After making sure I have everything, I waddle over to the sidewalk, my flip-flops slapping loudly against the pavement. Seeing Sway in the window has me lifting my arm and waving wildly. The second I go to put my arm down, I feel this tremendous pain in my stomach. Sway cocks his head at me, clearly puzzled with my actions. I look down from his eyes and try to figure out what just happened.

Sway bursts through the door to his salon about the same time that I realize that my water just broke. Of all places to have my water break, it’s the damn golden sidewalk. I love this sidewalk. Now all I’m going to think about is my pregnancy water leaking out of my vagina.

“Sway! My vagina broke the happiness!” I cry when he runs over. He grabs the food and my purse before helping me walk the few steps left to take me inside Corps Security. “Sway!” I pant. “Are you listening to me? My vagina broke it!”

Of course that would be the moment that we step through the door to CS. And of course the lobby wouldn’t be empty.

“Hey, baby,” I gasp. I grab my tight stomach when new wave of pain washes over me. Holy shit, this hurts.

“Sunshine? Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay! I brought you Mexican and my vagina broke the happiness! Do I look okay?” I have to take a huge gulp of air when I feel another sharp pain rock through my stomach. “They aren’t supposed to be coming this fast, baby,” I whine.

His eyes widen when the meaning behind my words becomes clear. He smiles for a second before I whimper when my stomach starts to tighten again.

“Davey, sugar pie, I think you need to get those sexy fingers of yours dancing over to the phone. It’s looks like there’s a baby on the way.”

That snaps Asher into motion. He tosses the file he was looking at over to Davey, rushing over to my side and helping Sway move me deeper into the lobby. We are just about the pass the reception desk when I let out a brutal scream and my body goes limp.

“Let’s lay her down here, all right, darling?” Sway asks, calm as can be.

I look into Asher’s eyes and see the fear leering behind his excitement. I try to reassure him that I’m okay—that this is normal—but when I open my mouth, the only thing that comes out is a scream.

“Dil, baby,” Davey calls from where he is standing, talking to what I assume is the 911 operator.

“Go ahead, doll. You just tell me what I need to do,” Sway calls over his shoulder.

I can hear Davey responding to him, but I’m lost to the pain that is ripping though my body. I keep my eyes glued to Asher’s. He strokes my face, kissing my hand when it clamps down on his own, and between the contractions that are killing me, he presses his forehead against mine and whispers how much he loves me.

I feel movement and then cold air hits my legs. I keep my eyes on Ash, my breathing controlled and my hand clamped in his. When I feel someone take my other hand in theirs, I break my connection to Asher and look over at Maddox’s grim face. He gives me a weak smile and a small squeeze. I feel another contraction starting, so I whip my head back to Asher and grunt through the pain.

“Don’t you dare look any lower than her face,” Asher warns Maddox.

I would laugh if I didn’t feel like I was being sawed in half.

I vaguely feel my panties being removed and my eyes widen in shock.

“It’s okay, Sunshine. Let Sway do what they tell him to. We need to check and see if you’re crowning. Jesus, I can’t believe this is happening here.” His eyes show his vulnerability in the moment, and I don’t have time to analyze his words because just on the heels of the last one, another powerful pain takes my abdomen prisoner. I scream when it becomes too much.

“Uh, Asher.”

He looks down when Sway calls his name and his eyes widen so large that I briefly wonder if they will pop out.

He looks back at me, his eyes showing his worry. “You need to push now. I’m right here and everything is going to be okay. I promise you that.”

I gulp and take a deep breath, remembering from the classes we took what I should be doing.

It takes more effort than I ever thought was possible. I scream, curse, and beg. It takes ten long minutes, my body starting to take the toll of the effort I’m using to push our son out. To give him life.

I just finish another push that makes me feel like my head is about to blow off my body. The pain felt different—more intense—than what had been seizing my insides. I give another push, my energy starting to drain quickly.

“No more! Stop! Oh, God!”

I stop immediately when Sway screams over my groaning. My body is demanding that I push, but I hold back, praying that this will be over soon. Asher’s face has a look of complete euphoria. He’s looking down past my stomach. The tears that are falling from his eyes in rapid succession make me fear that something could be wrong.