Torn by A.F. Crowell Read Free Book Online

too.” His words were barely a whisper.
    “You’re right, I’m sorry. I promise to relax
tonight, and from here on out I will tell you if I have any
contractions. She’s going be just fine,” I said, forcing a
smile.
    *****
    Brody
    My cell buzzed again, waking me. Picking it
up, I looked at the time, 3:22 a.m. It was yet another text from
Leila.
    Leila:
Contraction
    Maybe I needed to rethink this whole “tell me
every time you have a contraction.” This was the third time she had
woken me up tonight. My phone vibrated in my hand.
    Leila: r u
awake?
    Me: no, why?
    Leila: if I’m awake
w/these damn things u shld b 2 since this IS your fault
    She’s got to be fucking
kidding. It was almost 3:30 in the morning. I had to work
tomorrow. Rolling my eyes, I dropped the cell back onto the
nightstand, punched the pillow a few times then buried my face in
the fluffy down comfort.
    Buzz, buzz.
    Really?
    I snatched up the phone.
    Leila: seriously B, can u get me Tums? Heartburn is bad
    With a deep sigh, I threw the covers back,
swung my legs around, grabbed my boxers, and pulled them on.
Trekking downstairs to the kitchen, I retrieved the antacids,
bleary eyed and grumpy. I climbed the stairs and knocked on the
door to my own room. “I’m coming in, Lei.”
    Opening the door, I found the television on
and Leila propped up in a sea of pillows on what used to be my side
of the bed. “Here are the Tums.” No answer. “Lei?”
    I walk around to the side of the bed. “You’ve
got to be shitting me. You would be asleep, huh?”
    Shaking my head, I set the bottle down on the
bedside table and returned to the guest room where I’d taken up
occupancy while Leila stayed with me. Climbing back into bed, I
tossed and turned for another hour before I was able to find sleep
again.

 
    Chapter Six
    Leila
    By Sunday afternoon I had been bouncing back
and forth between Brody’s house and the hospital like a ping pong
ball for days. On Friday morning, Brody had left for NYC and had
returned this morning. When I asked him if we could talk, he
agreed. He knew what I was going to say before I said it. It was
painfully apparent. He sulked through the house all day, but he
agreed to sit down and figure everything out with Jaxon and me once
Jaxon was released later that day.
    We all needed to be on the same page if we
were going to co-parent our daughter. The two bullheaded men needed
to come to an understanding, and that understanding would be they
were not going to fight around the baby. I didn’t need them being
stubborn jackasses for the next twenty years. Hell, I’m not sure
it’s even possible for them to be civil to each other for more than
ten minutes.
    Jane helped me pack my things, which Brody
said he would have delivered later that afternoon to Jaxon’s—well,
our house. Brody was so quiet and withdrawn. It broke my heart to
see the despair in his cobalt eyes. The drive from his place to the
hospital seemed longer than any other of the hundreds of rides we’d
taken there. I swore he drove the speed limit for the first time in
his life to put off saying goodbye.
    When we arrived in front of the hospital, he
jumped out, ever the gentleman, opened the passenger door, and
helped me down. He didn’t let go of my hand though. He pulled me
against his chest and looked at me, leaned down and rested his
forehead to mine.
    “I know I’ve said it before, but I really am
sorry. I wish I could go back,” he whispered against my brow.
    “Stop, please.” I closed my eyes. “We have to
move forward. I have forgiven you and you’re going be such a great
dad, Brody. Please, let’s just focus on that.” Tears threatened as
I hugged him.
    “You’re right.” He stiffened and pulled away.
“I’ll call you later. And if—”
    “And if I need you or anything happens with
the baby, I will call you. Promise. Now go on, get out of here. I
can get myself inside.” I tipped my head to his car. He nodded then
turned to leave. Watching him