A limo was waiting outside with Axton holding the door open for Drake. As soon as Drake was inside with me on his lap, Axton and Cole climbed in behind him. They moved to the other bench seat and Axton yelled for the driver to go. Drake pulled his cellphone from his pocket and tossed it to Cole. “Call her doctor,” he ordered. “Ax, Emmie.”

Both men nodded as the limo sped through the busy New York streets. I had two more contractions in the ten minutes that it took us to get to the hospital. Both had me in tears as I clung to Drake’s neck and buried my face in his chest. Oh shit, this hurts!

The limo pulled to a brake-screaming stop in the ER entrance to the hospital and the door opened with a nurse who had a wheelchair beside her. I blinked. “Dallas?”

She grinned and helped Drake place me in the chair. “You didn’t think I was going to miss my niece’s big appearance into the world, did you?”

Tears clogged my throat and I shook my head. “I’m so glad to see you.”

She ignored everyone but me as she pushed me inside and into a waiting elevator. Drake, Cole, and Axton stepped on behind her and we rode up to the maternity floor. I wasn’t sure if it was because Dallas worked there or if maybe Emmie had called and started handing out orders but I was put in a private room without the fuss of paperwork. Ten minutes later I was in a gown, hooked up to several monitors and had an IV in my wrist. By the time the doctor arrived, declaring me only dilated to a six, I was feeling a little more relaxed between contractions.

Doctor Conrad stood at the end of my bed, looking serious. “You’ve dilated pretty quickly, Lana. And your contractions are coming faster and faster. I need you to decide right now if you want an epidural or if you are going to stick with the birth plan we talked about.”

Here was my chance to ask for the drugs. To get rid of this pain that felt like it was going to rip me apart. But when I opened my mouth I told him no. “I’ll stick to the plan,” I told him and felt relieved with my decision. I could do this. I could do it.

He grinned and patted my leg. “That’s my girl.” Winking at me he turned to Dallas. “You work in the emergency room, right?”

Dallas shrugged. “I’d just finished my shift when I got the call. I’d like to stay if you don’t mind.”

“Works for me. They are short -staffed up here tonight anyway.” The doctor left with the promise of returning in an hour to check me again.

I glanced over at Drake who had been noticeably quiet. He was sweating pretty badly and I wasn’t sure if it was completely from how sick he’d been lately. I caught his hand, offering him a reassuring smile that he didn’t return. “What?” I whispered. “What’s wrong?”

“You don’t think that I…” he broke off, a mixture of emotions crossing his face. Disgust, anger, fear… Shame.

I glanced over at Axton and Cole who were standing by the window. I was okay with them both being here for the moment, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted either in the room when it came time to push. “Can you give us a few minutes?”

Dallas didn’t give them time to decide and started pushing them toward the door. “We will just be down the hall.”

As soon as the door was closed behind them I grabbed Drake’s shirt—when had he pulled one on? I had been so distracted kicking the shit out of Bethany I hadn’t even noticed. Giving it a few tugs he finally sat down on the edge of my hospital bed. I cupped his face, making him meet my eyes. “As soon as I walked in I smelled the whisky. And the first thing that crossed my mind was the obvious. But just as quickly, I called myself an idiot. Drake Stevenson is too strong to let himself slip up.”

“I’ve been having cravings lately…” He closed his eyes. “For months I’ve been fighting them.”

“Look at me,” I commanded and after a small hesitation he assaulted me with those blue-gray eyes I hoped our daughter would inherit. “You’re probably always going to have those cravings, babe. It’s part of being in recovery. We’ve talked about it and even your sponsor says they never go away. The real problem comes when you give in, let the cravings become more. And you haven’t done that. You’re so strong, Drake.”

“Only because of you.” His hands covered mine and pulled my palm to his lips. “You keep me strong, Angel.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Yeah, I know.” He laughed at how conceited it sounded, making me grin. “I love my Demon, and my Demon is never going to do something like that to hurt his Angel.”

His eyes darkened. “Truer words have never been spoken, Angel.”

Chapter 29

Drake

Six hours.

From the moment we arrived at the hospital to the moment I heard my daughter’s first cry it took six hours and twelve minutes.

The hours of worry, of torture watching Angel cry in pain... All of that flew right out of my head the moment I set eyes on that perfect little creature. A full head of thick black hair, chubby, red cheeks. Twenty inches long and eight pounds, nine ounces of beauty personified. I was going to remember this moment for the rest of my life.

With a shaking hand I cut the umbilical cord as the doctor instructed and then Dallas was taking her across the room to clean her up and check her over while the pediatrician stood beside her. Angel was sobbing, happy tears instead of pain-filled ones now. Tears were flowing unashamedly down my own face and I dropped a kiss on top her sweat dampened head.

Doctor Conrad was doing something to her and told her to push one more time. I was freaked out, thinking that it was another baby but instead she delivered the afterbirth and then laid back, completely exhausted. Across the room, where she had commanded Axton and Cole to stand if they wanted to stay for the delivery, I heard Ax congratulating Cole on being a grandfather.

Finally Dallas appeared with a pink bundle. She was wiping her own tears and smiling as she handed the baby over to Angel. “She’s perfect, Lana.”

Hands shaking with a mixture of exhaustion and pure joy, Angel held the baby against her chest. “Hey there, princess.” Her voice was rough with tears. “I’m so glad I finally get to hold you.”

“So what am I calling my grandbaby?” Cole asked from his spot by the window. “Or don’t you know yet?”

Angel’s eyes widened and she looked up at me. “Yeah, Daddy. What are we going to call her? Have you decided yet?”

I looked down at my world, my heaven on earth. In that moment I knew I had found paradise. Bending my head I kissed the top of my angel’s head. “Nevaeh,” I told her, “Nevaeh Joy Stevenson.”