Confession of a King

I sunk into one of the large, black leather chairs in the study, listening in on the conversation playing out in front of me. Each of the guys had serious looks on their face, and I could only imagine that Matt’s voice mirrored theirs on the opposite side of the phone line. Brian had called me down from my room, waking me up from my slumber and snuggles with Hunter. He said it was important for me to be around for this phone call, and the looks on their faces showed that he was right. I grabbed the throw blanket off the back of the chair and wrapped it around myself, shivering in the cold air that filled the study. My hands were settled underneath my long-sleeved shirt, resting on my belly. Time was getting so close. It could be any day now.

“Is she in there?” Matt’s voice asked from over the phone.

“I’m right here, baby,” I said calmly, not knowing what his reaction would be.

“Corey, repeat yourself so that she can hear you,” Matt commanded.

Corey looked at me with a frown, “One of my men worked his way into the inside of Behemoth’s gang. There’s about three of them still working for him, one of them is the guy who injured Vengeance last time. They know that you vanishing without a trace meant that Shadows took you off the grid. They’re going to work things from a different angle now. He didn’t get details on it, because he was killed the minute Behemoth caught him relaying the information back to me.”

I tugged on my bottom lip with my top teeth, “So what does this mean?”

“You are not to leave the house unless you are in labor, Ivy,” Matt’s voice came through strong, forceful. “And once Alec is born you are not to leave the house until I am home.”

“I am supposed to be at your trial,” I said quietly, picking up the phone and taking it off speaker, placing it to my ear. “I have to be there. I have to state my case.”

“As of now, unless we get more information, you will not be at my trial,” Matt sighed. “If we can find out what angle they are getting at, things may change. I fear that he will find out the date and try something while I’m there to watch.”

My breath hitched in my throat and then I breathed in deeply through my nose, “You really think he would do that with so much law enforcement around?”

“I’m not sure, honey, but I don’t even want you stepping foot outside the house. Not even on the property. If Hunter needs to be walked, someone else will have to do it. We are so close to me being home and ending all of this,” Matt said softly, not trying to step on my toes for once. “Put me back on speaker so we can speak about a plan. Just trust me with this, please.”

I placed the phone back on speaker and put it back down on the table. I leaned back into the leather chair and let a tear escape my eyes. I felt an arm slink over my shoulders as Brian pulled me into his chest. He and I had talked about how important it was for me to be on Matt’s side for the trial. I had even told Mr. Morgan that I was going to represent Matt alongside Brian, and that was the main reason why I didn’t feel comfortable coming back to work after having Alec. Mr. Morgan didn’t agree with me, but was proud of me for standing up for what I believed in. He gave me his blessing and wished me luck. I needed to be there. I could be the deciding factor as to whether or not Matt were to walk free.

“I have reached out to Behemoth personally and asked if he would like to meet for a business deal,” Corey declared. “I explained to him that the man who he believed was a mole, was in fact a mole, but was trying to get information because we wanted the same thing as him. I told Behemoth I want your head, Shads. I should be hearing back within the next couple of days.”

Christ cleared his throat, “Are we sure that this is the best way of doing it? If you’re executed, we really are screwed until Shadows gets back out. If he gets out without Ivy there to represent him. We can’t keep doing this, just the three of us. We’re spread thin and Gates needs to focus on this trial.”

“We don’t know the best way of doing it, Christ,” Corey shrugged. “But I’d rather risk my life and have you guys here to continue to protect her. He would want to pick you all off, one by one. That’s why he had his second go after Vengeance. Next would be you, then it would be Gates. That would leave her completely vulnerable; Shadows stepping into his trap. What he wants is Shadows to take him one-on-one. If he gets me first, I have the chance of killing him without being a stepping stone toward his goal.”

“He has a point,” I spoke up. “The last thing that needs to happen is for you guys to be spread even more thin. At least Corey has his own kin to follow in his footsteps if something were to happen.”

Matt’s voice spoke once more. “I am grateful for you extending the offer to meet with him, Corey. I expect an update as soon as you hear from him. Whether you execute him or not, it causes his plan to be pushed back and gives us the upper-hand. I would like to continue with delaying his attacks until I am back on the ground.”

“Absolutely fucking not,” I snapped. “If he can be taken out before you step one inch out of that courtroom, then it is going to happen. You are out of your mind if you think I am going to let you go out there and get yourself killed or thrown back in jail, Matthew. Pull your head from your ass, Alec is going to be here any fucking day now and you need to be an adequate father.”

The room fell silent, even Matt didn’t say a word on the other line. I felt eyes on me from Zacky and Corey. Christ was looking down at his hands, and Brian was staring at his lap. I shoved his arm off of me and stormed out of the room, furious that Matt would even think about wanting to delay the killing of Behemoth so that he could try to do it himself.

