Page 77 of Protected By the Convicts
Chapter Eighteen
VAUGHN
“Ican’t believe you don’t want to have a kid someday,” Sersie said as they sat around the table, eating third meal. It was a rare occasion that they all sat together. Even rarer that no fights or arguments had broken out.
Vaughn ate his rava, watching the banter between Sersie and Ren who sat on the other side of the table, with Ky’Li at the head. Hannah sat to Vaughn’s left, quiet as could be. Ky’Li didn’t seem interested in the conversation, but he was paying attention. He always paid attention, even when his focus was on Hannah, which was all the time.
“And if she were to get pregnant?” Ky’Li joined in to Vaughn’s surprise. “Would you abandon the child, Ren?”
“I don’t want kids. End of discussion.” Ren shot up from the table, taking his plate with him.
So much for a calm meal. Hannah stared at her plate as she pushed her food around with her fork.
“Hannah?” Ky’Li asked.
“I’m fine,” she said, but her voice betrayed her.
“Are you ill?” Vaughn asked. He could kick himself. No wonder she saw him as a doctor first and mate second. “What’s bothering you?”
She gave him a weak smile. “It’s been three weeks. Foley hasn’t come for Ky’Li.”
“That’s good,” Ren said, returning to the table with only a glass of water. “He probably read the files and realized Ky’Li did him a favor by getting rid of Griggs’s unit. Trouble makers, each and every one of them.”
“If that’s the case, Foley will be coming for you, Ren,” Sersie said.
“Why me?”
“You cause all the trouble around here. You and Ky’Li together.”
“I haven’t bashed his head into the wall since Hannah and I returned,” Ky’Li said as he shoved a spoon full of steaming meat into his mouth.
“You going soft on us, Ky’Li?” Sersie asked. “Or are you giving in to the idea that Ren’s in charge around here?”
“Sersie,” Vaughn warned. Sersie always had a way of making Hannah smile, but stirring up trouble between Ren and Ky’Li wasn’t the way to do it. “Ren’s not in charge,” Vaughn added before Ky’Li took offense.
“Oh, so we will have kids at some point?” Sersie pressed.
“No kids,” Ren said.
“You heard Foley. After three, Hannah and the kids would be free to go home.”
“I heard him.”
“Or maybe you don’t want her to go home,” Sersie accused. “You’d rather she were stuck here, waiting for us to finish our time.”
“Of course not.” Ren slammed a fist against the table. “Damn you, Sersie, why can’t you leave it alone?”
“Because I want kids.”
“Then have them. With someone else.”
“Maybe you should find someone else.”
Vaughn focused on Hannah. She hadn’t raised her head, not once, despite the argument going on around her. She kept pushing the food around on her plate. He hadn’t seen her take a bite yet.
“I’m not leaving here. I’m not leavingher,” Ren repeated.
“What if Foley reviews the records as he promised? He could send you home. Any day,” Sersie added.
