CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

"He's here."

At Jester's words, Viper looked up from his cell phone. "And early, it would seem." It shouldn't surprise him.

"I wasn't so sure if Belinsky would accept your invitation."

Viper pushed off the sofa. "I knew he'd come if for no other reason than he wouldn't want to miss out on being able to throw shit in my face. He could do that any time, yeah, but not without seeking me out—something Ella would have been furious at him for. This way, he can make out like I'm to blame for whatever argument might ensue."

It had been two weeks since Ella had made her anchor and family aware of their relationship. Things hadn't gotten better. They still refused to acknowledge that he was part of her life.

She hadn't said as much, but he knew his woman; knew it was getting to her more and more. He genuinely couldn't care less if they did or didn't accept him, but he did care that it upset her.

There'd be no reasoning with Melodie or Jocelyn—they were blinded by prejudice. Belinsky, however? His irrationality stemmed from a good source: overprotectiveness. Viper could work with that.

Thanks to his old profession, he'd done his fair share of manipulating people. He was confident that he could talk Belinsky into backing down if he handled things right. As for Melodie … she was as stubborn as her daughters, so Viper figured the quickest way to make her crumble would be to convince someone else to do it first. She'd very likely follow Belinsky's lead, and Jocelyn would no doubt then fold as well.

As plans went, it had potential. But if he didn't pull off the first step, he'd have to regroup.

Viper slid Jester a swift look as they walked toward the exit. "If Ella wakes, try to keep her inside." She'd been dead to the world when Viper exited the bedroom earlier. He'd been replying to some business-related emails while waiting for her to rouse. "I want to talk to Belinsky alone."

Jester's brow pinched. "I thought you asked him to come at noon, knowing she'd be in work then."

"I did. Arriving early is his way of trying to take control and communicate that he isn't at my beck and call."

Pushing open the main door, Viper watched as Belinsky and his two personal bodyguards slipped out of a black town car. All three scanned the area before focusing on Viper.

His entity sneered at Belinsky. It didn't like him, or that the legion had a claim to Ella. Honestly, neither did Viper. Much as he preferred that she was bound to her psi-mate, he didn't like that another male had a psychic link to her.

Belinsky stalked to him, his expression hard. "Viper," he greeted with a grunt, his tone not in the least bit welcoming.

Viper inclined his head. "Belinsky."

"Is Ella here?"

"She is. That you'd show up at a time you knew she'd be here, well, that kind of pisses me off. Because you know it'd hit her hard to see us at each other's throats." Viper stepped up to the edge of Belinsky's private space, ignoring how the legion's guards stiffened. "You and me had a problem before. You just made that problem bigger."

Belinsky inched closer to him. "Oh, we have a lot of fucking problems."

"No one's asking you to like me. I really couldn't give a fuck either way—already made that clear. But how you're acting is hurting Ella, and I'm nothing close to okay with that."

"You're exaggerating," accused Belinsky. "She's annoyed. She's not hurting."

Viper bristled at the male's flippancy. "Wrong. You're her anchor, someone very important to her; someone who's supposed to be a central figure in her world—one who's supportive and protective. But you apparently find it more important to give me the ice-cold shoulder than be there for her during her pregnancy."

The legion's brows lowered. "That's not how it is."

"No?" Viper challenged. "Here you are, on the outside of a really special part of her life. You're missing out, which means she's missing out. The latter isn't acceptable to me, and it shouldn't be acceptable to you."

Belinsky's neck turned so stiff the cords stood out. "I call and text her daily. I see her as often as I did before."

Her mother and aunt saw her constantly as well, but they were on the outside looking in just the same. "But she doesn't feel she can share with you as openly as she did before."

"Of course she can," the legion upheld, clearly outraged that Viper would insinuate differently.

"How is that? She can't talk to you about every aspect of her everyday life anymore, because I'm so much a part of it—you don't want to hear about anything relating to me. She doesn't feel she can confide all her fears about the pregnancy to you because she's leery of saying anything that will make you be more of a dick to me."

