His ridiculous infatuation with Joy had been so childish, a teenager’s dream and later, a knight in shining armor rushing to the rescue. He hadn’t seen her for what she was. Joy had wanted money, a handsome husband and the bright lights of the city. She wanted a glamorous singing career, and there was nothing at all wrong with that. Unfortunately she still looked to a man to get her out of the bayou, even after all that had happened to her. She didn’t believe Wyatt was that man – and she’d been right.

Joy didn’t need or want him. She didn’t see him for who he was or love him for it. He had known love growing up and he wanted a woman who would stand with him through anything. Anything at all. Even protecting three little vipers from anything or anyone who would harm them.

That woman was sitting in a chair, snake bit, shot, muscles still cramping painfully and yet determined as hell to listen in on how they were going to rescue her children. And she had a knife. He knew because he felt it right there at her waist when he pulled her close to him.

Reluctantly he went back to his chair, aware Ezekiel and Malichai both were grinning from ear to ear. He preferred their knowing grins to their drooling over his woman.

“I could get her a blanket so you could tuck that around her,” Malichai offered. He hastily bent his head toward his plate when Nonny fixed him with a stern eye, but he didn’t bother to hide his grin.

Wyatt might have risen to the bait, but his grandmother looked as if she’d had enough, and Pepper looked as if she might faint from the pain. He found her pain actually made him feel sick, so he pushed his plate away from him and leaned back in his chair.

“We’re goin’ to get the children out. I know I’m their father. Nonny knows it too. I can feel it. They took somethin’ from me without my consent, and now I’ve got three little ones to look after. I take bein’ a father very seriously.”

Ginger’s eyes were wide. She looked from him to Pepper and signed frantically. He waited while Pepper did her best to explain to a baby genius just how such a thing could be true.

“There will be some problems and we’re goin’ to have to prepare for them. We’ll need to have things ready for them before they get here. We’ll also need better security before we tip our hand and go after them. Pepper thinks they’re safe for the moment, but they’re babies and they have to be terrified. I want to beef this place up fast.”

Ezekiel nodded. “We’ll need a few others to get the work done. We’ll need weapons and bunkers and a safe room.”

“We have to childproof the house,” Nonny added practically.

“They’re good at escaping,” Pepper said.

There was instant silence in the room. Wyatt glanced uneasily at his friends. Ezekiel sat up straighter, his gaze leaping to Pepper’s face at the sound of her voice. That soft, silken glide that moved under a man’s skin. Malichai looked shell-shocked.

“Darlin’.” Wyatt pinned her with his dark gaze. “Don’ talk. I’m lettin’ you stay because you got the right to hear, but don’ waste your energy or you’ll find your pretty little butt right back in bed. You hearin’ me?”

Her eyelashes fluttered. Her lips parted in protest but no sound emerged. He was fairly certain it was because she was too outraged to speak so he sent her another, much more charming smile.

I don’t understand you.

She sounded so lost he wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close to him. I know, sugar, but right now you don’ have to. You just have to concentrate on gettin’ better. I want to know you understand and you’ll just relax right there. You got somethin’ to say, say it private to me.

Pepper moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, and Malichai groaned. Wyatt set his teeth to keep from swearing.

You’re killin’ me, baby. Just don’ move. Don’ speak. You’re still not able to block your voice and I don’ want to have to kill a friend. So don’ open your mouth unless it’s askin’ me to kiss you. You hearin’ me? Say it. To me. You’re hearin’ me.

Pepper swallowed hard, glanced at Malichai and Ezekiel. Color crept up her pale skin into her cheeks. She nodded.

Say. It. To. Me. He bit the command out, enunciating each word.

Her gaze flicked back to him. I’m hearing you.

“If they’re good at escapin’, we’ll have to make certain they understand the danger. Pepper, right now, is the only one they trust. Ginger” – he smiled at his daughter – “you can help us with this. When we bring your sisters home, you have to help us make them understand they’ll still be in danger, but not from us. Can you do that?”

Ginger looked to Pepper, who signed to the baby. Wyatt was fascinated by the expression on Pepper’s face as she looked at the little girl. Her eyes, a strange, deep almost purple, had gone soft and warm. The diamond burst bled into the purple, giving off a look of radiant love. He’d seen women look at their children with love, but there was something intense and focused, as if the child was everything to her.

He touched her mind very gently, wanting to feel what she felt for the child. All encompassing. Real. He went soft inside. How could he not? Pepper didn’t have a family until the babies were given to her. She’d known nothing about children, but like any good soldier on a mission, she had researched as much as she could to be the best she could without practical experience.

And she loved. She knew how to love. Little vipers. Little tiny lethal baby vipers who bit her and made her suffer. She loved them anyway.