“Yeah,” I agree. “Maybe you’d rather be spanked.”
Rose gives me a look.
“I was being serious, not mean like Lo,” I defend myself. I feel badly about throwing Lo under the bus, but I’ll make up for it in the bedroom. I internally nod at this plan.
Daisy raises her fist in the air. “Girl power.”
Rose exhales a breath and then her eyes suddenly light up, as if a devilish idea has sprouted in her brain. “What if I don’t have sex during your six weeks of abstinence too? It’ll be a solidarity pact.” Rose loves those, but I can tell this is mostly about beating her husband in one of their mind games.
“That’s an extra month for you,” I remind her. It sounds crazy and tough, but my sister isn’t a sex addict. She was a virgin until she was twenty-three, proudly.
Rose pulls back her shoulders in confidence. “I’m married to the man. I can have sex with him every day for the rest of my life. An extra month won’t kill us.”
I try not to contemplate Connor’s sexual needs. I’m not sure if he’ll be upset by waiting or if he’ll consider this an even bigger challenge and try to win Rose over.
“I’ll join too,” Daisy says with a smile.
My mouth falls. Whaa…
Rose claps her hands. “Perfect. I’ll call Poppy and we can all abstain in honor of Lily abstaining.”
I whip my head around, wide-eyed. “You all don’t have to do this.” I point to Daisy, who twists her thumb ring in a fidgety manner. “You seriously shouldn’t be doing this.” Ryke is going to kill me.
Daisy’s lips just pull higher. “You think Ryke will blow a fuse?” She gasps and her eyes grow big. “The danger.”
I snatch a throw pillow and toss it at her. She laughs while Rose protectively lifts Jane to her chest, avoiding a pillow-assault on her baby.
“In all seriousness,” Daisy says, “it’s a big deal for you, and I want to be supportive too.”
My throat closes up for a second. All of my sisters are willing to share in my struggle, and maybe they’ll even show me that it’s not as bad as I think it may be. I’m happy to be so close to them now.
I have to thank Rose for that. She never gave up on me. Every time I pushed her away, she just kept walking right back into my life, refusing to let me be ostracized. Now here I am, living in a house with my two sisters. Happy.
I’m happy.
“No more crying,” Rose tells me. “That should be our second pact. We can make that one a blood oath.”
“No,” Daisy and I say in unison.
Rose glares. “I always sterilize the knife.”
I smile and wipe my eyes that have misted with tears. My phone buzzes with another text.
Lil. Where are you? – Lo
When I glance up, I catch Rose typing on her own cell. She has a smug and possibly smitten look on her face. “Connor is not winning this.”
I edge towards the door with a stupid grin. It’s good to know that even with a baby, the nerd stars still align the exact same way.
*
I take five steps into the hallway before a dull ache pounds against my back. My limbs freeze as worry and confusion run through me. My phone impatiently buzzes once more.
Lily Calloway. Don’t make me come get you. – Lo
He rarely sexts me, and this infrequent moment is being ruined by pain. I am not so far away from him. The door is right in sight. I can just brush it off.
As soon as I walk forward, a sharp pain grips my abdomen. Shit. This can’t be happening. What did Rose call them? False contractions? Yeah, they’re fake. Pretend contractions. My water hasn’t even broken yet.
Wait…
Rose is not reliable.
She had a baby in a limo because of the same mindset. I quicken my pace to my bedroom and swing the door open. Lo lounges on the bed with an open comic book, his phone right beside him as he waits for me. When his gaze rises to mine, concern crushes his sharp features. “What’s wrong? Lily?”
He jumps to his feet before I can even utter a word.
“I think…I’m having contractions. I don’t know though.” I wince as the pain throbs from my back to my stomach. Like powerful, mutant cramps. Oh my God, these cramps have superpowers. How in the hell am I going to defeat them?
Lo acts swiftly. He grabs his cellphone, bypasses me to push the door open wider, and he calls down the hall, “Rose!”
“Don’t,” I start, shoving his arm. “She’s going to freak out.” I can’t even believe she was his first choice in comrade for this situation. Surely Ryke or Connor ranked higher on his list. But maybe he was thinking about my allegiance. And who I’d be most comfortable with.