Page 205 of Sexting My Best Friend's Brothers
“Understood,” Ethan says instantly. “No breathing commands. Copy that.”
I stifle a laugh from my position at the foot of the bed.
I’m currently on ice-chip duty, a job I fought Asher for because Asher wanted to weigh the ice chips to ensure optimal hydration levels, which would’ve definitely earned him a punch in the face.
“You’re doing great, Tess,” I say, leaning in to wipe her forehead with a cool cloth. “You look beautiful. A little terrifying, like a Viking shield-maiden, but beautiful.”
“I feel like I’m being ripped in half,” she groans, her head falling back as the contraction subsides.
“I know,” Asher says from the monitor station. He’s wearing blue scrubs fitting him perfectly, and he’s rearranged the hospital’s equipment to be more efficient. “But you’re almost there, Tess. You’re 9.5 centimeters. The transition is nearly done. Just hold on.”
“Asher,” Tessa pants. “Shut up.”
“Shutting up,” Asher nods.
We’ve been in the secure VIP suite of St. David’s Medical Center for twelve hours. After the clinic leak, Asher refused to return to the original facility. We arrived at 3:00 AM in a motorcade looking like a presidential extraction. Ethan drove. Asher navigated. I sat in the back with Tessa, timing contractions and playing her ‘Push It’ playlist, which she made me turn off when Salt-N-Pepa came on.
It’s been the longest, scariest, and most exhilarating twelve hours of my life.
“Here comes another one,” Tessa whispers, her eyes widening in panic. “Oh god. It’s starting.”
The monitor spikes.
The playful banter dies. The Unit activates.
Ethan leans in, his hand framing her jaw. He brushes the hair off her face. “I’ve got you. Look at me. Eyes on me.”
Asher abandons the monitors and moves to her side, grabbing her other hand. “Squeeze. Transfer the pain. I can take the psi pressure.”
And I stand right where she needs me. I grab her leg, supporting her knee. “You can do this, Tess,” I promise, my heart hammering against my ribs. “We’re right here. We aren’t going anywhere.”
Dr. Aris breezes into the room, looking calm amidst the storm. Asher had paid an exorbitant fee to ensure her delivery privileges transferred to this secure hospital, refusing to trust a new doctor with our dynamic. She checks under the sheet.
“Alright, gentlemen,” she says brightly. “It’s showtime. Tessa, on the next one, I need you to push. Baby A is crowning.”
“He’s here,” Ethan whispers.
“Focus, Ethan,” I snap, though my own hands are shaking.
“Okay, Tessa,” Dr. Aris says. “Deep breath. And… push!”
Tessa screams. It’s a primal, guttural sound tearing through me. She bears down, her face turning red, veins popping in her neck. Her grip on Ethan and Asher is crushing.
“That’s it!” I yell, watching the miracle happen. “Come on, baby! You got this!”
“Good, good, good,” Dr. Aris encourages. “Stop. Breathe.”
Tessa collapses back, gasping, sweat soaking her hair. “I can’t. I can’t do it again.”
“Yes, you can,” Ethan says fiercely, leaning his forehead against hers. “You’re the strongest person I know. You saved Mosaic. You saved us. You can do this.”
Asher grips her shoulder, his own composure cracking. “The transition is over, Tess. You’re at the finish line.”
Tessa glares at the ceiling, taking a breath.
“Push!” Dr. Aris commands.
Tessa pushes. She gives everything. She pushes with the force of a woman who has handled three alpha founders, a corporate war, and a scandal, and won every single time.
