Page 145 of The Proposal

“Are you sure?” she asks sarcastically, arching one of her perfectly sculptured brows.

“Yes,” I answer with confidence. “Have I ever let you down,amore mio?”

“No.”

“You and our child are my life, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect either of you.”

Famous last words, because when she doubles over inpain again, I quickly hand the phone off to Lucia and drop to my knees.

I can’t even help her breathe through the contractions because we only attended one Lamaze class. That was Arabella’s decision, not mine. She claimed the woman instructor and some of the other mothers were looking at me like I was something to devour. I agreed it was safer for everyone involved if we didn’t return.

“When was her last contraction?” Lucia asks.

“Just now,” I snap, glancing at her over my shoulder. “Are you blind?”

“There’s no need for the snarky attitude,” Lucia bites back as her eyes narrow to slits.

“She just had one,” I hear her relay to the dispatcher. “The one prior was only a few minutes?—”

Lucia’s words are cut off when Arabella gasps, her voice trembling. “Oh God, I can feel the head … it’s coming, Dante. What are we going to do?”

The tears in her eyes and the sheer terror on her face should be enough to break me, but instead, they steel my resolve.

“I’ve got this,Bellezza. Lie back.” I gently ease her down, lifting her nightgown and bunching it around her hips. “Lift up,” I instruct, reaching for the waistband of her underwear.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting ready to deliver our baby.”

I’m a little offended when she does the sign of the cross and begins reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Italian, but I swallow the sting, pushing the hurt aside.

This is about her… aboutthem.

I guide her legs apart, ignoring the nagging fear creeping up my spine. I have no clue what I’m doing, but fuck, how hard can it be?

“Shit,” I murmur under my breath when I see she’s right.The baby is already crowning. Time isn’t waiting for us. There’s no going back now.

I take a deep breath as my hands shake slightly, but I steady myself. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

The pressure in the room grows heavier as I focus on what needs to be done. There’s no room for doubt, only action.

“How far is the ambulance away?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” Lucia replies before placing the call on speaker and moving the phone closer to me.

“The baby’s coming.”

The dispatcher’s voice is relaxed but firm. “Sir, we need you to stay calm. Can you see the baby’s head?”

“Yes,” I grunt, my eyes widen as I confirm what I already know. “It’s crowning.”

“Okay, listen carefully,” the dispatcher continues. “You need to support the baby’s head as it emerges. Make sure the umbilical cord isn’t wrapped around the neck. Don’t pull, just guide. Is there a towel or cloth nearby?”

I glance around. “I’ll find something.”

“I’ll go grab one,” Lucia says, dashing towards the en suite.

“You’ll need it to gently clean the baby’s face once it’s out.”

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