As much as I loved watching Evie stand up for herself, I had reached my breaking point. Slowly, I stood and passed Vincent to his mother. Then I crossed my arms. He was a big guy, but I would absolutely destroy him if he made one more nasty comment.
“You’re done here. Leave,” I said in a low voice.
He tilted his head up, assessing me with a sneer. “Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”
“The man who won’t let you speak to her like that ever again.” My tone was dark and dangerous and unfamiliar. But my control had begun to slip.
The old man’s eyes flickered with what might be fear, but it died quickly. Standing, he loomed over her. “You’ll regret this. Shutting me out, having your goon threaten me. If you do this, I won’t be around to bail you out, and we both know you’re too soft and stupid to make it on your own.”
Evie’s reply was soft but steady, her dark eyes full of fire. “I’ve already made it on my own, Dad. I survived. Not because of you but in spite of you. Now please go, and I’d appreciate it if you never spoke to my family again.”
My heart twisted. She was rewriting the story in real time, unwilling to hide behind her shame. It was beautiful, watching her stand on her own and protect our son. Hell, protect me too.
My family.
The words bounced around in my skull, and in this moment, I fell even harder for her.
He opened his mouth like he was going to argue. Instead, shoulders dropping, he shook his head and turned away. “Come on, Giovanna,” he said as he strode toward the exit.
Giovanna scooted toward the end of the booth, her expression full of pain.
“You don’t have to go,” Evie murmured.
Giovanna gave her a small smile. “I love you.” With that, she gathered her purse and headed out after their father.
I unclenched my hands and exhaled, long and slow. Then I turned to Evie, who clutched Vincent to her chest, her eyes glassy and her chest heaving.
Quickly, I rounded the table and took Giovanna’s spot. Then I held the two of them tightly, willing their heartbeats to anchor me to the ground.
“He doesn’t get to scare me anymore,” she said eventually.
I rested my chin on the top of her head, relishing the smell of her shampoo and the warmth of Vincent’s little body between us. “No,” I said. “He never will.” She was strong enough to handle him on her own, but if there ever came a time when she wasn’t, I’d ensure that fucker would never get near them again.
Vincent began to fuss, probably ready to be fed, and the noise of the hotel lobby seeped back in, bringing us back to the present.
As we got in the elevator to head back to our room, my entire being shifted. This time, it wasn’t those protective instincts flaring up. No, this sensation was quieter and deeper.
I had always known I’d do anything tokeepthem safe.
But now I had a new goal: to be theplacewhere they were always safe.
Chapter 32
Evie
Jasper led me up to the hotel suite, his arm around me protectively.
Emotionally drained, all I could do as I fed Vincent was stare blankly at the wall.
Even my baby boy’s giggles couldn’t lift the fog.
When I’d finished nursing him, Jasper laid out the tummy time mat, then took him from me and played with him until he rubbed at his eyes, signaling that he was sleepy. Picking up on the cue on his own, Jasper changed him for bed, then sang to him while rubbing his back in the Pack ’n’ Play.
With any luck, he’d sleep in this strange place. At four months old, he slept for good stretches of time most nights.
My little guy was growing so fast.
The thought brought with it a wave of emotion, causing tears to leak from my eyes without permission. It was all happening so fast. Everything had changed. And nothing would ever be the same again.
