Page 2

CHAPTER TWO

STAR

The babies are strapped to Belle and Josie, and Alina’s ass is wedged sideways in the double stroller seat with her legs hanging over the other seat. She’s clutching her stomach every time a contraction hits. At first, we tried to drag her, but the wheels kept getting stuck in the mud. So instead, Maggie and I took a side each, heaved the stroller up, and slowly began to carry it.

“Jesus, I swear your baby must weigh fifty pounds,” I wheeze. My feet sink into the mud as we go, and my back screams in pain. Josie and Belle try to help by lifting, being careful not to harm the babies currently strapped to their chests, who are busy giggling, blowing raspberries, and generally thinking this is the best day of their lives, while we are covered in mud, trying to get to the other side of that stupid fucking tree.

We eventually made it. I slipped a few times, as did Maggie. I was just grateful Alina hadn’t screamed that she wanted to push yet. We were not equipped to deal with that right now. Now that we are standing on firmer ground, I hand Maggie my phone so she could book the taxi while we all moved towards the road. The stroller rattled over the uneven ground.

“Hold tight Alina; we’re almost there,” I pant as every muscle in my body screams in protest.

“Three minutes until the car is at the end of the track,” Maggie pants.

As we near the end, I bend over, resting my hands on my knees and drawing in desperate lungfuls of air, filling my lungs.

The minivan comes to a stop, and the driver lowers his window. “I ain’t letting you in my car like that,” he says, gesturing at each of us.

I straighten as I approach the minivan, giving him a deathly glare. “You will take us. She is in labour, and we need to get to the hospital,” I state with clenched teeth.

“I don’t have to do anything; my van, my choice,” he argues.

Any patience I had disperses. My body aches, I’m tired, and now I’m beyond pissed off. I crick my neck from side to side as I lean inside through the window space into the minivan. The man’s eyes widen with fear, and I watch as he goes to hit the button to put the window back up.

“Touch that button and you will fucking die,” I growl in warning. He flinches his hand away.

“Star,” Belle hisses in shock and at my threat.

I ignore her and continue to stare down at the driver. “So, let me get this straight. You are just going to leave helpless women on the side of the road—one clearly in labour and needing emergency hospital treatment—not to mention we have two young kids with us. Do I have that right?” I ask, my voice low and threatening. He nods slowly in agreement. I inhale a slow breath, trying to calm my anger. “Open up your van and take us to the hospital, or I will hunt you down and make you choke on your own testicles,” I seethe.

He stares up at me, eyes wide. When he doesn’t move, I let out a huff and lean into the van, reaching down to unlock the doors. A loud click rings out, and I smile as the guy still continues to stare at me like a frozen statue.

I roll my eyes and slide back out, opening the door for the others to get in.

“Yes!” Maggie cheers. “Come on, let’s get you in the van.” Maggie heaves Alina to her feet, slowly shuffling her into the back of the van. I wait until everyone is in a seat before I jump in and take the passenger seat next to the driver.

“Let’s go to the hospital. Just take it steady because we’ve got babies and a woman in labour.” I clap my hands to get his attention, causing the man to jump, his eyes still on me. “What is your problem? Drive!” I bark, making him jump again.

“Er Star, look in the mirror,” Maggie states.

I pull the sun visor down and look at my reflection in the small mirror, snorting a laugh. I look like a marine on special ops. My face is almost completely covered in mud, and I can’t help but think I look like a swamp monster. There are even twigs in my hair.

“All I need now is some camouflage, and people would think I’m a marine on special operation.” I snort before I look to the guy and pat his leg, “Listen, er...” I pause, looking at his ID lanyard hanging from the mirror. “Listen Bob, I will make sure your van is cleaned. Please just get us to the hospital,” I say in a softer note.

“I, I, I don’t feel so good,” he mutters, clutching his chest.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, you better not be having a fucking heart attack on me, Bob!” I yell. He gasps, and his face begins to turn red. “Bob, I really don’t have time for this shit,” I sigh.

“What’s happening?” Maggie asks, leaning forward from the back seat. She takes one look at Bob, then her gaze swings back to me. “Oh, fuck,” she mutters.

