PROLOGUE
*EIGHT MONTHS LATER*
My heart pounded in my chest from the thundering rain outside the window as Brit's screams filled the hospital. “He’s coming! He’s almost here!” The nurse encourages a Brit with her hair sticking to her neck from my drenched sweat and her face a bright red from pressured blood flow. “One last push!” The Doctor starts to count down. “Now!” Brit hollers out the rest of the breath in her lungs and before I know a tiny baby’s cries fill the space.
“There you go! Atta girl!” The nurse smiles. Brit falls into the bedsheets with heavy pants and I squeeze her palm. “You did it.” She gives me a thumbs up and her eyes close. “A beautiful baby boy.” The Doctor smiles and hands the baby over to Spence who has tears streaming down his face.
You know they’re a man when they cry at their son’s birth...
Zayn pats Spence on the back who holds his small seven-pound baby in his arms. “Congratulations bro.” Spence pulls his baby to his chest and kisses his head with a little blue cap on. “Ana?” Brit calls out while her eyelids try to flutter open, yet twitch to pull her under unconsciousness. “Can I hold him?” She asks.
Spence walks over and places their newborn in Brit’s cradled arms. “Our son, baby.” Spence kisses Brit’s lips and I turn away to give them some privacy. “It’s official. I have no more earwax left.” Zayn laughs. I give him a small giggle before tracing the crescents of his face. “It was worth it.” I bring his body into mine for a hug that always brings me comfort. “Spence wanted to do something here,” Zayn whispers.
I perk my head up layered in intrigue before I witness Spencer get down on one knee and place a velvet red box in Brit’s hands. “Holy shit.” I gasp out when Brit opens the box up to a gorgeous oval-shaped Diamond ring that blinds my eyesight. “Marry me?” Spence asks. A tear sheds down Brit’s face and she vigorously nods her head yes. “I’ll marry you.” She smiles.
“Damn right.” Spence grins. He slips the studded jewel on her ring finger and kisses her lips. “I feel so single right now.” I giggle. “Woman you have me.” Zayn snuggles his head in my neck. “That’s all I need.” I smile and tug his arms around my waist from behind. “I love you.” He places a kiss on my skin. “I love you more.” I lean my head on his shoulder to ease my pounding head from the loud ass thunder outside.
“That’s gonna be us soon.” His breath tickles my ear. “If fate allows that for me.” I feel my core twist my intestines into ropes of uncertainty. “Don’t think like that Ana.” He whips me around to face his handsome figure. “It’s all I can think about. What we can have. What we can be.” I comb my fingers through his greasy hair that hasn’t been washed in three days.
“It keeps the nightmares from escaping my mind,” I admit. His eyes darken at my words which tightens my chest as the blade slowly churns the growing pain in my throat. “Why did you keep that from me?” He snakes his hands around me. “Because I knew you’d react like this. You’d worry about me like you always do.” I downcast my eyes to the discolored white and yellow tile of the hospital.
“Why is that such a bad thing?” He asks. “I don’t want you to worry about me.” I shut my eyes before a tear can fall over the edge. “I’m always gonna worry. It’s what I do and I do it because I love you.” He kisses my head. “I know you do.” I crush his torso into mine while his hands cascade around my back and tugs me even closer.