Vidal! (Snakes Henchmen MC 6)

Again anyway.

Not that my ex-wife allowed my child to grow this big inside of her. She ended my baby's life right before she asked me for the divorce. I didn't know then, of what she'd done, so I gave her the damn divorce, against the council's advice, against my family's damn rule because I just wanted shot of her. Marrying her was the worst moment of my life. I let the council get inside my head, let them tell me to marry she-who-shall-not-be-named was what was best in the end. It wasn't until the divorce came through that she told me what she'd done, how she found out she was pregnant and kept it from me because she hated me and just wanted out. Ten minutes after she told me, she died.

Yeah, I killed the bitch! And I would kill her all over afuckingain if she was still here.

Like I said before, I would never lay a hand on a woman. I saw too much of that shit with my mother and father, but most women are evil fucking creatures, and taking them out is all you can do to save your sanity. No woman will ever murder a child of mine and live to tell the tale.

“You would never do anything...”

Her hand on my face cuts off my words. “I don't know what happened in the past, but I see in your eyes that something did, someone hurt you, but I love this baby more than anything in this world. You have no idea how long I have wanted this, Draven.” Her eyes haven't left mine. She's not the kind of woman to hide. I like that about her.

“And it doesn't...”

“No!” Damn, is she ever going to let me finish a sentence? “You think I care that you're Italian?” She can read minds too. Mine at least. Could turn out to be a dangerous thing. “You think I care that my baby is of your blood? I don't. You may not be the most conventional of men, but I know you'll be a good father to this child.

“I know who my father was, what he was. He was a vile, racist piece of crap, and he only ever cared about himself. However, Brooke and I have never been racist. It didn't matter what Hank told us; we saw everyone as equal. I taught my sister to see every person the same, and that she was no better than anyone else in this world. I guess I was born wired differently to my family.” She shrugs.

“I may not know you well, Draven. Hell, I might even be crazy because I've heard the stories of the things you've done. Am I crazy for thinking I'm safe with you?” I don't know if she's asking me the question, but she doesn't give me the chance to respond in any case.

“However, strange it may sound to others, when I'm near you, I feel safe. I know that nobody can hurt me, and I know you'll make sure no one can hurt our child either. I also know in my heart that this baby will be so lucky to have you as its father.”

Damn.

She just floored me with her words. I am many things, and I know I am going to be the best father any man can be. Knowing the mother of my child believes in me the way she does, when she hardly knows anything about me, means something me.

Marnie leans into my touch as I stroke her cheek with my thumb. There is something about this woman's soul that calls to me. I don't understand it yet, but I want to explore it. The elders won't like this, they insist that she be tested for loyalty, meaning they'll torture her, but I won't let it happen. I've never wanted to protect a woman outside of my family as much as I want to protect Marnie.

Looking at her at this moment, I know that whatever power she has over me will both weaken me and make me stronger. However fucked being around her will make me, I have to keep her with me. “I want to take care of you, Marnie. I know you've been hurt, but...”

“What is it you're expecting of me, Draven?”

For you not to keep cutting me off at every sentence.

I wouldn't tolerate that shit from anyone else, and to be honest, she's pissing me off with it!

“I'm married, Draven. Married to a man who did nothing but cheat on me, beat me, and I...” She does that deep, nervous swallow thing.

“Your marriage will come to an end soon enough. I'm not a cheat, and I will not beat you, I do not hit women. I won't let you walk away from me. I'm not asking you to love me. I'm not promising that I'll love you either, but you will be my wife.” Her eyes widen. Might as well tell her as it is right now. “This baby will have parents who are married. A man in my situation, a good Italian man marries the mother of his children.”

“But what if I meet someone and fall in love?”

“Won't happen.” I hold my fingers against her lips, silencing her protests. I won't hear them. Ever. This isn't up for discussion. “You will be my wife, Marnie. Very soon.”

“So I'm just going to be forced into another marriage against my will?”

“By the time the day arrives, you'll want it, believe me,” Marnie mutters something under her breath along the lines of Cocky bastard. I try not to chuckle as she flops back in her seat.

