Despite all her moaning and whining and complaining, she couldn’t wait to meet their baby. Count the little toes. Kiss the little hands. She certainly had felt them thrashing around her insides enough. It would be interesting to see what had been causing all the trouble. When she thought of how Ian loved to lay his head on her belly at night, the way his face would light up whenever he felt the baby move, a pang went through her. He wouldn’t be able to do that anymore; that time was over. She would miss that much, at least. But he’d have the baby here to love on, which would be a far better thing…and they would have more opportunities.

Once in the car and on the way to the hospital—sitting on a garbage bag she’d put down to protect her seat—Gabby called Kelsey’s cell while Ian drove. Now it was almost four, but when Kelsey answered her phone, she sounded like she could’ve been up all night chugging coffee. “Are you in labor?” she trilled.

“That’s how we answer the phone?”

“At ten till four in the morning? You’d better believe it. Evan!” Gabby heard a grunt from her obviously still-sleeping brother. “Gabby’s in labor! You are in labor, right? Or are you messing with me?”

“My water broke almost an hour ago. We’re on our way to the hospital.”

Kelsey sucked in a breath. “Don’t you dare have that baby until we get there!”

“I’ll cross my legs as tight as I can, Kels, but I don’t think it’ll matter much.” Beside her, Ian laughed.

“Are you in pain?”

She shifted around uncomfortably even as Kelsey asked the question. “There’s pain, yeah. It’s not too bad yet. Do not tell me how bad it will get.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you now. I don’t want to scare you.”

Oh, now she didn’t want to scare her? “You scare me by saying that. You are an evil, evil woman. I’ll get you back someday, I vow it.”

“You love me, admit it. Okay, we’re getting up, and we’re headed your way. Keep us updated. Or tell Ian to, if you’re in too much agony to speak.”

“I hate you.”

“I love you! Bye!”

Okay, so Kelsey had been Superwoman. She’d done the whole thing naturally. Good for her. Gabriella didn’t like pain, and she was all about some modern medicine. She wanted drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. Since she’d known this about herself from the beginning, she could rest easy in the idea that it wouldn’t be too bad. There wouldn’t be any agony, nope, not for her.

If Ian had been standing anywhere near Gabriella when she let out the first real wail he’d heard from her, he would’ve immediately moved his genitals out of her reach. Thankfully, though, he’d just walked into the room from getting her some ice chips and was still a safe distance away.

All the Ross women in her hospital room—her mother, Kelsey and Candace—rushed toward her bedside to offer support, but her eyes found his through the crowd of her family.

“Where the hell did you go?” she demanded pitifully.

“I was getting you some ice.”

“Did I ask for any f**king ice?” Most everyone standing around her laughed, though her mother shook her head at the ceiling.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Gabby grimaced and dug her heels into the mattress, trying to roll on her side. He made his way around to help her, his gut twisting at the sight of her in so much pain. Where was the f**king anesthesiologist? He was supposed to be here an hour ago.

The last nurse who’d checked Gabby had told them she was halfway there.

Kelsey stroked Gabby’s hair, her other hand holding Gabby’s tight. “You’re doing great. Remember to breathe through it,” she told her, leaning down to be close to her face. He felt that was where he needed to be, but Kelsey had been through this before and was no doubt a much better coach than he could ever be. So he rubbed Gabby’s back, trying to let her know any way he could that he was here for her.

The Rosses had all shown up a few hours after Ian and Gabby reached the hospital. It was now early afternoon. Brian and Evan had come in periodically, but Gabby had shooed them out when the worst of the pains began. She’d said she couldn’t maintain her “scary big sister” status with them if they saw her beaten down. Candace had fearlessly remained even though she was due at any time. Brian had tried to talk her into staying home, but she’d said she wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Ian had called his own mother and let her know the day was upon them. She hadn’t answered, but he’d left her a message. Whether or not she cared she was about to be a grandmother, it was on all her head now. He’d done all he could.

It would’ve been nice to have family of his own bloodline here for the birth, but it didn’t matter. Gabriella was working hard, going through hell, to give him that. Today.

She couldn’t lie still. From her back, to one side, to the other, finally back to her original position, she writhed and moaned. He fed her ice chips; he told her how strong she was and how well she was doing. How beautiful she was and how much he loved her. But if he could take every bit of pain away from her and bear it himself, he would.

Especially when she looked up at him with agony in her eyes and said, “Ian, I can’t do this.”

All right. He was gonna find the f**king doctor and drag him in here by the scruff of his neck. He’d have gone right then too, if she hadn’t had such an iron grip on his hand. “Yes, you can, baby. But let me go see what’s going on.”

“Don’t leave me.”

He cast a helpless glance up at Kelsey, who nodded and left the bedside. Mrs. Ross and Candace followed her out, and Gabby sighed with relief. “I hate to say it, but I’d rather them stay out,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

“I only want you.”

Jesus, he didn’t know if he could handle this. He’d gone to the birthing classes with her, but now that the situation was here, it felt like throwing a rookie cop into a roomful of crossfire or something. He gently stroked her forehead. “Tell me what I can do for you.”

She cringed and squeezed his hand as another contraction wrenched her, forcing a pained growl from her throat. “Breathe, baby, breathe,” he said, for lack of anything better. Besides, even he could tell she wasn’t doing it—she was fighting the pain. But at his prompting, she began taking slow breaths. He watched the readouts on the fetal monitor connected to her. Her contractions were getting more intense.

“Did every f**king woman in the city go into labor today?” she demanded suddenly through clenched teeth, and he had to laugh, though he quickly clamped down on it. A demon could’ve been speaking through her voice. “Is it a full moon?”

“I don’t know. You’re doing awesome. Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?”

It was true, even if she was bathed in sweat and pale with her hair plastered mostly over her face. “I’m gonna throw up.”

“Well, damn, I’m sorry—”

“No, I mean I’m gonna literally freaking throw up, Ian.”

“Oh.” Shit. He made a grab for the wastebasket by her bed, but after she breathed steadily for a few minutes, her wave of nausea passed.