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“I don’t want my dad to die.”
“He won’t.” She sounded firm. He could imagine her frowning right at him, so he knew she meant business.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too. He will get past this. With all due respect, he’s Devil. Prez of the Chaos Bleeds, he won’t die for anyone until he was fucking ready,” she said.
He laughed even as tears filled his eyes.
Looking up, he saw the rest of the crew coming in. “The guys are here. I better go.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
He hung up, got to his feet, and filled them in on what had happened. All of them looked grim as they took a seat. Ripper was the one who went to the main desk.
“Your dad will make it,” Dick said. “No bullet wound will ever stop him from walking.”
“You’re sure?”
“I know this man. There’s no way this man will let anyone else tell him when his time is up.” Dick slapped him on the shoulder.
It was of little comfort to him.
Time passed.
He watched the clock click, seeing the hands slowly tick along around, mocking him. He’d long wiped the tears from his eyes. Right now, his father needed a man, not a boy.
Squaring his shoulders, he waited, prepared for the worst.
When the doctor finally came out, Simon was expecting awful news as his face looked grim.
He was going to lose his father, he just knew it.
****
Two days later
“Ouch, woman,” Devil said.
“Keeping me out of the loop. Not telling me my own husband was going to die,” Lexie said.
“I didn’t die.”
“You will when I get my hands on you.”
“You’re going to make me pay for being a naughty boy,” Devil said.
“I think I just threw up in my mouth,” Simon said. “Ouch.” He rubbed the back of his head from where his father had slapped him. “Not exactly fair.”
“Don’t think I’m not mad at you as well, young man. Not telling me about your father being shot. You told me this was going to be a simple mission. In and out, no problem.”
“Baby, I have always warned you of the risks. They don’t go away. Not for anyone.”
She made some weird snorting noise. “I have a good mind to tell those Billionaires where to stick their little mission requests.”
“Not happening, baby. You and I both love it when we get our rewards.”
“I need to leave,” Simon said. “This has got to be some form of child abuse, seeing my parents hump each other.”
Devil had an arm wrapped around Lexie and he’d pulled her into his lap. There was no mistaking where his thoughts were going, and it was gross. Really gross. Disgusting.
“Son, close the door on the way out.”
Lexie giggled. “This is not happening.”
“Rather than shout at me, tell me how much you have missed me.”
He closed the door as he heard the first moan.
Elizabeth stood there, waiting. She looked a little pale. “He’s going to be all right, right?”
“Yeah, he’s going to be fine.”
“Was it scary?”
“Not too bad.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I sometimes allow myself to believe the bad times are over.”
“They are over. There are no more lockdowns. We’re safe.” He patted her arm.
“But what if someone decides to hunt them down? You know, like, the bad guys who Dad goes and takes from?” She frowned. “I know I’m not explaining this well.”
“You’re worried that the bad people will want revenge?”
“Won’t they? They can’t be good if they are always dealing in people.”
Simon agreed. “You’re right. We don’t know for certain. I know our dad, I know the club. They would never do anything to jeopardize our safety.”
“It’s not about our safety.” Elizabeth wiped beneath her eye. “I … I know he’s our dad and everything but I don’t want to lose him. Not to anyone.”
He opened up his arms and she stepped between them. “It’s not going to happen. Believe me, no one is going to take Dad until he’s damn good and ready.”
“You know that for a fact?”
“I do. Come on. No one is going to tell him when he will die. Only he will.”
She let out a breath. “That’s good to know.”
“You don’t want to go in there, trust me.”
“Are they being all lovey to each other?”
“You got it.”
Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “I’m going to go and study.”
And he had babysitting duty for the time being.
He grabbed the laundry basket from the bathroom and carried it downstairs to the laundry room. He folded everything up that was in the dryer and organized a load of washing to do. His mom had taught him how to do this years ago. With her constantly pregnant, she always needed the help and besides, he knew it gave him benefits in the long turn.
Just as he finished one load, the doorbell rang.
Leaving the room, he headed to the front door as his mom came downstairs, fixing her clothes. It didn’t take a genius to work out what was going on there. Her cheeks were red.
