Page 181 of Reaper's Rival

The pain shot from around my back. “Oh my god!” I went to fall on the bed, but Reaper caught me, picking me up. Carrying me like I was nothing. I gripped his shirt as another wave of pain came over me.

“Fuck me, I don’t think I can do this,” I spoke into his shirt.

“Course you can, babe. We got this. Brad, you get the suitcase. Kim, you drive.” Reaper took charge and the confidence in his voice made me smile. He lifted me up and whispered in my ear. “We are going to meet our son.”

“We don’t know if it’s a boy,” I grumbled, reminding him again as he carried me through the clubhouse with Kim and Brad following us.

***

The nurses and doctors and midwives were great as they talked me through each push, but that didn’t stop me from experiencing the worst pain in my life.

“I hate you,” I huffed while squeezing Reaper’s hand. My nails were for sure digging into his skin, but he didn’t pull away. Right now I was furious with him. It was his fault I was pregnant! It was his fault I was going through this pain.

“Is it still too late for her to have any pain relief?” Reaper asked the doctor, being extremely calm. But the concern in his voice was clear. He hated seeing me in pain. This was killing him, and there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it.

The contraction finished and I took a deep breath in. Tears ran down my cheeks. “I don’t want pain relief.” I dropped my head back on the pillow and pulled on Reaper’s hand for his attention. “I don’t really hate you.”

He grinned, “I know, babe.” He smoothed my hair back with his free hand as he stood beside the bed. “You’re doing great, darling. Just keep breathing. You got this.”

I nodded my head.

“Ok, one more push, Abby,” the midwife said.

One more push. I could do that. Reaper squeezed my hand. “This is it, babe.”

I gripped his hand and with all my might, I pushed. The pain I felt was extreme, gripping, and I felt it in every blood vessel of my body.

Then it was over and the room went silent and he or she was out. Why couldn’t I hear it crying? The doctors rushed the baby to the side.

“What’s wrong?” I looked at Reaper, my eyes wide. His eyes were on the doctors and midwives.

Panic was gripping me. Was it happening again? Was I about to lose another child?

Then one of the midwives turned around with a huge smile.

“It’s a boy.”

I flopped backward and lay on the bed; he was alive. Tears ran down my cheeks. He was alive.

Reaper kissed my forehead. “You did it, babe.”

I opened my eyes and our eyes locked. He was proud. So very proud. I could see it glowing on his face. He kissed me again.

Then the midwife brought our little boy over to us, laid him on my chest, and then pulled the blanket up.

“Skin to skin is really important.” She smiled. “Congratulations.”

Then I saw his perfect face for the first time. My little boy.

“What should we call him?” I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was so tiny as I held him on my chest.

We hadn’t picked names. Kade hadn’t been around to help me pick names. In fact, we had never even talked about it. That was most likely a stupid thing to do, but we just didn’t have time.

Reaper was clearly thinking, then he gave me a smile. “Tyson” Reaper said. “Tyson Jed Wilson.”

A smile spread across my face. “Perfect.” My little Tyson.

***

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