The Reborn

Chapter Twenty-Three

Twenty-Three

Justin

Iwoke up to the scent of coffee and the feel of fingertips running down my pecs and abs.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” she said softly just before she kissed my cheek.

I cracked my eyes open to find a smiling Olivia with her hair wrapped in a towel, silky robe back in place, coffee mug in hand. I ran a hand up the back of her thigh. “Mornin’. That for me?” I tipped my head toward the coffee.

She set it on the bedside table, then climbed up to straddle my hips over the sheet. “It is.” She ran a hand over my chest. “You are so yummy. Hottie Pants definitely suits you.”

I barked out a gruff laugh. “Ditto, baby.” I reached for the tie on her robe, but she swatted my hand away.

“Sadly, there’s no time for you to make me scream your name this morning.” She smirked at me. “We have plans.”

“Plans?”

“Yes. Now get up and get dressed. We’re going out.”

“Out where?” My brain automatically began ticking through safety precautions if we were going out in public. What would I need to do to prepare? Would I need anything more than my Glock?

She hopped off and patted my belly. “We’re going to a party.”

I sat up and narrowed my eyes at her. “A party? What kind of party?”

“You’re cute when you’re in security mode.” She pulled the towel off her head and headed to the bathroom to start brushing her hair. “Cool your jets, Caveman. We’re going to my parents’ to pick up Elizabeth, then we’re staying for a family thing.” She poked her head out. “No big deal.”

No big deal. I wasn’t so sure about that. She hadn’t mentioned anything about this before today and the sudden party plans were making me suspicious. I picked up my coffee and took a sip as I padded to the bathroom to lean against the doorframe to watch her. Two could play at this game.

“If you’re gonna be with your family, you don’t need me. I’ve already vetted your dad’s security. You can go enjoy your party and I’ll see you when you get home.”

Her movements slowed as she blinked at me. Slowly, she dropped her brush and turned to face me. “No.”

“No?”

“No, I don’t want to go without you.”

I tilted my head in question. It might be childish or needy, but I wanted her to say it.

She sighed and rolled her lips. “We decided to do this, right? You and me?”

“We did. But only Camden knows why I’m really here, so...”

“Actually, about that... I was going to tell my family the truth today. About Lizzie’s father, about the reason you’re here, you and me. All of it. It’s time.”

I didn’t patronize her and ask her if she was sure or pretend to know what was best for her and her family. Instead, I set down my coffee and cupped both sides of her jaw in my palms as we gazed into each other’s eyes. “Okay.”

She wrapped her hands around mine, holding me in place. “Okay.”

There, in that bathroom, as she held on to me and held my stare with her own, so full of strong vulnerability, I knew how dangerous she was to my heart. Yet, ultimately, I didn’t seem to care. Or maybe that choice had been taken away from me by powers that were not my own. Something otherworldly seemed to be at work there between us and I had no control. I think I’d given that up the moment I’d laid eyes on her.

I dropped my forehead to hers, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Finish getting ready. I’ll go cook breakfast.”

I grabbed my coffee and yanked on some clothes, then went to hunt around the kitchen for something I could cook, settling on my old standby of cheesy scrambled eggs and toast.

I was just plating it up when she reappeared in formfitting jeans and a black sweater that showed just the perfect hint of cleavage, but with Converse sneakers, hardly any makeup, and a ponytail, she was the perfect mix of sweet and sexy.

“This looks delicious,” she said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I tucked into my eggs. “So, what are we celebrating today?”

“Nothing. I just asked my parents if we could have a get-together and we invited everyone who could come. We do that sometimes.”

We do that sometimes.Family togetherness was such a foreign concept to me, I couldn’t fathom just calling people at the last minute to get together for no reason, or even wanting to.

She smiled at my obvious confusion. “It’ll be fun. Not everyone can make it with short notice, of course, but several of my cousins will be there with their families. I think you’ll like them. And Cam, of course.”

Well, at least I could fill him in on his fan mail situation.

When we were done, I shaved and showered, then we headed out to her folks’ place. We took her car since she had the car seat, but she let me drive, seeming happy to relax back in the passenger seat and hum along with the radio. She seemed content, serene. Like an angel I’d seen in a painting somewhere.

