Page 57 of Serendipity

Finally, whatever was happening between us adults got too much for the little girl, who dodged around both her brother and the guy, and ran full pelt at Dippy.

“Sera!” she squealed, the sound drenched in happiness. I pointed my gun at the ground.

The smile on Dippy’s face when she saw the little girl made my chest want to burst wide open.

“Cara.” She walked down the last few steps and Goliath let her go. She opened her arms wide and the little girl barrelled into them. The boy wasn’t far behind her. “Careful Cara. She’s got a baby in there,” he said in a voice that was far too serious for a little kid. Sera opened her arms wider. “Hey, Sammie. You look bigger! Did you have a growth spurt?” She dragged them both close and kissed their heads. We all stood around and watched this woman with her gigantic heart shower love and affection. God. I didn’t think I could love her more. I was wrong.

In the face of such affection, it seemed stupid to still have my gun out. I switched on the safety and tucked it in the back of my jeans. Judas looked at the scene in front of him, and then back at the dude still standing still in the middle of the parking lot, his gun still pointed in our direction, his eyes never wavering.

“Well, I guess you better come in so we can figure all this out. Dippy?” The woman who had stolen my heart looked up at Judas, her huge violet eyes sparkling. “Why don’t you invite your friends inside? I’m pretty sure I can get Sweetie to make pancakes.”

The little girl squeaked with excitement, and I couldn’t hold back my grin.

Dippy looked back at Marco.Do you want to come in?She signed.

This Marco re-holstered his gun, but he was still looking at us like he was wondering how fast he could splatter our brains on the wall.Are they going to shoot me as soon as I step behind closeddoors?He signed back.

I grinned.Not today.

Cain groaned. “That’s going to get old fu-” Dippy gave him a stern look, “er, old fast.”

Dippy slowly got back to her feet, groaning and holding her lower back. Goliath reached down and yanked her up with hands that weren’t exactly gentle, but he wasn’t rough. Baby steps with the big guy. Goliath was still giving the killer in the parking lot death glares, totally contradicting my assurances of safety, and I rolled my eyes.

Judas turned and led the way into the Clubhouse, Cain following him. Dippy gently pulled out of Goliath’s grasp, then surprised the shit out of him by pressing a gentle hand to his chest. He looked at her hand on his chest like it was a tarantula. He might be in denial, but when he’d thought the guy had been a threat, he’d protected her whether she needed it or not.

Marco whistled, and the kids ran back to his side like well trained puppies. Dippy waited until Marco was close, and she gave him a small, secret smile that kind of made me want to blow the dude's brains out myself. She led him into the Clubhouse, her hand holding the little girls. I went next, and the guy was so tense I knew he didn’t like having us at his back. Well, bad fucking luck. He was in our house now.

We made it into the bar, and the kids scrambled onto the bar stools, completely unconcerned that they were in a bar full of bikers. I guess when you had a killer for a father, your perception of bad was probably skewed at a young age. Sweetie was there fussing over the kids, asking what they wanted on their pancakes, and Shots was giving them lowballs of milk. At this rate, we were going to have to up our milk deliveries.

Judas looked at Marco. “Come, we’ll talk in my office. Sweetie will watch the kids.”

Marco shook his head, looking around at the bar full of bikers.The kids stay with me.He looked at Dippy longingly.Or with Serendipity.

I translated for Judas, who rolled his eyes. “Fine. We can air all our shit out here in the open.”

Judas might sound annoyed, but I knew him well enough to know that Marco just went up a little in his esteem. He probably had a way to go though considering he’d brought the kids here at all.

Dippy kissed the cheeks of both of the kids, who were happily chatting to Shots. He had a bajillion grandkids, and he looked a little bit like a viking Santa, so he was pretty good with children.

She grinned at Marco. “Well, considering you are here to see me, I guess we are doing this right here.”

Do you think we could go somewhere else and talk without such a big audience?He indicated the four of us, who were doing our best impression of looming killers. Oh wait. It wasn’t an impression.

“Fat fucking chance,” I replied on behalf of all of us. The dude looked annoyed, and seemed to be summing up whether he could kill us all and steal her.

Then he heaved a sigh.Fine. Hope told me about Uriel. I’m glad that the bastard got what hedeserved.

She shuddered and rubbed her stomach.Me too. Hope and her consorts are…Dippy’s hands stilled.Different.

A strange hissing noise let me know that Marco was laughing.No shit.All the mirth left his face, and his eyes slid around the four of us.I want you to come home with me. The kids miss you. There’sno threat anymore.

“Like fucking hell!” I growled, startling everyone but Dippy and this asshole Marco. I would slit his throat before I let him steal my girl. “This asshole wants to take Dippy.”

Goliath growled low in his throat, and Cain reached out to pull Dippy back against his chest.

Judas looked at him, his eye narrowed. “Serendipity is not safe. The angels of Uriel’s cohort made vague threats about her and the baby. Until I am certain they are both one hundred percent safe, they stay, whether they like it or not.”

Dippy raised an eyebrow at his high-handedness, but didn’t argue.

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