Apparently, Dante hadn’t been impressed with the idea of Cash and Ralen splitting their loyalties. But they were still invited to family things like this barbecue, because that’s what they all were, a family.
A strange, odd sort of family. With a real mix of people.
He turned and glanced over at Sunny, who was talking to a stranger.
Only he wasn’t a stranger, was he? Just because Spike had never seen this disguise didn’t mean he didn’t know who that was.
The Fox.
Part of him still found it hard to believe that they had an assassin in their mix, a man who had killed people, but who had also done a lot to help them, who had rescued more than a few of their women.
And who was now part of the family.
The Fox nodded at something Sunny said, smiling down at her. Spike was kind of glad that the Fox wasn’t as close to Millie as he was with Sunny. At the same time, he knew that Sunny was now one of the most protected people in the city of Billings.
The Fox would always make sure that.
He was also glad that the Fox had never bought Millie a pink motorbike, because he knew that she would insist on riding it. She’d probably put some sort of seat in the back for Mr. Fluffy and buckle him in with his own motorbike helmet.
Oh, God, Spike could see it now. All too easily.
Yes, he was glad that the Fox didn’t send Millie ‘gifts.’
Sunny giggled at something the Fox said as Brody and Autumn moved toward them. Brody and Autumn started talking to Sunny, and the Fox glanced around, his gaze hitting Spike’s.
The Fox nodded to him and he nodded back before turning back to find Hack had started guessing what Betsy had drawn a picture of.
To him, it looked like an alien getting beamed up into space.
“Um, is it a flower?” Hack said.
“No,” Betsy said, shaking her head. “Stop playing around. You know what it is.”
Oh, he really didn’t.
Millie leaned against Spike’s side, and he placed his arm around her again. He could feel her shaking and glanced down at her in concern.
But when she looked up at him, there was amusement in her face. Ahh, she was just trying to hold in her giggles.
Relief filled him. The last thing he wanted was Millie to be upset. His world revolved around his girl and her happiness.
Not that he wouldn’t spank her bottom if she was naughty. But he thought she was happier with boundaries in place. And someone to enforce them.
Because she’d had very few boundaries before he’d come along. In fact, she’d put herself in some dangerous situations that he did not approve of.
No, she was much safer now that he was taking care of her.
It seemed like Zinnia Danes might need a Daddy herself if she was collapsing on stage due to exhaustion. He remembered the last interview he’d seen with her, and he swore that she was looking thinner and more drained.
Not that it was any of his business. He had his own girl to take care of, and she was a full-time job.
One that he thoroughly enjoyed.
“Right. Yes, of course it’s not a flower,” Hack said, rubbing at his forehead as he stared down at the picture. The look on his face was one of intense concentration, as though he thought the answer was suddenly going to pop out at him.
Poor bastard. Spike wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. That was for sure.
“Is it a bird?” he said. “Or an octopus?”