She rolled her head to face me, her eyes hidden behind big sunglasses. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.” I’d pretty much spilled my guts to her at this point, might as well go for broke.

“How long ago was your divorce?”

“About four years.”

I felt her surprise as she stared at my profile. She was probably wondering why I’d let my ex-wife call and harass me for four years, but it wasn’t like that at all. I honestly hadn’t kept up with Tricia the entire time; she’d just started calling when her life started falling apart.

I glanced over, wondering where this was going. “Why?”

“You said you’ve never mixed business with pleasure before, so to speak.”

“No.”

“So... did you date? Fall in love again? Come close to trying again?”

Not until now.

I sucked in a breath and squeezed the steering wheel. “Why do you ask?”

She reached over to touch my thigh. “There is no way a guy like you would be single very long unless he chose to be. I’m just wondering about your romantic history.”

“Not much to tell. I dated a few women after Tricia, but nothing serious. Definitely did not fall in love or get anywhere close.” I waited a beat. “And you?” Though the thought of her with any other man made me want to grind my teeth.

“One or two blind dates. They were terrible. I also tried a dating app, but it paired me up with one guy who made dentures for a living—not that there’s anything wrong with dentures, per se, but still—and a twenty-year-old college kid who still went to keggers. Looking back, I probably shouldn’t have trusted Whitney with making my profile. But, needless to say, I wasn’t ready, and I don’t trust just anyone around Elizabeth.”

“I don’t blame you.” I shrugged. “Still, denture guy could’ve come in handy someday when you needed false teeth.”

She squinted as if in deep thought. “Maybe... I think I’ve still got his number somewhere.”

I growled playfully, making her giggle.

A little while later, she directed me off the highway and toward Lake Livingston to her parents’ place. I glanced down, realizing she still had her hand on my leg as she gave me directions, something so harmless yet so intimate. Something I didn’t even remember Tricia doing. I took one hand off the wheel and gave hers a squeeze as we turned onto the long, quiet road that led to the Creed home.

As we neared the lake house that was already packed with cars, I realized I was a little bit nervous. Her entire family was about to learn the truth about her relationship, and I knew it would matter to her what they thought. There was also Elizabeth to consider. It certainly didn’t bother me that she had a daughter, and I could even say I was coming to care for them both, probably too much, but I’d be stupid to not understand that it made things a thousand times more complicated.

At the end of the day, I was still hired to do a job, and I’d willingly blurred the lines from professional to personal, and that could be interpreted as all kinds of dangerous. Mostly for her. But what I needed her family to know was that I would never let our personal relationship interfere with the job I was there to do. If anything, in my mind, it had solidified my reasons to protect her. Feelings were tricky that way. They made you more vulnerable, but they also made you more willing to lay down your life to protect what you cherished, in a way no paycheck ever could.

“You okay?” she asked as we pulled up in front of her parents’ house.

“I’m good. Are you?” We both understood that once we crossed this invisible line with her family, there was no going back, and after this, nothing was going to be the same. Strangely enough, I didn’t care about that as much as I probably should.

Instead of answering, she leaned over and kissed me. Sweet and gentle with just a touch of heat. She drew back and smiled at me before reaching over to open her door and step out.

I shook my head and smiled before getting out to meet her, doing a quick visual sweep of the perimeter of the property. Nothing but land and trees and the gentle lapping of the lake water on the shore.

The door swung open before we could knock, and her mother stood there smiling at us with Elizabeth perched on her hip. “There you are!” Her twinkling eyes slid down from Olivia’s face to my hand on the small of her back before rising again.

I knew she already thought we were dating, but it was obvious she wasn’t accustomed to Olivia bringing men home, which made me stupidly happy. “Hello,” I said, stepping forward to offer my hand. “It’s so nice to see you again, Mrs. Creed.”

“Nice to see you too, Justin. And please call me Judy.” She stepped aside to let us in as Elizabeth began to wiggle uncontrollably in her arms.

“Man Jusin,” she said as she slid to the ground and rushed us. “No work?”

I grinned down at her. “No, sweetheart. I came to see you.”

