Wyatt stood up and caught his chair, dragging it around the table to set it next to hers. He sank into it and wrapped his arm around her. It has to be done. We have to work as a team in order to get them out. You know that. There’s no shame in what or who you are, Pepper, but these men are my friends and they’re riskin’ their lives for us.
He took her hand and brought it to his mouth. She was still tense. Shivering. A little shocked, but she nodded.
“She was meant for seduction and assassination. She can’ help who she is any more than we can. She’s learnin’ to tone it down and tryin’ to shield everyone from her voice and her… uh… movements, but it’s a process. She’s one of us, and she’ll need a little help from us. And she’s mine. Exclusively. The mother of my children. I won’ be happy if anyone else tries makin’ a move on her.”
“Yeah, Wyatt,” Ezekiel said. “I think we got that about you and her.”
Pepper frowned, looking puzzled. She opened her mouth to speak.
Don’. Don’ say a word right now. I’m protectin’ you and them the only way I know how. Just let me do this and we can sort the rest out later.
Her gaze clung to his. Studied him. She nodded. She really had no other choice but to trust him. She needed him.
What happens when I don’t need to be rescued anymore, Wyatt?
She struck a target with that question. Just as he was in her mind, she was in his. He didn’t give a damn and that was the truth. His dark gaze drifted over her, deliberately possessive. He brought her wrist to his mouth and slid his tongue over her pulse, felt her shiver and watched her eyes go an even darker purple.
Somthin’ tells, me, sugar, you’re always goin’ to be gettin’ yourself into trouble and I’ll always have to go rushin’ to your rescue. You got trouble stamped all over you, woman. Any man can see that a mile out.
He winked at her, and turned his attention back to the table. “So you understand the problem if we bring in more men.”
“We’ll help her,” Ezekiel said. “So will they. If she’s yours, she’s ours.”
Ginger had been watching carefully, and she signed to Ezekiel. Wyatt felt a lump rise in his throat. Ginger signed she belonged to Wyatt too and did that mean she was theirs as well.
Ezekiel nodded his head. “You bet, little lady.”
Ginger laughed with delight. Evidently Ezekiel had the right answer.
“We’ll need much more security to guard all three children and Pepper.” Pepper. He had no idea what he was going to do about her, but she came with the package.
I’m not part of any package, she hissed into his mind.
He winced. He so deserved that. Sure you are, sugar. You’re the hot part of the package, all spicy and exotic. Lookin’ forward to tastin’ that.
Her eyes went wide. Shocked. He grinned at her and prevented her from tugging her hand away from him.
“The number one thing we have to do is figure out how to make certain anyone who plans to be around the children is immune to their bites.”
Ginger frantically signed again, her gaze jumping from one to the other.
“I know none of you want to bite, baby,” Wyatt said gently. “But sometimes accidents happen. Pepper was very sick last night. She’s still in pain. Those bites would kill Nonny, or possibly one of us. It’s important we prepare for an accident just in case. No one thinks you would ever do something like that deliberately.”
Tears welled up in Ginger’s eyes. Nonny instantly got up and took the child from the high chair to cuddle her on her lap.
“There, there, little one, everythin’ is goin’ to be all right now. Your pere will take care of those bad men and you’ll never have to be around them again.”
The child signed. Wyatt tightened his hand around Pepper’s. The floor shivered. Ginger’s little fingers had said quite clearly, They hurt me. They hurt my sisters and Pepper.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Wyatt said. “I didn’ know about you or I would have come for you sooner. We’ll get the others out and we’ll protect you.”
Ginger signed, When?
“You’ll have to be patient. We have to know we can protect you and keep them from takin’ you back. That means preparation, but it won’ be for a few more days.” Her face dropped, and he couldn’t stand it. “As soon as possible, I promise, Ginger.”
“For a temporary measure, we can try caps on their teeth. I’ll have to study them to see how the venom is delivered. When we go for the children, I’ll hit their computers and take as many files as possible to give us a jump-start. Trap is amazin’ in a lab. He’ll figure it out even if I can’. The problem is, everythin’ we do is invasive to a degree. They’ve been studied enough.”
Pepper hissed out a soft protest.