Page 98 of Wild Devotion
“Oh God.” A contraction hit and she doubled forward, her grip crushing my hand. “An hour ago I was begging her to come. Now I don’t know if I’m ready. I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Of course you can,” Chantel scoffed from her other side.
“I know you can.” I cupped her face with my free hand, holding her gaze steady. “And you’re not doing this alone. You’ve got me. I’ve got you.”
“Thank you, Cal.” Her brow crinkled, and a tear trailed down her cheek. “You’ve always believed in me. You’ve always believed in us.”
My own eyes stung. A single tear clung to my lashes, and I let it stay.
Zadie shifted out of Chantel’s hold and let me fold her into my arms. She pressed her face against my chest, her belly warm and firm between us.
“I believe in us too,” she whispered, kissing my jaw.
“Okay,” Chantel cut in, her voice firm but cracking at the edges. “Enough standing around. You need to get to the hospital. It’s time to meet your daughter.” She looked at both of us. “Both of you.”
“Yes, Doc.” Zadie laughed through her tears. “Let’s go.”
Always beautiful and brave.
And mine.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chantel
The precious baby girl slept soundly in her father’s arms. The father whose genetics didn’t make her, but whose heart would shape her.
Caleb was fully invested. He always had been, even before he knew she existed.
Just like I knew he would be.
He was awe-inspiring. And even though he wasn’t the reason I’d pursued medicine, he was my continued inspiration to never give it up.
“What are you going to name her?” I whispered.
“Not sure yet.” He yawned, the toll of the longest day of his life finally catching up with him.
“Let me take her. You should get some sleep.”
Without argument, he placed his brand-new, nameless daughter in my arms, then climbed into the hospital bed beside Zadie. She was already sleeping soundly, and he curled around her like he’d been doing it his whole life.
He’d made quite the spectacle, dropping to one knee minutes after they’d placed the baby in Zadie’s arms. The ring had been in his pocket for months, apparently. Prince fucking Charming had every nurse on the floor swooning, and Zadie had sobbed so hard they’d almost called the doctor back in.
She’d said yes, obviously. The diamond was a simple three-stone setting, but it caught the fluorescent light every time she shifted in her sleep, flashing like a tiny beacon on her finger.
“Viens, ma belle,” I cooed, adjusting the bundle against my chest. “Let’s go see some people.”
I carried her to the waiting area, savoring the weight of her. So small. So new. So completely unaware of the chaos she’d been born into and the extraordinary number of people who already loved her.
For Zadie and Caleb, this little girl would be their one and only. Their single chance to bring life into the world. Their one shot at building a family from scratch.
Incroyable.
“Who’ve you got there?” Dylan’s voice was a low hum as I settled into the chair beside him.
“She’s nameless.”
“She’s pretty.” He ran his finger over her tiny hand, his touch impossibly gentle for a man built like a weapon. “So small.”