Olivia bent down and scooped her up, kissing her cheek and nuzzling her jaw. “I missed you so much, Lizzie Bear. Were you good for Grandma and Grandpa?”

Elizabeth squealed. “Yes!”

“Are you sure?”

“She was the best!” Olivia’s father joined us from the adjoining room where several voices conversed and laughed. He held out his hand. “Glad you could make it.”

“Sir.” We shook and I felt his scrutiny even more so than I had that day at church, probably because I was on his home turf now.

“Daddy, we need to talk to you and Mom alone for a few minutes, if that’s okay,” Olivia cut in. Guess we were ripping off the Band-aid right away. Fine by me.

He shot her a concerned look. “Everything okay?”

“Well...” She glanced over at me before offering him a reassuring smile. “We just wanted to update you on some things.”

“What kind of things?” her mother asked, her voice clearly concerned.

I stepped in, seeing her need to know her daughter and granddaughter were safe. “Nothing for you to be scared about. It’s just a bit sensitive, so we thought it would be better to speak to you and your husband in private before we spoke to the family.”

Her mother and father exchanged confused looks. “Okay.” Then her expression softened as she turned toward Olivia. “I’ll ask Genevieve and Harper to watch Lizzie for us. We can talk in the kitchen.” The twinkle in her eye as she scooped up Elizabeth and walked away told me she thought this talk was about to go in the romantic direction.

I flicked Olivia a quick glance. Oh boy. I hated to disappoint her family with fanciful notions of rainbows and unicorns and wedding bells. Not today.

She shrugged and we followed her father toward the kitchen, where he silently offered me a beer, which I declined. We sat at the table and waited for her mother to return.

Judy was grinning when she took her seat next to her husband. “Okay, so tell us. What’s going on?”

Olivia sat up straight but gripped my hand under the table. “I need to tell you guys the truth.”

Her mother’s face fell a fraction. “The truth? About what?”

Her father sat stoically, saying nothing. It was as if he sensed whatever was coming was serious.

“Everything,” Olivia said on a sigh.

And she did. She started from her time in Italy, tearfully telling them about Christoph and his proposal and the awful things he’d done, leaving her to come home hurt and ashamed when she’d nearly lost her baby. Her mother’s tears began to fall, and even though she knew some of that, she obviously didn’t know everything. Still, her father sat quietly, absorbing her words silently, though I could sense a brewing anger under the surface that someone would treat his daughter that way.

Next, she told them about the recent stalking events and how they’d escalated enough to warrant Camden calling Hollow Point Security and hiring me.

When her father finally spoke, his voice was low and a touch broken. “Why would you lie to us about that, Olivia?”

“I didn’t mean to lie, Daddy. I didn’t want you guys to worry. Cam was handling it, and honestly, I think I was in denial for a while that it was such a big deal.”

Now his gaze sliced my way. “And is it? A big deal?”

“Yes, sir. The threats are as personal as they come so I believe they are viable. But you have my word that full security measures have been put into place for both Olivia and Elizabeth and I am not going anywhere until the problem is eliminated.”

Several heavy breaths passed between the four of us as they digested everything she’d just laid on them. Her mom reached over and took her free hand, her eyes teary. Her father kept his gaze locked on mine, measuring me up with new eyes.

“So,” he said, “this whole dating thing... was that just made up for our benefit then?”

“Yes,” Olivia replied, shooting me a quick glance. “At first.”

Her parents exchanged another confused look.

“At first?” Her mother sounded almost afraid to be hopeful.

“We started out by telling people he was an old friend,” she explained. “Then we came up with the dating story for you guys that day at church.” She shrugged. “Somewhere along the way I just... fell for him.”

You could’ve heard a pin drop in that room, and I’d swear my heart fell to my toes hearing her say those words out loud. She echoed every one of the things I’d been thinking and feeling but hadn’t had the courage to say out loud because I was still wrestling with the reality of what all that might mean. I was struck yet again with the fact that Olivia was the strongest woman I’d ever known. Probably stronger than me.

Her mom about swooned, smiling like she was over the moon.

Meanwhile, her father’s brows shot to his hairline. “You just met the man!”

