I nod at Vex’s soothing tone. He’s right, I have learned all about panic attacks and how to deal with them. I switch into EMT mode and gently talk myself through everything I need to do. Focus. Breathe. Focus. Breathe. When I open my eyes it’s to find Marx’s dark eyes on mine. I look away in embarrassment, mortified that I panicked in front of all these men.
“You OK, darlin?” Marx asks. I don’t trust my voice yet, so I nod, avoiding eye contact. “Loyal, you were chosen because we know that you will protect those kids. If anything happens and you for any reason think they may be compromised here or unsafe, you pack them up and you and Vex go. Transport themout of here. You have the contacts and the skills to make this happen.”
“We’re waiting for word back from the DA who will bring the case to court. In the mean time Wire is watching Hitchens, the fucker we’re hiding the girls from,” another man, this one dark haired and gruff, assures me.
I swallow, placing my free hand on Vex’s hand, the one still holding mine underneath. “Sorry, I just, I just, ah, wasn’t expecting it. But if that’s what you need me to do, I will protect them with my life.”
I jerk slightly when something touches my temple. Vex’s lips. I sit frozen, the tender gesture causing havoc in my stomach. It’s not unwelcome, not at all. It’s just with that one small movement my heart feels too big to fit in my chest, I’m sure everyone in the room can see my pulse racing. That one kiss is romance and tenderness and everything I thought I would never deserve.
“No need to risk your life, Loyal. You’re part of the DRMC now. We’ll have your back,” Marx says gently.
“Thank you.”
“I’ve had the prospects working on the prophet’s old place. It’s ready for a family of four.” Dex smiles.
“Good. Well, Vex, why don’t you take Loyal to go meet your kids. They were asleep in the SUV when we pulled in. Mama Debs is out there with them.” Marx’s lips turn up in the corners and I let Vex lead me out of Church, out of the common room, and to a big, black shiny SUV, the same as the ones the Keep now has.
“You gonna be good with this?” Vex asks, turning to look at me. He drops my hand for a moment, then rests his palms on my shoulders. I like when he does this. It grounds me.
“I know it won’t be for long, but I just, I never thought I’d get to be a mother.”
A look of confusion crosses his face before he hides it. “What do you mean?”
I’m not sure if I should tell him. Joe knows, from one of our late night talks, but Vex doesn’t know. I have no idea why I would tell Joe and not Vex, the man I’ve been friends with for as long as I can remember. I contemplate not telling him, about keeping it to myself. But dammit, there’s a part of me that’s had a taste of what my life could be like if I was brave enough to reach out and grab hold of what I want, and I want Vex. I want his temple kisses and his hands on my shoulders and holding my hands. I want to work a shift as an EMT and then come home to Vex. In order to do that I need to tell him something that only me and Joe know. That when I was young Goodson beat me so badly I lost the one thing I always wanted.
“I can’t have children. Goodson, he, he made sure of that.”
Vex stares at me. He stares and he stares, the only movement is the clenching and unclenching of his jaw. He takes several deep breaths, then reaches out, a slight tremor in his hand as he cups my face.
“If that motherfucker was alive I’d kill him all over again.”
I rear back. “What do you mean ‘all over again’?”
Vex’s eyes search mine, “I killed him, Loyal. I came to the Keep with my sister and the DRMC. I avenged you.”
I stare into Vex’s dark as night eyes, and my body fills with warmth. The boy who always asked how I was, who looked out for me, he came back and he slayed my monster. My avenging angel. I raise my hand, gently pressing it to his bearded cheek, the stubble scratchy on my palm but real, warm, full of life. Rising to my toes I lean forward, pressing my lips to his, gently, oh so gently. My eyes close as his arms band around me, bringing me impossibly close to the man who is my safety. My lips press firmer, deeper, Vex’s tongue gently licking across my bottom lip, asking for entrance instead of forcing its way in likeothers have in the past. I open slightly, my tongue meeting his, languidly gliding until Vex has stolen my breath from me, and my heart.
Pulling away, my eyes lazily open, looking into Vex’s. “Thank you for slaying my monster,” I whisper.
“Anytime and every time, sweetheart.” He presses a kiss to my forehead before turning to look at the SUV. “Ready to meet our family?”
I nod as he opens the back door and I lay my eyes on copper curls and cherubic faces. In that very moment I know that no harm will touch these kids. Not with me standing in the way.
Chapter 7
Vex
Irun my hand over my beard, missing my mouth so as not to wipe away the memory of Loyal’s lips on mine. Never in a million years did I think she would do that and yet my brave woman did. The woman who revealed to me that she will never have children of her own, and yet here she is, cooing over two six-year-olds with haunted looks on their faces.
“You must be Loyal?” Mama Debs asks, curiously looking at the woman who has always had a piece of my heart since before I knew what love even was.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! Yes, I’m Loyal. I, aw, sorry, I just didn’t see you there.” Loyal has her hands on her cheeks, looking horrified.
“Kotiro, you were busy giving these babies love. Ain’t no shame in that.”
Loyal nods, still looking sheepish.
“I’m Debs but everyone calls me Mama Debs.”
