Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“That must be pretty hard to do…be nice to you.”
“I’ve been told that before.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his suit.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I blurted, surprised we were having a somewhat civil conversation.
“You think this is nice? You should see me with my ladies.”
“It’s definitely an improvement over being called a manipulative gold digger all the time.”
“Not to mention whore, bitch, and dumb bitch.” He counted all the names on his fingers. “But signing those papers really proved yourself to me. You recused yourself from any kind of inheritance from Cato. So, if you really are only with him for the money, there’s no point in sticking around at this point. “I’m not saying I like you since you did betray my brother, but I don’t want to snap your neck anymore either.”
“Oh good,” I said sarcastically. “I feel so much better now…”
“You should. This is me making an effort to be somewhat nice to you. But not too nice…can’t have that.”
“Even though I’m giving birth to your niece?”
“Regardless of who gives birth, she’s still my niece. Blood is blood.”
“Your niece will have half my blood, so that means you and I will be family.”
He shook his head. “The only way we’ll be family is if Cato marries you. And that’ll never happen.” He walked past me and headed to the office where he and Cato usually met.
Getting married had never been important to me, but now that Martina was almost here, I wished Cato and I were something more. I wished he would tell me he loved me. I wished he weren’t just the father of my child…but also my husband. But I couldn’t rush Cato into anything. If I questioned him about it, I would only be met with his silence.
Cato walked out of the kitchen, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt. “Everything alright?”
“Your brother is waiting for you in the office.”
Cato knew me better than anyone, even my own brother. He could read my body language like it was words written on a page. Even feelings I tried to hide from him somehow got pulled to the surface. “What did he say to you?”
“Nothing.”
He didn’t believe me at all. “What did he say, Siena?”
“Nothing that I want to disclose.” I moved past him. “I’ll see you later.”
I couldn’t sleep at all.
She was kicking so hard. In the beginning, it was cute, but now it was just annoying. Her feet slammed on my belly constantly, my feet were so swollen, and everything hurt. It didn’t matter what the AC was set to, I was always hot. I became so uncomfortable that I didn’t even want sex, which was shocking since my lover was Cato, the most beautiful man in the world.
I rolled from side to side then eventually settled, breathing through the discomfort as I fantasized about it being over. Labor would be painful and terrifying, and even when I returned from the hospital, I would be sore and exhausted. On top of that, I would have to take care of a crying baby nonstop. I had a long way to go before I had a good night’s sleep.
I suddenly felt a sensation between my legs, a flood of wetness that dripped over my thighs and to the mattress beneath me. “Oh god…” Both of my hands flew to my stomach as the panic settled in.
Cato was instantly awake at my words. “Baby, what is it? What’s wrong?” He opened his eyes, and his hand flew to my stomach.
“My water just broke…”
He stilled at the announcement, taking it in while half asleep. Then he sprang into action. “Alright. Let’s get you to the hospital.” He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and told his men to prepare the car for the hospital. Then he called someone and told them to prepare for my arrival. He pulled on jeans and a t-shirt with a jacket then helped me change into my clothes for the hospital.
“I can’t believe this is happening…”
“She’s here, baby.” He helped me slip on my shoes. “She’s coming. All we have to do is push her out.”
I scoffed. “You mean, I have to push her out. As if that’s going to be easy.”
“Easy or hard, you will do it.” He stood upright then got my jacket around my shoulders. “The hardest part is coming, but soon, it’ll all be over. The three of us will be home in no time.” He grabbed my bag from the dresser and then took me by the hand. “It’ll be alright, I promise.”
By the time I arrived at the hospital, the contractions had started.
And Jesus, they were painful.
I was put into a room right away with the nurses and the doctor, and after my examination, they said she was already coming.
“Wait, aren’t I supposed to sit around for like ten hours before I go into real labor?” I wasn’t prepared to give birth right this second. Everything was moving so fast. I was about to be a mother. Oh my god, I’m about to be a mother.