Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Viper inwardly sighed. He didn’t want to be at odds with his woman’s anchor—it’d be something that would hurt her. And truth be told, Luka wasn’t a bad guy. Just exceedingly overprotective. And nobody could claim that the legion’s concerns weren’t valid.
Still, Viper wasn’t going anywhere; he needed the guy to see that. “You’re not gonna believe this, because you’re too busy clinging to your anger. Fact is, though, that Ella means a fuck of a lot to me. More than you can know. I love her.”
Luka’s expression didn’t alter. “You’re right, I don’t believe it.”
Just then, Ella entered the room; the others trailed behind her.
“Everything’s fine, baby,” Viper assured her, not liking the worry on her face. Addressing her anchor, mother, and aunt, he said, “To be blunt, I don’t give the first fuck how anyone here feels about me other than Ella. But I do care that this is a time when she needs the support of the people around her. No one other than Mia and my club are giving it to her right now. That should bother all three of you.”
Silence fell as the trio exchanged unhappy looks.
Ella’s mind bumped Viper’s. They’re not going to back down, are they?
Not right now, no. Though his presence likely wasn’t helping, his absence wouldn’t improve the situation either. They were too worked up.
Ella sighed. “Maybe you should go,” she told them.
Melodie’s eyes widened. “What? You’re kicking us out?”
“We’re just going round and round in circles, and I refuse to keep defending my choices as if any of you have a right to make them for me,” Ella clipped. “I’m also not going to tolerate you spouting more mean and petty remarks. So unless you’re going to quit with that, yes, I think you should leave.”
For a few moments, nobody moved.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy, Ella,” Luka said stiffly, though the words weren’t empty. “I can’t claim to approve of your choice of father for the baby. I want you safe. He is not safe. On the contrary, he’s a highly dangerous being.”
“Never to Ella,” Viper firmly asserted.
Belinsky responded with a blank look. Without another word to anyone, he left with his guards.
Melodie smoothed a hand down her top. “We’ll leave, Ella, but not because we’re unhappy about the baby. I want to be clear on that. We’ll go because to stay would only be to disrespect your wishes and make the situation worse. I don’t want that.”
Looking troubled, Melodie and Jocelyn then absconded.
Viper stroked Ella’s hair. “Well … did it all go worse or better than you expected?”
“Neither. It was as ugly as I’d thought it would be. What did Luka say to you?”
“Just that he thinks you can do better—I don’t disagree there—and he feels you’d be safer if I wasn’t around. I can’t really disagree with that either, but I’m going nowhere. I made that clear to him, and I was also clear about how much you mean to me. Give him time; he’ll back down. They all will.”
Ella squinted slightly, an accusing light in her eyes that was tempered by a warm amusement. “You went digging into their business.”
He shrugged. “I suspected they’d yell at you, and I wanted to be able to shut that shit down fast.”
“I’m sorry they all acted like dicks to you.”
He lightly splayed his hand around the front of her neck, the weight of his palm barely there, the pads of his fingers featherlight. Yet, his possessiveness came through loud and clear. “I get it. Luka … he’s just overprotective. Your mother and aunt were bound to react badly. Their ancestors—”
“Weren’t killed by you, so no one should be trying to hold you accountable for it,” Ella finished, sliding her hands up his chest. “My hope is that they’ll come round soon, but it’s more likely that they’ll drag their heels in silent protest.”
“I’m sorry about that for your sake, but I won’t give a flying fuck if they don’t accept me. All that matters to me is that they don’t talk you into leaving my side.”
“They could try. Probably will. But it won’t work.”
“Promise?” he asked, searching her gaze.
“Promise.”
Viper’s lips curved. “That’s my girl.”
Yes, yes, she was.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Setting down the role of packing tape, Ella cricked her neck. “I’m never moving again. I just wanna throw that out there.”
“You said that last time you moved,” Mia reminded her, putting together another box.
“Yeah, well, I seriously mean it this time round.” Over the past five days, Ella had gradually relocated her belongings to the compound. There wasn’t much left to go.
Viper and his brothers had done all the heavy lifting, treating her like she was made of spun glass. But since she wasn’t a fan of hauling stuff around, she hadn’t complained. In fact, she and Mia had had fun observing all those male muscles bunching and rippling.