Page 45 of To Love and Protect
“Correct. Once it is confirmed, we will schedule you out a couple of weeks so we can do the ultrasound and get some more information. All you have to do is pee in a cup today and ask any questions you may have.”
“When we have sex, do my shit be poking my baby in the head? Because I don’t want to traumatize my baby. I don’t want to come up off her fine ass.” Nico jabbed a finger in Remedie’s direction. “But if I have to, I will.”
Remedie buried her head in her hands and decided to let Nico have this appointment. She made up her mind right then and there that she would switch doctors. She only chose Doctor Nathans because he had a good reputation, but it wasn’t worth the way Nico was acting. He was only doing this shit to embarrass her and to assert dominance. She would gladly let him win this battle if it meant she never had to sit through something like this again.
Remedie shrank into her seat as Nico asked the dumbest questions. When it was time for her to pee in a cup, Nico insisted on going with her into the bathroom.
She glared at him while she peed. “You are impossible.”
He grinned at her. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”
“Yeah, okay, Nico. Wait ’til I tell your mama how you cut up in this appointment.”
His eyes grew wide like he hadn’t thought Remedie would snitch on him. “You can’t do that.”
“Why not?” she asked as she wiped. She was ready to go home and curl up in bed. Morning sickness had been kicking her ass, and Nico showing his ass at this appointment had her exhausted.
“Because I’m sorry?” He said it more as a question than a statement.
Remedie snorted in response as she flushed and put the cup of her pee inside the mini door on the wall. While she washed her hands, Nico peered at her as if he was innocent.
When she was done, she turned to him and grabbed him by his collar. “Not another word during this appointment. Got it?”
“Long as he don’t ask to look at any body parts, I’m cool.” Nico held his hands up in mock surrender.
Remedie moved around him and out of the bathroom. Once they were back in the doctor’s office, it didn’t take long for them to confirm the pregnancy and hand them some pamphlets. After they scheduled their next appointment, they were on their way.
In the car, it was silent. She felt that Nico kept glancing at her, but she ignored him. Finally, he spoke. “So, you gon’ get a new doctor or . . .”
“You are a damn menace. Yes, Nico. Fine. I’ve heard about this midwife that can do births at home. Harley, I think her name is. I’ll see if we can book her. She costs a lot, though, so I hope you’re ready to come up out of pocket.”
“If it’ll keep that pretty boy doctor from lookin’ at yo’ pussy, I’ll pay whatever.”
Remedie rolled her eyes and looked out the window. She loved this man with everything in her, but she knew before this damn pregnancy was up, he was liable to drive her batshit insane.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“You sure you want to do this?” Remedie peered up at him with her brows pulled in. Concern laced her face, which caused Nico to run his thumb across her cheek to smooth those worry lines out. She never needed to worry with him.
“I’m positive. Let’s get inside so we can break the news,” Nico urged.
He closed the car door and took Remedie’s hand. Together, they walked slowly into the gym Nico spent most of his time at.
He wouldn’t admit this to Remedie, because it would cause her to worry more, but his heart felt heavy. It didn’t have to be his last time walking into this gym, but for some reason, it felt final. He could still train and practice when he felt like it, but today would be the official death of his career as he knew it. He worried about how Tyree and Gramps would take it.
They walked into the gym, and Nico noticed right away that it was fairly empty. The few men in there training spotted him and immediately stopped what they were doing and packed up their things. It was his first time stepping out since the incident with Zayden a couple of weeks ago, outside of the doctor appointment with Remedie. He knew it would take a while for people to get used to him again . . . It always did.
He sighed heavily as the men left the training space. Remedie was right there with her small hand on his toned back, rubbing small circles. Since they found out she was pregnant, she had become such a worrywart. He knew his next mission needed to be to figure out how to calm her down.
Gramps and Tyree walked into the large space from the locker room area. Tyree had a clipboard, and Gramps had his usual grumpy expression. When they noticed Nico and Remedie, they both perked up before frowns of confusion covered their faces.
“Where’s ya bag, champ? Why you ain’t got ya shit on?” Gramps asked.
They were supposed to start training again today. Nico waited until the last minute to tell them he planned on quitting because he had still been going back and forth with it for the past couple of weeks. Really, he knew what he needed to do. He was just hesitant about making the change. All he’d ever known was boxing.
Nico grabbed the back of his neck with one hand and squeezed Remedie’s hand with the other. “I need to holla at y’all real quick.”
Gramps studied him like he knew exactly what Nico needed to talk about. “Come on. Let’s sit.”
