“It’s her sole purpose in life.”
He laughs and slaps my back. “It’s her job, man. If you want to bow out…”
“No. I’m going. We’re all going.”
“We wouldn’t think less of you. You should be on your honeymoon and spending the week in bed with your bride, not putting yourself in danger for some stupid shit Morgan wants to do.”
“We’re family. We have each other’s backs. Our honeymoon isn’t for a few months anyway.” I turn to look at him when he doesn’t reply, but he’s focused on his eldest daughter, Gigi, as she lies on a lounger on the patio. “It’s hard, isn’t it? Watching your baby grow up.”
I try to picture Tate at that age. Full of rebellion and hormones, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to do it.
“It’s hell on earth. The worst shit ever.” He shakes his head. “This one—” he tips his head her way “—may be the death of me.”
“She cause all that gray?” I smirk, which earns me an elbow in the ribs.
“Just wait until the assholes start coming around, trying to get into your little girl’s pants, man. It’s payback. I know it.”
“I don’t think it works that way.”
He stares at me with an unreadable expression. “Then tell me why I have only girls?”
I shrug. “Weak swimmers?”
“Oh, fuck off. My sole purpose in life is to scare every shitbag that comes near her so much that they almost piss their pants and run away screaming.”
“Is it working with the one she’s talking to now?”
“No,” he grumbles.
“What’s the plan?”
“I have eyes and ears on everything in the city. She’ll soon be in college and will find someone else besides that shitbag she can’t seem to shake.”
“You can’t control everything, Joe.”
“I’ll remind you of that when Tate’s old enough to date. Mark my words, you will do everything in your power to make sure she’s safe from some dipshit that only cares about getting laid.”
He has me there. I’d do anything. I don’t even care if my ass would land in jail if it meant my daughter would be safe.
“But don’t worry. You have a long while until that happens. Tate’s young, which gives you tons of time to plan the ways you’ll torture her boyfriends to make sure they don’t use her.”
“I know who I’m calling for advice.”
He lifts his face toward the sky and sighs. “I hope I live long enough to help you, cousin. I have a feeling Gigi’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
I can’t help but laugh. At least I only have one daughter to worry about, unlike Joe.
“At least most of the people in our area know me and my buddies, and they’re scared shitless. But most times, boys aren’t thinking with their heads.”
“We never do,” I say, feeling my stomach flip, thinking about what lies ahead of me.
15
Tilly
Angelo collapses into a chair near the bed, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. “Such a long day,” he says softly as I climb into his lap. His hands move to my hips, his fingers digging into my skin through my dress.
I press my hands against his chest, loving the feel of his warmth and the steady beat of his heart under my palms. “Are you ready to go to bed, husband?” I love how the word slides off my tongue.
