The Ramsey Doms Read online

  Addison bit her lip, then shook her head, and her braid slid over her shoulder. “I should cut my hair again.”

  “No,” Cade said, then helped her stand upright. “The contractions are only three minutes apart. You need to lie down.”

  “No, not yet. Jenna’s telling me something interesting.”

  “Make it quick,” Cade said.

  Jenna laughed and began moving Addison around the room again. “You’ll never guess who got engaged Friday night.”

  “Engaged? Really, and nobody called me?” Addison pouted. “I’m losing my connections.” She placed her hands on her belly. “Do you hear that Katie? Jackie? You mommy’s a has-been.”

  Jenna laughed. “No, you’re not. Now, take a guess.”

  Addison thought for a moment. “Ike Stewart and Jenny Mason?”

  “Nope, try again.”

  “Dave Allen and Barbara Timmons?”

  “Nope, try again.”

  “Give me a hint.”

  Jenna laughed. “It’s two people you really dislike?”

  “Just me or everybody?”

  “Mostly everybody.”

  “Valerie Jones and Jimmy Burrows.”

  “Damn, you’re good.” Jenna laughed. “He’s a sadist and she loves pain. A match made in dungeon hell. Not that that’s bad, I mean, who doesn’t love a little pain every now and then, but there’s definitely an ‘ick’ factor there.”

  “No kidding,” Addison said, then shuddered. “I’m a voyeur, but I don’t think I could get turned on watching those two.” She laughed, then bent over, moaned, and panted. “Damn, damn, damn.”

  “That’s it, Addison.” Cade said. “Jackson’s going to go get Doc and I want you to lie down for a few minutes.”

  “Okay, but stay with me.”

  “Always.” Cade brushed his lips over the freckles on her nose, then helped her lay down. “You’re supposed to be on your left side with a pillow between your knees.”

  Addison smiled. “You’ve been reading books about pregnancy and childbirth haven’t you?”

  “Just a few. On the jet.” He placed a pillow between her legs, covered her with the sheet then kissed her. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Cade.”

  Doc strolled in ahead of Jackson with Luc, Cassie and Logan trailing behind them. The fragrance of hot coffee filled the room. Logan passed the cups around, set Addison’s root beer on a table, and took a seat on one of the couches next to Cassie and Luc. Jackson settled on a chair with Jenna propped on the arm and her arm around his neck. Ravyn sat on the other couch with Nate and Nymph.

  The door opened and an attractive brunette walked in with a chart in her hands and a stethoscope around her neck. Zane followed her into the room. He grabbed the last chair, then patted the arm and Ravyn moved to sit by him.

  “I met Dr. Hanley in the elevator,” Zane said. “How’s Addison doing?”

  “Really good,” Ravyn said. “We’ve been taking turns walking her around and distracting her, but I think the babies may be coming any time now.”

  “Babies?” Zane asked.

  “Twin girls,” Ravyn said with a smile.

  “Addison really is good at keeping a secret. How’d Cade react?” Zane asked.

  “Upset ranting at first, then stunned silence,” Ravyn said.

  Zane frowned. “He needs to—”

  “Tighten the reins,” everyone said in unison, then looked at each other and laughed.

  When Addison cried out, they looked to the other side of the room to see that she was being examined by Doctor Hanley. A nurse placed electrodes on Addison so they could monitor her and the babies. Doc talked Addison and Cade through the process. Another nurse pulled frosted glass doors from the walls until they met in the center, separating the waiting area from the birthing area.

  Doctor Hanley finished examining Addison and smiled. “Won’t be long now. The first baby is crowning. I don’t want you to push until I tell you to, Addison. Okay?”

  Addison nodded. She’d opted for natural childbirth since the twins were smaller and Doctor Hanley believed she could manage without the drugs. She was beginning to regret that decision now. She squeezed Cade’s hand as the contraction built and built.

  “Pant, baby, like this,” Cade said, then tried to get her to breathe with him.

  She tried to follow him, then gave up and let a few cuss words fly before gritting her teeth until the contraction eased a little. “I want to push!”

  “Not yet, Addison,” Doc said.

