“Well, I… We…”
“That’s what I thought.Go find something to do, Jonathan.I don’t want to see you in my house again until you’re invited.”
Once they were alone, Spark curved his arm around Mina’s waist and pulled her in close, burying his nose in her hair.He’d wanted to wrap her in his arms the moment he’d seen her this morning, but those pesky wolves had been present and he didn’t dare do something to give their relationship away.Not until Mina wanted to let them in on the secret.
“I take it neither of you told the boys why Spark is here?”Shadow asked.
“Daddy, it isn’t their business.”
Shadow grunted.“Let me explain another way.If you don’t come clean, and tell the club that you’re mated, you’re still going to have males approach you, and I doubt Spark is going to sit back and watch it happen.”
“Why did you really bring me here?”Spark asked.“Mina could have stayed at my house and we could have gotten to know one another just as easily as we can here.Perhaps it would have been easier, since her brothers wouldn’t have been breathing down our necks.”Spark watched Shadow and didn’t miss the smirk.
“You’re a smart boy,” Shadow said.“Why don’t you tell me why I did it?”
“Because you aren’t ready to let Mina go, and you’re hoping I’ll change my allegiance to the Silver Skulls so your daughter can remain here with you.”
“Told you that you were a smart boy.”
Mina planted her hands on her hips.“Daddy!That was horrible of you.I’ve told you before, I’m ready to spread my wings and get out from under your authority for a while.How could you try to trick Spark into patching into the Silver Skulls?That was so wrong of you!”
“You’re my only daughter, Mina.I know the Steel Riders are only two hours away, but that’s too far.I want you here on the property.There’s a patch of land behind the house here where I could have a nice cottage built for the two of you.”
“I appreciate the offer,” Spark said.“But I’ve been with the Steel Riders a long time.Unless they throw me out, I’m not going anywhere.My house may be small, but I think Mina could be happy there.And if she isn’t happy, I’ll work harder to provide her with a bigger, better house.I want her to feel at home and make the place her own.”
“And what about when the baby comes?Wouldn’t you prefer having more hands available to help care for it?”Shadow asked.
Mina gasped and paled.
“Baby?”Spark looked at her expectantly.“What’s he talking about, Mina?”
She shook her head and backed away.
“Damn it, girl.You still haven’t told the boy?What the hell are you waiting for?”Shadow demanded.
“Spark, I…”
He narrowed his eyes, hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close again.Dropping to his knees, he pressed his nose against her belly and inhaled deeply.The scent was faint, but her wolf was now mixed with maned wolf, and since they hadn’t had sex in weeks, it could only be from one thing.Spark looked up at her, startled by the tears that had gathered in her eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”he asked.“If you hadn’t come to the club last night, would you have ever told me?”
“I didn’t know how you would react,” she said.“I wanted more time with you before you found out.”
“Mina, I’m going to be a father.I had a right to know.Did you think I would only want you because of the baby?I can’t think of any other reason for you not to tell me right away.”
Tears fell down her cheeks.
“I didn’t bring you here to make my girl cry,” Shadow said.
“You obviously knew so you’re just as responsible.”Spark shot a glare at him.“If it weren’t for the baby, would I even be here right now?Would you have cared that Mina had her mate with her if a baby wasn’t involved?”
“I want my girl happy, and from what I can gather, the thought of being with you makes her happy.”
“He’s right,” Mina said.“Being with you does make me happy, Spark.It doesn’t matter if we’re having a baby or not.I want to be with you.I want to start a life with you, to make a home together.And I don’t care if it’s with the Steel Riders or the Silver Skulls.I would like to be near my family, but two hours isn’t exactly the other end of the world.I can make it work.”
“I can’t,” Shadow grumbled.
“I’m a Steel Rider,” Spark said.“Unless they tell me otherwise, I will always be a Steel Rider.If that doesn’t work for you, then I need to know now.I don’t want to leave my brotherhood, but maybe I can work out some sort of deal where we spend part of the year with the Steel Riders and part of it with the Silver Skulls.I don’t know of anyone who has ever had dual membership before, but maybe it’s a possibility.”