"What fears?" demanded Belinsky.

"Typical anxieties that come with being pregnant. But just because they're typical doesn't make them any less serious." Anxieties ate at Viper from time to time, too. The pregnancy was going well, there'd been no hiccups or complications. Still, he worried that might at some point change.

The fact was they were dealing with the unknown. She was an incantor carrying the baby of a fallen archangel who embodied a deadly sin. It wasn't heard of before now. They had nothing to compare their experience to.

"She doesn't need to be scared, she will be fine," Belinsky decreed. "I can understand if she is concerned about birthing a child who is part celestial—we don't know what exactly that will mean for her—but she'll have the best care."

"She plans to have a homebirth."

The legion's eyelids flickered.

"Ah, you didn't know that?"

"She should be in a medical facility."

"She'll be surrounded by fallen fucking angels—all of whom can heal her if any complications should arise. If anything comes up that we can't handle, I will of course take her wherever she needs to go." Viper could teleport her anywhere in a second flat.

"She needs healthcare professionals—"

"She's set on a homebirth. Her mind won't change on that." Viper edged closer to him. "Think what that'll mean for you. You won't come visit her here at the compound, you refuse to see it as her home. So you won't be anywhere near her when she goes into labor. You won't be one of the first to see the baby when it's born. You'll hear about the birth via a text or phone call. That gonna be good enough for you?"

Clenching his jaw, Belinsky briefly looked away.

"You're fucking yourself over. Is flipping me the finger really worth that? Right now, because you refuse to visit her at her home, you only see her at times she can come to you. You don't think she'll come to you less and less over time, hurt that you won't support her?" Viper raised his shoulders. "Why not just accept that what's done is done?"

"She can do better than you."

"No one's disputing that. But it makes no difference. I claimed her. I wear her demon's brand. She has my baby inside her. Nothing you or anyone else does will change any of that, so where's the fucking point in keeping up with this shit?"

Belinsky tipped his head to the side, eyeing him speculatively. "I wouldn't have taken you for someone who'd urge another man to be more involved in their woman's life."

"The truth? I don't much like that she's linked to someone else, or that you're so close to her. When you've got a woman of your own, you'll understand. You'll also understand why I'm standing here now pushing you to set aside your own personal opinions about me."

The legion squinted. "You actually do care about her."

"Took you long enough to figure that out."

"Here's my issue. If you're an archangel—and I'm betting you are—there'll be beings who won't like that you've fallen, especially if you were once one of the Seven. And they really won't like learning you have a child. I don't want her or the child she's carrying being targeted by celestials."

"Those in the upper realm will be somewhat displeased," Viper fudged. "But they won't touch Ella or our baby—I'd never allow it."

"She got caught up in your strix problem."

"And those who harmed her no longer exist," Viper stated. "You treat me like I'm the enemy. Truth is, we're both on the same side. We both want the best for Ella. We both want her to be happy and safe. We've got a better chance of ensuring that happens if we're united."

"United?"

"I'm not talking an alliance. I've made plenty of those; don't need more. I'm saying that a divide between us—the two main men in her life—is a weakness in her security. I don't like that. And I'm betting you don't either."

Belinsky glared at him, put-out. "Do you have to fucking make sense?"

"Yes. Because she's hurting. I'm not okay with that. Make it stop."

The squeak of hinges came from behind Viper. He half-turned to see Ella in the doorway, her expression wary.

Beside her, Jester shot him a sheepish look. Tried keeping her inside. She threatened to zap me with magick.

Viper felt his mouth curve slightly. "Hey, baby. Don't worry, no shit's about to go down; all is good." He looked at her anchor. "Ain't that right?"

The legion only grunted, but it was a sound of resignation.

She cautiously approached, glancing from him to Viper. "What brings you here, Luka?"

"Viper and I were just—"

"Bonding," Viper finished.

The legion slammed a hard stare on him. "There was no bonding. There will never be bonding." He looked back at her. "I stand by what I said before: he's done nothing to deserve you, but"—he gritted his teeth, drawing in a long breath—"I won't kill him."

