As Ian sat back onto Brad, his abdomen clenched. Pain rocked through his body, like fire racing down his nerves. Ian gasped, doubling over.
“What’s wrong?” Brad froze, turning Ian around.
“Contraction.” Ian panted, waiting for the pain to fade.
“It’s... just a test one, right?” Brad asked. “One of those you get way before the labor?” He rubbed Ian’s belly, holding Ian snug against his warm, solid chest.
“I don’t know.” Ian squirmed closer to Brad. Then he felt a smear of wetness in his briefs, and froze. “I think... You know, I think my water just broke.”
34
Brad
Brad froze. “Your water broke?”
He wasn’t prepared for it. Sure, they’d been packing a bag to bring along to the hospital, and they’d been talking about what they’d do with Gwen if there was an emergency.
There were several things about the birth that Brad was looking forward to. Being able to hug Ian properly again, being able to hold their baby in his arms.
But the thought of the baby arriving, of Ian going into labor, and the risks involved...
Ian was getting on in years. Brad might lose him with scarcely a moment’s notice.
“Gods, Ian.” Brad’s chest clenched. He hugged Ian to himself, suddenly terrified. He wasn’t ready to lose Ian. He would never be ready to lose his omega.
“I’m fine,” Ian said, frowning. “Relax, Brad. I’ve done this before.”
But you’re older now.
Brad didn’t say it, though. Didn’t want to worry Ian even more. “I’ll call Levi,” he said. “Best to get ready. It’ll be quick, wouldn’t it?”
Ian chewed on his lip. “It might be. If my body remembers how.”
Brad had read articles on childbirth. He’d been asking Ian how he should hold their newborn, how often Xavier would need to feed. Being a dad to Gwen was easy enough, but Brad hadn’t held a fragile infant before. He hadn’t changed diapers, or bathed a baby, or rocked one to sleep.
He badly wanted to, but, gods, if only his fear would go away.
“Brad,” Ian said softly, touching his cheek. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
Brad gulped, looking down at Ian’s round belly. He peeled Ian’s shirt up, pressing his palm against Ian’s red stretch marks.
He hadn’t witnessed this the last time, with Gwen. Brad cradled Ian close, kissing him on the shoulder, and up his throat. He held Ian, just memorizing the weight of Ian in his arms, his honey-and-rose scent.
Ian chuckled. “Weren’t you going to call Levi?”
With one arm, Brad tugged his phone out of his pocket, opening his contacts list. With his other hand, he stroked his wrist down Ian’s side, marking his omega. “Yeah, I’m calling him. But I’m also not letting you go.”
“I have to go get ready.” Ian cracked a smile. He leaned into Brad’s chest, though, and Brad pressed his nose into Ian’s wispy hair, smelling faint sweat.
Levi answered. “Hello?”
“Hey, Levi,” Brad said. “Are you free for the next ten hours or so? Ian’s going into labor. I don’t know how long it’ll take, but we’ll need someone to watch Gwen.”
Levi paused, thinking. “I can come down now.”
“Thanks,” Brad said, some of the weight easing off his chest. “See you soon.”
“Will do.”
Brad ended the call to find Ian looking thoughtfully at him. “What?” Brad asked. “You think I’m after Levi now?”
Ian cracked a smile. “Nah. Just comparing how different it is when you talk to another omega. You’re a lot more business-like with them.”
Brad tucked his phone away, then pressed Ian down against the bed, kissing his bondmate. Ian groaned against him, squirming. It always made Brad’s instincts roar, whenever his omega begged for touch. Brad growled, dragging his wrist down Ian’s belly. “There, does that convince you?”
Ian grinned wider. “It does.”
Brad tangled their fingers together. Touched the ring he’d slipped onto Ian’s finger. Ian had said yes. They were going to get married, and that made his heart soar all over again.
“When do you want the wedding to be?” Brad murmured.
Ian laughed. “We’ll talk about it after Xavier gets here. I mean, we’re not getting married right now.”
“Imagine if we did, though.” Brad grinned. “Have a minister come into the room just as you’re giving birth to Xavier. We’ll make it the messiest wedding ever.”
Ian shoved at him. “I don’t think the minister will want to see all that blood.”
“Unless he’s a vampire,” Brad said. “You know, like how they say there’s vampires in San Luis Obispo. Remember the rumor about some guy whose blood all the vampires want?”
Ian coughed. “That’s from a storybook, Brad.”
“So you say.” Brad wriggled his eyebrows. “What if they’re real?”
“No, they aren’t.”
“Fine.” Brad kissed Ian on the lips, releasing him. “C’mon, let’s tell Gwen.”
He helped Ian off the bed, holding him close as Ian waddled to the next bedroom. Brad knocked. “Gwen, can we come in for a moment?”
“Uh-huh!”
When they peeked in, Gwen was on her bed, reading one of Brad’s books from his childhood.
“Hey, hon,” Ian said, waddling in first. “It looks like Xavier’s on his way out into the world. Your papa and I are going to the hospital, so be good, all right? Levi will be here if you need anything.”
Gwen stared at Ian’s belly. “How is Xavier going to come out of your belly? Is it... going to burst?”
“Hell no,” Brad said before he could stop himself. The mental image sent his skin crawling.
Ian paused. “We’ll see. If things are bad, the doctor might have to do a surgery.”
Gwen made a face. “That sounds painful.”
“It will be.”
Ian sat on Gwen’s bed, and Brad watched as Ian hugged her close.
“Your papa and I will be very busy with Xavier over the next few months. But I want you to know that we’ll love you just as much, okay?”
Gwen blinked at him. “Okay.”
Brad joined them, dropping a kiss on Ian’s head. Then Ian gasped, hunching over again.
“Daddy,” Gwen cried.
Brad wrapped himself around Ian, rubbing his back. Ian gritted his teeth, his breathing labored. It was another contraction, and Brad wanted him in the hospital, just so there would be doctors who knew what