  “Cade, put your knife under the bed,” Addison demanded.

  “Baby, that does—never mind.” Cade pulled his knife from his pocket and dropped it to the floor, then scooted it under the bed with the toe of his boot. “Better?”

  “No. You did it wrong. You’re supposed to open the knife,” Addison said, then squeezed his hand so hard he groaned.

  “Do it right,” she demanded.

  “Addis—”

  “Now. Open it.” Her voice was a shrill screech as she crushed his fingers.

  Cade pried her fingers off his hand, then bent down, grabbed the knife, opened it, and shoved it beneath the bed again. “Better?”

  Addison grabbed his hand. “Yes.” Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran into her eyes. She blinked to clear them.

  “There’s several warm, wet washcloths in that tub,” the nurse said, pointing to a pink tub on the table near Cade. “You can use them to wipe her face.”

  Cade pulled the covering from the tub, grabbed the top one, and gently wiped Addison’s face. “Better?”

  Addison was busy panting, but she nodded and curled upward. “I want to push.”

  “We’re just about there. Give it another few seconds,” Doctor Hanley said.

  Cade washed her face again, then helped her breathe through another contraction.

  “Okay, time to push, Addison, but gently,” Doctor Hanley said.

  Addison pushed, then felt a sense of relief at the same moment a soft cry filled the room. She laughed, then looked at Cade. He was staring at the baby the doctor held in her hands.

  “My God,” he said. “Look at her.” He smiled, then glanced at Addison. “She’s beautiful.”

  Doctor Hanley smiled. “Dad, you want to cut the cord?”

  Cade nodded, then reached for the scissors. “Here?” he asked, indicating the area between the two clamps.

  “Yes,” Doctor Hanley said.

  He cut the cord and the baby continued to cry until Doctor Hanley handed her to Cade and he laid her on Addison’s chest. They placed their hands over her. “Hello, Katherine Adelaide Ramsey,” Addison said, then gave Cade a trembling smile. He gave her a little kiss, then smiled.

  “Here we go again,” Doctor Hanley said. “This one’s eager to join her sister. One gentle push, Addison.”

  She pushed, and a moment later, another cry filled the room. This one was loud and fierce. Cade laughed and Addison smiled. “She’s got your voice, Cade.”

  He smiled, then cut the cord and took the baby when Doctor Hanley handed her to him. “Hello, Jacqueline Fiona Ramsey. I’m your dad.” He placed her next to her sister on Addison’s chest.

  “Cade, let’s get one of these two beauties cleaned up while Doctor Hanley takes care of Addison. The nurse has the water ready for their first bath and we need to weigh and measure them, then see if they can latch on since Addison is breastfeeding.”

  Cade picked up Katie and carried her over to the small bathtub. The nurse showed him how to arrange her in the water. He washed her, then gently patted her dry. Doc took her and weighed and measured her.

  “Six pounds three ounces. Nineteen inches long,” Doc said. “A healthy baby for sure.”

  They returned her to Addison, then Cade bathed Jackie while the nurse showed Addison how to help Katie latch on to her breast. It took a few tries, but finally she got the hang of it. Katie sucked for a couple minutes, then fell asleep. Addison held her against her chest and strok
ed her hand over her head. Her hair was dark like Cade’s, but she knew that could change. It was impossible to tell what color her eyes would be, but she definitely had her nose and Cade’s beautifully sculpted lips.

  Cade returned and laid Jackie on Addison’s chest. “She’s six pounds two ounces. Nineteen inches. Doc says their identical twins.”

  “If they’re like Luc and Logan, we’re in trouble,” Addison said.

  “I’ve been in trouble since the day you rode into my life, Addison. I think I can handle two little girls.” He picked Katie up and held her while Addison moved Jackie into position. She rooted around for a couple seconds, then latched on.

  Addison laughed. “She’s definitely your daughter.”

  “They have your nose. I hope they have freckles,” Cade said.

  “They have your lips,” Addison said. She touched Jackie’s hand. “And, my mother’s hands.”

  “We need to buy a piano,” Cade said. “You can teach them to play.”