"Or torture him," Ella prodded. When he didn't answer, she pushed, " Or torture him ."

Belinsky looked close to rolling his eyes. "Or torture him." His gaze fell on Viper. "Unless you hurt her."

Viper could have pointed out that the legion wouldn't stand much of a chance against him, but that would only lead to an argument. "Got it."

"Then there'll be civility." The words seemed torn out of the legion. He flicked up a brow at Ella. "Good enough?"

Her lips tipped up. "Good enough." Her mind bumped Viper's as she telepathically spoke, How did you manage to convince him to back down?

Viper draped an arm over her shoulders. Who says I had anything to do with it?

He's too stubborn to do it of his own accord.

I just pointed out that he's hurting you and missing out on a lot.

They invited the legion inside, but he turned down the offer as he needed to attend a meeting. After rounding up the conversation, he gave her a hug, nodded curtly at Viper, and then disappeared with his bodyguards.

Looking up at her archangel, Ella tilted her head. "You invited him here, didn't you?" It touched her that someone so proud would make the first move.

He shrugged. "It was time he and I talked, so I made it happen."

As they walked toward the main door, she heard laughs filtering out of the open windows. "Thank you for being the bigger person in this scenario." She pressed a grateful kiss to his cheek.

He looped an arm tight around her waist. "My hope is that your mother and aunt will each now decide to dismount their high horse. I figured that if I could get Belinsky to dismount his own first, the others would follow suit."

"I'm hoping you're right. Peanut does not need the stress of all this. And I know they've got to be affected by how tightly wound I am." Ella paused as he pushed open the main door and they walked into the clubhouse. "Honestly, I don't feel like spending time around Mom or Jocelyn today."

"Then stay home," Viper urged, guiding her into the main area. "Mia can handle things without you, right?"

She pursed her lips, her mood improving at just the thought of it. "I suppose so. She's handled it without me in the past." Ella stopped talking as a bang drew her attention to the corner table.

Rivet had knocked over his chair, his face morphed into a glower that was fixed on Hustle. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" asked Hustle, shuffling cards.

"We both know you just cheated. How ?"

Hustle sank into his chair, relaxed. "Oh, so because you lost, you think I conned you?"

"I think you conned me because you conned me."

On the sofa, Jester sighed at Rivet. "Why would you play against someone you know will swindle you?"

"He promised he'd play fair," said Rivet, righting his chair.

"And it didn't occur to you that he was likely lying his ass off?"

Rounding the bar, Sting frowned at Jester. "Why do you constantly accuse people of lying?"

"People lie—it's a fact of life," Jester sagely asserted.

"They don't do it all the time," said Sting. "Stop being so paranoid."

"I ain't paranoid."

Hustle pointed at Jester. "That right there was pure bullshit."

Jester shrugged. "As I said, people lie."

Ella exchanged an amused look with Viper as they strode out of the room. She liked his brothers; liked how welcoming they'd been and that there was a real sense of family there.

The only angel who was ever a little awkward around Ella was Prophet, but Viper had explained how this particular Black Saint worried what exactly her archangel would do and become if he lost her.

"How much persuading will I need to do to convince you to spend the day with me?" Viper asked her, pulling her from her musings.

She hummed. "Not a lot." None at all, in fact. Her demon very much liked the idea—it tended to become annoyed and bored when they were apart. It had become extremely attached to him, hence why it had so far branded him three times.

A demon's inner entity often left such marks on lovers if they felt possessive enough. The tattoo-like brands were always personal. So he sported an ‘E' on his ass, a handprint on his hip, and a burst of magick motes zigzagging around his chest and trailing up his spine.

Such brands faded as the entity's interest in that person faded. Viper's marks would never disappear, though. It was cute just how smug he was at being claimed by her demon that way.

"Does this mean I need to take you back to bed to convince you, or will a bowl of ice-cream for breakfast be enough?"

