Page 81 of The Monsters Within

I looked up to her being able to express herself without a care in the world. The freedom and safety she must feel to let others see her hurting and vulnerable.

“I’m gonna go give an update,” I said before stepping out into the hallway.

Brothers and old ladies lined the hallway. My face broke out in a grin as I took in the men and women sitting on the floor.

“It would be more comfortable waiting upstairs,” I said to everyone.

“Not a chance,” Zero refuted as everyone stood. “This is the first baby. We’re all a little excited.”

“How are they doing?” Ryder asked.

Cash had told me that Ryder, Blade, Beck and Rachel all grew up together. They had a bond that couldn’t be broken, even in death. It was another thing I envied. A friendship like that was something everyone craved.

“Mom and baby are doing great. It could be a few more hours yet.”

“And Blade?” King asked. “He passed out yet?”

I couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Blade is a trooper. He’s hanging in there.”

Relief washed over his face. King and Blade had recently discovered they were cousins through King’s biological father. It took a minute to wrap my head around the fact that both Beck and Blade were related to King but not related to each other.

“How are you doing, Kytten?” Sam asked beside me. I took a deep breath. “I’m doing well. As an EMT, this isn’t my first delivery. Though it is the first one I’ve experienced with someone I know. It’s hard to see her in pain.”

Cash wrapped his arms around me from behind, and I leaned back into his chest. His chin rested on my shoulder, and he whispered, “I’m so proud of you.” It was what I’d needed to build me back up. To know someone was thinking of me.

Life was different here.

It wasn’t just my relationship with Cash. But with my brother. With Sam and Ellie. Even Melissa. I knew if I needed her, she would be there despite our having had a rocky start at the beginning.

“Any news about Amber?”

“Not yet. We still have prospects out looking, but the guys wanted to be here for Beck. Everyone will go back out after the baby is here.”

“Okay, I’d better get back in there. I’ll keep you updated.”

I entered the room, and Beck was in the middle of a contraction once again. They were coming closer and closer. Itwouldn’t be much longer before their son was here. Everyone outside was here for her. They hadn’t forgotten about her while they looked for Amber. And they hadn’t forgotten about Amber while they supported Beck.

The door swung open, and Maureen blasted in, followed by her daughter Colleen and the sheriff. “Did we miss it?”

“Almost,” Beck said between gritted teeth.

“Well, you can blame your father,” she said as she moved around the bed to the far side. “He refused to use the lights and siren.”

“This was not an emergency,” the sheriff huffed.

Maureen glared at him as she rubbed Beck’s arm. When the contraction released, Beck turned her watery gaze on her father.

“It was an emergency. I needed my mom.”

The sheriff walked over and kissed his daughter on the head. “And she’s here.”

He stepped back toward the door, and Beck asked, “You aren’t staying?”

“Absolutely not.” Colleen and I chuckled at the look of fear on the sheriff’s face.

He opened the door and Beck yelled, “Coward. He’ll be there when my brother’s born, right?”

“Oh, he’ll be there. He might not watch, but he wouldn’t miss it.”