Okay, if you insist. “Because I’m carrying his child!”
Surprise ripples through the crowd. Several people gasp. Spider jerks his head around and gapes at me.
I can’t look at Mal. I channel all my energy into staring Spider down, willing him to back off.
“Do you know what that means? We’re family now. Me, Mal, Declan, Sloane…and you, too. We’re all a family. This baby links us together. The Mob and the Bratva now have blood ties.”
A quiet cheer rises from somewhere in the room.
I’m pretty sure it’s Nat.
With a hand held out and my pulse throbbing, I walk slowly toward Spider. Frozen in shock, he watches me approach. He’s breathing hard, and his color is high. Any sudden movement might make him pull the trigger.
When I get close enough, I rest my hand gently on his wrist. Holding his wild gaze, I say softly, “Just put it down. It’s over.”
He swallows. After a pause that feels like forever, he drops his arm to his side and bows his head.
Declan appears from nowhere. He grabs the weapon from Spider’s hand and shoves him into a group of Irishmen who are waiting to one side. As a murmur begins to spread throughout the room, they hustle him away.
I’m grabbed and engulfed in a bear hug.
Mal lifts me clear off the floor so my feet dangle in the air as he holds me. Into my ear, he says hoarsely, “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“You’re having my child?”
“Yes. And if you move to Mercury to try to protect us, your unkempt homeless deer mouse will hunt you down and kill you.”
He groans, crushing me against his chest. One of my heels falls off.
We stay like that, locked in a tight embrace, oblivious to the murmuring crowd, until someone clears his throat.
When I look up, I see Declan and Sloane standing arm in arm behind Mal.
Sloane is beaming. Declan looks like he needs a stiff drink.
“Set me down, sweetie,” I whisper. “The bride and groom would like a word.”
He growls, “The bride and groom can wait their fucking turn. I need a word with my woman first.”
He flips me up into his arms and strides off the dance floor. Over his shoulder, I watch Nat and Sloane embrace as Kage and Declan square off and glare at one another.
The band breaks into a rousing rendition of “We Are Family.”
As if nothing happened, the guests flood back onto the dance floor and start gyrating.
Wow. So that was a gangster wedding.
All in all, I think it went pretty well.
49
Riley
I don’t know where he takes me. There’s a short car trip, followed by a short elevator trip, both of which I spend with my face buried in the crook of his neck and my eyes closed, dragging his scent into my nose and clinging to him.
Then he’s lowering me onto a bed.
Without a word, he tears off my dress, ripping the silk apart like a tissue. He removes my bra and panties and my remaining shoe. Then he kneels beside the bed between my spread legs and presses his burning cheek against my bare belly.
My heart swelling like a balloon, I dig my hands into his thick hair and sigh in happiness.
“You’re going to have my child,” he whispers, wonder in his voice.
“If it’s a boy, let’s name him Mik. Actually, that would be a cute name for a girl, too.”
He exhales. Wrapping his hands around my hips, he reverently kisses my stomach. “I have to admit, I’m thrilled your birth control shot was no match for my super sperm.”
“Don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back, stud. My shot expired while I was in Russia. Funny how time flies when you’re having fun.” I glance around the unfamiliar dark room. “Where are we?”
“Hotel. Now hush. I need to fuck you.”
My laugh is soft. “I missed you, too.”
He gets his clothing off in record speed, tossing it all to the floor impatiently, then lowers himself on top of me. He kisses me, cradling my head in his hands, giving me his weight and every ounce of his passion.
When he breaks away, he’s breathing hard. He stares down at me with adoration shining in his eyes, murmuring something in Russian.
I shake my head. “No, say it so I can understand it this time.”
He says gently, “It’s the same thing I’ve been telling you since the beginning, malyutka. You’re beautiful. You make me crazy. I can’t remember my life before you. I’d give anything to be able to love you for all time.”
My throat gets tight. Tears well in my eyes. I inhale a ragged breath, feeling like I’m flying. “So you like me, huh?”