*
Ture checked the clock as his anxiety worsened. Maris should have been here already...
What if something happened to him?
Unable to breathe for the panic, he pulled his link out to call.
“Where’s Ana?”
Relief tore through him as he heard that deep, glorious accent. Turning, he threw himself into Maris’s arms. “What took you so long? You had me worried.”
“Sorry. Your brother showed up while I was leaving.”
“You didn’t give him your name, did you?”
Maris shook his head. “You told me not to.” He held the restaurant’s security card out to Ture.
“Keep it.”
“You sure?”
Ture nodded. “And to answer your question, Ana’s doctor threw me out until I could, and I quote, get a hold of myself.”
Maris gave him an adorable smile. “Sounds about right. Want to try again?”
“Sure.”
Maris offered him his arm. Ture tucked his hand into his elbow and led him to Anachelle’s room. She lay in the bed, chewing crushed ice while a nurse checked her vitals.
The nurse arched her brow at Ture. “Are you calm now?”
Ture rolled his eyes. “Yes, my sanity just arrived.”
Her gaze practically licked Maris from head to foot. Dressed in his all black protective biker gear, he was exquisite. Especially since he’d grown his whiskers into a sexy well-trimmed beard. A slow smile spread across her face. “I hate to ask this cutie, but are you family?”
“He’s the baby’s father,” Anachelle answered before Maris had a chance to speak.
Maris arched a brow, but didn’t contradict her. After all, they’d been teasing him about acting like an expectant father for weeks now.
“Oh good,” the nurse said, holding her hand out to Mari. “I’m Aundrea and I’m the nurse assigned for the delivery. I was just telling your...”
“Girlfriend,” Anachelle supplied.
“Girlfriend that she’s at three centimeters, so we should have a little time. But we shouldn’t assume anything. I’m going to let the doctor know you’re here, and will be right back.” She left them.
Maris frowned at Anachelle. “Boyfriend?”
She shrugged. “I’d already told them that Ture was my brother so that he could stay with me while we waited for you, and I didn’t want to chance them thinking you two were incestuous or something.”
“Great,” Maris breathed. “So instead of being your creepy incestuous brother, I’m your scuzzy boyfriend who’s snaking on you with your brother. Lovely. Just the label I was looking for.” He moved to kiss her on her cheek. “How are you feeling, sweetie?”
“It’s a little painful. I won’t lie. But manageable for the moment. I’m glad you two are here. In spite of what they think, you and Ture are all the family I have. Thank you both for taking care of me.” Tears filled her eyes then ran down her cheeks.
Maris hugged her close. “Oh, honey. We love you. We’re always here for you, you know that.”
Ture held her hand. “Don’t you worry about anything, except that little boy.”
Sniffing back her tears, she nodded.
*
Hours later, Maris left the delivery room to find Ture asleep on a waiting room couch. Since Ana had pegged him as the baby’s father and Ture as her brother, the doctor had allowed Maris to stay and forced Ture out once serious labor began.
Shaken by it all, he knelt beside the couch and touched Ture’s arm.
Ture woke up with a jerk then frowned. “Is something wrong, baby?”
“I am so glad I’m not a woman.” He let out a ragged breath. “That...was terrifying. I’m thinking we’d better lock Darling up whenever Zarya goes into labor. It’s going to get ugly.”
Ture cupped his cheek. “How is she and the baby?”
“She’s fine and sleeping. The boy... It was amazing, Ture. I wish you’d been there. One minute, Ana was calling out for every set of male testicles in the universe to be cut off, and the next...this tiny little person was in the doctor’s hands. He gave the baby to me while they cut the cord, and I stared into these dark eyes that stared back at me. He’s so tiny and perfect. Beautiful. You want to see him?”
“Absolutely.” Ture sat up. “How are you doing?”
“Good, but exhausted.” Maris yawned then put his arm around Ture’s shoulders as he led him toward the nursery. “I’d give anything if you could carry me home.”
“Oh, baby, I wish.”
Maris stopped in front of a large window and waved at one of the attending nurses. She smiled brightly then moved to pick up one of the blue-swaddled babies. She brought him closer for Ture to see.
Tears misted in his eyes. “Oh, Mari, he is beautiful.”
“I know, right?”
“What did she name him?”
“Terek Andros . . . Sulle.”