Ally and Jeanie wince in unison. When they fall silent, Tilly says, “Now what do you want to tell us?”
“You’re going to be grandparents,” they say at the same time before they begin to laugh.
Shock lights up Tilly’s face before she beams with happiness and is out of her chair and around the table pulling both girls into her arms. “My babies are having babies,” Tilly cries.
Tilly’s happy, but Adam glares at Sam and me. He points at Sam. “You’re lucky you married her first.”
He turns the same finger at me. “You! Outside,” he commands and stalks towards the kitchen door.
“Dad!” Jeanie glares at his back as he walks out of the kitchen.
“It’s okay, sweetness,” I say, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“It’s not okay,” she replies, eyes brimming with tears. “I don’t want the men I love to fight.”
My heart swells at her declaration of love. We’ll get to that later because she’s upset right now, and I’m not sure she realises what she’s said.
Enfolding her in my arms, I hug her to me, whispering, “It will be okay. I promise.” Kissing her one last time, I push her towards her mom before I leave the kitchen. Butcher and Sam follow me. It means something to me. Them having my back. Especially Butcher, as this is his family.
I hear shuffling behind them, so I know before long her uncles will follow. Walking out onto the veranda, we watch as Adam walks from one side of the garden to the other, taking deep breaths.
Taking my cut off, I hand it to Sam, saying, “Look after this for me.”
“Will do, brother. Remember he’s her dad.”
Waving my hand over my shoulder at him, I step off the veranda and down the steps, walking towards Adam. He turns to look at me. I stop just short of him.
“You got anything to say?” he demands.
“I’ve got plenty to say, but I’m not sure you’re in the mood to listen, so I’ll give you one shot because I understand that you’re pissed at me for knocking your baby girl up. One shot only, though; after that it’s fair game. When we’re done, maybe you’ll be in the mood to listen.”
I’m barely finished talking when he hits me and fuck me; the man has fists like a brick. I’m a man of my word, though, and I give him his shot. I know it’s not just about me and Jeanie; it’s about the fact that both his girls are now no longer his alone to look after, and for a protective man like I know Adam O’Shea to be, it’s got to be a hard pill to swallow.
I also know that I won’t have to hold back with him. He may be older, a little shorter, and a tad lighter than me, but the man is by no means over the hill, and every hit he lands counts. He doesn’t pull punches, and when he has to, he fights dirty. That means I don’t need to hold back either, and it feels fantastic to let all the tension from the last few hours out.
I’m not sure how long we go at it. I know at some point Jeanie comes onto the veranda but keeps back and lets us fight it out. I knew from the start that she was old lady material, and her choice not to interfere only confirms it.
It’s Butcher who finally puts a stop to our fight by stepping between us, saying, “That’s enough from both of you. Shake hands and be done now. Adam, you’re upsetting Jeanie. Bolt and Jeanie may have gone about starting out back to front, but he’s a good man, and he’ll cherish Jeanie the way she should be. Stop being a fecking idiot and go hug your daughter before you lose her.”
Adam and I stand back at his words. He’s right. Neither of us wants to upset Jeanie any more than we already have.
Both of us are panting with exhaustion, blood and sweat coating us. We bend over, hands on knees, catching our breath. Adam looks up at me, and I’m a little proud to see the blood coating his teeth when he smiles before straightening and holding out his hand. I take it, and I’m surprised when he pulls me in for a hug, slapping my back. “Welcome to the family. Don’t fuck my daughter over.”
This is the type of family I can understand. Beat the shit out of each other, but once it’s done, it’s done. Laughing, I slap his back in return. “I won’t,” I reassure him. “She’s in good hands and worth the beating.”
“Feck it.” Adam smirks, letting me go but keeping a hand on my shoulder. “At least my girls have chosen men I can respect.”
His hand is still on my shoulder as we walk up the stairs together. Jeanie’s waiting for us at the top of the stairs, glaring at the pair of us, arms crossed, foot tapping.
‘Man, she looks pissed.’
She takes one look at our grinning faces and throws up her hands, rolling her eyes. “Boys are so stupid. Clean up so we can go home,” she orders me, then turns on her heel and stalks away. I can’t help but ogle her fine ass as she walks away clean, forgetting her father is standing next to me until he slaps me on the back of the head.
“Not in my presence.” He glares at me, but I can see his lips twitching, so I’d say he’s over his mad.
“Sorry, Grandpa.” I smirk at him.
“Fecking cheeky gobshite knocking my baby girl up, without first putting a ring on her finger,” he grumbles as he walks away, but I take it as a win because he doesn’t slap me again.
