KEIFER POV
"Keifer! Stop spinning and help me up!" Jay-Jay barked, her voice tight as another sharp contraction hit her.
I was across the room in a blur, sliding one arm behind her back and the other under her knees to support her. Just as I reached for my keys, my phone started blaring. I snatched it off the nightstand, seeing Jare's name flash on the screen.
"What is it?" I snapped, my adrenaline red-lining.
"Mia's water broke!" Jare shouted, sounding just as panicked as I felt. I could hear the chaos of slamming doors in the background.
"Same here," I grunted, the sheer coincidence of it making my head spin.
"Then let's meet at the hospital! Move!" Jare yelled before hanging up.
I didn't waste a second. I scooped Jay-Jay into my arms, navigating the stairs with practiced speed despite the weight. I fumbled with my phone again, hitting the international speed dial for London.
"What is it, Keifer? It's three in the morning here," Tito's groggy voice came through.
"Book a flight for Keiran now," I ordered, my voice sounding like gravel as I reached the driveway. The armored SUV was already idling, exhaust plumes white in the cool night air. "Jay's water broke. It's happening."
I carefully settled Jay-Jay into the passenger seat, buckling her in as she let out a pained moan. I hopped into the driver's seat and sped out of the gates, then quickly dialed Keigan.
"Hello? Kuya?" Keigan's voice sounded muffled, like he'd been face-down in a textbook. "Why are you calling so late? I have a prelim in the morning."
"Forget the prelim, Keigan," I barked, swerving around a corner. "Jay-Jay is in labor. Get to the hospital. Now."
"What?! Right now? I—I'm coming! I'm leaving the dorm now, Kuya!" he scrambled, the sound of books hitting the floor echoing over the line. "I'll be there as fast as I can!"
I hung up and checked on Jay. Her face was pale, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Keifer," Jay gasped, her knuckles white as she squeezed my hand, her fingernails digging into my skin. "It's... it's coming fast. It feels different than the books said."
"Stay with me, Jay-Jay," I said, my heart hammering against my ribs. I ran a red light, my hand tightening around hers. "Deep breaths. We're almost there. Just hold on for me."
"If you... if you let Jare's baby get born first... I will never let you hear the end of it," she wheezed, her competitive spirit still flickering through the pain.
I let out a tense, shaky laugh. "Not a chance, Queen. We're winning this race."
As we screeched into the hospital's private emergency bay, Jare's SUV pulled in right behind us. The doors flew open, and a swarm of nurses and our own security detail rushed out with gurneys.
I rounded the car and lifted Jay-Jay out just as Jare emerged from his vehicle, supporting a wincing Mia. We locked eyes for a split second both absolutely terrified—before the hospital doors hissed open.
"Get them inside! Move!" I roared at the staff.
The chaos moved into the hallway, and as they wheeled Jay-Jay toward the delivery wing, I didn't let go of her hand for a single second.
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JAY-JAY POV
The delivery room was a blur of bright lights and beeping monitors. I was gripping the edge of the bed, my breath coming in short, jagged gasps as the doctor did a final check. Keifer was right there, a solid, towering presence by my side, looking like he was ready to fight the entire hospital staff if they didn't take care of me.
"Okay, looks like the babies will be here any moment," the doctor said calmly, snapping off her latex gloves.
"Babies?" Keifer and I shouted at the exact same time.
I looked at Keifer, then back at the doctor, my heart skipping a beat. "Twins," the doctor clarified with a small smile, pointing at the monitor where two distinct heartbeats were thumping away in a chaotic rhythm.
Keifer's jaw literally dropped. He looked like someone had just hit him with a flashbang. "Wait... how? We only planned for one!" he asked, his voice cracking slightly—a sound I had never heard from him. "Every ultrasound, every checkup... we saw one!"
"One was hiding very well behind the other," the doctor explained quickly as she signaled the nurses. "Common in some positions, but they're both very much ready to meet you now. Mr. Watson I need you to focus. Your wife needs you."
I let out a scream as a massive contraction ripped through me. "KEIFER! DON'T YOU DARE FAINT!" I yelled, clutching his hand so hard I heard his knuckles pop. "TWO? WE HAVE TWO?"
"I'm not fainting!" Keifer roared back, though his face was a ghostly shade of white. He braced himself, leaning into my space and grabbing my other hand. "Two. Okay. Two. Double the trouble. We can do this, Jay! Deep breaths!"
"AHHH!" I screamed, my body arching off the bed. I gripped Keifer's hands so tightly I was positive I was leaving permanent bruises on his skin but he didn't even flinch. He just leaned closer, his forehead pressed against mine, his scent of sandalwood and adrenaline acting as my only anchor.
"Okay, the babies want to come out now, so let's get this started, shall we?" the doctor said, her voice calm and authoritative as the nurses moved into high-speed positions around her.
