Defending Raven (Mountain Mercenaries #7)(38)

The fact that she’d even had a biological child was a miracle. They’d been ready to adopt, and would’ve loved whatever child they’d been fortunate enough to welcome into their home, but seeing a boy who looked so much like Raven was a blessing. The circumstances of his birth had nothing to do with the child he was today. Dave still wanted to kill everyone who’d dared touch his wife, but seeing David made him realize that out of the darkness, there was always some light.

He’d known neither he nor Raven were the same people they’d been ten years ago, but seeing her with her son really hammered that fact home. It wasn’t just the two of them; they now had a small human to protect. What Dave wanted no longer mattered. His life would be all about making sure both his son’s and wife’s needs were met—that they were secure in the knowledge that they were loved and safe.

And right now, David was anything but safe. That much was obvious after seeing the lengths to which del Rio had gone to house him. There were armed guards patrolling the house, and every second David and Raven had been in the yard, there had been eyes on them. It was odd that del Rio would keep a single child locked behind what basically amounted to prison bars.

The reasons why del Rio might do such a thing were unthinkable and repulsive, but little surprised Dave. The Mountain Mercenaries had been sent to Peru in the first place because of the trafficking of children.

As a result of his reconnaissance today, Dave realized it wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d hoped to take back what was rightfully his. And he knew without a second thought that David was his.

He’d managed to get the pictures he needed for the boy’s passport, and a lot more besides, but getting him out of the house was another thing altogether. He’d called Gray and the others while Raven was visiting with her son, and they’d had a mini brainstorming session about what to do, but nothing certain had been decided.

While Dave wanted to flat-out kill anyone who kept him from his son, and kept the boy from his mother, it wasn’t that easy. The Mountain Mercenaries didn’t usually kill unless absolutely necessary. They weren’t hired killers. Not at all. Their main objective was rescuing women and children from those who were oppressing them.

It looked like they were most likely going to have to kidnap his son, which sucked. Dave hated to have to traumatize the child, and having the Mountain Mercenaries storm the house where he was being kept would most likely do just that, but it wasn’t as if del Rio was going to give the boy up voluntarily.

The more Dave thought about it, the more he knew del Rio had a plan for David. He didn’t know what it was, only that it was horrifying. The man had decided to raise David separately from the other children he either kidnapped from the barrios or took from his women, and there was a reason.

He must’ve been lost in his head for longer than he thought because the next thing Dave knew, the door to the bathroom squeaked as it opened, and then Raven was there.

Her hair fell against her back. It was still wet, but the ends were beginning to dry, curling slightly. Her face was pink from the heat of the shower. She’d put on the clothes Ball had bought—a pair of leggings and a tan T-shirt with a big llama on it . . . the other man’s idea of a joke.

If Dave closed his eyes, he could picture her looking exactly the same way when they’d been on vacation in Vegas. She’d come out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a white T-shirt. She’d coyly smirked at him and teasingly crooked her finger, beckoning him closer.

The smell of the motel’s soap wafted through the air, making him wish he’d told Ball to get something flowery for her to bathe with.

She looked hesitant and unsure, which Dave hated. She used to be so sure of herself and her sexuality. She had him wrapped around her little finger, and they’d both been more than happy with that.

Dave patted the mattress next to him on the queen-size bed. “Come sit, Raven.”

She slowly padded toward him, gingerly sitting on the bed, but as far away from him as she could get. That bothered Dave more than he wanted to admit, but he didn’t let his feelings show on his face. The last thing he wanted was to make Raven uncomfortable. Just her being there was a huge step. She could’ve gone straight back to the barrio to sleep with her friends instead of agreeing to come to the motel.

“It feels weird to hear you call me Raven,” she admitted softly.

Dave smiled. “I know, but that’s who you are to me. My Raven.”

“She’s gone,” Raven said. “Mags has taken her place.”

Dave shook his head. “She’s not gone. She’s there. Deep down, maybe, but she’s there.”

His wife just looked at him. Then, changing the subject, she asked, “Will you tell me how you got the scar?”

Sighing, Dave looked away from her for the first time. He didn’t mind telling her, but he’d hoped they’d start with small talk first. Fingering the gnarly scar on his neck, Dave tried to think of a good place to start.

“You don’t have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I’m an open book to you, Raven,” Dave told her, turning back to meet her gaze. “I’ve done things in the last decade that I’m not proud of, but I wouldn’t change one thing if it meant I wouldn’t be sitting here with you right this second.”

Raven blinked in surprise, but then she nodded and moved to put her legs under the covers. Seeing her get comfortable made something in Dave relax a bit. She didn’t look like she was getting ready to jump up and leave. He’d talk all night if it meant keeping her by his side.