Page 19 of Always My Fate

“We’ve got this, little man,” she whispered to her belly, voice steady and fierce. “Your daddy and me, we’ve fought too hard for this family to let anything take it from us now.”

Blackie’s arm tightened around her in his sleep. Peaches closed her eyes, drawing on that old resilience like armor.

She would be strong enough for all of them.

Chapter Ten

Blackie

Blackie stood just outside Peaches’ hospital room, arms crossed, trying to keep his shit together while the nurses did another round of checks. The fear from yesterday still sat like lead in his gut, but the club had answered the call...loudly.

Boots echoed down the hallway. He glanced up to see Rook leading the charge, Oaky right behind him with a couple of bags from the house. Gunny brought up the rear, his big frame taking up most of the corridor.

“About fuckin’ time you lazy bastards showed your faces,” Blackie growled, but the relief in his voice was unmistakable.

Rook grinned, moving in for a hard back-slapping hug. “Heard your old lady’s got the docs runnin’ scared. Brought some decent coffee and the stuff the kids packed for her—Punkin insisted on her favorite blanket, and Lil Bit drew a picture that looks like a purple dinosaur fuckin’ a bike.”

Blackie barked a rough laugh and took the bags, glancing inside. “Goddamn kids. Tell ’em their mom’s tough as nails and we’re handlin’ it.” He turned to Oaky, gripping his forearm tight. “You holdin’ shit down at the clubhouse?”

“Solid, Prez,” Oaky said. “Prospects are on rotation at the house. Randi’s bein’ a little badass, keepin’ the younger ones in line. We got meals covered for the week and eyes on the perimeter. No movement from those MDMC assholes so far.”

Gunny stepped up next, pulling Blackie into a rough embrace. “Heard from the grapevine. Figured you could use another mean old bastard watchin’ your back. How’s Peaches holdin’ up?”

“Stubborn as hell,” Blackie muttered, voice thickening. “Preeclampsia’s got the docs talkin’ early delivery. She’s hooked up to more machines than a goddamn mother ship, but she’s still tryin’ to organize club shit from that bed. I’m losin’ my mind, brothers. Feels like I’m failin’ her when she needs me most.”

The words came out raw, but these men had seen him at his worst. They didn’t flinch.

Rook shook his head. “You ain’t fallin’ down on any shit, Prez. You’re right where you ought to be. We got the rest.”

Blackie cleared his throat and jerked his head towards the room. “Come on. She’ll want to see your ugly mugs.”

They filed in quietly. Peaches’ face lit up despite the exhaustion in her eyes. Blackie stayed close, one hand on her shoulder while the brothers greeted her with gentle ribbing and updates from home.

His phone buzzed. Horse.

“Give me a second,” Blackie said, stepping into the hall. “Horse. You good down in Belle?”

“Holdin’ steady, Prez,” Horse replied. “Glenna sends her love and says to tell Peaches she’s prayin’ for her and the little man. Shamu’s on extra guard duty. Any word on when they might deliver?”

“Not yet. Docs are monitorin’ close.” Blackie rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen...thanks for holdin’ the chapter together while I’m tied up here. Means a lot.”

Horse’s voice warmed. “Family first, Prez. That’s the rule you taught me. We got Belle. You focus on yours.”

Blackie ended the call and leaned against the wall for a second, the weight of gratitude hitting him hard. These men, his brothers, had dropped everything without hesitation.

He walked back into the room, voice gruff as he addressed the group. “All right, you worthless sacks of shit. Rook, you’re point on the house and kids. Oaky, keep the clubhouse runnin’ smooth. Gunny, I want you floatin’ between here and home—any trouble smells off, you handle it. And Horse is keepin’ Belle on their toes like a champ.”

He looked at each of them, eyes fierce. “I don’t say this shit often, but seriously, thank you. For real. Couldn’t do this without you asshats at my back.”

The brothers nodded, easy grins hiding the depth of loyalty. Blackie squeezed Peaches’ hand, the knot in his chest easing just a fraction.

With his club standing strong and his queen fighting beside him, they’d get through this. Daniel would come home healthy.

They fucking had to.

***

The brothers had finally cleared out after promising to check back in the morning, leaving the hospital room wrapped in a heavy, exhausted quiet. The monitors continued their steady rhythm—beeps and the soft whoosh of Daniel’s heartbeat—proof that things had stabilized for now. The doctor had come by with cautious good news: blood pressure had come down a bit with the meds, and the latest labs weren’t worsening. But the warning was clear. High-risk. No leaving. Strict monitoring until delivery.