Page 96 of Bred

"I love you," Paul said near my ear.

I turned my face and smiled. "I love you too. And Lucas. And Bray."

Lucas grinned. "I love you too."

Bray toasted me with his coffee. "I love you as well, our beautiful, good girl."

His words made me feel warm all over. My heart was as full as my body had been that night, when we made our baby.

CHAPTER FIVE

LUCAS

"Soit'sdonethen,"Reuben said through the phone line. "She's living with you and pregnant. Good work. I hadn't expected you to go quite that far. I admire your commitment to the family."

I bit back a burst of rage. "Yeah, my commitment to the family is next level. But nothing compared to my commitment to Amity."

"Lucas—" Reuben's tone was a warning.

"No," I interrupted. "You might not believe this, but I'm in love with her. I can one hundred percent guarantee she will not take part in any action against us. But you will not use her to get to her father or any other member of her family."

The silence was almost deafening. I wished I could see Reuben's face so I could gauge his reaction before he spoke. On the other hand, if I was with him he might strangle me or have one of his henchmen do the job. Gianni in particular seemed to get great pleasure out of torture and murder. He wouldn't care if I was Reuben's brother, as long as he could make me scream.

"As long as she takes no action against us, then I have no need to take action against her," Reuben said finally. "Unless her family comes after us first. Then I make no guarantees."

I sighed. I knew Reuben well enough to know that was as much as I was going to get from him. I would just have to do whatever it took to keep her, our baby, Bray and Paul safe.

"Lucas," Reuben continued, "if at any time you take her family's side—"

"I won't," I said firmly. "I'll do whatever I can to keep us both out of the middle of it."

"Do that," Reuben said and then hung up.

"Is everything okay?" Amity asked as she stepped through the doorway into the kitchen.

Like she had ever since the first time I lay eyes on her, she took my breath away. Long dark hair, perfect curves, gorgeous bump where our baby grew. I would kill for her and die for her. As long as I was still breathing, I would do everything I could to protect her.

I stepped over and drew her into my arms. "Yes. Everything is perfect. Just like you." No one was going to touch my family and the woman I loved. Our initial meeting wasn't an accident, but she was my life now and I wasn't letting her go.

Not now, not ever.

THE END