Page 67 of Sniper

I shrug. “Also ensured I knocked her up to boot.”

Acid nods in approval, and I sigh. “She only told me two days ago about her trauma. She’d been seeing Emily, Tats’ momma, and the local counselor, before I met her. I didn’t know.”

Steel speaks up this time, but with more respect, seeing I’m ready to fly off the handle. He asks, “Why did she tell you now?”

I go to answer him, but my woman’s angelic voice answers for me, causing me to look her way with such tenderness that I can feel it deep in my bones.

“Because I tried to abort our twins….”

22

Aurora

“Because I tried to abort our twins,” I rasp, and all eyes come to me, Annie gripping my hand in support.

I refuse to allow Theo to deal with this on his own.

It’s time I faced my fears once and for all; otherwise, I’ll never move on, and Brook and Annie were both in support of me.

Theo sighs, half turning his body and lifting his arm. I smile at him and walk into his side, his momma staying near me, keeping hold of my hand, while my left grabs hold of my husband’s cut for support.

Theo tuts, “You just can’t do as your told huh, Firecracker?”

Looking up at him, my heart flutters with the pure love he’s looking at me with, and my eyes tear up as I say, “Nope, but you love me anyway.”

He smiles, his eyes showing nothing but love as he admits in a room full of men, “With everything I am.”

I hum, placing my forehead against his chin, and remind him, “You're still not out of the doghouse.”

The brothers snort as he chuckles. “I know, Rory….”

“Really, Annie?” Bull sighs, exasperated. I look at him, giving him a smile, which he returns, his eyes softening at seeing the grip I have on my husband.

Annie adds, “What? It’s not like I helped the women prank the men again. They’re doing that on their own while you’re all in here. I really hope you all like glitter on your bikes.”

The men groan loudly, and I grin wide, looking up at Theo.

He narrows his eyes and demands, “Please tell me you have not been in contact with the Untamed women, Firecracker.”

I bat my eyelashes at him, and the men groan louder, causing Annie to laugh before she sighs, and says to the men, “She needs this.”

They all nod, sighing in defeat as Theo holds me tight, and I look toward the men I grew up with for the first time since entering the room, even though I’ve felt their eyes on me.

My eyes connect with Acid’s first, his eyes teary, before I look at Piston, his eyes looking at my large belly, his hands fisted.

I look at Steel next, who looks like he’s barely holding it together, then I look at my father, and anger shoots through me.

He promised he wouldn’t leave me again, but he did, and a small part of me blames him.

My tears fall, and I finally get my shit off my chest. “You promised me you wouldn’t leave me again!” He flinches and opens his mouth, but I’m not done. “You left me when I needed you the most. If you were still home, what happened may never have happened.”

Theo holds me tighter, and my father whispers, “Pumpkin?—”

I cut him off, “No! I stopped being your pumpkin when I was bent over the kitchen counter and raped by someone all four of you trusted! I stopped being your princess when I was abused mentally and physically for a year!”

They all cringe, stepping back, and I sob, clutching the back of Theo’s cut and Annie’s hand. I stutter, “I hate you for-for leaving me-me, but-but then I-I wouldn’t have-have my daughter…. I-I wouldn’t have-have Theo!”

Theo gently rubs my belly, trying to calm me, and he takes over for me. “She was held captive a few towns over from your clubhouse. She spent a year there, and even tried killing herself. That’s when she found out she was pregnant.”

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