Page 68 of Tossed into the Mob
Grandpa Arnie had changed our lives by “giving” us the house. We insisted on paying him rent every month, but my mate suspected he was putting the money into a special account for our daughter, Lua.
We’d considered naming our daughter Luna because of La Luna Noir, but Rudy said the name was becoming so popular, our daughter would be one of many Lunas her age. So we researched and discovered Lua, that also meant moon and to set free. We loved the idea of our daughter being able to make herown choices in life, though she thought she could do that now and insisted she sleep during the day and stay up all night.
Lua was four months old, and we were still trying to wrangle her into a schedule. The first few weeks were a blur where she cried and I cried, and the family popped in with advice and plenty of meals that just needed heating up. Luckily, we had lots of babysitters on call which allowed me to take a nap when I was falling asleep on my feet.
“You okay?” My mate adjusted the baby carrier strapped to his chest. Lua was asleep with her tiny fist resting against his shirt. I wanted to kiss her all over as she lay in her alpha father’s arms.
“Mmmm. Tired but glad to be out in the fresh air.”
“I’ll do the night shift this evening.”
I side-eyed him and grinned. “Meaning you’ll give your wolf his fur or you’ll get up when Lua cries?”
“Very funny.” He tapped my butt.
“It will pass, just suck it up,” Dad assured me. “But don’t wish for these days to end too fast, because the days and years zoom by, and soon your baby will be leaving for college.”
“Oh, Dad.” I hugged him. He was still shuttling back and forth from the apartment Flint had bought to our house, and sometimes to the apartment in town where I’d seen Emilio’s photo.
The trail was one we’d walked before Lua was born when I’d been lugging my huge bump around. Now I was carrying a diaper bag and I had my mate, daughter, and dad with me. I was tired but so happy, and while I wasn’t working now, I’d be back in the La Luna Noir headquarters in a couple of months.
But something was bugging me, and it wasn’t exhaustion. I glanced around, but there was no one else on the trail. Besides, with Treyton’s wolf, we had little to fear if someone tried to what? Steal our phones? We didn't have them with us.
Dad peered at Lua and stroked her head. “She’s so peaceful. Hard to believe she made such a dramatic entrance.”
“You should listen to her at three AM when she’s fighting sleep.”
Treyton informed me his grandfather was trying out more varieties of baby food, and I said we’d have to buy not only another freezer but a bigger house.
The wind was picking up, and we turned around and headed for home. But Treyton froze, and I almost bumped into him. He sniffed the air, and he swung around, his eyes scanning the tree line.
“What is it?” I put a hand on Lua’s back.
But as the wind blew, it was my turn to pause and sniff. The air contained something familiar and not just the woodland smells. Dad came up to us and asked what was going on, but I couldn’t say. I didn’t know, only that I didn’t like what the air was carrying.
Treyton pushed me back, but I charged in front of him. The wind stung my eyes, but it was my nose that picked up sweat and fear. The sweat wasn’t mine but maybe the fear came from me.
Something crackled behind us, and we swirled. Two men appeared through the trees, and I understood. It was Dr. Gasper, the one who’d escaped when I was sort of undercover and on assignment for the pack. He was the head of the trafficking ring I’d help bring down.He was with a guy I didn’t recognize, but their expressions suggested they weren’t out for an afternoon stroll.
On seeing our faces, Dad swung to face them and yelped. He stumbled back, and Treyton pushed him between us. But my mate had Lua. He couldn’t protect us or shift while she was attached to his chest.
“If it isn’t the midwife, his mate, and the frail human father,” Dr. Gasper called out, his voice carrying on the wind. “What a pleasant surprise.”
“Gasper,” Treyton intoned.
“I’m flattered that you remember me, but then your little investigation caused me so much inconvenience.”
Treyton put a hand behind his back, trying to unclip the carrier.
“There’s no need to move your sleeping daughter. She shouldn’t be awake for this.”
I gritted my teeth, willing myself not to cry. We didn’t have a gun like the last time we were threatened, but I had to protect Lua first and then Dad. I was worried about Treyton too, though he had a wolf. But Gasper was a shifter too, and the other guy’s stance reminded me of a wild animal. I’d grown adept at scenting shifters, but he was downwind. He moved to flank us, and I grabbed Dad and pulled him behind me.
But Lua was my priority.
“Whatever you want, your beef is with me. Let’s talk about this.” Lua had woken up and was wailing, and Trenton was struggling to unbuckle the clip.
I reached out for my daughter, but Gasper snapped at me and told my dad to take the baby. I didn’t care about my own safety as long as Lua got away. If Gasper had a problem with me and Treyton and took his revenge, I’d go to the goddess knowing our daughter had a large extended family to rally around and love her. It’d break my heart to watch her from above, but her happiness was all I cared about.
