Page 31 of Praying for Thunder

His mouth fell open. “And got pregnant.”

One. Slow. Nod.

“Shiiiiiit.”

Another slow nod.

“She didn’t want me tortured for info if the baby turned out to be the gringo’s.”

Dio licked his teeth. “The club you belonged to were of another nationality?”

One. Slow. Nod.

He pondered. “Gringo…” He took a deep breath. “Mexicans.”

She wouldn’t confirm but pointed to the necklace. “There’s a religious group with a similar name of the Redemption Ryders, but that’s all I found.” She teased, “Maybe he was a priest.”

Grateful that Anita was opening up at all, Dio chose to let the conversation go where Ani wished. He laughed out loud. “Well, hopefully, I was a better lay than she got, or I’ll be ashamed a man not allowed to have sex showed me up.”

She giggled into the pillow. “Maybe there was thunder because God was pissed.”

Laying between them in bed, I was in bliss I had never experienced. I felt safe. Ani was calm, on her side, staring at the man making it all possible.

Hazel eyes beamed at her as he whispered, “Thank you for trusting me.”

A tear slipped to her pillow. “You trusted first.”

He sighed. “Yeah, not a norm for me.”

Her sad lips smiled. “I respect that.”

He gazed at her as if he’d never adored anyone more. “Can I kiss you?”

“Sure!” I puckered up.

Both adults laughed as Dio leaned down and kissed me. He then asked, “Can I kiss Ani, too?”

Giggling, I covered my mouth. “She only kisses me!”

“That’s why I’m askin’, Thunder.”

That name felt like home to me. “Do I have a name now?”

He looked at Anita.

This time, the tears appearing were happy ones. In Spanish, she told me, “That is the name your mama picked. Do you like it, Niño?”

I rolled to her, snuggling to her side. “Si. A lot.”

I’d come to learn that Anita speaking Spanish was a weak spot for Diablo. His chin appeared over me as he got closer to my Ani. “Thunder, can I kiss her?” He looked starved for his lips to touch hers.

I squealed in delight, “Kisses! Kisses!” I was clueless he was paying such respect to the Little Guy in her life.

His lips pressed to hers.

Their love story was wild, but those simple moments are the ones I treasure most. Another magnet had joined mine and Ani’s blended souls… giving us needed strength.

Laying in that bed, cozier than I had ever been before, I tried hard to stay awake as they continued to talk, but I was too young to last much longer. I heard Dio say, “My mom raised me on her own, too…”