The Woman in the Trunk - Jessica Gadziala Page 0,90

to wipe my brow with a damp washcloth.

"Nope. Never again. I hate it. It did this to me. And now you will have to pay for it," I told him, feeling the contraction finally start to ebb.

"Hey, how's it going?" Celeste asked, breezing back into the room, looking like she was going to a runway in her emerald green sundress, instead of helping us welcome her second grandbaby into the world. "Uh oh," she said, grimacing when we both shot her looks. Mine, frustrated. His, worried. "Is she at the point where she is threatening you?" she asked, looking at her son.

"Yeah."

"Well, knowing her track record, maybe you should go take a lap. I will sit with her," she said, moving to take Lorenzo's seat as he shot me an uncertain look.

"More ice," I suggested, knowing he didn't want to leave, didn't want to be useless during all this. It was interesting, I had to admit, to watch such a powerful man look so powerless, knowing he had no control over what was happening to me.

To that, he nodded, glad for a mission, disappearing out into the hall.

"It's always funny to see a strong man look so terrified of childbirth, don't you think? Art turned green, passed out, came to, and ran out of the room when I was having Lorenzo. It's not the prettiest affair, I'll admit, but the end result is nothing like you have ever experienced before. Your little boy is going to be worth all of this, I promise," she told me, grabbing my hand, giving it a maternal squeeze.

"He better be. Because he is going to be the only one. I already told Lorenzo he is getting castrated," I told her, watching as she let out a laugh.

"You are going to be so in love with him. Nothing else will matter. Not all this pain. Not the recovery from it. Not the sleepless nights coming your way. You are going to be such a good mom, Giana."

I wished I could have my own mother here with us, saying these things as well, but my heart swelled, and the pain became suddenly more tolerable having Celeste there, knowing she loved me like her own daughter, that it was her who had taken Lorenzo ring shopping the week we found out I was pregnant. Which, admittedly, was very soon after we started dating. She was the one to help me decorate the nursery. She was the one who sat up with me late at night, quelling my fears about childbirth.

I think I had all but forgotten how important family was until they welcomed me into theirs with open arms.

"You're right," I agreed, giving her a weak smile. It felt like I had been in labor for years. And, last I asked Lorenzo, it had been fifteen hours since my water broke.

"Just coming in to check," the nurse declared, giving us a warm smile as she moved in near my legs. "You know what, Mama? I think we are about ready to push. Where did Daddy go?"

"I'll get him," Celeste said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze before rushing off to find Lorenzo.

"He is pacing the halls looking very scared," the nurse told me, eyes dancing, likely seeing men like him all the time. "There you are," she said when he rushed in, coming over to the side of the bed, slipping an arm under my back, grabbing my hand. "Are you two kids ready to meet your little boy?" she asked.

And, God, yes, we were.

The next part was somehow the hardest and easiest at the same time. The pain was something I could never describe to someone who hadn't experienced it, but our son was making his way into the world.

All eight pounds and six ounces of him, coming out screaming bloody murder as I collapsed back onto the bed.

He was placed on my chest just a couple moments later, wrapped in a blanket, all squishy and new.

Lorenzo scooted onto the side of the bed, wrapping an arm around both of us, protecting us like I knew he would never stop doing.

Milo Alexander Costa.

Named after his uncle Emilio.

His uncle Brio had dibs on the next one.

Yes, there were going to be more.

Celeste was right.

Everything was all but forgotten except this little human being we had created.

"Lorenzo?"

"Yeah?" he asked, looking at Milo for another moment, eyes filled with wonder. When he glanced up at me, though, the look was still there.

"I didn't mean it."

"Didn't mean what?"

"I won't cut it off. Because I want a dozen of these," I told him, beaming.

"Well, I think we can arrange that," he said, reaching up to brush some sweaty hair off my forehead. "I love you, hellcat," he told me, eyes warm.

I loved him back.

More than I ever could have anticipated.

More than I even knew I was capable of.

"I love you too. Even if you are a sauce hog," I told him, smiling.

Sure, it wouldn't be all smiles and declarations.

Wars were starting on the streets.

Between the families.

Life would never be easy.

But it didn't need to be.

Because we knew we could handle it together.

Also by Jessica Gadziala

If you liked this book, check out these other series and titles in the NAVESINK BANK UNIVERSE:

The Henchmen MC

Reign

Cash

Wolf

Repo

Duke

Renny

Lazarus

Pagan

Cyrus

Edison

Reeve

Sugar

The Fall of V

Adler

Roderick

Virgin

Roan

Camden

West

The Savages

Monster

Killer

Savior

Mallick Brothers

For A Good Time, Call

Shane

Ryan

Mark

Eli

Charlie & Helen: Back to the Beginning

Investigators

367 Days

14 Weeks

4 Months

Dark

Dark Mysteries

Dark Secrets

Dark Horse

Professionals

The Fixer

The Ghost

The Messenger

The General

The Babysitter

The Middle Man

The Negotiator

The Client

Rivers Brothers

Lift You Up

Lock You Down

STANDALONES WITHIN NAVESINK BANK:

Vigilante

Grudge Match

NAVESINK BANK LEGACY SERIES:

The Rise of Ferryn

OTHER SERIES AND STANDALONES:

Stars Landing

What The Heart Needs

What The Heart Wants

What The Heart Finds

What The Heart Knows

The Stars Landing Deviant

What The Heart Learns

Surrogate

The Sex Surrogate

Dr. Chase Hudson

The Green Series

Into the Green

Escape from the Green

DEBT

Dissent

Stuffed: A Thanksgiving Romance

Unwrapped

Peace, Love, & Macarons

A Navesink Bank Christmas

Don't Come

Fix It Up

N.Y.E.

faire l'amour

Revenge

There Better Be Pie

About the Author

Jessica Gadziala is a full-time writer, parrot enthusiast, and coffee drinker who has an unhealthy obsession with acquiring houseplants. She enjoys short rides to the book store, sad songs, and cold weather. She lives in New Jersey with her parrots, dogs, and a whole flock of chickens.

She is very active on Goodreads, Facebook, as well as her personal groups on those sites. Join in. She's friendly.

Playlist

Playlist

"Bad Moon Rising" - Mourning Ritual

God's Gonna Cut You Down - Marilyn Manson

"Every Breath You Take" - Chase Holfelder

"One Way Or Another" - Until The Ribbon Breaks

"Bury Me Face Down" - grandson

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" - Lorde

"Your Heart Is As Black As Night" - Melody Gardot

"The Devil Within" - Digital Daggers

"Love Is A Bitch"- Two Feet

"Horns" - Bryce Fox

"Devil Eyes" - Hippie Savage

"Hungry Like The Wolf" - Hidden Citizens

"Wicked Ones" - Dorothy

"Gun In My Hand" - Dorothy

"Crazy" - 2WEI

"Love Is A Battlefield" - Wrongchilde

"In The End" (Mellen Gi Remix) - Tommee Profitt

"NFWMB" - Hozier

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<3/ Jessica