Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,260

what to do or the right things to say and every time any of us tried to make a joke to lighten the mood, Tatum went all Satan eyes on us and we shut the fuck up sharpish.

"I'm sorry to say this sweetheart, but you're still not ready to push," the midwife announced and Tatum groaned in pain, crushing my fingers as another contraction overwhelmed her.

"Do you want some water?" Nash offered.

"Or a cold compress?" Blake added.

"Or a scone?" Saint suggested.

"No I don't want a fucking scone!" she yelled and I was pretty certain she broke my finger as her grip impossibly tightened.

"Maybe you should re-think the pain relief?" the midwife suggested kindly. "We could be in for a long wait here and an epidural-"

"Yes," Tatum gasped, nodding her head. "That. Do that-"

"Are you sure?" I asked her, leaning down to speak into her ear. "Because when we did all those classes you were pretty fucking adamant you wanted to do it naturally without drugs and-"

Tatum snatched hold of the front of my shirt and dragged me down so that we were nose to nose and she was glaring into my eyes with the rage of the Devil himself.

"Don't you talk to me about a natural fucking birth when you're just standing around watching this happen!" she snarled. "The Tatum who said those dumbass things was a fucking idiot who had no idea what hell this would be. She was a naive bitch and she’s dead now, just like you’ll be if you try to talk me out of taking pain relief again. When you have to push a watermelon out of your fucking vagina you can come back to me with your no drugs bullshit, but until then just shut the fuck up and help the woman give me the drugs."

I swallowed thickly and nodded, kinda afraid of the demon who lived inside my wife and wondering if this really was Saint's baby after all, because she definitely had something pure evil inside of her that hadn't been there before.

“Yeah, okay, whatever you need,” I agreed quickly and she released her hold on me as she dropped back against the pillows.

"Alright sweetheart, I'll get the anaesthetist and sort you out pronto," the midwife said loudly, ignoring us like we weren't involved in this. And as I was without a vagina, I could concede that this probably wasn't my place to start arguing, so I did as requested and shut the fuck up.

The midwife left the room and Tatum lunged forward so suddenly that I had to catch her to stop her from falling out of the bed. She glared at me like I should have guessed she was going to do that, and I apologised as I shared a glance with Blake over her head while mouthing 'holy shit' to him.

"Maybe you should stay in bed?" Blake suggested, reaching for her then drawing back like he wasn’t sure how to help.

"I can't lie down. It’s worse if I lie down," she panted, reaching out for Nash and digging her fingernails into his bicep as she gritted her teeth against the pain of another contraction and he just let her draw blood from his flesh without a word. Probably for the best.

Saint had gone very still, his eyes on her like he was assessing everything, calculating odds and trying to work this out like a math problem. But the way he was locking up told me just how much he was freaking out inside and I knew he was on the edge of breaking over how useless this whole thing was making him feel.

"No," Tatum snapped, pointing at him. "You don't get to lose your shit today. It’s not about you, so lock that shit down. Buck the fuck up or get out."

"I'm not going anywhere," Saint growled in response. "I'm just trying to think of all the things that might help you."

"Oh, are you going to reach up into my vagina and take this baby out of me nice and gently?" she asked and yeah, I was officially terrified of her. And impressed. And kinda hot for her. Not that I'd dare suggest anything to do with my dick right now, but Tatum going all badass just did things for me and seeing her couple that with this momma bear psycho shit... Yeah. I was here for it. Terrified, but here for it.

"Why don't you try the bouncy ball thing again?" Nash offered and the scowl she threw him