“Angel—”
I hold up one of my shaky hands to halt his pleading. “Stop, Braxx. We have enough to worry about, and even the smallest of stresses can end this.” I finish with a whisper.
With a huff, my husband sits down on the doctor’s rolling chair. I understand that he is frustrated, angry, and a whole lot of other emotions. I am experiencing the exact same thing.
I’m beyond angry. I am enraged, but all that isn’t going to help my situation any.
“I’m thirty-one-years old, Angel, and most days, it’s as if I’m in my fifties.”
Listening to my big bad husband break down in a hushed, exhausted whisper is like a knife to the heart.
Not only do we have this to worry about, we have the Russians, Alec, and any other club shit that comes up. It is always one thing after another, and we can’t catch a break.
“Do you want to stay at the live-in, or would you like to rest at home? I could post guards at the house.”
I grin at Braxx for the first time in over twenty-four hours, and that is a lot of time to pass without smiling at my husband.
“The live-in is fine. That way I won’t stress by seeing guards, and you won’t stress leaving me at home when you have club business.”
He drops his head and shakes it back and forth. “I’m tired, baby.”
A whimper escapes my lips at his announcement. For Braxx to admit he is defeated out loud is not something to be taken lightly.
“Come here.” I pat the small hospital bed.
He stands, takes off his wallet chain, and sets it on the tray beside me. When his boots drop to the floor, he climbs into bed with me. I press my forehead against his as his head hits the pillow beside mine. I look into his eyes as I softly speak my next words. “I think you’re stressed because, not only do you have all your brothers to protect, you have all the girls, and you have your family with me, too.”
His right hand comes up to my cheek and cups it. “Are you scared?”
That’s the million dollar question. “I am, but by being with you, and going through everything I have in my life, I know when things are beyond my control. This is one of those things, babe. All I can do… all we can do, is follow the instructions we have been given.”
His other hand moves to rest on the small swell of my stomach, his thumb brushing back and forth across it.
“The salons are going to have to wait, Angel—”
I silence him with my lips. It’s a small peck, but it is enough for him to know that I understand. We have too much stress to be worrying about opening other businesses at the moment. On the bright side, I’ll be on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy. I can use that time to plan, design, and do something creative and not stressful. It’ll be my own personal outlet.
He sighs and shuts his eyes. “I love you.”
God, those words coming from him always melt my heart. “I love you, too.”
***
Chapter Twenty-One
Shadow
Alec didn’t heed our Prez’s advice, of course, so Smokey, Sniper, Pyro, and I stand outside of Euphoria mere days later. Due to the Prez stressing over Winter and the baby, the lucky fucker even got a couple extra days. We couldn’t give him any longer because we have a point to prove.
“How many guards inside?” Sniper asks, as he climbs off of his lady, drags his rifle out of his side bag, and puts it together.
That motherfucker is scary as shit. I mean, he carries a rifle in pieces on his bike, for fucks sake.
“It’s not open right now, so two,” I answer as I take the safety off of my gun.
“Can we even get in?” Smokey asks.
I dig the keys to the club out of my pocket. “I pay for a room here, so I have complete access. It may be closed, but there are always a few guards.”
Having keys to the building is an advantage of paying for a separate room. The only part we can’t access when the building is closed is the dungeon, but I never use it, so I don’t give a shit.
“Sniper, seriously, be on watch, man. We got these Russians that we ain’t never seen until the other day. Who knows if that was all of them?” Pyro states.
We walk up to the door, and when I open it, we see the first guard. He looks down at my right wrist and then back at me. He recognizes the brothers and me immediately and backs away, not wanting to take part in what is about to happen. The doorman eyes the guns, and instead of following us inside, he leaves. Sniper sneers that he was a smart man as we walk through the corridor of the building in long strides.
I unsnap the clasp on my side knife holster. If circumstances deem it necessary, I will use all the force I have.
We spot the Russians and Alec drinking shots at the bar. None of them senses us as we move to take quick action. We break apart, and when we stand behind them, all at the same time, we cock our guns. Their glasses halt when they hear the sound everyone hates to hear. The cocking is enough to make any man piss himself with cowardice.