“Help me get him in the passenger seat. I’m going to have to drive,” I state as I jump out of the van, run around to his side and yank the door open. “Slide your ass over, Bob. I will drive,” I state, shoving at him. Maggie tries pulling him as he slowly moves himself over. Sweat lines his brow, and once he’s over far enough, I squeeze into the seat. “Get in the back and buckle up!” I bark, panicked.

Maggie quickly does as I ask and slams the passenger door shut before she jumps in the back.

“Everyone, hold the fuck on. We’ve got a life trying to come into this world, and if that ain’t enough, fucking Bob is trying to leave it!” I yell over my shoulder.

“I don’t want to die!” Bob pants.

“Tell your heart that Bob, because apparently it’s got other fucking ideas,” I state as I slam my foot on the gas, speeding up the road at a high speed. Horns blaze at me as I cut them off, making me angry. “Fuck off, it’s an emergency!” I yell out the window.

As I speed through traffic, swerving in and out of cars, Bob’s eyes are even wider with fear as I nearly hit oncoming cars, which is probably not helping his heart attack.

“Hap is ringing me!” Maggie yells.

“Answer it, and tell him we are four minutes out, and for them to have a wheelchair for Alina and a gurney for Bob,” I instruct over my shoulder, not daring to take my eyes off the road.

“Ow! Ow!” Alina cries out. “I need a shit. Why the fuck do I need to shit now?” she wails.

“Oh, fuck. Josie, Belle, keep Alina’s legs closed and don’t let her push!” I order. “She can’t have the baby in here,” I breathe out. “Just two more minutes!” I call out to Alina.

“Oh god! I need to push,” she pants.

I slam my hand down on the horn as I spot the hospital up ahead, beeping wildly as we approach to warn people and cars to move out of the fucking way.

“Hold on!” I yell as I take the sharp left turn into the hospital parking lot. The tyres screech across the tarmac, and the minivan tips slightly. Everyone screams, including Bob. I spot Ghost, Hap, and the others all standing outside the main entrance looking irritated. I beep the horn to get their attention, and as their gazes land on the van, I speed towards them. I slam my foot on the brake, and as the van skids to a halt, the back tyres fishtail as I try to retain control. We all lurch forward from the force as it comes to a stop just feet from where Ghost is standing, glaring at me with his arms folded over his chest.

I open the door and stand on the edge of the kerb, not having the time for this. “Get a gurney! This man is having a heart attack!” I yell. Doctors and nurses quickly come running over. “And this woman is having a baby!” I add as Hap helps Alina out of the car. I get out of the van and walk around to Ghost, ignoring the chaos that is happening around us. I stop in front of him, tilting my head back to look up at him.

“What the fuck happened?” he asks.

“Well, I took them off-roading to try and get the baby out, which worked, I might add, and then the truck got stuck, so Josie tried to ram it out of the muddy ditch it was stuck in, and then her truck got stuck. So, we got the double stroller and carried a contracting Alina away until it was safe to push her. We ordered a ride with Bob...” I gesture over my shoulder as doctors run into the hospital with him. “And he refused to take us because of a bit of mud. So, I may have spoken to him firmly and persuaded him to bring us here,” I sigh.

“And the heart attack?” he presses, still keeping his face void of any emotions.

“Before we even left, Maggie helped drag him across to the passenger side so I could drive his minivan, which I need to pay to have deep cleaned, and not just for mud, but I think Alina was literally crowning. So god knows what bodily fluids are on the back seat,” I say on a shudder, glancing over to watch Hap follow Alina and the doctors into the hospital. I look back up at Ghost. “Come on, I don’t think it will be long before Alina will have the baby,” I say, taking a step toward the hospital, but Ghost grabs my arm, keeping me in place.

“You need to get cleaned up first,” he states, his lips twitching.

I look down at myself, noting that my clothes and boots are covered in mud. “Oh,” I mutter, looking back up at Ghost. “I’m not leaving the hospital,” I state firmly. “If we were in that minivan just five more minutes, I’d be delivering that baby,” I add.

