We pull out of the driveway, and Caspian stands by the door, watching us. I can almost sniff his disapproval from here.The drive is mostly quiet, save for Juniper occasionally barking directions at me. She’s leaning back in the passenger seat, one hand resting on her belly while the other taps on the door. I sneak a glance at her, wondering how she stays so relaxed, so carefree, even with everything going on. I mean, her husband is furious at her, she’s halfway through a pregnancy with twins, and she’s acting like we’re heading to a casual brunch.As if reading my mind, Juniper says, “You know, Caspian was always like this.”“Like what?”“Overprotective. Annoying. Like, I get it—he’s worried. But seriously? A club is not a death sentence.”I laugh. “He means well. He’s just...”“Paranoid?” Juniper finishes for me. “Yeah, I know. He’s been like that since we were kids. Always trying to tell me what to do. Like he’s the big brother or something.” She rolls her eyes, but I can tell ther
We weave through the crowd, making our way to the bathroom at the back of the club. The hallway is quieter, the sound of the music muted as we step into the restroom. It’s surprisingly clean, with bright fluorescent lights. We both slip into stalls, taking a moment to catch our breath.Once we’re done, we meet at the mirrors, reapplying lipstick and fixing our hair, laughing at how flushed we look. Juniper, still full of energy, pulls out her phone from her purse and holds it up to her face.“I’m calling the kids,” she says casually, like it’s the most normal thing in the world to FaceTime your children from a club bathroom.I laugh. “Of course you are.”She taps the screen, and soon the excited chatter of her kids fills the room. I watch as their little faces light up the screen, their high-pitched voices competing to tell her about their day. “Mama! Mama, guess what?” one of them says, their face close to the camera.“What? Tell me,” Juniper replies, smiling wide.“We built the bi
Sure enough, as soon as we open the door, there he is. Caspian is sitting on the couch, staring at the TV but clearly not watching it. His eyes snap to us the second we step inside, and I can see the relief and exasperation mix on his face.“You’re late,” he says.Juniper, unbothered, flops onto the couch beside him. “Relax, Dad. We’re home in one piece.”Caspian’s eyes narrow. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to the story than that?”I glance at Juniper, silently begging her to keep her mouth shut, but she’s never been one to hold back. “Oh, nothing major,” she says with mock innocence. “Just a little gunfire at the club.”“What?!” Caspian’s voice jumps, his whole body going rigid. He stands abruptly, his eyes wide with panic as he turns to me. “What gunfire?”I sigh, knowing there’s no stopping this now. “Juniper, why do you—”But she interrupts, enjoying herself far too much. “Yeah, just a little shootout. You know, the usual club scene. Nothing we couldn’t handle.”Caspian’s
Caspian's POV Jesus. Can today get anymore worse? First, my pregnant wife and pregnant sister decided to go to a club at night where they got shot at. And now, Mabel’s the new CEO of my company. I feel myself tense, my entire body stiffening as the words sink in. The reporter continues, completely oblivious to the emotional bombshell she’s dropping on our living room. “While no official statement has been given on the reasons for Mr. Hart’s retirement, sources close to the matter speculate that the decision was influenced by his desire to focus on starting a family.” Oh, that’s rich. My jaw clenches so tight I’m half-worried I’ll crack a tooth. My eyes are glued to the screen. “Turn it off,” I say. Desiree hesitates for a second, glancing between me and the TV. I reach for the remote myself and slam my thumb down on the power button. The screen goes black. Juniper’s voice echoes from the kitchen, still in full-blown argument mode with Isaac. “No, you’re not coming over here!
I want to smash something—anything. But instead, I clench my fists tighter, trying to breathe through the anger that’s boiling in my chest. The living room feels too small, like the walls are closing in on me. I feel Desiree’s eyes on me, calculating how much longer I can keep my cool. She sighs, finally sliding off the couch. "Caspian, don’t let it eat you up tonight. We’ll find a solution tomorrow. You’ve already been through too much today." Her voice is soothing, but it doesn’t do much to dull the rage still surging through me. She stretches her arms and gives me a tired look. "I’m heading to bed. I’m not sticking around for more drama. Today’s already chaotic enough, and I have an appointment with my gynecologist first thing in the morning." I blink, pulled from my wild thoughts. "I’ll meet you upstairs in a few minutes," I say. My mind is still racing a mile a minute, too wired to think about sleep right now. Desiree gives me a half-smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. "No,
I awake to the sound of people shouting from the living room. At first, I think it’s just a dream, the remnants of some chaotic scene seeping into my mind as I try to drag myself out of sleep. But no. The yelling is real, and it’s getting louder. Rubbing my face, I glance at the clock on the nightstand—3:15 a.m. Of course, because when else would a domestic showdown happen in this house? My hand finds the cold spot in the bed next to me. Desiree’s not here. She slept with Juniper in the master bedroom. I sigh as I swing my legs over the side of the bed. I had opted for the guest room tonight—partly to avoid waking up to Juniper’s latest crisis, partly because I feel pity for Juniper. After all, she's my sister, and she's going through a tough time. If all I have to do to make her life better is sacrifice my bedroom, then so be it. Shouts escalate from below, muffled but unmistakable, filled with accusation and frustration. I can’t make out the words, but I know who’s down there.
For a second, none of us move. None of us breathe. Then, chaos erupts. “Jesus Christ!” Isaac exclaims, rushing toward Juniper. “I’ll call the hospital!” Desiree yells, already halfway to her phone, her fingers flying over the screen as she dials. And me? I just stand there, frozen, staring at the puddle forming on the floor, my brain trying to catch up with reality. Her water broke. In the middle of this nightmare of a night, her water broke. Before I know it, I’m moving, though I can’t quite remember deciding to do so. I reach Juniper just as Isaac gets to her, both of us hovering awkwardly around her as she clutches her belly, looking absolutely terrified. The anger from moments ago vanishes from her face, replaced by raw panic. “This isn’t happening,” she murmurs, her voice trembling. “This can’t be happening. I’m not ready. The baby isn’t ready.” “Hey, hey, breathe, okay? Just breathe.” Isaac’s voice is soft, almost tender, as he places a hand on her back. For a guy who was
Isaac’s eyes narrow in the mirror. “Last I checked, you, alone, agreed to have this baby, Juniper. Or have you rewritten that part of history too?” “Oh, don’t you dare—” Juniper starts, but then another contraction hits, cutting her off. Her face contorts in pain, and suddenly, I feel like I’m witnessing something far too personal to be happening in a car with three other people. Desiree turns in her seat, leaning toward me. “How are we doing back there?” she asks, her voice softer now, a bit of concern lacing the words. I glance at Juniper, who looks like she’s about to lose it, and then back at Desiree. “We’re… holding on.” “Barely,” Isaac mutters under his breath, just loud enough for all of us to hear. Juniper glares at him, though the effect is somewhat dampened by the fact that she’s currently breathing through what looks like a pretty intense contraction. “Isaac, if you don’t shut up—” Before she can finish the sentence, Isaac pulls the car into the emergency bay of the h