She looked directly at me, her expression serious. "Okay, Mrs. Watson please push!"
"Push, Jay! You've got this!" Keifer roared, his voice vibrating in my ear. I could feel his heart hammering against his chest. "Come on, Queen! Bring them home!"
I squeezed my eyes shut, gathered every bit of oxygen in my lungs, and pushed with everything I had. It felt like my body was being pushed to its absolute limit.
"That's it! I see the head!" the doctor called out, her voice rising with the intensity of the moment.
"That's it, baby! Keep pushing! You're almost there!" Keifer encouraged, his voice thick with a mix of pride and sheer panic. He leaned in closer, trying to wipe a stray damp hair from my forehead with a trembling hand.
That was the final straw. The pain was white-hot, my hormones were screaming, and his "supportive" tone was suddenly the most annoying sound on the planet.
"ASSHOLE! IF YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN, I WILL KILL YOU!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing off the sterile walls. My hand shot out, grabbing his designer shirt collar and yanking him down until we were nose-to-nose. "YOU DID THIS TO ME! TWICE! I HATE YOU!"
Keifer froze, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. The doctor let out a startled cough, hiding a smirk behind her surgical mask.
"Okay... okay! No touching! Noted!" Keifer stammered, raising his hands in a defensive gesture while still staying right by my side. "Whatever you want, Jay! Just keep pushing!"
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" I screamed back, followed by a guttural groan as the next contraction ripped through my abdomen.
I squeezed his hand so hard I heard the bones in his palm groan. Keifer didn't pull away; he just gritted his teeth, taking the pain like a champ.
"One more big push, Mrs. Watson!" the doctor commanded.
I gave it everything. All the anger, the exhaustion, and the love I had for the tiny human currently ruining my life—I channeled it into one final, soul-crushing push.
Suddenly, a loud, wet squelch followed by a piercing, healthy wail filled the room.
"He's here!" the doctor announced, lifting a squirming, blood-streaked baby boy into the air.
I slumped back, my chest heaving, my grip on Keifer's shirt loosening. The silence lasted only a second before the doctor looked down again. "Don't get comfortable, Jay-Jay! We have an encore! Push! Now!"
"You heard her, baby!" Keifer whispered, his voice trembling with emotion as he risked a tiny, cautious pat on my shoulder. "One more"
"Shut up, Keifer," I wheezed, but the fire was gone, replaced by the sound of my first son's cry. I took a breath and pushed one last time.
A second, slightly deeper cry joined the first.
"It's a second boy! Two healthy Watson boys"the doctor cheered.
Keifer didn't even care that I'd threatened to murder him thirty seconds ago. He collapsed against the side of the bed, burying his face in the crook of my neck, shaking with silent sobs.
"You did it," he choked out. "You actually did it, Jay. We have two."
From the doorway, we heard a familiar, loud voice. "Is it over? Can I come in? Mia's sleeping and I need to know if the Watson twins are ready to meet their Uncle Jare!"
Then my vision turned back
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KEIFER POV
Jay-Jay's eyes had slipped shut the moment the chaos subsided, her body finally surrendering to the exhaustion of bringing two lives into the world.
"Jay-Jay?" I whispered, tapping her cheek gently. My heart skipped a beat, still stuck in "protection mode" after her screams.
"It's okay, Mr. Watson. She's just resting," the doctor said softly. She moved toward me, accompanied by a nurse, and carefully placed a swaddled bundle into each of my arms.
One on the left. One on the right.
I froze, terrified that my large, scarred hands—hands that had spent years dealing in violence and power—would be too rough for something so fragile. But as I looked down at their tiny, wrinkled faces and felt their warmth against my chest, something finally crumbled.
I leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to each of their foreheads. The tears I'd been holding back since we left the mansion finally spilled over, dripping onto the blue blankets.
I let out a wet, shaky laugh, looking from one son to the other.
"I only cried for four people so far," I whispered to them, my voice thick and trembling. "One for your grandma, one for your mom... and now, for you guys."
I looked back down at my sons. They were perfect. They had Jay-Jay's nose and, unfortunately for the world, they already looked like they had my stubborn chin.
"You hear that?" I whispered to the sleeping babies. "The whole world is yours. I'll make sure of it."
Just then, a loud, muffled argument broke out in the hallway.
"I don't care if I'm not allowed in yet! Those are my nephews!" Jare's voice boomed through the door, followed by a tired-sounding nurse trying to shush him.
I looked at Jay-Jay, who stirred slightly at the noise, a small, sleepy smile touching her lips. I sat down in the chair beside her bed, holding my two princes close. The docks, the territory, the threats—none of it mattered. My world was right here in this room.
"Welcome to the family, little Watsons," I murmured. "Try not to be as loud as your Uncle Jare."
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