A Very Venom Christmas - Kristine Allen Page 0,40

next to us at one of the tables in the common area.

“You know you could go to the infirmary so we don’t have to catch you when you fall out of that chair,” he said, also poorly hiding a grin.

“No way. I spent enough time on that uncomfortable gurney at Snow’s. When I go lie down, I’m gonna be doing it in my own fucking bed.”

“Suit yourself,” he said to me.

As Angel snipped out the stitches, I distracted myself with what had been on my mind. “How were you able to calm her down?” I asked Hawk.

He gave me a strange glance as he cocked his head. “Whadda you mean?”

Glancing around nervously, I debated whether to announce what I saw as a weakness.

“Whoa. Wait.” Hawk squinted at me before he started laughing and shook his head.

“What the hell is so funny?” I grumbled. I’d been in a shit mood for a long damn time. Pretty much since the day I drove away from Loralei. It was getting old. Something needed to change.

“Prez, I’d say you’re well and truly fucked.” He started chortling, and my teeth ground in frustration. Why did it seem like I was stuck in this weird dream where I was clueless and everyone else knew something I didn’t? Oh yeah, because I was.

“Would someone quit beating around the goddamn bush and tell me what they think is going on? I’m tired. I found out I’m gonna be a father, survived a goddamn fire, got shot at, chased through a blizzard, rear ended, shot twice, then traveled my ass back here. My patience is a little fucking thin.” I ended my angry tirade to see Hawk, Raptor, Voodoo, Angel, Ghost, and Chains all staring at me in various stages of disbelief.

Then all hell broke loose with demands from them.

“What the hell?”

“Why didn’t you say you needed our help?”

“A kid?”

“Why didn’t you let one of us go with you?”

“Who the hell is the girl?”

“We shouldn’t just now be hearing about all of this!”

“We thought this was connected to something with Snow!”

“Enough!” I roared, and they all snapped their jaws shut. Glancing at my shoulder, I saw the trickle of blood running down my skin but ignored it. “I went back to get the rest of the stuff for Grams. While I was there, I got some unexpected news that changed my plans a little. Unfortunate shit went down. Snow has his boys looking into some of it, but I want to talk to Facet. Bottom line is, Loralei is mine.”

My words shocked even me. Though I’d told her she was coming back with me and I’d take care of her, in my mind I’d convinced myself it was only because she was pregnant. The truth hit me like a sledgehammer to the balls.

Because inexplicably, I’d found myself wanting something I’d sworn to never have.

I was going to have a family.

And Loralei was going to be my ol’ lady.

Jesus, I was fucked.

Angel slid his fingers along my wound, and I experienced the burn of his touch as it shot through me, rapidly replaced by the rippling tingle. My vision blurred, and my mouth refused to cooperate. Warmth followed like a current flowing through me.

Then I passed out.

When I came to, I was in my bed, flat on my back. Everything was stiff as I fought to roll over. My head was pounding, and I waited for it to split open. After a few deep breaths, it began to ease, and I realized I wasn’t alone.

Disoriented, I began to panic for a second until I remembered I was in my own bed and I’d told them when we got there that Loralei would be sleeping in my bed. Her dark hair was next to me, and I pressed my face into it, instantly experiencing a lightness and calm.

Finally in control of my body, I turned to my side. The lack of excruciating pain to my shoulder at first surprised me. Then I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my body as I curled into her warmth.

Tempted to go back to sleep, I instead chose to reflect on the last couple of days. Never in my life would I have imagined things would change so drastically and so rapidly.

The woman in my arms made me a possessive asshole, but I was amazingly okay with that. Now that the shock had settled, I realized it didn’t matter that I was nearly twelve years older than her. She was a gift,