My daughter gasps. “The rape.” I say nothing because there is no reason. Her assumption is correct. “But how did the rape affect her uterus?”

I pour a shot as I answer her. “The rape didn’t hurt her uterus, but since both are somehow scarred, she ended up with this previa shit. I don’t need to ask you to stay on the compound and out of trouble right now, do I? Pyro, Sniper, and I are going to need to be at our best, because fuck no is our Prez gonna be able to handle all this shit while he is worrying. And you know that if I’m worrying about you, I’m not at my best.”

“Dad, I’ll do my best to stay on the compound, and if I need to leave, I’ll take one of the guys with me. I promise.”

I toss the shot back and slam the glass down on the table.

“Thanks, baby girl. Your damn brother’s got me worried enough. Don’t need to be worrying about you, too.” My son’s fucking with Sabine has my nerves on edge. The bitch is a princess from hell. She’s over here to avoid a scandal, so what does that say about her character?

“Dad…”

Fuck. She wants something. “Yeah?” I close my eyes, expecting something much worse than what she brings up.

“Me and Shadow… uh… can—”

Oh, thank fuck. I was thinking she was pregnant, or hell, I don’t know what I thought she was going to say, but this is a much better kind of shock.

“It’s fine, Tea baby. With the way you’ve been acting about all this kink shit, and worrying the living shit out of me… It’s a breath of fresh air knowin’ you two are gonna try. And to be honest with ya, I hope the shit works out, because I know the kid.”

I’m actually pleading deep inside for these two to get their shit together. I can’t handle having another fucking prick hurt my daughter like before when she was off learning this shit on her own.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she says in disbelief and I chuckle.

“I am.”

Tatiana hugs me, kisses me on the cheek, and thanks me before she leaves with a sad smile on her face.

I eased some of her concern, but not all of it. We still have to worry about Winter and her pregnancy and all the other shit.

Now I have to go find my lady because she isn’t going to work tonight.

***

Winter

“I can’t talk about this!” I scream at my husband. My hands shake as I lay in this hospital bed, knowing that even walking more than twenty feet will put my unborn child at risk. That is how serious my case of placenta previa is.

Braxxon wants me to talk about my feelings and what we need to do about our situation. There isn’t anything to discuss. It is what it is. I’m on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy. The next four and half months will be difficult. Our child’s life depends on my following instructions to the letter. And he has forced me to break one of the items on the list by stressing me out and making me yell at him.

“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.