Page 114 of Gangster's Empire: Leeza & Havel

Now, they were finally in and settling down.

When the baby comes, can I sleep in their room? Kris asked.

“Why do you want to sleep in the baby’s room?”

So I can watch over it, the way dad watches over you.

Leeza melted. He’d started calling Havel dad a few weeks earlier when he realized the baby would call Havel dad. He’d asked if he could too, and Havel had nearly broken down in tears, but said that yes, he’d love if Kris called him dad.

“You can sleep in the baby’s room any time you want,” Leeza assured him. “We’ll put a cot in there for you.”

“Here you two are,” Havel said, striding through the door.

Leeza’s heart leapt at the sight of her man. “You’re home!”

He’d been on mission for the past week, leaving Leeza at home with Kris. Though Leeza continued to work for Guard Dog, she was officially on maternity leave. Her due date was in three weeks.

Havel gathered her in his arms and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. She breathed him in as they held each other. He smelled like fresh air and gun powder, which meant he’d gone straight from his assignment to her.

“You haven’t been to the office yet?” she asked, frowning at him.

“Had to come see you first.”

“It’s against protocol.” She swatted his shoulder. “You can’t give your people shit for skipping debrief if you do it too.”

“What good is being the boss if you don’t get to cut corners?” he grumbled, pressing kisses to her jaw and throat. “I’ll go and debrief if you come with me.”

“Can’t,” she said breathily, her blood heating up as he nipped at her.

“Why?” he demanded, pulling away from her.

Kris tapped Havel’s arm and when Havel looked down, he signed, she’s having a baby.

“I know, buddy,” Havel said.

“Now,” Leeza supplied since he didn’t seem to be getting it.

Havel stared at her, his expression one of incomprehension.

“Havel, I’m going to have the baby.”

He nodded. “Yeah, in three weeks.”

“No… now.”

Today, Kris signed helpfully.

“What?” Panic replaced confusion.

Leeza had to bite her lip so she wouldn’t laugh. “The pressure in my abdomen has been getting stronger throughout the day and my contractions started a few hours ago.” She looked at the time. “They’re every twenty minutes and last for about sixty seconds.”

Havel looked thunderstruck and Leeza glanced worriedly at the only chair in the room in case Havel needed to sit down. It was small and plastic, unlikely to seat a 250-pound man.

“Okay, I got this,” he said, seeming to shake himself out of his panic. He bent to scoop Leeza up. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”

Leeza backed away from him. “No, Havel. You know I’m doing a home birth.”

“I figured you’d give up that plan when the pain started.”

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