She snickered. "Either will work just fine. You have anything in mind you want to do today?"

"How about we go out somewhere?"

"Like … for fun?"

"Yeah." Viper's entity frowned, not liking the idea. It would prefer to keep her here at all times, where she was out of the reach of any danger that might come her way. It generally didn't worry about anything, but the life of Ella and their baby? Totally different situation.

The entity also had its concerns about the birth, unsure how it would go. Viper was confident—or, more to the point, told himself he had every reason to feel confident—that the birth would go fine. Still, the further she got into her pregnancy, the more often anxiety crept up on him. Partly because this was something out of his control.

He was a man who liked control; who was used to having it. This wasn't something he could ensure went exactly how he wanted it to go.

Ella drifted her fingertips over his face. "You hate the idea of going out," she softly accused.

"I don't hate it. I can't lie, I feel better when you're here, where you're safest. But we shouldn't stop living our lives just because a celestial is hanging around."

"I don't want you going stir crazy from worry that someone's gonna jump out of the shadows to grab me."

Viper pulled her closer. "We'll take several of my brothers with us. And if there's any sign of danger, we'll teleport home in a second's notice."

Her mouth curled. "Okay. I'm up for it. I'd like to not use glamor, though. There's no reason for us to hide who we are to each other anymore. The strix knows. A celestial spy knows. My family and anchor knows. We could make this our first public appearance as a couple."

He hummed, considering it. "Yeah, it's time. And I like the idea that everyone will now know you belong to me."

She snorted. "Of course you do. Now, where do you want to go?"

"You choose. I want to take you somewhere you can relax and wind down and forget about all the shit that's happening around us."

Her smile widened. "I know just the place."

" Yeah, go! Go! Go! It won! Boom!" Conscious of her mate's eyes on her, Ella tore her attention away from the hellhorse racing track. "What?"

He stared at her, his brow furrowed. "You really find this relaxing?"

"You don't?"

"No."

And if the looks on the faces of Jester, Dice, Darko, and Ghost were anything to go by, they didn't find it relaxing either.

Sad head-shakes came from the group of six hellhorses who'd joined them. Like Teague, they didn't belong to a lair and were instead part of his unofficial clan. She'd learned that there was an alliance between said clan and the Black Saints. She got the sense that these guys knew who Viper was, though they were likely unaware of what he'd become on falling.

He gave her a confused look. "What's relaxing about watching hellhorses face a series of sadistic hurdles that can burn, bruise, and slice the competitors—as well as cause them to topple into nightmarish pits filled with shit like spikes, snakes, and boiling oil?"

Ella grazed her teeth over her lower lip. "It's not obvious?"

Cleaning his glasses, the lean, brown-eyed clan member decked out in golfing gear turned to her. "It's the celestial blood in him. He'll never get it. He'll never understand the rush." Leo slipped his glasses back on. "You should pity him."

"Or kill him," Slade chipped in, idly scratching at his blond scruff. "I'd personally prefer death over such a poor quality of life. You'd be doing him a solid."

Viper narrowed his eyes as he swept them over the group. "Doesn't Teague have a VIP box for your clan to use?"

"We prefer being in the stands," Gideon explained, batting away his wavy shoulder-length red hair before taking a swig of his beer—the guy very rarely didn't have a drink in his hand, from what Ella had observed. "The atmosphere here is better."

"And we can sic people on each other when we feel like it," Leo added.

"How?" asked Darko, curious.

"Observe." Leo tossed a coin at someone on a lower tier. That same someone swung around with a scowl, seemed to decide that the person behind him was responsible, and dived at him. Honestly, demons were way too easy to provoke.

"I reckon the taller one will win," said Leo.

Archer pulled a doubtful face. "My money's on the ginger."

No one could call hellhorses normal. Or stable. Or anything close to safe. And yet, they didn't send her inner alarms going wild.

Due to her pregnancy, her protective instincts went electric whenever she was out in public, as did those of her demon. But hellhorses were just way too funny to make her nervous.

