“I know he threatened you with your past. Probably with both our pasts. Then he tried to blackmail you into doing business with him.”
Cheryl’s mouth drops open. “How did you?—”
“Let’s just say I saw it in a dream. He’s a bastard of the lowest kind. He preys on the weak, or people he thinks he can use to his own advantage, but that’s all over.”
“Please don’t do anything to?—”
I cup her face with my palms. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes, but, Graham is?—”
“I told you, I know exactly what Pierce is. Do you trust me?”
“Always.”
I lean in and grab her lips in a searing kiss. Marking what’s mine, letting her know that, no matter what, I will stand by my word and always protect her and Portia.
“Can you tell me where you’re going?”
“Nope, and that’s all you’re getting.”
“We’re eating at six.” She looks at her watch. “And it’s three o’clock now.”
“I’ll be back before six.” How long could it take to shut up that lying, thieving bastard?
“I hope so.” She stares at me for a heartbeat. “Not for me.” She nods into the family room. “For her.”
I draw Cheryl into my arms and whisper, “I promise noone and nothing will ever come between me and my family again. Whatever kind of weird bullshit went on in my head last night taught me that life is fragile and the people we love even more fragile.”
Cheryl looks up at me. “I never heard you talk that way before.”
“Maybe that’s the problem. I’ve spent so many years thinking I had to hide my feelings and fighting for what I thought was important, I’ve missed the truth.”
“I just want you to know I appreciate everything you’ve worked for and wanting to be in Portia’s life.”
“Right, but now I want to be an actual part of her life. Actively doing shit with her. Like today.”
“I have to say, she loved it, and I loved seeing you in that Kiss the Cook apron.”
I glance down at myself. “Couldn’t stain this Brioni shirt, right?” I hug her to me and nuzzle her neck. “From now on, everything’s gonna be different. I’m gonna be different.”
“I hope not too different. I do like that tough guy once in a while.”
“Don’t worry, he’s still in here.” I tap my heart. “But so is a loving partner and father.”
Cheryl shakes her head. “I don’t know what happened to you over the last twenty-four hours, but I like it.”
“Let’s just say I got a glimpse into my future, and it wasn’t pretty.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I know it’s Samson.
“I’ve been around long enough to know something’s up, and I also know you’re not going to tell me where you’re going.” Cheryl locks eyes with me. “Please be careful.”
“I’ll be here for dinner.” I hug Cheryl one more time then step back. “And when I get home, we’ll start planning that trip to Disneyland.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely, we can do it next week when Portia has off.”
