All or Nothin’

Chapter One

Daniella stared at the TV, the tub of ice cream resting on her belly and the spoon halfway to her mouth. But before she took another bite she put the spoon in the tub and put the ice cream aside.

“Shakes,” she called out.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Can you bring me some water? I think I ate too much ice cream. I’m not feeling well.”

Shakes was by her a few minutes later, a glass of water in his outstretched hand. “What’s wrong?” he said, worry clear in his voice and on his face.

“I’m fine, if you consider being as big as a whale okay.” She was teasing, of course. She was so happy to be pregnant, even if her feet were swollen, she couldn’t exactly see them anymore, and her boobs were huge and sore.

“Baby, you’re fucking gorgeous.” He sat down beside her and grabbed one of her feet. “Lay back for me.”

She did as he said, sighing when he started rubbing her feet. Closing her eyes and not stopping the moan that spilled from her, Daniella let herself sink farther into the cushions. “You can’t possibly know how good that feels.”

Shakes chuckled and continued rubbing her feet for the next ten minutes. It was only when the baby kicked that she realized she’d woken up. Placing her hand on her belly, Daniella started rubbing, the little jabs a little more painful than usual.

“Hey, you okay?” Shakes said, the worry back in his voice.

“Yeah. The little one is just really rolling around in there.” She smiled and opened her eyes, hoping to ease his worry. “Help a big pregnant lady up so she can pee?”

Shakes helped her up, and she kept a hand on her belly.

“Man, the baby is really having a field day in there.”

“Maybe I should call the doctor?”

She shook her head. “Shakes, I’m fine.”

“Well, maybe I should call your dad.”

“Why? All he’ll do is hover over me and worry about me, like you are.” She smiled and leaned forward, rose on her toes, and kissed him.

Making her way toward the bathroom, she shut the door, and just as she was about to sit down to do her business a gush of wetness soaked her panties. Oh. God. Had she just pissed herself? Looking down, she saw the clear fluid dripping down her inner thighs. Snapping her head up and looking at her reflection in the mirror across from her, she knew what in the hell was going on.

“Oh shit. Shakes.” She screamed out his name.

The bathroom door flew open and slammed against the wall.

“What? Everything okay?” Shakes looked scared as hell as he scanned her body, his focus stopping on her legs. “Baby, you couldn’t make it to the toilet?” He was all seriousness as he asked, not making fun of her, but looking confused. It was only after a few seconds that realization covered his face. He looked at her again, his eyes wide. “Oh fuck. Is this it, Daniella?”

She nodded, knowing her eyes were just as wide as his. “This is it. The baby is coming.”

Shakes wanted to drive safely, but fuck, he was scared as hell. “You still doing okay, baby?” He glanced over at her. She looked calm, collected. She looked the total opposite of how he felt.

“Shakes, calm down. I’m fine,” she said and smiled, but he saw the way her face grimaced after she spoke and saw her hold her belly. “I’m good. It’s just a contraction.”

He took a turn and cursed when he came up on a red light.

“Don’t break any traffic laws. It’s not like the baby will be born in the car,” she teased.

Fuck, he hoped not. No way did he want his woman giving birth to his baby in this filthy fucking SUV. “Hold it in.”

She looked over at him shocked, and he realized how fucking insane it sounded when he said it.

“Hold it in?” And then she laughed. “I’ve never seen you this frantic.”

Yeah, he was pretty fucking frantic right now. Hell, he even had beads of sweat on his forehead.

He just hoped he got to the hospital in time.

Chapter Two

“Help. We need some fucking help. My wife is having a baby.”

Daniella frowned as she stared at Shakes. Considering she was the one about to give birth, shouldn’t she be the one going crazy? Shaking her head, she followed behind him, gripping her back. The most embarrassing thing to have happened to her was her water breaking, and Shakes thinking she’d peed herself. Seriously, what kind of guy thought that?

“Come on,” he said, rushing back toward her with a chair to roll her in.

A nurse came toward her, and Daniella smiled at her.

“How are you feeling?”

“My contractions are about ten minutes apart.”

“Let’s go and check you out in triage.”

The next fifteen minutes were surreal as Shakes rushed around, ordering, growling, and generally being a big pain in the ass.