Right then, Archer pulled a mushroom out of his little paper bag and offered it to her.

She felt her nose wrinkle. "Uh, I'm good, thanks."

Stood at his back, Saxon cuffed Archer over the head, knocking his short dark ponytail aside. "Stop handing them out to people like they're chips."

Archer didn't even flinch at the hit, despite that his well-built clan member had put some strength behind it. "Why? Sharing is caring."

"You don't warn anyone that they're psychedelics, that's why," Saxon complained before taking a bite of his hotdog. "I had to watch Khlo? chase an imaginary pixie around our goddamn camp the other night."

Indignancy flared in Archer's blue eyes. "First of all, Teague warned her that these are magic mushrooms—she ate two anyway. Second of all, your negative opinion of them is unwarranted. They're of the Earth."

"So is poison hemlock. Would you eat that?"

"If I was hungry enough."

Tucker blew out a breath and lifted a dark-skinned hand. "I think I speak for all of us when I say—"

"Don't," said Saxon, tossing him a quelling look. "Don't speak for us. We're good."

Tucker raised his shoulders. "So no one else is thinking that Archer will be the first of us to die?"

Leo twisted his mouth. "I wasn't thinking it. But I am now."

"Nah, Gideon will drink himself to death way before I pop my clogs." Ignoring Gideon's eye roll, Archer looked at Ella. "I tried to get him off the drink. But some people … they just don't care what they put in their bodies, you know?"

Watching him plop another mushroom in his mouth, Ella nodded sagely. "I know."

Tucker leaned toward her, blanketing her with the scent of marijuana. "The word you're looking for is ‘oblivious'."

"Watch where you're leaning," Saxon groused, glaring at him. "You almost made me drop my hotdog."

Tucker gave him a superior look. "It'd be better if you had, Baldy, since you still haven't washed your bloodstained hands." He shuddered.

Saxon sighed. "Back to that again, are we, little man?"

Tucker bristled. "I'm not short."

"Okay," Saxon agreed.

Slade looked at Viper. "I'm still not happy I got kicked out of your club."

Viper spared him a sideways glance. "You weren't kicked out. You weren't even inside the club. You were stood outside doing your best to get a rise out of Sting."

Slade flapped a hand. "Semantics."

Ella cocked her head. "So, like Teague, you don't know what that word means?"

"No, they don't," Tucker confirmed for him.

"Why were you bothering Sting?" Jester asked Slade.

"I heard he's a good fighter, so I challenged him weeks ago to a brawl in the Underground fight pit," replied Slade. "I bet him two hundred dollars I'd kick his ass. He waved away the challenge; said it'd be like taking candy from a baby. Who gives candy to babies?"

"Archer probably would," Saxon muttered. "And mushrooms."

A fond, nostalgic smile curved Gideon's mouth. "You know, my mom used to put brandy in my bottle to make me sleep."

Leo stared at Gideon for several seconds. "That explains so much."

Yeah, it kind of did. She spared Leo a quick look when he adjusted his golfing glove. "So, you heading off to play golf after this?"

Leo seemed both surprised and confused by the question. "No. Why'd you ask?"

"Well, because you're dressed for it."

He swept the ungloved hand down his body. "This is my normal, everyday attire."

"Why?"

Tucker snickered. "Because he's a goddamn weirdo."

Leo threw him a snarky look over his shoulder. "Fuck off, Frodo."

His mouth tightening, Tucker leaned toward him. "I'm not short."

No, he was just smaller than the others. But he was as wacked as they were—that was for sure. He just seemed to consider himself the only normal member of the clan.

After watching several races—and winning a nice clump of cash—Ella and Viper began making their way out of the Underground, hand in hand. It garnered them plenty of looks, all of which she ignored. His brothers remained close, on high alert.

"Thank you for tonight," she told him. "I didn't realize how much I needed some time to just chill."

Viper sighed. "And I still don't get how all that made you feel chill."

"Oh, my sweet summer child."

He gave his head a quick shake. "Forget it."