“I just laid there and snoozed, Daddy. That’s not a monumental accomplishment,” she said.
“Of course that’s a big step. You slept well. You relaxed and didn’t have any bad dreams. I bet you feel better.”
She thought about it for a minute and nodded. “I’m good. Not like perfectly normal but more like myself.”
“That sounds like an accomplishment to me.”
Suddenly, it seemed like one to her as well. Not like climbing Mount Everest but definitely a positive step. She pushed herself up on an elbow to look at him. “Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome,” Vex said formally, making her laugh. “Let’s go potty and grab something to drink. Then would you like to take a tour of the compound?”
From the amount of light filling the nursery, she could tell the weather was sunny outside. Suddenly, the last thing she wanted to do was stay inside. Besides, she was curious about the Devil Daddies and Vex’s home. “I’d love that.”
In a few minutes, they walked out of Vex’s cabin. Angel glanced around at the homes built along a row. Razor’s house was across the street. Scythe had a Little girl as well, Vex had shared. Were there anymore?
Dappled sunlight filled the compound. Built in the middle of a wooded area, mature trees towered overhead. Angel loved the curbside appeal of the cabins in the woods. They were close enough together that they felt like a community without being right on top of each other.
A powerful engine roared, and Angel glanced down the road. She suspected the entrance lay in that direction. A huge motorcycle prowled slowly along the pavement.
“Who’s that?” she asked, shifting closer to Vex.
“Lucien. He’s the MC’s president and founder. All this land and the grounds of the warehouse and Inferno belong to him.”
“How come he doesn’t have a nickname like the rest of you? Vex, Razor, Street.… Lucien seems ordinary.”
“Lucien rides as Diablo.”
“Diablo. Like the devil?” she asked, moving a fraction closer to Vex as the black motorcycle approached. “Oh, my! His bike has red flames. He is Diablo.”
“Looks like he’ll stop. Don’t be scared,” Vex reassured her as Angel ducked partially behind him.
The monstrous cycle slowed to a halt close to them. The rider dropped his feet to the ground and took off his helmet.
Angel stared at the tattoos that decorated his neck and face. Wow. “Hi,” she whispered.
“You must be Angel. Welcome to the Devil Daddies MC.”
“Thank you.” She swallowed hard. Those dark eyes held no warmth. They peered into her as if he could see into her soul. “Thank you for saving me from the Ravagers.”
“Vex and Razor are responsible for that. They’ve vouched for you,” Lucien told her bluntly. His face was a mask, not revealing his inner thoughts.
Lucien studied her for a minute. Not hiding or cringing behind Vex took all her courage. When Vex wrapped his arm around Angel, she stiffened her spine. “I appreciate everything they’re doing for me.”
“To deal with the Ravagers, I need to know what they’re thinking.”
“They’re fucking animals,” Vex swore. Angel nodded in perfect agreement.
Lucien didn’t react, keeping his focus on Angel. She tried hard not to squirm. A powerful aura surrounded the MC president. She was used to men who ruled multimillion-dollar companies with iron fists. Lucien surpassed all of them in his ability to intimidate without even trying. He simply sat on his motorcycle, studying her.
“Why did the Ravagers kidnap you?”
“You don’t have to do this now, if you’re not ready.” Vex cut in.
Angel had no doubts that he would whisk her from someone obviously important in his life without hesitating. A sense of calm settled over her. Vex had her back no matter what. “I’m okay, Vex. The Ravagers need to be stopped.” Vex held out his hand for hers, silently backing her up.
After meshing her fingers with his, Angel took a deep breath and answered the question. As long as she had Vex’s support, she could be brave. “My father is building a large factory in what he thought was a dead area of town. Turns out that location didn’t attract visitors for a good reason.”
“He’s bought into their territory. And let me guess, your father refused to pay them for protection.” Lucien grasped the problem quickly. He wrapped up what had taken Angel days of listening to scraps of information to piece together.
