Page 6 of Fighting Our Forever

Chapter Four

Paul Spader

I’ve wanted Calliope Reid since I saw her teary green eyes look up at me from the side of her best friend’s hospital bed. I could see how affected she was by what Olivia had gone through. Her pain touched a part of me I didn’t know was there. I’ve never been particularly interested in any woman for longer than the few hours it would take to have a mutually beneficial one-night arrangement. I’ve never cared about a woman’s past, present or future. Those encounters were few and far between. Hell, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve even slept with a woman.

This woman though, she’s different, and I need to know everything about her. When I looked over at Ryan and saw he was having a similar reaction, I almost gave up on her, ready to give the chance to have a beauty like her, to my broken-hearted friend. He had just found out his girlfriend he had been with for a year was cheating on him with some rich asshole. But as I watched him hang on her every movement, I knew his pain was gone, replaced by something far more powerful.

The more time we spent in the same room with her, listening to her fierce protection of Olivia and her acceptance of the love between Logan, Garret, and Olivia, I hoped maybe something similar could emerge between Ryan, Callie, and I. The months that followed involved some in depth conversations with my best friend. We have never shared a woman sexually or otherwise. We had seen how Garret and Logan had gone about it, busting their balls the entire way. Now we are planning our own ménage relationship, making sure we are on the same page before we approach the woman we intend to share indefinitely.

When Ryan and Callie round the truck, I see Callie’s hand in Ryan’s. I walk to her other side and pull her free hand into mine. Her delicate fingers lace through mine, and although they’re small, she’s gripping my hand firmly. With Callie between us, I feel whole for the first time in years.

We find Olivia’s room with the help of a judgmental twat of a nurse. She helps us to the room, but you can’t miss the sneer on her face when she leaves us. Good thing most everyone missed it, paying attention to Olivia. Judging by the tick in Garret’s jaw, he missed nothing. He excuses himself, probably to take care of the bitch nurse. I admire the man for many things he has done over the years but taking care of his family is at the top of the list.

I shake hands with Logan who is stationed to Olivia’s right, then give Olivia a quick kiss on the cheek. “How are you feeling darlin’?” I ask, and she scowls at me. “How do you think I’m feeling Paul? I’m about to push a baby out of my lady parts.” She hisses at me. I hold my hands up in front of my chest, palms out. “Just checkin’ on ya’ girl.” I back up and lean my back against the same wall Ryan is stationed at.

“Baby Girl. Be nice to our friends. They are here to support us.” She pouts at Logan but melts when he kisses her forehead and whispers something in her ear. She looks over at me “I’m sorry Paul. Logan’s right. I’m not feeling like myself right now. These contractions are a bitch. I’m seriously thinking about getting the epidural.”

From Olivia’s other side, Callie sits and laughs. “Uh uh, Olivia. You told me not to let you get drugs. You wanted to have Winnie Grace naturally. Suck it buttercup.” Callie sing songs with a demented smile on her face.

Olivia sneers in Callie’s direction. “Bitch. When you are where I’m at, I’m going to laugh in your face just like you are doing to me right now. I’m going to tell your doctor to hold the drugs. Trust this. You’ll want them, but you. Will. Get. Nothing. Ahhhhh!” Olivia screams and grabs Callie and Logan’s hands. Hard, judging by the pinched look on Callie’s face. Hmmm, it must be a powerful contraction.

Callie’s smile fades into a frown as she watches Olivia in pain. “Shit Logan, get her an epidural. Where in the hell is Garret when you need a doctor? Call that snotty ass nurse in here to make it happen if you have to, but she’s getting the flippin’ drugs!” Callie says panicking.

“I’m right here Sunshine. Don’t you worry. I’ve got our girl taken care of. I just spoke with the doctor. He will be in as soon as he’s set up to give her the epidural.” I smile approvingly at Garret. The man can’t bear to see his wife in pain. He walks behind Logan and kisses Olivia on the forehead and the lips. Then he massages Logan’s shoulders. The gesture is so intimate. I turn my head, not wanting to intrude on their moment.

We all knew Logan and Garret wanted to share a wife. We would joke with them since it wasn’t a relationship any of us at Panthera were familiar with. Logan’s twin fathers married the same woman, and that’s how he and his sisters grew up. It wasn’t weird for him or Garret, who was Logan’s best friend through high school. What we weren’t expecting was for Garret and Logan’s relationship to change when they met Olivia.

I’ve never talked to them about it because frankly, it’s none of my damn business. They are the same guys I served with in the Marines, the same guys who are a part of Panthera. I could care less if they are fucking each other along with their wife. They make it work, and that is all that matters to any of us. We all want the same things. To do our part protecting our country while living a good life with the people we love.

I look over at Ryan and catch him in a dead stare at Callie, who’s watching our friends with a look I can’t comprehend. Suddenly she looks up at us with a hopeful expression. It’s a look that tells me all I need to know. I wink at her, and she blushes, looking back at Olivia.

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