Free Guarding Me by Megan Slayer Page A

Babies sometimes took their sweet time. Still, he offered up a small prayer.
    “Dear Lord, let me get there in time to meet the child I’m going to love like my own.” He burst through the main doors to the birthing floor. “I’m here to see Maya McCombs. Tell me I’m not late.”

Chapter Fourteen
     
     
     
    Maya gritted her teeth. No time for an epidural! What the hell? She gripped the arms of the maternity bed and groaned. She’d never felt pain so bad in her entire life.
    “Don’t push, honey, but breathe,” Molly said. She wiped the sweat off Maya’s forehead. “You’re doing fine.”
    Don’t push. Maya continued the breathing exercises, but whispered a curse. Where the hell was Levi? Another wave of pain hit and she doubled over as much as possible. Damn Nicky for doing this to her. Where the hell was he? Probably in a hot tub with four hotties. She wished his junk would shrivel up and fall off in the scalding water.
    Clad in scrubs and wearing a mask, another figure was herded into the room. She knew that walk. Levi. Thank God. Maya reached for his hand.
    “I’m here for you, babe.” He squeezed her fingers. “Always.”
    The pain hit hard and she dug her nails into his palm. She tried to remember the breathing exercises, but damn. The harder she concentrated, the more she swore her body would rip in half. Molly dotted Maya’s forehead with a rag.
    “There’s the head,” her doctor said in a calm tone. “You’re doing well. We need one more good push.”
    “I can’t,” Maya wailed. She didn’t have another ounce of strength left in her body. She’d never be able to do this. She gritted her teeth. “I hate you, Nicky, and I want you to rot in hell.” With all her might, she pushed. “Oh. My. God.” She clenched her eyes shut. If her lousy ex couldn’t take responsibility for the child, the least he could do was disappear into a mammoth hole in the ground. The pressure in her lower torso swelled, then released.
    “It’s a girl.”
    Maya opened her eyes. She wasn’t sure who spoke, but she knew what they said. Molly draped the baby across Maya’s chest, then covered them both with a sheet.
    “You make pretty babies,” Levi said. He kissed Maya on the temple, then trailed his fingers over the little girl’s peach fuzz head. “Really pretty.”
    “You take some of the credit. We’re a family.” She rubbed her nose along the baby’s forehead. “I’m your mommy and this is your daddy.”
    “Maya?” Levi gripped the rail along the side of the birthing bed. “Are you sure?”
    “Let’s clean her off and run the tests while we get you settled in your room.” Molly wrapped a new wristband around Maya’s wrist, then added one around the child’s ankle. “There. Daddy?” She secured a third band around Levi’s wrist. “Now no one can remove the baby from this floor without you or the father’s approval.”
    Reality sank in as Molly wheeled Maya to a recovery room. Maya blinked back tears. She had a baby. She’d done it, and now she had the love of her life by her side and the job of her dreams. She’d have to marry Levi—not that marrying him would be a hardship. She couldn’t wait to be his wife. But so many changes in less than a year...she wouldn’t change a moment.
    Five minutes later, Levi knocked on her door. He held a pink teddy bear and a bouquet of pink roses. “Would you like some company?”
    “You know I would.” She smiled and sagged against the sheets. Damn, having a baby took the strength right out of a person. “Come here.”
    He crossed the expanse to her and settled on the armchair beside her. “You’re a brave solider,” he said and kissed her. “Brave under fire.” He handed her the flowers. “These are for you and the bear is for the peanut. Thought of a good name for her?”
    “I don’t feel brave,” she murmured. “I was scared.”
    “Fear is healthy. Coming to Ohio was scary as fuck, but I’m glad I did. Brought me to