“So, do we want to know the sex?”
“Yes, please, if that’s possible. She hasn’t been very forthcoming at the other scans,” Hell says without even a sideward glance in my direction.
The sonographer squirts gel on Hell’s stomach and rubs a wand over it.
I watch as the screen lights up and a flickering image flashes over it. She presses some buttons, and the picture clears slightly.
She points out various parts of my child, and I stare in awe. Head. Arms. Spine. And then she presses more buttons and a low thudding sound fills the room.
“Your baby’s heartbeat is really strong,” she says with a smile. She focuses on the screen as she pushes the wand around. “Well, let me just say,sheis a feisty one.”
I inhale sharply.Daughter.I’m having a baby girl. My heart swells, and I glance at Hell, whose eyes are filled with emotion.
I grin. “Feisty, just like her mumma.” I instinctively reach for her hand, but she pulls it away.
I choke on my emotion, the last few months playing like a movie in my head. It all hits me like a freight train.
I swallow hard.Shit, Drifter, pull yourself together.
I clear my throat and stand. “I’ll just be outside.”
Hell looks up, and as if she can read me, she gives a slight nod. There’s no argument, nothing.
If anyone treats my little girl the way I have Hell, I’ll kill the bastard.
ROCHELLE
I step from the room to find Drifter sitting in the waiting area.
He stands instantly. “Everything okay?”
I nod. “All good and healthy.”
“Sorry,” he whispers, running his hand over the back of his neck. “It’s just . . . a daughter. Wow.” It was obvious back in the room that he was struggling to hold his shit together. “Hell, I—” he begins, suddenly looking serious.
“Don’t,” I interrupt. “Let’s not spoil this. She’s healthy and growing well. We have our daughter to put first now.”
He nods in agreement, but I can recognise the conflict in his eyes.
The second we arrive back, I go straight to my room and change into my comfiest leggings. Everything else I own is starting to feel tight, and even though I love being pregnant—especially my bump—I hate being uncomfortable.
And now, as I flick through the TV channels, I relax. My own space and time to process is just what I need after the scan. All the questions and having Drifter there was overwhelming, to say the least.
My phone buzzes beside me on the bed, Andy’s name flashing on the screen.
We’ve been texting for the last couple of weeks. I spotted him on Tinder and dropped him a message just to reconnect. We used to hang around in the same group back in secondary school, but we lost touch after we left. He went off to college, then university in London, and life just . . . moved on.
It’s been nice talking to him again.
He was completely gobsmacked when I told him what had happened between me and Drifter. He said we were always meant to be together, that it never made sense any other way.
Talking to him feels different.Easy.
He listens to my rants without judgement. No questions, no taking sides. Even though he knows us both, there’s no pressure, no club politics wrapped around every word.
And while I love Bella and Red, I hate putting them in the middle of our mess. I know they stand by me, but it’s exhausting knowing their loyalties are split.
“Hey, Andy,” I answer, switching the television off to give the call my undivided attention.
