Page 29 of Spider
“We can come back and bring something to feed the ducks,” he said.
“This is nice.”I rested my head on his shoulder and just enjoyed the peaceful moment.
“We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure the babies are all right,” he said.“I know you want to keep them.”
The way he said that made me pause.I pulled away a bit and looked at him.
“I want to keep them, but you don’t?”
He reached out and twirled a piece of my hair around his finger.“It’s not that I don’t want children with you, Luciana, I’m just worried.You want these babies right now, but what if they come out looking like one of the men who hurt you?Can you handle seeing that daily reminder?You’re starting to heal, to get stronger emotionally and mentally, and I don’t want anything to set you back.”
I took his hand and placed it over my belly.“It’s not their fault they were conceived by rape.They’re innocent, Spider.Like me.Victims.You protect the innocent, and I know you’ll do the same for them.They deserve a chance at a good, happy life, just like any other kid.”
He tugged me closer again and kissed me softly.The brush of his lips sent a shiver through me, a reminder we hadn’t been intimate in far too long, and a public park bench wasn’t the best location to start now.
“I was only worried about you,” he said as he drew away.“I will love these kids as if they were of my own flesh and blood.I meant what I said before, that they need never know they aren’t mine in all ways.”
I reached up to cup his cheek, his beard tickling my hand.There was kindness in his eyes, and something else I couldn’t quite pinpoint.The way he watched me sometimes made me think he cared for me, or possibly even more than cared, but I wasn’t sure I had the guts to ask.What if I said I loved him and it made him pull away?He hadn’t asked for my life or affection.He hadn’t asked for any of this.
His phone, along with three others, went off at the same time.Spider pulled his from his pocket and swiped to unlock the screen, scowling at whatever message he saw there.I heard the steps of the others as they came close.He glanced at each of them, and the tension increased until my own heart rate picked up.Was something happening?Was it bad?
Spider got off the bench and pulled me to my feet.“We need to go.”
“But my prescription…”
“Will have to wait.It’s Violeta,” he said.
My breath froze in my lungs and the world spun a little.“Violeta?”
“Someone managed to get past Marcus and breached the compound.Rocket was able to keep them from capturing Violeta, but she was hurt,” Spider said.“I need to get you out of the open.Now.”
I nodded and let him lead me back to the SUV.He raced through town, nearly running a few lights, and went skidding through the gates of the compound.Gates that stood wide open with three armed men just inside.I fought to control my emotions, to lock down the panic that was rising.
One of the men approached the vehicle and Spider rolled down the window.
“They were after your wife and found Violeta instead.Roughed her up pretty good.Rocket has her locked up tight in his house, and Dread is on his way to patch her up and check her out.Make sure nothing is broken.”
“Thanks, Patch,” Spider said.
“I called in the others,” he said.“Yankee, Brazil, and Gunner are all back and they’re done with the military this time.They’re here to stay.Didn’t know where you wanted to put them so they each took a spot in the clubhouse.”
“I’ll assign them houses later.Ask Yankee and Gunner to come to my house.I want them to keep an eye on Luciana.If those fuckers broke in here once, they’ll likely try again, especially since they didn’t get what they came for.”
Patch nodded.“On it.”
Spider pulled away and drove to the house.
“More men?”I asked.“Have I not met everyone?”
“Some of the guys are active duty military, and others are ex-military and have been recruiting our troops from various branches.It’s good to have men with that kind of background, those who don’t mind getting their hands dirty.Some turn to law enforcement or other civil service jobs when they leave the military, but others need something a bit more, something maybe not quite so legal.They want to get their hands dirty and not have the government staring over their shoulders.”
“And Hades Abyss gives that to them?”she asked.
“Yes.I trust every member of this club with your life, Luciana.They’ll keep you safe if I’m unable to do so myself.”
At the house, he ushered me inside and led me straight to the kitchen.He put some water in the kettle and set it to boil.After he’d learned I liked tea, he’d made sure he stocked the kitchen with a kettle and several types of tea.I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d like a kettle that steeped the tea and didn’t like using tea bags.He was trying, and it was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for me.
He set the mug of steaming water in front of me and pulled down my favorite tea, handing me a teabag and a spoon.There was a knock at the front door, and he paused only long enough to give me a quick kiss before going to answer it.I heard deep voices, then heavy steps.Two men I hadn’t seen before, one incredibly tall and the other of average height, entered the room.
