stomach was pushed up too high and squished.
“Gabriella?” A tech entered the waiting room and escorted me back to a small room. Alexsei stuck with me, and the guard trailed after us. Even though the ultrasound technician raised her brows, not used to the security like this, she didn’t comment until I was on the bed and a nurse popped in to get my vitals.
“Feeling okay?” she asked.
I nodded, but that felt like a lie. If these were Braxton Hicks contractions, I wasn’t sure I’d be strong enough for the real thing.
“So… is Daddy staying for the scan?” The tech glanced at Alexsei, then the guard, as she readied the gel for the ultrasound while the nurse exited.
“No. They’re not the father,” I replied.
Alexsei nodded at the guard, excusing him. Perhaps he thought I needed more privacy, but the room did feel less cluttered when the Dubinin soldier left.
The technician began scanning, but the look of alarm on her face scared me. “What is it?”
“Are yousureyou feel okay?” she checked.
“As okay as I think I can—ow.” Another sharp strike of pain hit me.
“That,” she said, moving the wand over my bump, “doesn’t fall under the realm ofokay.”
“It’s just Braxton Hicks.”
“No, that’s just a really intense contraction.” She moved quickly, grabbing a heart monitor to strap to my belly to track the baby’s pulse. “And you are about to have this baby.”
“What?” I tried to sit up, shocked.
“This isn’t a rehearsal,” she said glibly, smiling as she hooked me up.
“I told you,” Alexsei said, chuckling as he got his phone out.
“No. It’s just?—”
“It’sjustcontractions,” the tech said. As she continued to secure the monitors to me, she picked up a radio-like piece hanging off the wall, calling for a nurse to come and to page the doctor.
I turned to stare at Alexsei. “But Luka?—”
He held his hand up then rested it on my shoulder. “He’s coming. He was already on his way, done with his meeting early. He should be here any minute.”
“Oh, thank God. Thank—” I cringed, buckling down to bear through another wave of agony. “Fuck!”
“Whoa. Easy, easy. Deep breath in.” Alexsei was a surprising source of comfort, having gone through the birth of his son. I was so damn glad I wasn’t alone, that he was here instead ofthe others. But it was Luka I wanted to see. I wanted him to be holding my hand.
“Don’t move,” the tech said as she retreated.