Gritting her teeth, Daniella grabbed her husband’s hand as the doctor looked to see how far she was dilated.

“You shouldn’t worry. I’d say we’ve got a good while to go yet. This one is not ready to come out just yet.”

“What?” Shakes growled the word, making Daniella wince.

“Seriously, honey, quiet down.”

“Check her again,” Shakes said.

“That’s fine, thank you.” She tugged on Shakes’s arm, glaring at him. “Seriously. It’s bad enough that a stranger is looking at my vagina, but you’re demanding he look again. I’m the one that has to have a human being coming out of me. I can’t believe you.” She grinned, because deep down she liked seeing him this frantic. It was cute.

“I want him to be sure.”

“They know what they’re doing, Shakes.” Daniella frowned. “You’re sweating.”

“Yeah, because you’re in labor.”

“So? Women have been doing this for a long time.”

This was not going how she imagined her labor to go. She expected Shakes to keep his shit together while shepanicked. This was just a horrible nightmare.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yes. Of course.”

He was lying.

“How about you call my father. I’m sure he’d want to know I’m labor.” She ran her hands across her stomach. He kissed her head and disappeared out of the door.

“First baby?” the nurse asked, smiling.

“Yes, is it so easy to see?”

“The dads are always a little frantic. It’ll get easier.” Daniella couldn’t help but find it funny that the nurse spoke her own thoughts. All parents were the same when it came to childbirth.

“I hope so.” If her father was here he might be able to keep Shakes in line, or at least keep him busy and his mind off panicking.

“What are your credentials? Why are you not dealing with my daughter? She’s in labor, and you’re sitting around doing nothing about it.”

Daniella dropped her head into her hand. Getting her father had been a huge mistake. Why did she even try to make this an easy process? Shakes and Zeke stood at the base of her bed, glaring at the doctor and nurses.

“I’m really sorry. Where they come from this is not a normal everyday occurrence. Please, forgive them,” Daniella said.

“Forgive us? They should be lucky I don’t have their jobs for this.”

“Dad, enough,” she said.

Over and over he went, badgering the poor doctor and nurses. He was giving her a headache just by listening to him.

“I’m the one that is pregnant. I’m the one that is having a baby. Could you please stop hassling everyone? I can’t stand it.” Daniella let out a breath and rubbed her stomach.

Her father came to one side of her, while Shakes came to her other side.

“What is it?” Shakes asked.

“We’re about to have a baby, and it’s no different from any other woman. Please, just stop being so demanding and protective, and just concentrate on me. You’re a real sweetheart when you do that.”

Shakes leaned in and kissed her.

“I know what I’m doing, honey,” Zeke said.

“Dad, please don’t be your usual bossy self. Try to be a regular father who doesn’t kill people, okay? I don’t think I can handle you threatening my doctor. I need him to get this baby delivered.” She nodded, trying to get her father to agree.

“You’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” She held onto Shakes’ hand as another contraction hit, harder than the last and far more painful. This one hurt a hell of a lot worse than the last.

Relaxing back on the bed, she panted, trying to gain her composure. “What were you doing tonight?” Daniella asked, looking toward her father and trying to focus on something other than the pain.

“I was with Alessandria.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah, she wanted to come tonight but I told her to stay at home. She’ll come after the baby is here.”

Daniella nodded.

Shakes gripped her hand, and she kissed him.

“He lost it,” Daniella said, laughing. “I’m going to be able to torment him for the rest of his life over this.”

“You torment me enough as it is,” Zeke said.

“It’s what we’re here for, to be tormented by the women in our lives.” Shakes grinned.

“See, baby, you’ve got to get used to it.” She chuckled.

Another contraction started to build up, and she gripped both men’s hands as the pain consumed her. She cried out, whimpering. “Oh. God.”

She didn’t know if she could stand another contraction, not if they were only going to get worse. They were getting closer together and more painful.

Come on, little one. Come to Mommy and Daddy.

Chapter Three

Shakes was in fucking pain just watching his woman in labor. He wanted to be the one to make her feel better, to make her not be in so much agony. Hell, hewas wincing just watching the expressions on her face when she had a contraction.

