Page 85 of Breathtaking

“I’ll be there in ten more minutes,” I tell him before I hear Lennon scream in the background.

Fuck.

MADDOX

By the time I’m rushed into the labor and delivery ward, I’ve been sanitized and thrown into scrubs. I tossed my phone at Rome and told him to handle the calls coming in from everyone and left him and Lucky somewhere between here and the front desk. Fuck if I know where.

I run down the hall to where Ajax is standing guard outside Lennon’s room and push through the door without waiting when I hear her scream. My heart stops when I finally see my wife.

Caitlin is on one side of her, and Callen on the other.

Lennon’s head is back against the bed, her hair pulled up. Her beautiful face is pale as tears streak down her face, while Kenzie’s hand is inside her body. “Almost there, Lennon.”

“I want Maddox,” she cries, and I fucking snap out of it, moving to her side.

“I’m right here, baby.” I press my lips against her forehead. “I’m here.”

She cries as Kenzie does whatever the hell she’s doing, and I want to fix it for her, but I can’t, and it kills me.

“You’re doing so well, Lennon. Just... one... more...” Kenzie blows out a breath, and I watch her look up quickly at the ceiling before smiling at Lennon. “We got him.” She looks exhausted but relieved. “He flipped.”

“What’s happening?” I ask Kenzie as Lennon lies against me, exhausted.

“Lennon’s water broke, and Caitlin and Callen rushed her here. The baby was occiput posterior?—”

“Language I understand, Kenz,” I interrupt dryly.

“OP is when the baby is facing forward. It’s not ideal for delivery, but we do it. However, Lennon’s pelvis is narrow, and she wants to avoid a c-section, so I attempted to move him. Luckily, he cooperated.” She looks from me to Lennon. “How are you feeling, Lennon?”

“Like I can’t do this,” my girl whispers, and my heart breaks.

Caitlin holds one of Lennon’s hands in both of hers. “Yes, you can. You’re a badass who stood up to her entire country for this baby. You can do this, and you’re going to look amazing while you do. Do you hear me?”

And I’m officially in my sister’s debt for the rest of my life because I don’t know whether I could have done what she just did. She drops her forehead to Lennon’s, and my girl closes her eyes and nods. “Okay.”

Callen claps my back. “That’s my cue to go. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, so far out of my fucking depth, I don’t even know up from down as I take Lennon’s other hand.

“Okay, Lennon. Here comes a contraction. I want you to push.” Kenzie gets settled between Lennon’s bent knees, and I mirror the way Caitlin holds Lennon.

Lennon sits up, and Kenz looks at me. “Sit behind her, Maddox. Support her back. Give her your strength.”

That I can do.

I climb on the bed behind her and take her weight. “You’re doing so good,tesoro.”

She stiffens and screams as she pushes for what feels like long minutes before finally running out of steam and falling against me again. Caitlin gives her ice chips, and Lennon lies against me until the next contraction hits.

The cycle continues on and off until Kenzie tells us this is it. “Come on, Lennon, I need one more big push. He’s right there. You’ve got this.”

“No,” she cries. “I can’t.”

“You can, baby. You can do anything.” I kiss her head, so fucking proud of her. “Let’s meet our baby.”

Her shoulders stiffen as she sits forward, and I inch in behind her.

Cait grabs her hand. “You ready?”

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