Page 119 of Bully for Sale

Ezer was doing this.

Ned had to support him. He pushed everyone aside to get to his love, terror roiling in him, but he composed his expression. “I’m here,” he said, as Ezer’s wail faded away. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

Ezer could seethrough his filmy vision that Ned was sweaty and panicked. He could also see that Ned was just pretending to be strong, and that made him want to laugh, but he had no energy for it.

Even knowing Ned was more scared than he wanted to admit, his voice was still a balm to Ezer’s pain and his touch even more so. Ezer struggled to keep his eyes open, wanting to see and touch Ned’s flawless skin, but Ned wore a nice shirt, with a pair of pants that fit him beautifully. It was no good. No good at all. Ezer wanted him naked.

“Get it off. All of it. I need your skin,” he panted, and then groaned like an animal, rocking back and forth from his toes to his heels, agony taking hold of him. When the contraction passed, Ned was beside him, naked except for underwear and holding him steady, rubbing his back, encouraging him in a soothing, strong tone. Ezer reached out, pawing at him, reveling in his scent.

“That’s it,” Ned said. “You’re doing so good. Right, Dr. Savage? He’s doing great.”

Dr. Savage harrumphed and didn’t confirm anything, bending low to check Ezer’s backside.

“He’s doing great,” Amos confirmed, looking at Ned, and Ezer saw the terror in his da’s gaze, too. They were all so afraid. It was funny because now they were all here, in this moment, Ezer felt at peace.

“My alpha, and my da,” Ezer whispered. “You’re both here for me.”

“Of course, darling,” Amos said. “I was always here for you. I always will be.”

Ezer’s eyes dropped closed, but he felt Ned’s face press against his neck, nuzzling him, breathing in his scent. It was calming. For a moment.

Ezer threw his head back and screamed. The pain was sharp. Not like the pains before. The babies wanted out, and he was in their way.

As the agony passed, it blurred into another contraction, and once it was over, he sank against Ned’s strength. “They’re going to rip me in half,” he whispered, thinking that he really should be more scared of that, but he was just too damn tired. “I can’t do it. I can’t, Ned. I just can’t.”

Ned came around in front of him, lifted his chin, and forced his eyes to meet his gaze. In a calm, certain voice, Ned assured him, “Youaregoing to do this, Ezer, and you’ll be okay. You’ll be strong and healthy, and the babies will too. We’re going to make it through this. You and me. I’ve got you. Do you believe me?”

Ezer nodded. Ned sounded so sure, like he knew exactly what he was talking about. He was faking it so well. Ezer decided to pretend to believe.

Until another contraction hit.

Then he went back to knowing in his heart that Ned was a fucking idiot.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Ned had neverseen suffering like this. His beloved omega, his Ezer with the sky-eyes, anguished beyond belief, laboring to deliver their twins. The pain seemed unreal, and Ned couldn’t stop himself from slipping into fears of Ezer’s death. Could his small frame survive this? Would he live?

But whenever the doubts crept in, he remembered his uncle jabbing his finger at the table and his strong voice telling him to be the alpha Ezer needed him to be. He recalled Heath in the car telling him to pretend for all he was worth.

Using these thoughts as his mantra, Ned calmed himself, and when he spoke to Ezer he did so with authority, reassuring him the delivery was going well, that Ezer was strong and could do this, and that they were all going to be just fine.

EMTs stood around watching, ready, Ned realized to attempt life-saving resuscitation on Ezer or the babies after they were born. Dr. Savage was the only one attending to his omega now.

With each word of reassurance, Ned felt in his core he was lying, but Ezer seemed to believe him, staring into his eyes searchingly and finding something he needed there. Ezer would listen, nod, and then relax, until the next contraction came.

Amos encouraged his son, too, but it seemed that Ned’s words were the ones Ezer clung to the most. The reason was made clear during one of the shorter and shorter spells between contractions when Ezer looked at Ned and said, “You may be a coward, but you’ve never lied to me.”

“No,” Ned agreed.

“Tell me the truth then, am I going to die today?”

The truth? Ned was trying so hard to be brave, but he didn’t know if he could be that brave. Ezer’s eyes challenged him, the rebellious omega he’d always been urging him not to betray his trust.

“I hope not.”

Ezer’s lips quirked. “Not a lie. Thank you.”

“I love you.”