It's all good; she can have her little tantrum, it won't change a damn thing. She's mine, and she'll stay mine, and God help any man who tries to come between us!

* * *

I walk Marnie inside my opulent five bedroomed house. It's nothing special, well, not in my opinion, but to most, my place is something. It's fitted with all the mod cons, voice activation, security systems that would rival the white house. Well, I am a Mafia Don, I need to make sure my house and everything surrounding me are impregnable. Can't have people even so much as thinking they'll get within a mile of me with ideas of killing me and living to tell the tale.

Now I have Marnie and the baby to think about, I need to double the efforts to keep them safe.

I disable the fingerprint recognition alarm, the one I'll add Marnie's fingerprint to tomorrow so she can come and go with ease. Well, she'll be living here as of now, and I won't take no for an answer. She's mine, and I want her here where I can keep an eye on her.

Marnie is not my prisoner by any means, but she is the woman carrying my child, and I want her safe. I also want to be the one to take her to her appointments, be with her at the ultrasounds. I've already missed one, and that was my own doing. I won't miss another.

I want to be with her when the baby comes. I want to be – not the first because that will be Marnie – but the second person to hold my child, chest to chest. I want the whole bonding experience. My child will be my life.

I don't know what will happen with Marnie and me, I don't know if I can make her love me, I don't even know if I'm capable of loving her in return, but I do know that I'll give her the world if she asks it of me.

“Nice place.” She tells me while walking into the living room, looking at the artwork on the walls, the modern furniture, the Persian rug next to the fire. I smile to myself. This isn't her thing, I can see it in the way she's looking at everything.

“You can change it all if you want to. I'd rather you were comfortable here.”

“Why would I do that?” She's confused, I can see it.

“You'll be living here. I won't have the mother of my child anywhere other than under my roof.”

“But, Draven,”

I press my fingertips against her lips. I won't have her protesting, and I won't give her the chance to argue with me about this. “I know you're living with your sister and her husband. I know you're working two jobs just to save enough money for a place of your own, and to pay for our baby and everything it needs,” I touch her stomach gently and she smiles. God, she's more beautiful than I ever imagined. I have seen her beauty more than once, but being pregnant is agreeing with her, she's glowing. “But you don't need to do that now, Marnie. I want to take care of you both. I want you to give up work.”

“Not happening.” She's a stubborn little thing. I love that about her.

“I won't have my woman working when she doesn't have to.”

“And I won't be a kept woman!” There's such a fire in her eyes. The way she's looking at me has my cock at half mast. Dammit.

“This is not up for discussion, Marnie.”

“I swear to God!” She snaps, hands on her hips, and my god does that turn me on! “I will not have y

ou dictate my life, Draven Vidal. I agree that living here with you will be best for our child,” Exactly! “But I'm scared, Draven. I'm not scared of you, but I'm not as stupid as people think I am. I know what kind of man you are, I know the things you've done. That is what scares me, Draven. What if the things you do come back on the baby... and me?”

I cross my arms over my chest and breathe deeply through my nose. I'm not a good man in the conventional sense, but I'm not the monster, I have people believe I am. I have no choice but to be hard, to be strong, to make tough decisions. I'm the boss, it's my job to be the man Marnie sees before her, but there is so much more to me. So much more.

I gave up the cage fighting because I'm too old for it now. Yeah, I'm in my late thirties, still as strong as a man of twenty, but I'm not stupid, I went out on top. I live in a dangerous world as it is without cage fighting. My life is in danger every damn day I breathe air. If I can cut some of that danger out, I will.

I touch Marnie's cheek gently; her skin is so soft, so perfect. “Don't judge a man on what he had to do, judge him only by what he wanted to do. I have done bad things, Marnie. Most of the time I had no choice. I do what I have to do to protect my family. I will do what I have to do to protect you and this baby. There is nothing I won't do. Trust me.” I take her face in my hands, moving closer to her. Not too close, I don't want her to feel the damn erection I'm now sporting.