“I’m getting you some ice for that,” I said, my tone brooking no argument this time.
She caught my wrist.“Five minutes.Just hold me for five minutes first.”
I relented, settling beside her and pulling her against my chest.She fit perfectly, like she was made to be there.Her honey-colored hair was damp against my skin, and I breathed in the clean, fresh scent of her.
“You scared the shit out of me today,” I murmured against the top of her head.
“I know.”She traced patterns on my chest with her fingertip.“I’m not sorry I went for the birthing kit, but I am sorry I scared you.”
“I know you’re not sorry.”I sighed.“And you shouldn’t be.Besides, I didn’t really mean it.”When she raised an eyebrow, I sighed.“OK, I only partly meant it.I was being stubborn and stupid.”
“And squeamish,” she added with a hint of laughter in her voice.
“That’s not goin’ away anytime soon.”
She shot me a mischievous smirk.“Nope.”
I pulled her closer to me, settling her against my chest so I could catch the scent of her hair with every indrawn breath.“Rest, baby.One hour, then we’ll go to the clinic and see what we need to do about the cuts and scrapes.”
“Mmm…” Her breathing was already evening out and I had to grin.She lay against me, trusting me completely without hesitation.Her trust was not something I’d ever take for granted.
“I love you, sweet girl,” I murmured against her hair.“I love you.”
“Love you too.”Her reply was slurred in sleep and she didn’t move.
I watched her sleep for a while, the steady rise and fall of her chest beneath my hand.Each time I looked at her face, even with that ugly bruise, peace settled over me.She was here.She was safe.She was mine.
When her breathing deepened into true sleep, I carefully extracted myself from beneath her and went to the kitchen.I wrapped some ice in a thin towel and brought it back to the bedroom, gently placing it against her bruised cheek.She stirred slightly but didn’t wake.
I settled back beside her, helping her to settle back onto my chest once more.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand.Knuckles.
“Yeah?”I answered quietly, not wanting to wake Nadine.
“Silk’s been handled.Permanently.Thought you’d want to know.”
I took a breath, closing my eyes and trying to feel bad about the fact we’d had to kill a woman.Even if I hadn’t been present, it was still a death in defense of the club.And we were a solid unit.“Thanks, Knuckles.I know Silk betrayed more than just me and Nadine, but I still appreciate it.”
“No thanks needed, brother.You’ve got a good woman.Keep her happy.”
“Is there anything you need my help with?”
“We got it all taken care of for the moment.Though…” Knuckles trailed off thoughtfully.
“What do you need?”
“Well, it’s not me.It’s Tillie.”
The hair stood up on the back of my neck and I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.“What about Tillie?”I asked the question slowly.The words felt like they were dragged out of me because I knew without a doubt I did not want to know what he needed me for in regard to Tillie.
“Well, Xavier said she’s decided she wants a home birth.She said she tried to get a midwife but she was so late in her pregnancy, none of them wanted to do a home birth.But Xavier says Tillie is freaking out about it.She said the classes she took suggested tomato-based foods to help start her labor or some shit.I kind of stopped listening after a while.But, what he wants to know is, would you be opposed to a spaghetti dinner the night before she’s supposed to deliver?”
The second I comprehended what Knuckles had said, I gagged.Twice.
Nadine let loose with peals of laughter while Knuckles practically roared over the phone.I had no doubt the man was bent double with one forearm on his knee while he scrubbed the tears from his eyes.
“Spaghetti?Who the fuck told you?Was it Nadine?Someone’s gettin’ a beat down!”I hung up on Knuckles, knowing that was the wrong thing to do but doing it anyway.Now he was free to tell the whole of the compound sooner rather than later.
