My brother had been given two options, help the feds by spying on Brandy Daley or be tried for murder and if convicted, go to prison without the possibility of parole. He was the only one of my brothers who the feds contacted, and I knew that was probably because of a deal Ryder had worked out to keep me and my other brothers safe. He was always protecting us, protecting Branna, and never once thought about protecting himself.
“Yeah, man?”
“I appreciate you helping me today,” Ryder said with his eyes locked on the road ahead. “This is the first and last time I’ll need your help with this bullshit, I promise.”
“Don’t sweat it, bro. I got you.”
“No,” Ryder said firmly. “This is the last time. You’re about to become a father, and nothing about that part of our lives is tainting that.”
I didn’t respond to him. He looked like he was beating himself up enough for needing me to help him. When he called me this morning and told me that Brandy wanted him to run a deal in Wexford, he knew he needed someone to accompany him. No one went to do deals on Brandy’s behalf without having some muscle to watch their back. Ryder didn’t trust any of Brandy’s men, and since I used to be an enforcer, I was his obvious choice.
“It’s over and done with now,” I said. “You got the deal and earned Brandy a hell of a profit. Put it out of your mind.”
I knew it was easier said than done, but my brother nodded. I looked at my phone for the millionth time and was frustrated to find it was still dead. Ryder’s phone was out of battery too, so I couldn’t check in with Aideen throughout the day to make sure she was okay. When we pulled into the parking lot of my building, we both got out and headed up to my apartment. The elevator opened on my floor just as I heard my girlfriend scream. My heart dropped, and I broke into a run and barrelled into my apartment, the door slamming against the wall.
“Aideen!”
Branna’s voice shouted, “In the bedroom!”
Ryder and I wasted no time. We rushed down the hallway and burst into the room. I took in the scene before me. My three brothers were pale, Aideen was naked from the waist down and in the birthing pool, and Branna was next to her and holding her hand. I focused on Aideen, and it took a second to realise what was happening. She was in labour ... and I was missing it.
“Strip down and get into the pool with her,” Branna ordered me. “She needs ye’.”
Aideen bellowed, “Where the fuck have ye’ been?”
I didn’t answer her, so she picked up two colourful balls and squeezed them. While she was focused on that, I looked at my brothers and said, “How long has she been in labour?”
“Most of the day,” Dominic answered. “We tried calling you guys.”
His words hurt like a knife twisting in my heart. I hurriedly stripped out of my clothes until I was down to my boxers and quickly moved over to the pool. I stepped inside and lowered myself on my behind. I spread my legs and moved up behind Aideen. I reached forward and gripped her waist before I leaned in and planted kisses along her neck and shoulder.
“I’m here, baby doll.”
Aideen began to cry, and it broke my heart. I felt the relief she experienced now that she had me with her, and I couldn’t begin to imagine how scared she was at having to going through labour on her own, wondering where I was and if I would make it in time to see our baby being born.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to her and kissed the side of her head. “I’m so sorry.”
She turned to me and press her face to mine. “I can’t do this.”
“What are you talking about?” I smiled. “You’re doing it, and you’re doing it fucking awesomely.”
“Hell yeah, she is,” Branna agreed.
I interlocked my hands with her, and I didn’t make a sound when she squeezed me to the point my hands went numb. It was a small price to pay for the woman who was going through hell so she could bring my child into the world. She was so brave. I couldn’t fathom ever possessing an ounce of the strength she had.
“God, it hurts!”
She moved our joint hands under her stomach and wailed in pain.
“Spread your legs as wide as ye’ can, honey,” Branna instructed. “As soon as ye’ get another contraction, bear down and push, okay?”
Aideen gripped my hands even tighter as she listened to Branna and did exactly as she said. It didn’t take long for a contraction to hit, and when it did, my girl did exactly what Branna had said and pushed with all of her might. My blood ran cold when Aideen screamed. I had never heard that type of wail leave her body before, and it scared me half to death. I flicked my eyes to my brothers. Dominic, Ryder and Damien were staring at Aideen with their jaws slack while Alec had his hands covering his eyes as he recited The Lord’s Prayer out loud.