Page 4 of Collided (Dirty Air 2)

Liam

Two Years and Five Months Ago

My ringing phone pulls me out of my sleep. Sheets rustle as my hand fumbles for my phone in the dark. I press the green button without checking because few people would call me at this hour without an important reason.

“You need to get your ass over here now. Johanna woke up from a contraction, but we aren’t sure if it’s the real deal, gas, or a Braxton Hicks one. She’s too far along so I don’t want to risk it.” My brother’s statement wipes the grogginess from my eyes.

“You went to med school. How can you not tell the difference?”

“Asshole, I’m into neuro, not OB-GYN stuff. Just in case, I need you to grab Elyse and take her to Ma and Pa’s.”

I hop out of bed, nearly dropping my phone. “See you in ten.”

Lukas ends our call without a goodbye.

Thankfully, I decided to stay in Germany for the holiday season since Johanna’s about to give birth. I ignore the way my balls ache at the thought of labor.

I make quick time of getting ready, adrenaline coursing through my body. Within a few minutes, I hop into my SUV and make my way toward my brother’s neighborhood. He had this all planned out months ago to make sure I was in town for the delivery. With Johanna being due any day now, Lukas is on high alert. Really. He’s almost convinced Jo to go to the hospital once already for these “false alarms.”

I pull into their driveway, park my car, and get out. Lights shine from every window of their two-story house. My brother opens the front door as I walk toward the covered entryway, the chandelier casting Lukas in a golden glow. He runs an agitated hand through his blonde hair, wrinkles etching the skin near his baby blue eyes as he shoots me a nervous smile.

I pull him in for a hug, standing head-to-head with him. “If it isn’t the man of the hour. Tell me, how does it feel to see your handiwork coming to full fruition?”

“About as good as Johanna yelling at me to grab everything we need as a precaution. She’s worried this is it.”

“Her water hasn’t broken yet?”

“No, but it’s better safe than sorry.”

Johanna, all beautiful with brown hair and doe eyes, pushes past my brother. Her flushed cheeks expand as she deeply breathes in and out, her lips pursing at me. “Men should be like seahorses. They can get pregnant and give birth. I read they’re amazing fathers while the moms are dead-beat sea animals.”

I shake my head at her. “You need to relax. You’re getting all red and shit.”

Johanna hasn’t changed in the ten years I’ve known her, always one to get flustered during tense situations. She was the type who ripped me a new asshole for turning in our lab report at the end of class rather than at the beginning. While other high-school girls chased my dick for an all-access pass, Johanna ran after me to complete my homework and study for tests. Unlike others, she didn’t let me slide by because of my Formula driving. I have her to thank for graduating from school in the first place.

She shakes a finger at me, her brown eyes shining. “You can tell me to relax when you have to shove a baby the size of a watermelon out of your body.”

My brother looks at me with a face of horror. I could live a happy life without that visual ever again because I happen to like watermelon.

“Don’t give me that face. This is all your fault.” She stares at Lukas while pointing at her belly with two index fingers.

“I didn’t hear you complaining during the act.” He smiles at her.

She waves him off. “I forgot the repercussions of our actions.”

I offer Lukas a telling grin. “You are the one who got her pregnant three months after having your first kid. Territorial much?”

“I love how she glows from pregnancy.” Lukas tugs Johanna into him before planting a kiss on her head. He inherited his preference for gross displays of affection from our parents, the king and queen of too much groping.

“I hope you like the post-pregnancy paleness because the only glow you’ll get is from the fridge at 2 a.m. when you feed Kaia,” Johanna mumbles into his chest.

I, for one, can’t wait to meet Kaia, Johanna’s watermelon and the future addition to our crazy family.

“Doesn’t she have a way with words?” Lukas’s arms tighten around Johanna before letting her go.

I fake-gag. “You both make me nauseous.”

“When you get married, you’ll understand. Until then, I can shower you with appreciation for picking me as your lab partner. Turns out the hottest guy in bio had a brother to match.” Johanna winks at Lukas.