Do Or Die [Nuworld 4] (28 page)

caught in another man’s bed before, but he knew this would happen eventually. He was

fully clothed and the bed was not messed up, but the strained look on his best friend’s

face showed amends were necessary. He walked around Gilroy and left the room and

Gilroy followed silently. Once he reached his room he opened the door and then

stepped to the side to let his first commander enter.

“If you plan on beating the crap out of me then I guess we should go outside,”

Andru spoke seriously, once he’d shut the door and faced Gilroy.

“Would it do any good?” Gilroy searched his friend’s face.

Andru matched his gaze but didn’t respond. Could he swear never to touch his

sister again?

“I didn’t think so.” Gilroy turned away from his friend and ran his hands through

his inky hair then sighed deeply. He sat down on the edge of Andru’s bed. “I’m not

sure what I would have done if I found you with her…um…under different

circumstances.”

“If it helps you, my friend, that has only happened once…and you were there.”

Andru cocked his head and looked hard at Gilroy.

He looked deeply disturbed, and when Gilroy looked up at him he thought he saw

something resembling a guilty conscience. “This bothers you, I can see that. If I told you

I was sorry I’d be lying. I love my sister. I can’t make that go away, not even for you.

She was very excited after her day and simply asked me to hold her while she slept. If

you’d been here I’m sure she would have asked you instead.”

Gilroy waved his hand as if dismissing the conversation. He stood up and walked

over to the window then stared out into the blackness as if he could see something.

“There’s something else. Speak your mind to me, my friend. Did everything go all

right? Has Lara been captured?”

“We found the Norther Clan, and for the most part they’ve been scattered to wind.

There wasn’t much fight to it…my men had a lot of energy to burn.” He looked up at

Andru quickly, but then looked away. “Lara was nowhere to be found. Tara and

um…Meah…um, they both agreed that she probably fled back into Norther country.”

“You’re bothered by this?” Andru couldn’t put his finger on his friend’s strange

behavior.

“No. No, that’s not it. Damn it. I came up here to find you, and when you weren’t in

your room, and then when our door was locked…well, it seemed like the justice I

deserved. But obviously you didn’t do anything to her.” Gilroy looked up at Andru and

saw the confused look on his face. He laughed bitterly. “I came to ask a favor, and I

guess now I can say you owe me one.”

“Whatever you ask.”

“I need you to take Meah.”

“What?” Andru spoke way too loudly and lowered his voice quickly. “You want

me to do what?”

“I vowed to Ana that there would be no bastards. There was just way too much

energy built up and…” Gilroy threw his hands up in the air and then let them slap his

sides when they fell.

“You fucked Meah.” Andru was stunned.

He turned away from Gilroy and let any possible repercussions that could surface

race through his mind. He turned back around quickly and saw how white his friend

looked. “Does my mama know?”

“Absolutely not,” Gilroy hissed. “Meah partook in the sparring when we returned

to the Blood Circle Clan. Her troops and mine needed to burn energy. Someone offered

her some Gothman wine. I don’t think she’s accustomed to strong drink.”

Gilroy sighed and ran both hands through his hair. “I left her in tears. She begged

me not to tell Ana, like I would be such a fool. She went on and on about how she’d

ruined her chance at the future she’s always wanted.”

“Ana told Meah if she succeeded with her mission that Ana would make her the

first assistant. If that happens she’ll probably also become the Runners’ commander.

You’ll work with her a lot. Ana told me that didn’t bother her.”

Gilroy groaned and dropped to Andru’s bed letting his head fall into his hands.

“Why do you want me to take her?”

“The bitch told me after the fact that she isn’t on anti-conception. Who’d of thought

a woman as beautiful as that would leave herself unprotected? That’s why, Andru. I

daresay if she ends up with child I don’t want her coming to me.”

“That would be a complication.”

“There are worse things I could ask of you.”

Andru smiled. “Can’t argue with you there. Go to your claim now and put this out

of your head. If she’s not accustomed to the drink, chances are she may not remember

in the morning.”

Gilroy looked insulted. “My lord, I’d never say such a thing about you.” Gilroy

stood and walked to the door. “I found you in bed with my claim. Men have died in

that position. Do this for me…and, Andru, you’re going to have to make it something

she won’t forget no matter how drunk she is.”

“Where is she?”

