Promised (The Promised Series)

my betrayal. I have no friends outside of my gypsy life, other than Linc. If our relationship goes bad, I’ve got no one and nowhere to go.
    I believe the gamble’s worth the risk because this is the life I want with the guy I love. But I’m going to lose Dani. She was hurt and hormonal and that’s why she said what she did, but it still burned. And even after three weeks, it still does. I’ve always supported her and now when I need her support the most, she doesn’t give it. I understand how hard it’ll be not seeing each other. Hell, she’s one of the only reasons I even considered going through with the marriage to Shay, but she has Adam and the family to help her when I’m gone.
    The phone goes off again. I hit ignore, again, and turn off the ringer.
    I decide I need a cupcake and a glass of milk to lift my spirits, so I roll out of bed and head to the kitchen. I pass Mom and Dad in living room; they’re cuddled up on the couch watching a movie.
    “Want anything from the kitchen?” I ask as I pass. Mom still isn’t talking to me, so she doesn’t respond. Dad looks over his shoulder and gives me a weary smile. “A beer, please, baby girl.” The strain between Mom and me is upsetting him, but he won’t step in because he thinks it’s a woman thing we need to fix on our own. His words, not mine.
    “Can do.” I throw back.
    I grab Dad’s beer and walk it back out to him, then head back into the kitchen. I pull out a glass and the jug of milk, pouring some, then putting it back in the fridge. I take my glass to the island counter and pop a fresh cupcake out from underneath the cake stand. I’m two bites in when I hear Mom’s cell phone ring.
    She walks in the kitchen with the phone to her ear, eyes on me. “Uh-huh. One second.” Then she speaks to me for the first time since the cake tasting, knocking me for a loop. “Dani’s in the hospital in labor. Adam’s out of town working and is trying to get back. He said Dani couldn’t get ahold of you and had to ask a neighbor to take her.”
    Not needing to hear anymore, I race out of the kitchen and grab my coat, purse, cell, and shoes. I’m in the car and on my way not even five minutes after the words left Mom’s mouth. I didn’t even take the time to change out of my pajamas. Dani needed me tonight. And because I didn’t let our stupid argument go, I wasn’t there for her. If something happens to her or the baby, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.
    At the hospital, I head straight to labor and delivery. The nurses at the desk direct me to Dani’s room and I hesitate at the door. What if she’s mad at me? She might not want me here now. If she doesn’t, she’ll tell me, but I’ll show her I’m here in case she does.
    I knock and push open the door, peeking my head around it. “Can I come in?”
    Dani’s and a nurse’s eyes both flicker to me. Dani is doing some weird breathing exercise as she grips on to the rails of the bed. But between breaths, she manages to say. “It’s about time you got your butt here.”
    I walk over to stand by her bed. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer.”
    “You’re here now and that’s all that matters to me.” She reaches for my hand and I give it to her freely.
    The nurse moves to the end of the bed. I focus on Dani’s face because I do not want to see what’s going on down there. Her face scrunches as the pain hits her again. I rub her back with my free hand as she squeezes my other.
    “It’s time.” The nurse says as she pulls off her gloves and heads out of the room. “I’m going to call for the doctor.”
    Dani looks at my eyes wide with fear. “No! I’m not ready. Tell them I’m not ready! It’s too early. She’s not supposed to be here for another three weeks.”
    “Too late to stop it now, but don’t worry, I’m here with you.” I try to reassure her, though I’m just as scared for her as she is for herself.
    “I don’t know what I’ll do when you’re not around anymore.” She says, her voice trembling with both pain and sadness. I don’t get a chance to respond, not that I had a good enough response, because the nurse walks back in with the doctor and another nurse.
    I stand my ground, holding Dani’s hand and wiping her brow, encouraging her when needed for the next hour. Lil Wyn finally makes her appearance into the world at 11:33 p.m. One of the nurses takes her over to be cleaned up and the doctor stays at the end of Dani’s bed doing whatever in the