She put a hand on his chest. “I don’t know how to explain it. Could we just take this slow?”
“No. I want you to be my wife before the baby comes.” When she held firm, he pulled back, then shoved a hand through his hair as he turned away from her, facing the entrance to the stable.
He looked at her over his shoulder. “Have you seen a doctor yet?”
Mandy nodded. “I went to the OB/GYN at the clinic.”
“How far along are you?”
“About seven weeks.”
He turned toward her slightly, his hands on his hips, his head bowed. “Can I…participate in your pregnancy?”
“Of course.” Mandy smiled. “I want you to.”
“I couldn’t with Kadisha. Those were women’s things. And I was a warrior and out fighting.”
“You’re still a warrior and still fighting. But I want you with me the whole way, as much as you can.” She went over to stand in front of him. Lifting his hand, she set it on her belly.
“You don’t seem different.” He gave her a tentative smile.
Her eyes teared up. “You’ve had so much on your mind. And honestly, I was terrified of telling you…I couldn’t let you see how it affected me.”
His face hardened. “Is that why you don’t want to marry me? Because I’m a freak?”
Mandy frowned. “Rocco Silas. When have I ever thought you a freak?”
He drew his hand away from her and scrubbed it over his face. “So what now?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged. “Nothing changes. Except my body. And maybe we should get some nursery furniture.” She ventured a smile, but he was miles away from her, even though his body was inches from hers.
“Can I go to the doctor’s with you next time?” he asked.
“I’d like that.”
He nodded and looked at the dirt under his feet. “Have you eaten today?”
“I had lunch, but lost it a while ago when the vaccinations happened. I couldn’t face dinner.”
He held a hand out to her. “Then let’s go get you something to eat. Something small and light.”
She took his hand. “I don’t want small and light. I could eat an entire village suddenly.”
He gave her a lopsided grin as he looked at her sideways. “Maybe I should sleep with Zavi at night, just to be sure neither of us goes missing.”
Mandy laughed. “Maybe you should.”
He caught her up against him as they faced the bright afternoon sun, then kissed her forehead. “I love you. Don’t ever doubt that.”
She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, communicating her love in the only way he’d hear—through touch.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Max went into the conference room in the bunker. Owen sat at the long table with his laptop. “Hey, boss.”
Owen looked up.
“We’ve been looking for the right time to get Lion and his pride out of the WKB. Now is that time, under cover of all the chaos happening near the Friends.”
Owen met his eyes, considered it a moment, then nodded. “Do it. We can set up bunks in the basement until we find a permanent situation for them.”
Max went upstairs to break the news to Lion. Dr. Beck and the medic were taking the medic’s cases outside. Max pulled Lion aside, out of earshot. “It’s time we got you and your pride away from the WKB. With everything that’s happening, no one will notice our vehicles. I’ll pick you up at ten tonight on the forest service road above your dorm.”
“You’ll take all of us?”
“Yes. But only bring what you have to. There won’t be room in the vehicles for you and a lot of baggage.”
Lion nodded. He started toward the door, then stopped to look back at Max. “Is this the beginning of Armageddon?”
Max took a deep breath. “Good question. It might have been, had Greer and Doc Chase not been there right when they were.”
“If this disease gets out, what happens?”
“A lot of people die. But it by itself isn’t enough to collapse our country.”
“What if this is happening in multiple countries at the same time?”
Max walked over and set a hand on Lion’s shoulder. “Don’t borrow trouble. We stopped this in time. And whoever started this will be brought to justice.”
*
It was a quarter to ten that night when Max turned his small convoy onto the dirt road that led behind the pride’s bunkhouse on the WKB compound. They’d passed several vehicles near the Friendship Community, but no WKBers anywhere.
He pulled to a stop and shut his lights off. At ten o’clock, there was no sign of the boys.
“What time did you tell Lion?” Angel asked via their comm system.
“Now. I’m going down there.”
“Want company?” Val asked from the third SUV.
“No. Best if it’s just me in case I run in to anyone.”
Max walked down the hill and across the backside of the WKB compound, heading toward the Quonset hut where the pride bunked. He stepped inside the dark interior. His eyes had acclimated to the dim ambient light outside, but it was even darker in there.
The bunks were all made. Nothing seemed out of order. He opened one of the footlockers. It was empty. He checked another. Same thing.
“Looking for something?” Pete said, stepping out of Lion’s room.
“Pete,” Max greeted him. “Was looking for Lion. He’s hard to get a hold of except in person.”
“He’s gone. What are you doing back here anyway?”
“King sent me for Lion and the pride.”
“No shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Can’t say I’m sad to see them go, but it’s odd that he sent you.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because King already took them.”
“That a fact?”
“Yeah, it is. So you want to tell me who you’re really working for?”
“Does it matter? We’re both in the same war.”
“I liked it better when you had my back.”
“What makes you think I don’t?”
“You sneaking around my compound at night.”
“We had a deal, if I remember,” Max reminded him.
“How close to the end is it?” Pete asked.