“God,” she said, her face covered in sweat as she glared at him. “You have no idea how much this hurts. I should hate you for doing this to me,” she said, but he knew she didn’t mean it, the pain making her say this shit. He held her hand and she squeezed it with a force he’d never felt from her before.

“The baby will be here soon,” he said, trying to ease her. “You’re doing so well, Daniella baby.” He brought their conjoined hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. He looked back at where the doctor was getting ready to deliver their baby.

“I can’t wait to meet the little one,” she said, the smile on her face genuine.

Shakes pushed the strands of her hair away and smiled back.

“God, here comes another one.” She groaned the words out and tightened her hand in his.

“You’re doing so well, Daniella.” The doctor was the one to speak as he positioned himself at the end of the bed, getting ready to deliver. “You want to see your baby being born?” the doctor asked Shakes.

Shakes felt sweat cover his forehead, his nerves so fucking strained. He nodded though and leaned to the side to look between Daniella’s legs. Damn, he felt like he’d pass out for how lightheaded he was.

He’d called the club and he knew they were out in the waiting room with their old ladies. Although they knew they were having a little girl, Shakes was still scared something would go wrong. He couldn’t help the worry but tried to play it cool for Daniella’s sake.

“Here comes the head,” the doctor said and started saying medical jargon to the nurses. Shakes stared in wonder and awe when he saw his little girl’s head. She had a thatch of dark hair, just like him, and he felt his grin widen.

“Keep pushing, Daniella,” a nurse said.

“You’re doing great,” another nurse said.

He tightened his hold on Daniella’s hand.

“Want to see your baby, Daniella?” the doctor asked, and Daniella rose up with the help of the nurses. Daniella started crying as the doctor brought a mirror so she could see the baby’s head.

“A couple more pushes and your baby will be here.”

And then Daniella was pushing. After what seemed only like a few moments Shakes watched in fucking awe as his daughter was born into the world.

She was so tiny, her body pink, her mouth open as she gave a shrill cry.

The nurse took their daughter, started checking her, weighing her, and after several minutes they brought their baby over to them.

Shakes couldn’t help it. His eyes started watering.

“Five pounds, nine ounces,” the nurse said. “She’s a little thing.” She handed the baby to Daniella.

Daniella held their daughter, and Shakes reached out and smoothed his finger along her tiny brow.

“What should we call her?” Daniella asked.

They’d been going back and forth on names, but ultimately he was letting it be her call. “How about we go with what you wanted?”

She smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, baby.”

She looked down at their daughter and smiled wider. “Welcome to the world, little Harley.” She kissed their daughter on the forehead. “She looks like you, Shakes.”

Yeah, she did.

“Hopefully she’ll grow out of that.”

Daniella chuckled.

“I’m going to tell everyone the good news.”

Daniella nodded.

He gave her one more kiss and left. Shakes headed toward the waiting room, and when he stepped through the doorway, he saw all the denim and leather taking up the space. That filled his heart that his family was here for this. Everyone faced him, anticipation clear on their face.

“Five pounds, nine ounces, and we decided on Harley for her name.”

There was a loud chorus of cheers. The guys came up one at a time: Joker and Amy, Steel and Eloise, Striker and Elena, and finally Demon and Deanna.

Everyone took a step back for their President. Demon clapped him on the back, the grin wide on his face. “Welcome to fatherhood, brother.”

Shakes couldn’t help the fucking grin he sported on his face.

And then Zeke stepped up to him and the room went silent.

Zeke stared at him a second before speaking. “I know you’ll take care of my girls,” Zeke said in a low voice beside his ear. “If not I know where to find you.” Zeke clapped him on the shoulder, but Shakes knew Zeke could be a cold motherfucker when it came to protecting what was his.

“No worries. I’ll protect mygirls with my last breath.”

Zeke nodded once, and Shakes knew they were on the same level concerning this.

Shakes would be ready to beat some assholes down if they tried fucking with his little girl. “She’s not even going to think about dating until she’s at least thirty.”

The crew started laughing.

The Soldiers were all family, and his little girl was now part of that connection. She’d always be protected; not just by him, but the men that were here right now.

Yeah, no little motherfucker would think about messing with her, and damn did that put his worry to rest … at least a little.