Page 90 of Viking Unchained

His first reaction was to rail at yet another reminder of her dead husband. But then he began to wonder if there might actually be some connection. A far-fetched idea, that, but worth noting. So he just nodded. “I saw it in a merchant’s display, and it drew me.” He shrugged.

Mike said his prayers, blessing everyone in the whole bloody world, Thorfinn included. But not to get a big head, he had to note that Mike also blessed the cows and chickens.

Lydia turned off the light, leaving on only a dim “night light,” and bent over the bed to kiss Mike, giving Thorfinn a nice view of her curved arse in tight den-ham braies. “Sweet dreams, pumpkin.”

“You, too, Mommy.”

About to straighten up, Lydia noticed the direction of his stare and snorted her disgust.

Then Mike opened his arms to Thorfinn.

It was Thorfinn then who bent over the bed, and he did not mind at all if she ogled his arse. He brushed his lips across the boy’s smooth cheek, unprepared for Mike’s grabbing him about the neck and pulling him closer. Into his ear, he whispered, “I said a secret prayer t’night.”

“What was that, little one?”

“I prayed fer you ta be my dad.”

Chapter 17

And then she saw stars . . .

It was with much trepidation that Lydia drove up the lane to Green Meadows Farm with Finn, Magnus, and Mike. Torolf, Geek, Slick, and Sly went on to town, where everyone would meet up at noon with the FBI and local law enforcement. She and Dave’s parents would also be meeting with town officials this afternoon to discuss their role in the memorial service on Saturday. JAM had stayed behind with three of Magnus’s sons to protect her parents and their property.

Magnus was already oooh ing and aaah ing over the farm, just as he had back at Mill Pond Farm, but it was Finn she was most concerned about. She was still irritated with him that he would assume she would be willing to live with him without love or commitment. But what worried her now was what Dave’s parents’ reaction to him would be.

Mike was the first one out of the vehicle, and he ran up to give big hugs to Grandma and Grandpa, immediately followed by, “Where’s my present?” The scamp rushed inside the house to search.

Lydia hugged Julie and Herb warmly, too. They’d always seemed like second parents to her. Then she introduced Magnus, saying, “Magnus has farming in his blood. You won’t mind if he wanders around, will you?”

“No problem,” Herb said. “We’ve got so many men protecting us here, you’ll probably be tripping over them.”

“Mayhap we can rebuild your barn whilst we’re here,” Magnus offered blithely, as if that were a little thing.

But any response by a gaping Herb was halted when he heard his wife gasp. Then he gasped, too, as Finn came from the other side of the vehicle, where he had been gathering some supplies Lydia’s mother had sent over, including one of her red velvet cakes. She must have gotten up at dawn to make it.

Finn had been bent over picking up the boxes, and when he stood, they saw his eyes. It was understandable why the first thing out of Julie’s lips was, “Dave! Oh, my God! It’s Dave.”

Finn rolled his eyes, muttered, “Dave again,” then walked over and placed the box on the porch before turning to them, hand outstretched. “Greetings! My name is Thorfinn Haraldsson.”

“But . . .” Julie was frowning with confusion.

“Who the hell are you?” Herb asked, but not unkindly.

“I told you. I am—”

“No, that’s not what I mean.” Herb, who was the same height as Finn but wire thin, grabbed the Viking and gave him a big bear hug, not letting go.

Finn cast Lydia a pleading look over Herb’s shoulder, not knowing what to do without offending the older man.

“Julie, come give . . . um, this big boy here a welcome, ” Herb said to his wife in some pointed way.

Lydia understood. It was code, something they always said every time Dave had come home. “Our big boy is home now, honey. All is good.”

Well, all was not good. And she couldn’t let this go on.

“Herb, Julie, I need to talk to you.”

Reluctantly, Julie let go of Finn. Tears of joy were streaming down her face.