“Stop running,” Brian’s voice spoke from behind me as I climbed the stairs, fighting back tears. “I know you’re frustrated, but this is who he is. Behemoth’s whole plan on killing Shadows revolves around killing you. He would rather Behemoth died by his hands because he would be broken if anything happened to you. He can’t handle the thought of someone trying to harm you. I know you think it is selfish, and it is to a point, but in his mind this is what has to be done.”

I paused at the top of the steps, Brian right behind me and pulling me into an embrace, “I can’t lose him, Bri. All I have anymore is Alec, him and you. If he gets killed I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“He’s not an idiot, Ivy. Give the man some credit. He pulled off far many more crimes, murders, than you are aware of or ever need to be aware of. He got caught once, and rarely ever left a battle with a scratch on him.” Brian sighed and rubbed my back, “Matt loves you more than anything in this world, Ivy. Let him do what he needs to do.”

I leaned into Brian’s embrace, sniffling and trying to get my mind back on track. Suddenly a sensation hit me, water flowing down my legs. My eyes snapped open as I pulled myself from Brian’s arms, “It’s happening. It’s fucking happening.”

Brian looked down and his eyes widened, “Holy shit.” He continued to stare at my now soaked pants and yelled for Zacky, “Vengeance! Ivy, get your hospital bag and I will be right back. I need to tell the guys and Shadows what’s going on.” He disappeared, fast on his feet, down the steps.

I nodded and ran into my room, changing my bottom layers and grabbing the bag I had packed and ready to go for when the time came. I gave myself one last once-over in the mirror, my hands on my belly, “Alright, Alec. It’s time to meet you.” I waddled about halfway down the steps before Zacky and Brian linked arms with me, helping me down, “I can still walk, you know.”

“Shadows orders,” Zacky laughed. “You’re going to ride with Gates. I will meet you two at the hospital once I pick up Chelsea.”

Corey even pulled me in for a hug on my way out to the garage, “Looking forward to meeting little Shads in a couple days.”

I smiled at Corey then diverted my attention on Christ, who was leaning against the wall, “Hold down the fort, short-shit.”

He chuckled softly, “Good luck, Ivy.”

Brian escorted me out to the car and helped me get in, then pretty much peeled out of the gated driveway. “Please don’t give birth in my car,” he laughed and reached his hand over to me, resting it on my stomach and rubbing it lightly while driving. “I wish Matt was here to be the one doing this.”

“You and me both,” I sighed and looked out the window, a small tinge of pain in my abdomen. I had a feeling this kid was going to be busting out of me the minute we got to the hospital. “I’m really thankful for you, Bri. You’ve really become family to me, and if god forbid something were to happen to Matt and I in the future, I’d really like for you to be Alec’s godfather.”

A smile crept on Brian’s face as he turned onto the road the hospital was on, “That means a lot to me, Ivy. I would love to be his godfather.” Brian sped down the road like a bat out of hell, then pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. “Let’s do this. Let’s meet this kid.”

As the nurses put me into a room, waiting until the time was right and my doctor to arrive, I pulled out my phone and dialed Matt’s number. I knew that things were tense earlier, but I was sure his nerves were all over the place.

“Ivy,” he breathed into the phone. “What is going on?”

I smiled, “I’m at the hospital. We’re waiting. It should be within the next hour. My body is ready to kick the little dude out.”

“Okay. My phone is next to me. Please have Brian call me as soon as it happens. Relax and give Alec a kiss from daddy when he enters the world. I wish I was there with you, honey. I’m going to lose my mind in here,” Matt sighed out. I felt for him. I wanted him here just as badly.

I felt a contraction coming on, “Might be closer than expected. I will have him call you. He is going to stay in here with me.”

“Do not let him see your vagina or I will blind him with knives,” Matt growled into the phone.

I let out a small giggle, wincing at the pain shooting through my body, “Baby, there is nothing sexy about seeing my vagina dilated and a baby coming out of it, so I think you’re in the clear.”

“I love you so much,” he chuckled into the phone.

“I love you more, but I'm having a contraction and need to go."

I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. My doctor was at the end of my bed and the look on her face was enough for me to realize what was about to happen. Brian’s hand quickly came down to my side as he stood next to my upper body. I placed my hand in his and squeezed it with the next contraction.

“Let’s take a look,” my doctor said, lifting up the blanket. “He’s coming!” She shouted and the nurses came into the room. “Ivy, on the count of three, we’re going to need you to start pushing… 1… 2… 3…”

I’m pretty sure I broke Brian’s hand.

Notes