“Babies,” I murmur into his chest.
“What?” He stills, the room goes completely silent.
“Babies. Dustin. The doctor said I am having twins.” I cry harder into my brother’s chest, and he tightens his grip.
“You didn’t tell me you were going to the doctor today. I’d have gone with you,” Dustin grumbles, moving with me in his arms. “Come on, let’s get you seated and we’ll talk this through. Prospect, bring me a bottle of water for Laney.”
A guy brings over a water, hands it to Dustin, who takes the cap off and then gives it to me.
“Drink this, and then talk to me.”
I do as my brother tells me and drink several small sips before taking the cap from him and twisting it back into place.
“My appointment was today. I didn’t tell you because I was going to do it alone. I had to do it myself. To know everything is going to be okay.” I pause, looking around to see that the others had dispersed at some point, giving us privacy. “The doctor did a sonogram and found I’m pregnant with twins.” Fresh tears leak down my face as I shake my head. “I don’t think I can do this, Dustin. I know I can’t do it alone. I thought I could handle one baby, but two? There’s no way. I’m scared that I’ll lose them. I’m scared something will happen. That I’m not strong enough. So many things could go wrong. That I’ll fail in . . . in being a mom.”
“Slow down, Laney,” he says, resting a hand over mine. “Take a breath and listen to me.” I blink and wait for him to continue, seeing determination in his eyes mixed with hurt. “Let’s get one thing straight here, little sister, you aren’t alone in this. No way would I let you do it without me at your back. Told you a while back, I was fixing the shit between us. We’re family, and that’s never gonna change.”
I know he’s said that. I know he means it. He’s been trying, but there’s still so much we don’t know about each other. There was a time we barely spoke to one another. We maybe spoke once or twice in a month at best, with us only seeing one another a handful of times before I moved home.
The fact that he’s doing the work to fix us makes me feel like a bitch. Because I should be helping too. Not just showing up at his clubhouse freaking out.
“You know I love you, right?” I blurt, fresh tears slipping free.
Dustin grins and squeezes my hand. “Yeah, I know you do.”
“I’m going to do my part in fixing us too. I promise,” I tell him, my breath hitching with each word leaving my mouth.
“You don’t gotta do anything but be who you are, Laney,” Dustin grins, squeezing my hand.
“Everything’s gonna be good, Laney. You’re gonna be a great mom, and your babies are gonna have a kick ass uncle with brothers that will help look out for them.”
I open my mouth to say something when Shadow steps up to the table, his wife tucked close to his side. “Everything good over here?”
“Yeah, VP, all good,” Dustin answers. “I’m gonna head out, make sure she gets home and settled in.”
“I can get home on my own,” I protest.
Dustin chuckles and shakes his head. “We ain’t done talking, and I want to make sure you’re actually alright,” he says, standing and reaching for me.
“Delaney,” Della calls softly. I look to her without question to see her staring at me with a soft smile. “If you ever need a friend to talk to, you can call me anytime. Mammon can give you my number. I know what it’s like to be overwhelmed by everything around you.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, nodding. I didn’t really have friends anymore. I haven’t in so long, I’m not sure I even know how to be a friend. Just as I don’t know if I can make it as a mom, though I’m going to try.
“I’ll give her your number, Della,” Dustin says and leads me out of the clubhouse and over to my truck. “You go ahead of me, and I’ll follow.”
“You don’t have to do this,” I tell him.
“Yeah, Laney, I do. As your big brother, it’s my job to protect you in whatever manner you need me to. Right now, it’s a matter of seeing to your state of mind.”
I love my brother. The very fact Dustin wants to push through the walls that were built up is nice. But he’ll be the only one that I let through the walls that surround my heart— him and my babies.
I suck in a breath, my hand moving to rest over my stomach. “I’m going to be a mom of twins.”
“Yeah, and I’m their uncle.” He chuckles and sobers quickly. “You ready to tell me who the father is yet?”
“No.”
There was no way I was telling Dustin who the father is. Not until I’ve spoken to Tyler myself. As much as it scares me to tell him, he deserves to know the truth. I don’t know how he’ll react to the news, but he’s got to know the truth of what’s happening. He already has one great kid, would he be okay to know he’s having two more?
