Page 86 of Vengeful Mates
Club members grunted their goodbyes, dragging their women and kids out to their bikes and cars, taking off in a fury of screeching tires and revving engines.
Zethan came up to my side, a hand cupping my stomach briefly before I pushed it to my hip to hide the motion from the others.
I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Thank you for clearing everyone out.”
When the last man left, Slade shut the door, and growled at Zethan, “You better have a good explanation for canning the party, asshole.”
Zethan’s face split into a smirk. “I don’t.” His answer prompted a savage growl from Slade. “She does.”
“Get talking, Nurse A.” Slade’s features were a storm of dark, threatening frustration that melted the moment I took his hand and jerked my head, signaling for him to follow.
My men moved into the bedroom, joking, playfully hitting each other, pretending to compete for the prime spot on the mattress next to me.
Alaric stayed out of it, holding onto me, stopping at the sight of the boxes left on their pillows, each named with a card. “What’s this?”
At his prompting, each of my men went to investigate, selecting the gift with their name on the card.
Castor’s gaze swept across the group. “We didn’t organize a housewarming gift exchange?”
Slade snaked an arm around my side and bundled me into his hold. “Who gives a shit? I’m up for presents.” He rattled his box and listened. “Nipple tassels? Cock socks?” His suggestive eyebrows went wild as he gestured between the men. “Matching ass plugs for us.”
I snorted and laughed, pushing at his chest, forcing him to fall onto the mattress.
Slade’s brows settled into place. “Where’s yours, Nurse A?”
“They’re from me.”
His legs opened and he curled me into his body. “Aww, you’re sweet like sugar.” He kissed me roughly on the cheek, and I sighed at the graze of his beard.
“I want you to open them together.” I gestured at the others, easing out of my fiery mate’s legs, wanting to watch them all open their gifts and savor their expressions.
Alaric fell beside Slade, followed by Castor, with Zethan on the end.
“All right, play this game, Sorceress.” Castor’s gaze held mine as he flicked open his black ribbon wearing his dark smirk, and my pulse thudded in excitement.
Alaric tugged the lid of his chest off, frowning as he removed a pair of pink booties. “Bit small, aren’t they?”
The others laughed as if they thought it was a joke, Zethan playing along. The bond pricked with confusion and the slightest yip of joy as one of them clued in but didn’t say a thing. I couldn’t quite sort through all the bombarding emotions of amusement, perplexed curiosity, and elation.
“They’ll fit your cock.” Slade playfully hit Alaric behind the ear.
Slade’s blue booties were tiny in his massive fingers, and I pictured him holding our child, innocent and fragile framed in his arms. How this ruthless beast would adore his little one and protect them and love them as fiercely as he did me.
“They’ll fit yours,” Alaric shot back. Either the penny hadn’t dropped yet for all of them, or they toyed with me. Emotions blowing up on the bond threw me off.
“I guessed the cock socks right.” Slade chuckled, dimples melting me as he waved the socks at me. “Good one, Housewarming Santa.”
Reminded of our Secret Santa exchange three months ago, I smiled, clasping my hands together, using them to hide my amused excitement.
Slade’s playful expression finally dropped like a skipping record, his bond morphing from lighthearted to shock to delirium. He lifted a pale blue wool beanie in one hand and his Biker Daddy mug in the other. “Are we going to be daddies?”
Halla-fucking-lujah!
“Took you long enough, asshole.” Alaric thumped him in the arm.
Hah! He was the one who clued in early and played along.
“How far along are you?” Typical Castor question.
