Page 86 of The Heart We Guard
“Or find someone in Denver to drive to you,” Wraith says. “She’s always doing something. Driving Fen around, working here, decorating our home. Won’t sit still for a heartbeat.”
I give Raven a knowing and sympathetic smile. “I think they forget that we’ve been pregnant for millennia. And all those stories of working up to the birth are true.”
“Yeah,” Wraith says. “I know that’s true, but none of them were Raven, and none of them were pregnant with my baby, and we have the means, so she doesn’t have to step out of bed unless she wants to. So, fuck that shit.”
Raven smiles with the patience of Job. “And we talked about how I’d lose my mind and my will to live. And that I’ll stop if I’m tired, I’ll call you if I have even the smallest problems, and that I will ask you for help if I feel I can’t manage. So, stop giving Greer the impression you control my life.”
Wraith nuzzles the side of her neck. “You can’t blame a guy for trying. See you at the clubhouse later, Prez. Love you, Blue.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
Sweetieis such a funny word when used in association with the large, brooding man she’s engaged to. But there is something utterly endearing about the way she managed him, even when he was being…well…very much like Butcher.
“What can I get you?” Raven asks.
When I lay out my full order, Raven grins.
“Let me guess, no morning sickness.”
“Yes!” I turn to Butcher. “See, someone gets it.”
Butcher shakes his head, even as his lips curl up into a smile.
“Holy shit, Butcher. Did you just grin?” Raven asks.
“Shut up, Raven,” he says playfully. “I’ll have my usual. And make sure Greer’s coffee is decaf.”
Raven moves to stand next to me on my side of the booth. “I’ll make sure her coffee comes exactly assheorders it.” Without looking at me, she offers me her fist, and I bump it.
“Thanks, Raven. I’ll take the caffeine, but just a small one.”
She playfully sticks her tongue out at Butcher, then goes to get our food ordered.
“Was just trying to be helpful with the decaf thing,” Butcher says, haplessly. “Thought you weren’t meant to drink caffeine when pregnant.”
“Depends on if you get your information from one of those godawful fearmongering sites or books, or you do basic research from scientifically acknowledged communities, and find that a couple of hundred milligrams a day isn’t going to hurt anyone. Partner that with the fact I haven’t even been able to stand the smell of coffee for weeks, making this the only coffee I have knowingly had since conceiving beyond the sip I tried at the hotel, and you’ll shut up.”
Butcher motions zipping his lips and throwing away the key. “Last I’ll say on the subject.”
“Good.”
The sound of motorcycles draws our attention to the window, and the usual wave of panic blooms in my chest.
“Motherfuckers,” Butcher mutters beneath his breath.
On the sidewalk, I see Wraith is standing by his bike, a gun pointed down to the ground, ever so slightly behind his back so the riders don’t see it. His eyes are fixed on the convoy of bikers.
The Midtown Rebels patches on their backs visible as they ride by. They barely see us in the diner beyond a biker at the rear who flips Wraith the bird and notices us.
Wraith raises the hand that doesn’t have the weapon, points two fingers like an imaginary gun, and pretend fires it at the biker, who swiftly puts his head down and rides away.
I hold my breath until Wraith returns to Butcher and says, “They’re gone.”
“How do we escape them?” I ask.
“Leave that to me.”
I roll my eyes. “If you think I’m going to stand back like an observer in my life while youtake care of things, you’re mistaken.”
