Page 45 of Demon's Angel

Her face turns toward me. She shakes her head and bites her lip. “I love you too, D.”

I nod, accepting her declaration. She means like a brother. She’d be horrified to think there was any other interpretation to my words.

I squash the burst of elation inside me.She’s mine.Or at least, very soon she will be.

A wail from the hallway gets Violet moving and running to the door. When she pulls it open, Jayden’s outside, a bawling Theo in her arms. She shrugs apologetically; Vi’s quick to take her son. That smile on her face speaks volumes, love emanating from her, the kind of look part of me wishes she’d give to me.Not going there. Remember Nathan.

She thanks Jay, brushes off her apology, and brings the wriggling bundle into the room. There’s an unpleasant aroma accompanying it.

“Sorry, D. I need to change him.” She takes him to the changing mat.

I’m the president of an outlaw MC. There’s not much I’ve not been able to handle. I’m going to be a father; how hard can it be?

Going over, I put my hands around her waist and ease her to one side. “If I’m signing up for this, I better start as I mean to continue,” I say softly, while popping the studs on the all-in-one thingy Theo’s wearing. “You’re a stinky one, aren’t you?” I say, gruffly.

My deep voice catches Theo’s attention; his cries ease away as he stares intently at me.

“D, do you know what you’re doing?”

“I can work it out.”

She stands back, a look half-concerned, half-amused on her face, her arms held as though ready to step in and take over.

Fuck, the stench!But I soldier on.

I pull off the dirty diaper, wishing I didn’t have to see what was inside, and fold it. She’s there, a bag ready, held open for me.Have to remember to get prepared in the future.Taking the handful of wipes she’s holding out, it’s natural to try to catch hold of the legs that are kicking and, eventually successful at that, wipe his ass.

Theo starts giggling when he manages to get one leg free. I wonder whether he always does this, or he’s testing me. Whatever, I have him handled.

“Gotcha, little man,” I grin, catching the flailing leg while just about managing to keep hold of the other.

“D, watch…”

Quickly I grab the tissues she’s now passing over. “You trying to piss on your old man, son?” I try it out and hear a gasp at my side.

Managing to keep myself dry, I clean him up again. She hands me some sort of lotion. Competently, or so I hope, I rub it on in the right places. The fresh diaper? Well, I’ve never passed up a challenge in my life. It takes me a while, but at last it’s on.

When I’ve refastened his clothing, I pass a clean, and fresher-smelling baby, back to his mom.

Vi takes him. On her face is one of the strangest expressions I’ve ever seen.

Chapter Fifteen

Violet

Oh my God! I cannot believe what I just saw. I think my female parts convulsed when I watched this big strong man being so tender and patient with my baby. Which is a pity, as he told me he didn’t want kids, or at least, with me. I suppose it’s the ‘going to bed with me’ part that puts him off. The way he’s handling Theo suggests he’d be a natural at the parenting role.

I’d said yes at his insistence, but watching him now, maybe he’d have been better with a woman he did get the hots for, and have children of his own.

I never expected he’d step up so fast, and once having made his decision, dive headfirst into being a dad. And calling Theo ‘son’? I just about melted on the spot.

I couldn’t have predicted my reaction. When Angelino had referred to Theo as his, every fibre of my being objected and I wanted to be sick. When Demon had said it? It had the complete opposite effect: a relief that here was going to be someone to lean on, to help share not only the joys of having a child, but the trials that come with that too. Okay, so all he’s done so far is change one diaper, but it was a pretty horrendous one, at that.

Theo’s rooting expectantly, his little hands finding the edge of my tank top. “I’m, er, going to have to feed him.”

“I’ll give you some privacy. I need to get to church anyway.”

You don’t need to.But I don’t say it.

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