Maddox had refused care until someone took my vitals and looked at the babies. As I’d promised him, aside from exhaustion and queasiness I was fine and so were the babies.
“I can’t believe you’re having twins.” Emmie grinned as she stitched the wound in Mad’s shoulder.
“Who’s having twins?” Sophie demanded, appearing in the doorway along with Scarlet and Wren.
“Could only hold her at bay so long.” Axel shrugged, appearing at her side.
Really, I was surprised he’d been successful for this long.
“We are,” Maddox shared with a grin.
Sophie’s eyes grew comically round a moment before she let out a shriek.
“Ma, please. Our ears,” Maddox griped without malice.
“You shut your mouth, Maddox Black. You just told me you’re having twins. I’m allowed to scream the place down,” she protested, her eyes brimming with tears as she pulled me into an embrace. “Oh my sweet girl. You are a dream come true, aren’t you?”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I simply let her hold me. It wasn’t a hardship. Sophie Black gave damn good hugs.
I glanced at Axel over her shoulder, finding an uncharacteristic grin on his face.
Sophie let me go, moving to her son, pressing her forehead to hers. “Congratulations. Love you, baby.”
“Love you too, Ma,” he rumbled.
“All right, Soph. What do you say we let these two have a little peace and quiet? They’ve had a day.” Axel spoke up.
That was putting it mildly.
“But we should drive you home,” Sophie protested, her worried eyes on Maddox. Her motherly worry warmed my heart. Despite Maddox being the baddest of the bad when he needed to be, he would always be his mother’s son.
I knew it would be the same with our own children. And I knew, if she were here, my mother would have been the same way. She would have loved the family I was making mine—there was some comfort in that.
“We’re good, Ma,” he assured her. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She looked ready to protest when Axel spoke up again. “Baby, he’s been checked out. He’s all right. Let him take his woman home, yeah?” The soft tone and tender expression on his face had her visibly melting into his embrace as he kissed the top of her head.
“Okay,” she agreed, turning eyes to us. “But I’d better get that call.”
I had to laugh at her as Axel practically dragged her from the room.
“All right, you’re good,” Emmie announced. “Hopefully you’ll take better care of this than Gunner did,” she added scornfully.
Mad chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”
Somehow, I doubted that. He could be nearly as stubborn as Gunner and certainly just as headstrong.
Maddox stood from the table, holding a hand out to me. “Let’s get you home and to bed, baby.”
I nodded, exhaustion making my limbs heavy as I stood up slowly. I felt as though I could sleep for a week. He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders, pulling me close and taking my weight despite his injury.
“You’re letting me drive, right?” I asked once we’d said goodbye to Emmie and were making our way to the parking lot.
He made a scoffing noise. “No, sweets. I’m drivin’.”
“But you were shot,” I protested.
He kissed my temple as we neared his truck. “Yeah and I only needed a few stitches,” he said, as though it was no big deal. He coaxed me into the passenger seat, helping me up and going so far as to put the seat belt on me. “Baby, you’ve had a hell of a fucking day. You were kidnapped, could have been killed, and you’ve got two babies you’re growing in there.” His large hand spanned my belly. “You’re exhausted. So I’m gonna take you home and hold you in my arms to convince myself you’re here and whole.” He swallowed hard as his hand cupped the side of my face, his thumb stroking my cheek. “Let me take care of you, baby. I need it.”
