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He nodded. “I know how much it killed you to not be able to see Damien. I won’t do that to you, baby girl. I want you to come see me. But just you. I don’t want either of our kids ever seeing me locked up, you hear me?”
I nodded, my hand flattening over my belly. “Okay,” I whispered.
He offered me a tender smile, a smile he had always reserved just for me, even when I had been Damien’s. “I love you, baby girl.”
I sniffled. “I love you, too,” I croaked.
He nodded his head toward the door. “Go on now. Go home. Eat. Get some rest.”
I nodded and stood from the chair. I wished I could touch him, but I knew I couldn’t. With a shaky breath and one last longing look at him, I slipped from the room. And somehow, I kept myself from completely breaking down as Quinn led me out to his car.
12
Hayley
Not today.
I released a low groan as I clutched the counter, trying to make it across the room to my phone. I was supposed to be seeing Miles today. I hadn’t missed a single visitation day. Every single week, I was right there waiting for the prison guard to let me into the visitation area.
But our little girl had other plans.
I finally managed to grab my phone and call Quinn. “Yep?” he asked when he answered.
I snorted. What a fucking way to answer the phone.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked him.
“Depends on the favor, girly,” he teased.
“I need you to get a message to Miles. Let him know I’m in labor. And I need you to come get me and drive me to the hospital.”
“Fuck!” Quinn snapped. “You sure got a fucking way of springing shit up on people, don’t you, girly? You should have started with the fact that you’re in fucking labor first. I’ll be there in five. Be ready. Where’s the little monster?”
I snorted at his nickname for William. Whereas Isabelle was sweet, gentle, and mostly quiet, William was the exact opposite, just like his stubborn, hardheaded father had been. Every single day, he was more and more like Damien. It made me miss him so much, but I knew my first love was living through my son.
“At the sitter’s,” I told him. An older lady had moved in next door. She was in her mid-sixties, and she absolutely adored William despite how much of a damn terror my little boy was. But for some reason, he was always so good with her.
Just wished he’d be the same at home.
* * *
The next fewhours were agony. Quinn stayed by my side though, helping me breathe through the contractions. And when it came time to push, he didn’t even flinch. He just held a leg back with one hand, held my hand with his other, and helped count me through each contraction.
Forty minutes later, Raine was born, screaming her head off, kicking her legs and swinging her fists.
It was clear she had definitely gotten some of my attitude in her, which I knew Miles was going to love.
And then, I burst into tears because I knew Miles was going to miss some of the best years of her life all because he felt the need to avenge what happened to me.
Stupid, silly man.
But God, I fucking loved him.
And five years couldn’t pass quickly enough. I was ready for my husband to come home.
13
Miles
