Holy! Fucking! Shit!”

Raine was gripping my hand like it was the end of the damn world, but it was just the beginning—our beginning.

“All right, you’re going to have to push now.” The sweet older nurse smiled sympathetically as she watched Raine’s eyes slam shut and her knuckles turn white. I had never seen my wife look so gorgeous than she did right then—cursing like a sailor, body covered in sweat, wearing a paper-thin hospital gown, hair matted to the side of her face, makeup smeared everywhere. She was a mess, but she was simply and perfectly stunning.

“Arggggggg! Fuck this shit. I swear to God you are never knocking me up again.”

“We’ll talk about that after we have the first one successfully,” I teased.

“I am not joking. I am never going through this ever again.” She was practically spitting at me through gritted teeth and rage-filled eyes.

I wiped the sweat off her forehead while she pushed with all her might to bring our little boy into the world.

After a long fourteen hours of labor and Raine’s swearing skills improving exponentially, Abel Ravage Walsh was delivered at four in the freaking morning, weighing in at seven and a half pounds.

“You done good, momma.” I kissed Raine’s cheek while I bounced our sleeping son in my arms.

“I love you, Ryder.” Raine’s sleepy eyes fluttered closed. “I’m sorry for calling you a twat waffle and a cock bag and…what was the other new one I came up with?”

“A splooting sack of monkey shit.” I chuckled.

Through a yawn, Raine mumbled, “Yeah, that was a good one.”

“Love you, crazy lady. Get some rest.” I pecked her cheek as her breathing got soft and she started to quietly snore.

It was the most magical moment of my life. The woman of my dreams really had made my life complete. Looking down into the face of my sleeping son, I realized everything Abel had worried about for so long and fought so hard to protect had been completely justified.

There was a light tap on the door.

I opened it slowly. “Shhhh, mom and baby are sleeping.”

Crickett, Collin, and my dad were all standing in the hallway, practically gushing with excitement.

“Can I just hold him for a minute?” Crickett’s eyes were watery as she took in the sight of her first grandbaby.

I nodded and passed little baby Abel on over into her loving arms.

Collin shook my hand with a quick smile. My brother-in-law was a man of few words, but under his tougher-than-nails exterior, he was just like his old man—a soft teddy bear when it came to his family.

“He’s beautiful, son.” Holt slapped my shoulder. “Abel would have been proud of both of you right now.”

It had been a long road with my father-in-law. I had barely felt like he trusted me half of the time, but I knew he had truly loved me and the rest of our family. I hadn’t missed him quite as much as I did in that moment, and I just hoped he was there with us somehow, enjoying the wonderful event.

“Hey guys.” Raine’s meek voice came from behind me.

Seeing the way Raine looked at her stepmother as Crickett strode over to her with her grandson in her arms was breathtaking.

“Congratulations sweetheart, I am so proud of you.” She beamed, wiping a tear from her cheek.

“I wish Dad was here,” Raine confessed.

“We all do.” Crickett kissed the back of Raine’s hand as they took a moment for each other.

After a few seconds, Crickett turned to me. “Will you grab Miss Gilda out of my purse.”

I rummaged around until I found the old unicorn rubber duck. I placed in Raine’s hands as tears filled her eyes. “I remember the day my dad got me this stupid toy.” Raine paused to wipe her eyes with the bedsheet. “We were on the way home from a doctor’s appointment and he stopped at a toy store to make me happy.”

I sank down on the end of her bed, taking the toy from her to look at it up close. The rainbow mane was fading and the white of the body was more yellow from old age. “Where’s the name Miss Gilda come from?” I asked.

Raine shrugged. “Fuck if I know.”

Crickett handed Raine our sleeping baby after kissing the top of his head. “I already am so in love with him.”

“So are we.” I squeezed Raine’s shoulder while looking down at the tiny face of my son.

I wasn’t usually a sappy guy—heck, I was usually a fucking dick—but having watched the birth of my son only a few hours before made me an instant puddle of dad-goo when anything remotely sweet happened.

There had only been a few times in my life that I had been truly sure of anything. The moment I saw Raine for the first time, I knew she was going to be mine. The moment Raine said yes to marrying me, I knew I would spend the rest of my life proving to her I deserved to be her husband. And right then, looking at my entire family together, I knew I was right where I was supposed to be, with people I would put my life on the line every damn day to protect from ever feeling another ounce of pain ever in their lives.