I laugh and shake my head. “I care about your well-being and our baby’s. There’s a difference.”
“Listen,” she starts to say, but then her brother walks over, stopping her from telling me off.
“Leo. Back so soon?” Angelo asks.
“I had to check on my girl.”
He runs his fingers through his dark brown hair and shakes his head. “I’m not sure how I feel about you with my sister.”
Daphne smacks him on the chest with the back of her hand. “Don’t be a jerk, Angelo.”
“You better do right by her,” he tells me with a serious look. “If you don’t, you won’t have to worry about my father because I’ll find you first.”
I stare at my old childhood friend, knowing he’s a man of his word just as much as I am. “Noted.”
“Takes balls to come in here,” Lucio, Daphne’s other brother, says as he comes to stand by their side. He’s staring at me more intensely, having missed the entire conversation we had earlier.
“I can’t hide.”
“My father’s already put the word out that you’re not to be touched unless provoked,” Daphne says in response to Lucio’s statement.
“Provoked?” I ask as I draw my eyebrows inward.
“You plannin’ on drawing a gun on someone?” Lucio asks, which explains everything I need to know.
“No. I don’t even carry one.”
“Don’t say that too loud,” Angelo says and starts to laugh, but I’m not sure I see the humor.
Lucio turns his attention toward his sister. “Daphne, it’s dead in here tonight. Why don’t you go home and relax? You were just in the hospital yesterday, and Leo’s right, you should take it easy.”
“We got this,” Angelo tells her and takes the towel out of her hands. “Go.”
I smile, liking her brothers more than I ever expected. For once, I feel like someone is on my side instead of fighting me at every turn.
“I could go for pizza,” Daphne says as she rubs her stomach.
“Pizza, it is.” I smile at my girl.
“I’ll grab my things. Be right back.”
I watch her as she disappears down the hallway to the stock room, and when I turn around, her brothers are eyeing me.
“You break her heart, and we’ll end your life,” Lucio says as he leans in so no one else can hear. “If she gets hurt because of you, we’ll make sure it’s painful.”
“And slow,” Angelo adds.
I hold up my hands. “Guys, I only want to do what’s right. I love your sister. I’d never do anything to hurt her, and I’d never allow anyone to put their hands on her. I’ll protect her and make her happy.”
“Ready?” Daphne says as she walks toward me, oblivious to what just transpired between her brothers and me.
“You two have a good night,” I say as I stand and snake my arm around Daphne’s back, gripping her hip.
“Let’s grab the pizza and take it back to your place.”
“Alfredo’s?” she asks with a twinkle in her eye.
“From anywhere you want,bella.”
