I wrote as he read out the number, and he apologized again for bothering us before hanging up. I tore the sheet of paper off the pad and smacked it against Axel’s chest. “Your ex is causing a ruckus on our floor, banging on our door like a goddamn crazy person. She needs you to call her because it’s supposedly an emergency.” I slapped my phone into his hand and said, “She probably ran out of ice cream and needs you to run to the store to grab her a pint of rocky fucking road.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll probably need bail money by the end of the night. My account number is in my desk drawer,” he muttered as he dialed her number. “Milan. What?” he said shortly.

I could hear her screeching through the phone. “Why the fuck aren’t you answering your door?”

“Because I’m not there.”

“I can hear your phone ringing inside, Axel. I know you’re there.” Her shrill voice was plucking my damned nerves, and I was several feet away. I wasn’t sure how Axel was tolerating her right in his ear.

“No, I left my phone there because I didn’t want to be disturbed tonight.” I had never heard him be so stern with her.

She huffed out an annoyed breath. “Well, that’s just fucking great. I need you back here right now. I think my water broke.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice suddenly filled with concern.

“I think so, but I need to go to the hospital to get checked out. Come pick me up. NOW!”

“It’s going to take me about thirty minutes to get there. You go downstairs, and I’ll call Vincent and tell him to have a cab hailed for you.”

“THIRTY MINUTES? Why the fuck are you thirty minutes away from me when you know I might need you?”

Because we were trying to get away from you, biatch!

“Just go downstairs, Milan. I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

“Fine! But we’re going to have a serious discussion about the way you’re treating me and Junior.” She disconnected, and Axel pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

“I’m sorry, Bear. She said—”

“I know. I heard,” I said. “You might take a cab, too, because those Bloody Marys were strong; plus, we had wine at the restaurant.” He was already pulling on his shirt and pants.

“Yeah, I will.”

“Give me the phone, and I’ll set up the cab with Vincent.”

He tossed my phone back to me, worry creasing his brow. “Thanks. Babies are usually okay if they’re born two months early, right?” Two months early? What the hell is he talking about?

“Axel, this baby would be around four or five months early,” I told him gently because that prognosis was terrible. He frowned at me, his gaze perplexed.