Touched By The Devil (Devil's Riders 7)

That’s when the yowling started.

I sighed and forced myself to get up, padding naked to let Calliope out of the bathroom.

“You did good, furball,” I said, scooping her up to cradle her against my chest. She purred instantly, her soft fur tickling my skin. “Let’s get some sleep.”

The cat blinked slowly as if agreeing with me.

And so, with my two girls snuggled on either side of me, we slept.

Three months later

Mac

I watched anxiously as Nick and Drake moved the bookcases Jack had built for the spare bedroom. Suzanna’s business was housed in the cottage just up the hill, but we needed an office area here to keep ourselves organized. A pretty antique-looking metal bed frame meant the room could be used for guests too.

Today was the day. We were moving into our new house. And I wanted everything to be perfect for my wife. My wife who seemed annoyed with me the past few days.

“Suzanna? You okay?” I asked for the tenth time, noticing she was in the bathroom again. At least it’s a new bathroom, I thought worriedly. I knew she liked the house I had built her, even if she didn’t like me anymore.

She turned the water on and shouted that she was fine.

She was not fine and I was miserable about it. Something was wrong, and until she told me what it was, how could I fix it for her?

I turned back to the guys as they headed out to get more stuff from the moving truck. I wasn’t paying them. Just in beer and being less of a hardass at the clubhouse and on the job.

Moving each other was part of the deal, and we all did it for each other. Another reason it was good to be part of the inner circle. We were all there for each others’ weddings, funerals, births, and everything else in between.

It was a good life.

But it meant nothing if Suzanna wasn’t in it with me.

She came out of the bathroom looking pale. I was at her side in an instant.

“Come with me,” I said, lifting her up.

“Careful, Mac. I’m woozy.”

I frowned, carrying her to a chaise lounge the guys had already brought in. It was by the window overlooking the lake. It would probably stay right were it was, too, I decided. As long as my wife approved.

I set her down and frowned.

“You haven’t eaten. You need to take better care of yourself.”

“Oh, God, please don’t talk about food,” she groaned, holding her belly.

My frown intensified.

“You need some water then,” I said, grabbing a glass of water from the open-concept kitchen. I kept glancing at her. She wasn’t glaring at me. She just looked… tired. I was suddenly aware that something was wrong and it wasn’t that my wife was mad at me. She was ill. Fear clutched my insides as I carried the water back to her.

“Thanks,” she said, giving me a wan smile. Definitely not mad at me, I thought. But what was wrong? She took a sip and leaned back, closing her eyes. Then she was up like a shot and running for the sink. I stared at her while she vomited into the sink, her slim shoulders shaking.

“Oh, my God,” I said, rubbing her back. “We need to get you to a doctor.”

“Yeah, an obstetrician,” she said, rinsing her mouth out and grimacing.

“What?” I said, not understanding for a minute. “An obste–what?”

She rolled her eyes at me.

“It’s a good thing you’re so cute.”

I smiled stupidly at the praise.

“I’m glad you think I’m cute. I think you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

She laughed. “You are going to need to think a bit quicker if you’re going to be a good father.”

“Father?” I said stupidly. I felt stupid, but not in a bad way. I was just always so worried about my woman that I had missed what was right in front of me.

“Yes. You were right. That night in the cottage.”

“I was… right?” I said in awe. “Oh, my God, baby. I’m going to be a daddy!”

She was laughing and hitting my shoulders as I picked her up and spun her around.

“I’m going to throw up again!”

I set her down immediately, feeling contrite.

“Shit. I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

“You are forgiven. I just…” I watched helplessly as she threw up again. “Don’t do that again. No spinning.”

“No spinning,” I repeated obediently. “I love you, sweetheart.”

She smiled as I pulled her carefully into my arms.

“I love you too.”

“I’m going to be a daddy!” I shouted when the guys came in with another load of boxes. I carried my wife back to her chair, careful not to jostle her. I was immediately surrounded and given high-fives as my wife looked on, rolling her eyes.

“I’m the one doing all the work, you know,” she complained, but her eyes were twinkling. So the guys high-fived her too.