Page 150 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

Chapter Forty

Saffie

Three months later.

“Come to Auntie Saffie,” I say in a singsong voice, taking little Theo from his mother’s arms. “Who’s a clever boy then?” He beams and giggles at me.

Mary flops back and huffs air so heavily it makes her bangs fly up. “I’d forgotten how exhausting looking after a baby is. I mean, I know they poop, pee, sleep and feed, but it’s a never-ending job.”

“Aww, you keeping your mom running around?” For an answer, Theo blows a spit bubble at me.

Grumbler comes over and places a bottle of soda next to his wife. “You getting in practice?” He nods at the baby in my arms. As I blush bright red, he leans into Mary. “Fuckin’ called it, didn’t I?”

As his old lady’s eyes widen when she looks at me then beams, I know she’s guessed.

“We were keeping it quiet.” I pout. There’s no point in denying that I’m six weeks pregnant. And deliriously happy I might add. It’s just that I didn’t want to tempt fate by making an announcement so soon.

“She doesn’t need practice,” Mary points out, prodding her man. “She’s been helping out with Theo ever since we brought him home. I couldn’t have done it without her help.” I have. I’d started while she was still in the hospital. Mary’s blood pressure hadn’t immediately come down, and Theo had developed some breathing problems. But they were both home just two weeks after the delivery that had found them unprepared, so Niran, his brothers and I had pitched in to get everything ready.

“Hey, what about me?”

Mary looks at me and rolls her eyes, then pats Grumbler on the hand. “You’ve been a great help, dearest.”

I grin. Grumbler’s proud as fuck of his son and the part he played in delivering him, but tends to like to show him off and retell the story, each time with more embellishments than to get involved in the details of rearing him. Though I have seen him changing a diaper from time to time.

“I can’t fuckin’ feed him, I haven’t got the right equipment.” Grumbler plumps up his flat chest to make sure we get what he’s saying. I roll my eyes, typical man.

“Where’s my brother?” Alicia, appearing at the clubhouse door, calls out.

I sigh, knowing I’m going to have to give him up. Before I do, I nuzzle his down-covered head and breathe in his scent. This time I’m going to do everything right.

As I pass Theo over to his big sister, I ease back my head and close my eyes.

Despite Niran being so worried, I hadn’t had nightmares about what I’d done to Duke, in fact, the opposite. I don’t have nightmares at all now. Ending Duke has erased him from my mind. I’d felt I was selfish in wanting another baby so soon, but Niran had insisted there was no point in waiting. After what we’d been through, we’d lived more in a few months than most people experience in a lifetime. We’d seen each other more at our worst than our best, and that had not only strengthened our relationship, it had given us a solid grounding for the future. As soon as I’d got the all clear after my third period had come and gone, we’d dispensed with the condoms. I’d fallen pregnant immediately.

I’ll never replace the son that I lost or forget my earlier baby, but I’ve been given another chance, new life growing inside me, and this time, a good man by my side.

As if I’ve conjured him up, when the clubroom door opens again, it’s Niran. He makes a beeline for me, his mouth landing on mine, his hand touching my belly. If Grumbler hadn’t already guessed, Niran would soon be giving the game away. He can’t hide his delight at my pregnancy, even if he complains we should have had more practice.

“Good ride?” I ask him, noticing Sharpshooter coming in behind him, taking off his gloves and tucking them into his helmet.

“Great.” Niran breathes in and breathes out, his eyes creased in bliss at the memory.

That day when Niran had had his cast removed is etched in my memory. I’d been all but paralysed by the fear that his foot wouldn’t have healed sufficiently and wouldn’t be weight bearing. But the surgeons had done their job right, and though he jokes he shouldn’t stand near a strong magnet, his foot, while not pretty, is serviceable. The first time he got back on his bike, he looked like a child at Christmas.

He straightens and tugs down his cut, the one now embellished with the new sergeant-at-arms flash. Grumbler’s stepped back permanently, wanting to dedicate his time to being a dad. As he says, this is his one chance, and he wants to make a go of it.

“Glad you remembered how to keep shiny side up, Venge,” Grumbler says snidely, but his lip curls. “And I hear congratulations are in order.”

Yeah, my man’s at last picked up a handle. Seems he wanted revenge for so long, it kind of stuck to him. Shortly after Duke’s demise he entered church as Niran and emerged as Vengeance. As it was all on my behalf, I’d had no problem with it. Vengeance, as the saying goes, is all mine.

Vengeance narrows his eyes. “You told them?”

“I did not. He,” I point to the offender, “guessed.”

“Does everyone know?” Vengeance plops down beside me and puts his arm around my shoulders.

“Started a book already. I’ve got twenty on it being a boy,” Blaze shouts out.

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