  “I haven’t played in years. I’m not sure I remember how.”

  Cade smiled. “You teach them to play the piano and I’ll teach them to kick ass.”

  “Cade! Don’t cuss in front of the girls.”

  Cade’s right brow went up. “Six weeks, pet, and I’ll spank that bossiness out of you.”

  Addison blushed, then lowered her eyes. She hoped so. It’d been a long time since she’d gotten a nice spanking.

  Cade laughed. “I know what you’re thinking.”

  Behind them, the nurse opened the sliding wall and the family rose to their feet.

  Cade turned and smiled at his family. “Come meet our daughters.”

  Epilogue

  Five days later in the nursery next to their bedroom, Addison rested on Cade’s lap with Katie cradled in her right arm. Cade held Jackie securely with his left arm. Addison kissed Katie’s forehead, then Jackie’s, then Cade’s, before she snuggled against him. “I want to tell you a secret.”

  Cade smiled against the top of her reddish-gold hair. Thank god, she was finally giving up her final secret. “I love you, Addison. Nothing you could ever tell me would change that.”

  She looked up, her periwinkle blue eyes serious. “I’ve never told anyone because I was afraid I’d end up like my mother when I wanted to end up like this.” She glanced around the nursery, then smiled and cleared her throat before she met his intense green eyes and began to sing the song of love and yearning her mother had written for her.

  * * * *

  In the family room, the rest of the family, exhausted from the twins’ birth and homecoming, argued about the location of the remote control.

  Nate carried a tray of goodies into the room and set it on the coffee table. “I’ve made my secret recipe for double chocolate molasses cookies and hot cocoa with marshmallows.”

  “Listen,” Jenna said as the sound of singing drifted down the stairs. “I’ve never heard Addison play her mother’s music before.”

  Nymph sighed with pleasure. “Fiona O’Rourke had the voice of an angel.”

  Maggie Lamont sent a smile winging its way heavenward. “Aye, ‘tis the voice of an angel for sure.”

  * * * *

  Thousands of miles away, Thor Larkin stared into the darkness around him. Beside him, Marisol slept on. He wrapped his arms around her and the chain attached to his wrist made a grating sound as it slid across the cold metal floor. A rat ran onto his bare foot, then squeaked when he kicked it away. The little bastards were relentless.

  “Thor?” Marisol’s voice was little more than a soft breath. Two days without food or water had left both of them parched and starving.

  “I’m here, baby.” He tightened his arms around her.

  “They’ll come for us soon. Won’t they?” The sound of tears in her voice was impossible to miss.

  “Yes.”

  She was quiet for several minutes. “They’ll kill us this time?”

  Thor slid his hand around her throat. He brushed his fingers over her still-soft skin, then sighed. She’d been so brave, but the last session with their captors had nearly destroyed her. He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him to shield her from the cold, hard floor.

  “I don’t know, but I want you to do whatever they tell you to do. Do you understand me?”

  “Please, don’t ask me to do that. I can’t hurt you again. I just can’t!”

  He ran his hands down her bare back. “Don’t give up, skjebne. They’ll keep us alive as long as you cooperate.”

  Marisol cried silently, but he felt her tears on his chest. He held her closer and shared his warmth with her. Mendez and his friends had made a mistake by not killing him. Somehow, someway, he’d find a way to escape. Then, his enemies would die.

  THE END

  WWW.MARDIMAXWELL.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  I’ve lived in beautiful Utah, sunny California, hot and dry west Texas, and the mountains of Colorado. I love to travel especially when I decide to just get in the car and go where the road takes me. I always end up somewhere interesting. I’ve always loved to read but in 2013 my BFF dared me to write a book and send it to a publisher. I wrote To Love and Obey and to my amazement it was accepted and published that same year. Since then I’ve written five more books in the Doms of Club Mystique series. My heroes are tough and sexy, my heroines are strong and sassy, and they always get their happy-ever-after. Other than writing, I love to garden, swim, cook, and spend time with my family and friends, especially at the local drive-in movie.

  For all titles by Mardi Maxwell, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/mardi-maxwell

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com