Boxed Set: Dominated by a Billionaire - Part 10-12: Irresistible Billionaire by Emma M. Green

decided that you’ll never have a baby!" Clémentine declares, looking me straight in the eye.
    "No, I haven't! I was just thinking that adoption might not be such a bad idea," I say, half-joking.
    "OK, how are my screams?"
    "Very dignified!"
    "Tell the truth or I’ll crush your hand to pieces!"
    "Like a pig being slaughtered," I blurt out, to save my fingers. "But a pig with a great hairdo, Clem!"
    Thirty minutes later – and just as many contractions – a smiley midwife with a ponytail comes into the room to check on how things are progressing. I leave them alone and go out into the hall where I find Vadim, finally back, alone… Clarence is still missing, despite dozens of calls and messages left on his cell.
    Not good…
    Ponytail sticks her head back out the door and says:
    "Fully dilated: the baby won't be far away! Any news from the father?"
    "No, but he won’t be long!" I say, mostly to convince myself.
    "He might be too late. Will you come with Mrs. D’Aragon until he gets here?"
    Not good at all…
    "Almaaaaaa! Get your butt back in here!"
    Clémentine’s voice echoes around the whole floor. I give my lover a quick kiss and rush to her side, my heart pounding with both happiness and fear.
    How do you help a dragon give birth?
    "Let’s go for it, at the next contraction!" Ponytail says, laying her hand on my friend’s belly.
    "Ohhhh!"
    I just lost a hand.
    "Alma, promise me you will raise the baby with me if Clarence doesn’t come back."
    "Come on, you can push harder than that, Mrs. D’Aragon!"
    "Aghhh!"
    "Clarence is going to come, sweetie. You’re two weeks early; he couldn’t know it was going to be tonight!" I try to reassure her, laying my only good hand on her forehead.
    "Come on, Mrs. D’Aragon! Push harder! Start getting mad!"
    "I’m already mad!" Clémentine screams and pushes at the same time. "You're the only one who hasn't noticed!"
    I’m so embarrassed.
    The midwife backs up a step as if the baby could potentially be as aggressive as its mother. That’s when Clarence Miller shows up, a blue hospital cap covering his hair, two plastic slippers over his shoes and a few tears in the corners of his eyes.
    "I’m here, darling! I came as soon as I found out!" My phone battery died. "How’s my little Clint?"
    "Give me your hand and shut up!" Clémentine tells the future dad, giving me the most knowing wink ever in all our years of friendship.
    Less than five minutes later, Vadim and I, sitting against each other in the hallway, hear a newborn’s first cries. Judging from how sharp and loud they are, it can only be my best friend’s child. My King turns his handsome face towards me, smiles at me, wipes the tear that has just rolled down my cheek with his thumb and wraps his big manly arm around my shoulders.
    "We can talk about the first name again, if you want," he whispers in my ear.
    "I think I like Volodia just fine… It’s strong and gentle at the same time."
    "Like us," he says smiling.
    "But I’m warning you, King, you’d better be there when he’s born. From the beginning to the end!"
    "I wouldn’t miss it for the world," he says in his deep, warm voice, holding me tighter against him.
    You + Me + Him: that’s the dream of my life.
    I delight in the peace and quiet, in the feeling of absolute fulfillment, until the midwife allows us a short visit with the happy parents.
    "We’d like you to meet our son," Clémentine whispers, so as not to wake her little sleeping baby.
    "A boy!" I sniff, coming closer, full of emotion.
    "He’s magnificent," Vadim marvels, tilting his head, with a huge smile on his lips.
    "We’ve just come to an agreement: his name is Clovis," my best friend quietly announces.
    "Clovis Léo Clint," the happy father adds, kissing Clémentine on the top of her head.
    I cry even more. Clémentine glows.
    If only she could see her hair…

5. Unforgettable
    There's Lily, Niels, Basile and I: the whole gang is together to celebrate the birth of little Clovis and