Page 150 of The Surrender

“Yeah.”

“You’ve got no choice. My kid’s inside you. I need you to push it out.”

I blindly reach back and smack him on the head. “It hurts.”

“Try being involved in a high-speed RTA.”

“Jude,” I hiss, smacking him again. He chuckles. “You’re so together.”

“One of us has to be,” he replies. I hear a ringing tone. He’s trying Glenda again. And I can’t tell you how relieved I am when I hear her chirpy voice answer. “Amelia’s in labour,” Jude tells her, still so fucking calm. I suspect inside is a different story, but I appreciate his effort. “Yeah, can you turn around and come back? I don’t know, maybe every couple of minutes. I think she’s been in labour longer than she thinks.”

I frown and open an eye.

“She’s been pissing herself all day.”

I snarl, and he smiles, as I go back to breathing, feeling calmer. Until another wretched wave of pain comes out of nowhere and takes me out. “Oh. My. God,” I scream, the sound dragging out for an eternity.

A loud knock breaks through my noise.

“Come in,” Jude yells, and a second later, Abbie’s by the pool.

“The best fuck,” I mumble drowsily, sounding drunk. “It’s Casey.”

“No shit.” Abbie shakes her head in exasperation. “But that’s a crisis for another day. How are you doing?”

“In fucking agony,” I grunt. “It’s his fault.” I point a limp finger at Jude. “I only came for a spa day.” I frown to myself as Abbie folds over laughing and Jude snorts from behind me. “Fuck off, both of you.”

“Okay, enough of the sass, thank you, missus,” Jude says, serious.

“I’m a miss.”

“Maybe one day I’d like to change that.” He raises his brows, and I huff my revulsion.

“Sounds disgusting.”

“Can I get you anything?” Abbie asks.

“A gag?” Jude says.

“Oh no,” I gasp, feeling another one coming. “No, no, no.” I slam my eyes shut and circle my belly with my arms, riding the excruciating pain. “I need to push!” I strain the words as I bear down, the urge overcoming me. “Arhhhhhhhh!”

“Fuck.” Jude rips his shirt open.

“What are you doing?” I pant.

“Yes, what the hell are you doing?” Abbie asks, as he kicks his shoes off and dips to tug his feet out of his socks before wriggling out of his trousers.

“I’m getting in.” He’s in the pool before I can protest, not that I can anyway, another awful contraction claiming me and bending my body, ballooning my cheeks.

“Oh God, this is horrific,” I wail, pushing down through the pain, feeling things moving down below. “I need to move.”

“Move?” Jude asks. “To where?”

“I don’t know, but I need to move.” I start scrambling to my knees and fall onto my palms, rocking my hips from side to side. “Oh, that’s good,” I mumble. “Rub my back.”

“Yes, princess,” he says sardonically, but kneels behind me, both his hands rubbing wonderful circles on my lower back. I fall into a bit of a trance. In fact, I’m pretty sure I doze off as Jude massages me and I sway. “I never thought I’d ever have you on your hands and knees in front of me andnotget a hard-on.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you two to it,” Abbie says, as Jude laughs her out. “Call me if you need me.”