My heart dropped to the floor at my feet. “Oh my God.”
Lou straightened, little teeth bared. “Like hell that’s going to happen.”
“Calm down, Lou,” King hushed, gentling enough to squeeze her arm. “We got this. Parties over, though, babe. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be absurd, go,” I ordered, leaning over Lou to grasp his face and kiss him hard because you never knew, even though I refused to think about it, what might happen in a situation like this. “Go and bring them back to us. I’ll take Lou to the hospital.”
She whimpered and clenched her teeth against the weakness as another contraction hit. “No, no. I’m fine, and I am so not giving birth to these babies in the middle of a fucking crisis.”
“You so are,” I demanded and then turned to Ares. “Go get her coat, her mum, and Bea, okay?”
He took off like a shot, leaving King who stared at me like he was memorizing the lines of my face.
“Go,” I said softly, “It’s okay, baby.”
“Love you,” he said, gruff, like the words were torn right from his heart, bloody and raw. “Love you both. You be strong for me, okay?” I nodded, but when Lou didn’t respond, he crouched down to pinch her chin and lift her gaze to his. “Hey, Mama, you gotta be the little warrior again right now, yeah? My little sister and brother need you to be strong.”
“I don’t want to this without Z,” she admitted in a wobbly voice that broke my heart.
“I know, Lou, but you also know he’s gotta take care of this so when these babies come, we can all greet them together. The whole Garro clan includin’ Harleigh Rose.”
“Okay,” she whispered, pale and obviously distressed. “Just take care of him, okay? I need…I need him.”
“Gotcha,” he said, eyes tipping to mine because he knew the feeling. “Love you, Lou, okay? Love you and I’m gonna love you even more, you bring these babies into the world nice and healthy, all three of ya.”
“Okay,” she agreed, leaning into the palm he used to cup her face. She breathed deeply, steadying herself, and then pulled away, blue fire flashing in her eyes. “Okay, let’s get these babies out of me. I’m tired of not being able to see my toes.”
King grinned. “Atta, babe.”
Gibson appeared, face creased with genuine concern. “Seems things are goin’ down…Anything I can do to help?”
King stared at the man, taking his measure slowly, making it obvious, but not insulting. Finally, he reached out and clapped the off-duty cop on the shoulder.
“Sure, man. It’d be good if you could call down to Van PD and let them know there’s shit goin’ down at the Port Authority. The Prez of Berserkers MC might or might not be committin’ a crime there.”
Gibson’s grin was slow spread, honey sweet but slightly wicked. “Think I can do that. Thanks for the anonymous tip.”
“Just bein’ a good citizen,” King quipped with a wink, then clapped him on the shoulder to send him on his way. “And the support, Gibson, means a lot. Can see why Lion liked you so much.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved it off. “I’m already doin’ you the favour.”
King chuckled as Phillipa and Bea both swarmed Lou. I passed her over to their coddling so I could wrap my arms around King and give him a hug. There was something about feeling him so strong and solid in my hold that made me believe no matter what happened, he’d survive because he was the strongest man I knew.
“My Queen,” he murmured into my hair.
“Bring them back to us, honey,” I told him as he moved away, keeping hold of my hand until the last second and then turning on his booted heel to rally the men.
I moved back to Lou just as her water broke, splashing against the ground and the two women supporting her.
Bea screamed, “Ew! Jesus, Lou, did you really have to do that on my feet?”
And as Lou and her mother, Phillipa, laughed, I had to believe everything was going to be alright.
If I’d known then what I did now, I would have taken another moment to let it all sink in.
King
* * *
It was over by the time we got to Vancouver. So, instead of the brothers rollin’ over to a crime scene we didn’t need to get messed up in, we headed to the hospital where Lou had been admitted and took up sentry in the waitin’ area. Over the course of the night, it seemed everyone showed. Buck and Maja tucked together in a chair too small for the burly ass biker, Nova on the ground holding Lila and Cleo on either side as they slept, Bea curled up half on Lila, half on Priest’s feet where he stood sentry beside the swinging door for hours without rest. Smoke arrived with Riley dragging his asthma machine, and he quickly took a seat next to Phillipa who blushed and chatted with him all night long.