* * * * *

Ana woke up the next morning and found herself wrapped up in Gilroy’s arms. She

definitely would be the envy of every female in Gothman as well as the Runner site if

they knew she’d fallen asleep in Andru’s arms and woke up in Gilroy’s arms. What

other woman could be so lucky? She snuggled closer, feeling incredibly huge and

awkward, and kissed Gilroy gently on the lips. He smelled like stale wine and sweat.

She kissed him again and he stirred under the covers and pulled her to him without

opening his eyes.

“Did you get her?” she whispered and he opened one eye trying to focus on the

meaning of her words. Comprehension brought a small smile to his face.

“You are beautiful.”

She groaned. “You didn’t capture her, did you?”

“The only thing I captured last night was your brother in my bed when I came

home to you.”

Her eyes widened and then a stubborn look crossed her face. “I asked him to stay

with me. Nothing happened.”

“And what if I’d caught you in a more compromising position?”

“You won’t.” Ana didn’t bat an eye as she stared at him.

He noticed she didn’t say it wouldn’t happen just that he wouldn’t catch them.

Andru had said the same thing. They’d had a taste of each other and the love already

existed. He didn’t have the same convenient excuse. There was no way he could push

the issue. She kissed him again and he felt her smile against his lips when his erection

tapped the side of her leg.

Gilroy ran his hand down her leg then up to her waist to pull down her pants. He

undressed her with painful detail, taking his time when she ached to have him inside

her. She groaned when he ran his fingers down her naked body and he watched her

lower lip quiver. Blonde locks fell everywhere across her pillow and he relished how

beautiful she was. He’d been given the gift of a lifetime when he got Ana, and there was

no way he would allow her to get away.

She was so damned tight, her body changing from her pregnancy every time he

entered her. He moaned in spite of himself when he felt the heat inside her. She

tightened around him relentlessly and he gripped her rear end firmly before thrusting

inside her further. She let out a yelp and he kissed her into erotic mewling noises.

“I love you,” she gasped, as they came together.

“How do you feel?” He grinned and wiped the curls from her face.

“At the moment?” She giggled. “Like the luckiest woman in the world.”

That was a punch in the stomach. He stifled the guilt and stroked her lip with his

thumb.

“I meant, how is the baby?”

“We’re fine. So tell me about last night. I want to know everything. You know I

would have been there if I weren’t so huge.” She frowned down at the bulge in her

middle. Her belly button had transformed into a thin line. She couldn’t wait for this

child to be born.

“You’re beautiful.” He rearranged himself in the covers so his head lay next to her

stomach and she giggled again when he began whispering to their child.

His deep blue eyes danced and black hair fell like silk around his unshaven face. He

was any woman’s dream and he was hers. What a gift to receive. He’d told her he

found her in bed with her brother and then he made love to her. There was no way she

would ever let this man go.

He focused on her soft gray eyes and they silently stared each other for a minute.

Then, he gave her a count by count play of everything that happened the night before.

They’d found the Norther Clan and were surprised how much it resembled a true

Runner clan site. It was a small clan, three, maybe four hundred people. Everyone wore

Runner apparel and they were welcomed by the customary scouts then brought to the

fire. Lara wasn’t there, though. He told her they turned the clan site upside down and

received absolutely no resistance from any of the clan members. He mentioned Tara

and Meah’s belief that Lara fled to the Norther country and Ana nodded her agreement.

He even brought up that Meah and her scouts returned to the Blood Circle Clan. She

understood the pent-up energy when warriors went out for potential conflict and

experienced none. And she laughed when he described some of the sparring to her. He

told her everything…almost.

“I wonder if Meah is still at the clan site?” Ana pulled herself up and then walked

naked to the bathroom. Her body was trim and lean other than the incredible bulge in

her middle.

“I’m not sure where she would have slept.” And that was true.

Ana showered quickly, anxious to find her mama, and hopefully Meah, and hear

their version of what happened. She found her mama at her trailer visiting with Jolee,

and after hearing a similar account, Meah showed up at the door.

“Goodness sakes.” Tara sat cross-legged at her small conference table and stifled a

grin when Meah joined them. “I didn’t realize you had so much fun last night

sparring.”

Meah had a slight bruise that ran along her cheekbone, but her lower lip, swollen

and an odd shape of purple, stole all the attention.

“I’m afraid this came from after the sparring.” Meah tried to smile and her fingers

quickly went to her sore lip.

“I see.” Ana covered her mouth to keep from laughing. “Let me guess. You decided

to get to know our Gothman allies a little bit better?”