Ghost sighs, his steely gaze pinning me on the spot. “How do you always make me want to throttle and spank you pain in the ass with one hand, and then fuck you with the other?” he asks with irritation.

My grin widens. “Who said those have to be separate things? You can always throttle me and spank me while you fuck me.” I wink as I take a step back and lift my top over my head, revealing just my bra. Ghost’s jaw tightens, his eyes searching and daring anyone to look my way. “And the reason why you want to throttle and fuck me is because Casper, you fucking love me.” I smirk as I turn around and point to some hospital staff members. “You, where are the staff shower rooms? We need to clean up,” I state abruptly.

Maggie, Josie, and Belle come to stand beside me, and as one of the guys' gazes roams over my body, I feel the rumble of a growl at my back from Ghost.

“Down, boy.” I smirk at Ghost over my shoulder, enjoying his irritation far too much. I bite my bottom lip, fighting back a smile as the guy swallows nervously.

“Second floor, but you’ll need a pass to get in,” he stutters.

I walk towards him, fluttering my lashes as I hold out my hand. He places his pass in my palm. “You’re too sweet. Thanks,” I say, leaving him behind as we walk through the hospital to the elevators to go to the staff showers. Ghost, Beast, Cash, and Hawk follow close behind us, making sure everyone knew who we belonged to.

As we step into the elevator, I press the button. “Only you could be covered in mud and still make it look fucking sexy,” Maggie whispers in my ear.

I snort out a laugh. I wouldn’t call it sexy. Just more that I know how to play men, with them being such simple creatures and all. We all shower and change into hospital scrubs, and as we exit, Ghost, Cash, Beast, and Hawk are all standing there, waiting. Beast and Hawk are holding River and Maisy, looking all kinds of hot, and there is just something about seeing a big muscled badass guy holding a baby that just does something to women’s ovaries.

“Alina has had the baby. She’s waiting on you,” Ghost states, his eyes drinking in my body.

“I’m dressed in blue baggy scrubs, with wet hair and no make-up,” I say, rolling my eyes.

He grabs a fistful of the top as I go to walk past him, yanking my body against his. “Wet hair, dry hair, make-up or no make-up,” he whispers, leaning down in my ear, “clothes or no clothes. There isn’t anything you could do or wear that wouldn’t make me want to fuck you.” He growls, his breath tickling my lobe before he leans back enough to look into my eyes, showing me that his words are true by the lust and desire for me burning deep within them.

“If we weren’t standing in the middle of a hospital, about to see our friends’ newborn baby, I would drop to my knees and take you deep into my mouth and show you what you’ve just said means to me,” I tell him, clenching my thighs together to stem my arousal.

“You know most people would just say I love you,” Maggie states with sarcasm in her voice. “Instead, your conversations are like audio-descriptive porn.”

I give Ghost a playful grin before pulling away to continue on our way to Alina’s room. When we round the corner, the rest of the club are there, all standing around. I can’t help but smile at seeing them all there, taking over the room, much to the nurses dismay. Alina looks up at me and smiles, and I see tears sparkling in her eyes. I walk over and lean down, giving her a gentle hug.

“Congratulations, Mama,” I say softly as I look down at the beautiful bundle in her arms.

“His name is Phoenix,” she says with a smile of pure happiness permanently on her lips. I stroke a finger along his little chubby cheek, admiring just how adorable he is.

I look up at Hap and see his face full of pride and love for Alina and his newborn son.

“Congratulations. Can we go now?” Rage asks, breaking the serene moment.

“Rage!” Dixie chastises, looking up at him.

“What?” he asks with a shrug. “I don’t like hospitals. It makes me want to fight.”

Dixie’s face softens as understanding washes over her. She takes his large hand in hers. “We can go gnome and visit when they’re home?” Dixie suggests, looking from Rage to Alina and Hap, to which Hap gives Rage and Dixie a nod.

Rage turns and leaves without saying another word, and Dixie gives us all a small wave as they go. “

So,” I sigh, turning the attention back to Alina. “How’s your vagina?”