They hurried in, motioning him away from Kelly as they began to administer care. Through it all, Ryan stood there numbly, watching as they lifted her onto a stretcher and hurried toward the elevator.

He followed behind, whispered prayers falling from his lips. They loaded her onto the waiting ambulance and he climbed in behind her.

Halfway to the hospital, he pulled out his phone but then stared blankly down at it. Who would he call? There was no one. Cold fury iced his veins. The very people he’d trusted—especially his brother—had acted unforgivably. Until now he’d never really experienced true hatred.

He buried his face in his hands and willed himself not to lose his composure. Not now. Kelly needed him. He hadn’t been there for her before. He’d already made the mistake of abandoning her when she’d needed him the absolute most.

Now he’d die before he ever allowed her to think she wasn’t the most important thing in the world to him.

* * *

Ryan stood listening to the doctor tell him that Kelly’s condition was indeed serious. She was on a magnesium sulfate drip to lower her blood pressure and prevent future seizures, but if she didn’t respond in the next few hours an emergency C-section would have to be performed.

“And the risks to the child?” Ryan croaked. “It’s too soon, isn’t it?”

The doctor gave him a look of sympathy. “We won’t have a choice. If left untreated, both mother and child could die. The only cure for eclampsia is delivery of the baby. We’re doing tests to determine the lung maturity of the baby. At thirty-four weeks’ gestation, the child has a very good chance of survival without complications.”

Ryan dug a hand into his hair and closed his eyes. He’d done this to her. She should have been cherished and pampered during her entire pregnancy. She should have been waited on hand and foot. Instead she’d been forced to work a physically demanding job under unimaginable stress. And once he’d brought her back, she’d been subjected to scorn and hostility and endless emotional distress.

Was it any wonder she wanted to wash her hands of him and his family?

“Will…will Kelly be all right? Will she recover from this?”

He didn’t realize he held his breath until his chest began to burn. He let it out slowly and forced himself to relax his hands.