Page 16 of Shadow Touched

“Oh, well, we’re not married yet,” Leia saidweakly.

“Pshaw. Only one reason a man brings hiswoman home to meet his mother.” Martha winked. “Let me tell you,his ex, Cindy, was a headcase. I bet you anything she poked a holein the condom to trap Brim.”

Leia blinked. “Does that really work?”

“Brim is too good a guy,” Martha replied.“Married the little viper when she got knocked up. I insisted on apaternity test, of course. Nate was Brim’s all right, but Cindy hadthis mean glint in her eyes. Nasty little bitch, I tell you. BlamedBrim when Nate got killed.”

“Ma,” Brim said from the doorway.

Martha spun around, arms out. “There’s myboy!”

Mother and son embraced. Over her head, Brimmouthed the word sorry. Leia gave a one-shoulder shrug. Shewasn’t bothered at all by Martha’s assessment of Brim’s ex-wife.She wasn’t here to form any type of opinion. By the time they left,Martha would unknowingly be their perfect relationship alibi.

“You are such a bad son,” Martha said as shepulled back to stare up at him. She waved a finger under his nose.“You’ve been gone a long time.”

“Stop it, Ma.”

“You’re the president of the Death Riders.You need to get your ass back in that seat. Your men need aleader.”

“Stop, Ma. I’ve been talking with my V.P.every week.”

“Ma … what a horrible word,” the pint-sizedwoman said. She looked over at Leia. “Do you call your motherma?”

“Um—”

“Her mother is dead, Ma. Stop.”

Martha’s face softened. “I’m so sorry, mydear. Loss is so hard.”

“Yes,” Leia murmured. She didn’t elaboratethat her parents basically ditched her, and thankfully, Brim keptquiet.

Martha patted her hand. “You know, Natelooked just like his father. I’ll bring over baby pics of both ofthem after dinner.”

“Ma, no. God, no!”

Martha waved off his concern. “Afterdinner, I said. Which reminds me, I thought we could do a cookouttonight since you’re back. Let me talk with Piper and see if sheagrees.”

She hurried from the kitchen. Brim’s motherwasn’t anything like Leia had envisioned. She expected an aging,grey hair old lady. Instead, Martha was a little dynamo whodefinitely did not look her age.

“Hope you had nothing planned for the restof the night,” Kix said dryly. “She’s going to show you album afteralbum of people you’ve never met.”

Leia smiled. “It’s okay. I understand theneed to look at pictures. It helps us deal with grief.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Brim folded his arms overhis chest. “The past is in the past. I thought you, above all,would understand.”

“I do,” she murmured. Leia and she laid ahand on his. She meant it as a comforting gesture, but Brimentwined his fingers with hers.

“We’re a pair, aren’t we?” he asked.

He stared at her intently, and for a moment,she forgot to try to pull away. His blue eyes filled withunderstanding. A shared pain. They both had secrets and it somehowmade them equal. Captured in his mesmerizing gaze, everythingaround her faded into a hazy grey blob. It was just her and him,two against the universe. Then a little tyke ran in from the otherroom and bumped into Brim’s leg. He looked down at the little boy,breaking the spell that entwined them together. Leia blinked as theworld came back into focus. Brim bent and picked the little boy up.Piper’s son tugged on Brim’s beard, and heartache brought painfulshadows through his blue eyes. He may try to act tough andresolute, but Leia sensed he was hurting deep in his soul.

“Come back here, you little minx,” Pipermuttered as she waddled into the kitchen. She gave a rueful smilewhen she saw her son in Brim’s arms. “Just like him to play allnice around strangers. Kix, take him outside and let him runaround.”

“On it,” Kix said, reaching for his son.“Come on, Brim. I’ll show you some of the improvements we made tothe mechanic’s garage.”

The men left out of the back door. Pipersighed and rested a hand on her belly.

“I’m looking forward to being me again, andnot a host body,” she said. “I just can’t keep up with them. I’llask one of the other wives to help prepare one of the upstairsrooms for you and Brim.”

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