AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The scowl on my face deepened, and I sighed in exasperation. “The baby, Cash, we’re talking about the baby and how everybody knows she’s Roman’s because they have a source—you confirmed it. They’re going to break the story tonight, which is the last thing I need when my vagina is stretching to ten centimeters. You’re big, but you’re not that big.”
I wasn’t trying to make a joke, but he ended up laughing, and I couldn’t help it either as a choked laugh escaped me. It didn’t last long, though, as another contraction hit, and my laughter turned to a groan as I dropped into a squat.
This got Cash moving as he approached me, rubbing my back. “I didn’t confirm shit,” he said as he rubbed my back slowly. “I haven’t spoken to anybody. Everything’s been going through my lawyer, as I told you. He’s the one who’s been doing the damage control for me, sending NDA after NDA out to anybody who could possibly know what’s going on.”
An animalistic grown escaped me through my gritted teeth. I couldn’t answer him right now, the pain was too intense, and Cash didn’t say anything else as he held me. But then his mouth hovered close to my ear, and he inhaled slowly, held it, and exhaled to the count I was supposed to be doing.
But the pain was blinding, distracting me from the stupid breathing technique I was supposed to use for pain management. I tried it anyway, following his breathing to regulate mine. His hand gripped my waist firmly as he remained in a squat next to me.
“I know it sounds insane, but breathe into the pain every time a contraction hits. Sink deeper into it. My back went out a couple of years ago after I fell off the stage, and good pain meds helped at the time. But when they weren’t working, breathing through it got me to the other side.”
Breathe into the pain.I let out a scoff because it was the only thing I could manage. Then I tried it, breathing in as my stomach tightened. It wasn’t a magic cure, but suddenly, the pain lessened, and the tension left my body as the rest of me relaxed. It was just my taut womb.
“Good. That’s a good girl. Keep doing that.” His fingers dug into my waist, and I concentrated on the sensation to ground me.
Finally, the contraction released, and I exhaled, turning to look at him. “If you didn’t say anything, then who did?”
Cash shrugged. “I’ve been going over in my head. Everybody who knew about the situation signed an NDA, and I’m trying to understand why they would think it was coming from me if I hadn’t been the one to make the call.”
Then the answer dawned on him. I could only tell because he suddenly growled in annoyance. It was similar to the sound he made when we were fucking, but there was an edge to it that he reserved for everyone else.
“That fucking slimy little shit bag,” he said as I pushed myself to a standing position, forcing him to follow me.
“Who?”
“My assistant, Ferris, is the only one that makes sense. I bet he’s the one who called the paparazzi every time we were out! I didn’t have him sign an NDA about the situation because he signed an NDA about me in general. I assumed he would follow it. I’m gonna have to talk to my lawyer because I don’t know if this counts. It’s technically not about me, but the information came from me. Does that class it as a violation?”
He looked thoughtful for a minute, but another contraction hit before we could continue the conversation. These were far too close at this point.
“You need to get a nurse,” I managed to groan as I wobbled toward the bed, gripping the edge and balling the sheets up in my fists.
“As you wish,” he promised before rushing out of the room.
I immediately felt his absence. It was like a hole was ripped right through my body. I wanted to shout at him to come back.
Funny how quickly my anger dissipated. For the last two hours, I’d been stewing in the anger that he would betray me like this. All this time, I was sitting here thinking, “why would he tell everybody it was Roman’s baby if he wanted it to be his?”
I let myself believe for half a second he didn’t want me—or our baby, and he was using this to pass the buck back to Roman. I couldn’t deny the relief flooding my system, but it was only temporary relief from the pain of labor.
Cash returned swiftly, herding two nurses into the room. “Get in there, get in there. She needs you. Something’s wrong.”
Penelope was holding back a smirk, obviously enjoying the distressed father role he had fallen rapidly into.
I held out my hand for him, sinking into his touch as he wrapped his fingers around mine and tethered me once more to the orbit we gravitated in.
“Okay, Skye, let’s get you on the bed. We’re going to check how far dilated you are.”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure I can climb up there right now, let alone sit. It hurts to sit.”
She nodded sympathetically. “I get that, but I’ll be quick. I promise. If you want to give birth standing, we can do that.”
I glanced at Cash and then looked back at the nurse. “Okay, but just for a second.” Cash came around my other side and helped me crawl onto the bed before I slowly rolled onto my butt and scooted back.
“Legs out,” she said with a jolly smile, propping my knees into a tented position. I bit my lip. There was no going back now … This was happening.
THIRTEEN
CASH
