Defending Raven (Mountain Mercenaries #7)(60)

“If you’re sure,” Zara said in a tone that said she was anything but. Then she turned and headed for the door.

Mags barely heard the door shutting behind Zara before Dave reached for her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. He towed her toward the bathroom.

“Dave?” Meat called out before they got there.

“Yeah?”

“What happened, exactly?”

Dave started walking again. “You find me something to go on, and I’ll explain it all later when everyone’s back.”

Apparently that was as much as Dave was willing to tell his friend, because he entered the bathroom, still holding Mags’s hand, and shut the door behind him.

He pulled her toward him as he sat on the toilet seat. Then he dropped his hand and leaned forward until his forehead was resting on her belly.

Surprised, Mags didn’t immediately react. It wasn’t until she felt Dave take a stuttering breath that she asked softly, “Dave?”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“About what?”

“I should’ve seen the guys sneaking up on me. It was a rookie move to let them overtake me after I dropped you off.”

Mags could barely breathe. “Del Rio’s men?”

“Yeah. He’s one cold son of a bitch,” Dave said without lifting his head. “I was desperate enough to offer to buy our son from him, but as much as he loves money, he wanted to see me suffer more.”

Dave looked up then, and Mags winced as she saw the cut on his neck ooze a bit of blood.

“He’s got awful plans for him,” her husband said in a voice so furious, she should’ve been afraid. But because he was reacting to their son being put in danger, she wasn’t scared of him. “He wants to raise him to be his replacement. Contaminate our son and turn him into a monster.”

Mags inhaled sharply, putting a hand over her mouth. She knew del Rio was evil . . . but she’d had no idea what he was planning for David. It physically hurt to think he had plans to turn her tender, loving son into a stone-cold, heartless bastard.

“But he made a mistake,” Dave said.

“What’s that?” Mags whispered.

“He fucked with the Mountain Mercenaries. We’re gonna find every one of those kids, get them away from him, and ruin his entire organization in the process. And get David out of his clutches. He’ll never be like del Rio. Never.”

Mags believed every word her husband said. The conviction and confidence were easy to hear in his voice. She was still scared to death because her little boy was out there somewhere, but she believed in her Dave. He’d do whatever he could to bring their son back to her. Seeing him so pissed off, covered in blood and smelling like someone who had literally been dragged through a pile of shit, spewing hatred toward the man who had done his best to ruin her life, and being so confident that he’d go down, made her believe in him even more.

Swallowing hard, she brought her hands to the buttons on Dave’s shirt. She slowly began to undo them, one by one.

Before she’d gotten to the last one, Dave caught her hands in his and said, “Go wait out in the room. I’ll shower and be out in five minutes.”

She shook her head. “No. Let me look at your injury.”

“It’s fine.”

Mags shook her head. “Shut up, Dave. It’s not fine. You’re bleeding all over the fucking place. I’m gonna look at it and make sure your insides aren’t about to leak out through your neck. Then you can go save our son and kick some ass. All right?”

Amazingly, the hatred and darkness in his eyes flickered, then disappeared altogether. He was back to looking like the gentle and loving husband she’d been getting reacquainted with over the last couple weeks.

“Okay, Raven. You do what you need to do.”

“I will,” she huffed, then gently pushed the shirt off his shoulders. She’d been up close and personal with his naked chest while she’d slept against him, but for some reason this felt different. His pecs flexed as she stared at him, and Mags forced herself to look at his neck. It was a bloody mess. She reached for one of the washcloths, wincing because she knew she was about to ruin it by staining it with her husband’s blood.

“Wait,” he said, “let me jump in the shower and wash off the bulk of the blood and stench first.” Without waiting for her to answer, he stood, forcing Mags to take a step backward. She watched as he unbuttoned his pants and lowered the zipper. He turned so his back was to her and shoved the material off his body.

Mags held her breath at the sight of absolute perfection displayed in front of her. Dave was a decade older than the last time she’d seen him, but he was still just as fit. He even still had the little dimple at the bottom of his spine that she’d always teased him about. His thighs were large and muscular, and even his ass was still toned.

He leaned over and turned on the water in the shower. He started to step into the tub, still wearing his underwear.

Mags knew he’d done that for her sake. He wouldn’t push her to do anything she didn’t want to do, including look at his naked body.

But for the first time in years, she wasn’t scared of a man. Wasn’t terrified to see his cock. Her husband was perfectly proportioned . . . all over.

He was a big man, and if he ever raised his hand to her, he could hurt her badly. He could overpower her and hold her down and do whatever he wanted.