Page 66 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

Chapter Nineteen

Grumbler

“I’m already bored.”

“Mary,” I growl at her. “Fuck knows I don’t want you here, but it’s the best place for you to be.” Normally she’s an active woman. We’d had enough arguments when I insisted she give up her job. And thank fuck I did.

“I know.” Sighing, she picks at the bedsheet. “I just miss you, Grumbler. I miss Alicia, and I miss our home, and it’s only been a few days.”

A few days, it feels like an eternity. Thank fuck Preacher had the plane and had been able to fly me home. I think I aged years on that journey back from Nevada. When I landed, I spied more grey in my hair than I ever had before.

From the moment we knew she was pregnant, we hadn’t been blind as to what was in store. But with the scant update I’d received, I hadn’t known whether she’d lost the baby, or heaven forbid, there was a chance I was losing her. But while her condition is serious, they’re still both with me. And if I have to chain her to this hospital bed to make sure it stays that way, I will.

“I can take care of Alicia. Hell, that kid’s of an age she can look after herself.”

“There’s the nursery…”

Yeah, we’ve not started on that yet, the risk of tempting fate always on our minds. “Don’t worry yourself. You choose colours, and décor, and I’ll get it fixed. The brothers will help.”

Mary bites her lip. Lying in that hospital bed, she looks so small. I’m used to her being energetic, rushing around, doing stuff, getting involved. The house has seemed so empty since I’ve returned home. But I’m man enough to suck it up, as long as she does what she’s told.

Laying my hand on her stomach, I look into her face, noticing she’s got a little more colour than when I first saw her lying in this bed. “You concentrate on growing our baby. Our son.” If there’s a glimmer of pride in my voice, who could blame me? At fifty-eight years old, I never expected to father a child.

“How’s Niran?”

I’d given her the barest details of the rescue in which I’d been involved, but I had to explain Niran’s absence. When she’d thought his foot was smashed as a result of coming off his bike, I hadn’t contradicted her.

“Niran and Saffie are going to the Utah club today. Bolt’s keeping me updated.”

“Is it safe for her?” she asks sharply.

I know why she asks. She was the first to meet Saffie, and knows she’s terrified of bikers. “They’ll be as respectful as any of our clubs, darlin’. Don’t you worry about that. And if they’re not, I’m sure Swift will do some ass kicking.”

I’ve made her smile. Yeah, Mary was amazed when she met Swift. As we all were.

“There is that.” She grins at me. “She’s certainly a force to be reckoned with.” I glance at the clock on the wall. She notices, of course. “You’ve got church, you better go.”

“I’ll go when Alicia comes. She’s visiting straight after she’s completed her homework.”

Mary grins knowingly, and I wonder whether she thinks Alicia has me fooled. She doesn’t know I’ve bribed my stepdaughter to make sure she keeps her grades up. That will be a secret we keep between ourselves.

Then, she sighs. “I’m okay, Grumbler. Patsy’s shared some books from her account, so I’ll read.”

“Patsy?” I narrow my eyes. “She reads that MC romance shit. You gonna be okay with that?”

“Hmm,” she breathes out, then winks. “I’ll just enrich my imagination with all those sexy sergeant-at-arms.”

I widen my arms and wink. “You don’t need your imagination for that. You’ve got the sexiest one here, sweetheart.”

Snorting, she leans forward and pats my arm, saying condescendingly, “I know that.”

Another upward look at the hands ticking around the dial, and I grimace. “I really ought to go.”

“Scat.” She waves her hands. “I’ll be fine.”

Standing, I lean over and plant my lips on hers. It was meant to be a peck, but I can’t help myself, it turns more heated. When I pull back, her face is flushed.

“Go, before you get me all excited.”

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