***
Chapter Twenty
It’s a Breakneck Chapter
Shadow
When I finish the call, my mind is reeling. Danick has been a friend of mine since I was sixteen years old. He took me under his wings and taught me everything there is to know about the kink world. I’m his prodigy, so to speak.
When I was eighteen, his pregnant wife was murdered. He’s been ripping across the United States ever since it happened, looking for the ones responsible. He’s cold, but he has every right to be. The information he’s given me has me more than fucking worried for my friend. He is going up against forces he shouldn’t be dealing with on his own, and I voiced that. Danick’s response was that he has help, and as my mentor, he has not once lied to me. I’m going to trust his word, but I did tell him to call me if he needs me.
When family is in trouble, you drop everything, and Danick is the only reason I know how to deal with my demons safely. I pray to the gods he gets to exact his revenge on whoever did this to his wife. My friend hasn’t been, for good reason, the same guy he was when I met him. I hope one day he will get his life back, and these fuckers get what they deserve.
***
ZZ
Fucking processing all the bullshit our family is going through right now is more than a goddamn migraine.
Storm and I lost our baby because of those fucking idiots that chased her car, and when my mind thinks about what my Prez and our first lady are going through, it stabs me right in the fucking heart all over again.
When Tatiana finds me, worry glazes her eyes. I know Shadow must have told her I have some news about the pregnancy.
“She’s on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. She will spend a few more days in the hospital before they allow her to finish it here. She has what they call placenta previa.” I explain before she has a chance to ask. “She’s going through all this bullshit because of the scarring on her cervix and uterus.”
My daughter gasps. “The rape.” I say nothing because there is no reason. Her assumption is correct. “But how did the rape affect her uterus?”
I pour a shot as I answer her. “The rape didn’t hurt her uterus, but since both are somehow scarred, she ended up with this previa shit. I don’t need to ask you to stay on the compound and out of trouble right now, do I? Pyro, Sniper, and I are going to need to be at our best, because fuck no is our Prez gonna be able to handle all this shit while he is worrying. And you know that if I’m worrying about you, I’m not at my best.”
“Dad, I’ll do my best to stay on the compound, and if I need to leave, I’ll take one of the guys with me. I promise.”
I toss the shot back and slam the glass down on the table.
“Thanks, baby girl. Your damn brother’s got me worried enough. Don’t need to be worrying about you, too.” My son’s fucking with Sabine has my nerves on edge. The bitch is a princess from hell. She’s over here to avoid a scandal, so what does that say about her character?
“Dad…”
Fuck. She wants something. “Yeah?” I close my eyes, expecting something much worse than what she brings up.
“Me and Shadow… uh… can—”
Oh, thank fuck. I was thinking she was pregnant, or hell, I don’t know what I thought she was going to say, but this is a much better kind of shock.
“It’s fine, Tea baby. With the way you’ve been acting about all this kink shit, and worrying the living shit out of me… It’s a breath of fresh air knowin’ you two are gonna try. And to be honest with ya, I hope the shit works out, because I know the kid.”
I’m actually pleading deep inside for these two to get their shit together. I can’t handle having another fucking prick hurt my daughter like before when she was off learning this shit on her own.
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she says in disbelief and I chuckle.
“I am.”
Tatiana hugs me, kisses me on the cheek, and thanks me before she leaves with a sad smile on her face.
I eased some of her concern, but not all of it. We still have to worry about Winter and her pregnancy and all the other shit.
Now I have to go find my lady because she isn’t going to work tonight.
***
Winter
“I can’t talk about this!” I scream at my husband. My hands shake as I lay in this hospital bed, knowing that even walking more than twenty feet will put my unborn child at risk. That is how serious my case of placenta previa is.
Braxxon wants me to talk about my feelings and what we need to do about our situation. There isn’t anything to discuss. It is what it is. I’m on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy. The next four and half months will be difficult. Our child’s life depends on my following instructions to the letter. And he has forced me to break one of the items on the list by stressing me out and making me yell at him.