She tilted her head at him. “Are you seriously saying that to me right now? After all the years of bragging about how you fell in love with Mom on your first date and asked her to marry you a month later?”

He harrumphed and looked away, then back, mumbling under his breath about how that was different, but it was clear he knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on.

“She’s right, dear,” her mom said. “As long as she’s happy, what does it matter? You are happy, right, sweetie?”

Olivia looked over at me, catching me in those honey eyes. “Stupid happy... which is crazy, considering everything going on.”

I bit back a smile because I understood exactly. Her father was right. We’d only known each other about a month. That was no time in the scheme of things, but just like the fast and furious nature of combat, we had no control of the untethered emotions that had thundered down on us as we weathered this intense situation together in such close quarters. Plus, as I was learning from comparing past to present experience, if you listen, the heart knows what it knows.

Her mother gave us the quintessential mom look. “That’s wonderful, sweetheart. I’m just sorry it has to be under these circumstances.”

I opened my mouth to reassure her again that I had everything under control, but the pounding of little feet distracted me as Elizabeth came roaring into the room and collided into my legs.

“Man Jusin!” She grinned up at me with her arms raised, asking to be picked up.

Something turned over in my heart at the sight, and unable to resist her, I lifted her to my lap.

“Sorry,” Camden strolled in behind her, looking not sorry at all. “She was getting antsy in there, wondering where you guys were.”

“It’s fine,” Olivia said.

Elizabeth set about toying with a button on my shirt and I did nothing to stop her, instead letting myself run a quick hand over her curls.

“Well, you and Lizzie Bear certainly seem to be thick as thieves,” Fred said.

I glanced up at him before shifting to look at Olivia, who was smiling at us with such a look of contentment on her face I was momentarily taken aback. Was this what having a family felt like? I’d always hoped before, but the feeling had eluded me, even during the best times with Tricia.

I swallowed back the sudden lump of emotion in my throat. “Like I said... it was the apple juice.”

He laughed but something in his expression shifted as he took me in with his granddaughter. “Why don’t you ladies go with Camden to join everyone in the living room,” Fred suggested. “Give me a moment to have a word with Justin, then we’ll be right behind you.”

As if sensing a guy thing was about to happen, the women cleared out, toddler in tow, and Camden offered me only a tip of his head, silently indicating I was on my own with his dad.

Once they were out of earshot, I turned to him. “Sir—”

He held up a hand, stopping me there. “A diamond.”

“Excuse me?”

“My girl.” He stared me down hard. “That’s what she is.”

I immediately thought of the sparkling brilliance of the gem and opened my mouth to agree, but he shook his head, cutting me off again.

“Just like a diamond, my Olivia is beautiful. Any man with eyes can see that. And it’s a fact that besides its beauty, a diamond is one of the hardest materials on earth.”

“Yes, sir. Olivia is one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”

“Do you know how much force it takes to shatter a diamond, son?”

I shook my head, not sure where he was going with all this.

“Just about three pounds.” His gaze narrowed as he took in my reaction like a hawk. “Three pounds of pressure to shatter one of the hardest things of beauty this earth creates. Can you believe that?”

“Sir, I don’t—”

“Just because something is hard doesn’t make it strong, Justin.” His words thundered through the silent kitchen a moment as he allowed that to settle in. “I’m glad you make my girl happy, I really am. And her safety is my number one priority. As long as you’re seeing to both of those things, we won’t have a problem.” His gray brows lifted. “But I want to make one thing perfectly clear here. I’m fully aware that Olivia is a grown woman who can make her own life decisions, but she will always be my little girl—my only daughter—and that baby is my granddaughter.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?” He began to tear up, though he quickly blinked it back. It was obvious we’d sprung a lot on them today. “I was there when she was born. I taught her how to fish, how to ride a bike, and how to throw a punch if need be. Above all, we’ve strived to teach all our kids to be true to their faith, their family, and themselves. It nearly broke me when she came home from Italy a shell of the girl we sent over there, but we watched her pick herself back up and build a career and become one hell of a mother.” He leaned in. “All that to say, I hope you are a man worthy of all that... one who knows what he wants and has the integrity to be honest about it. And if it’s not my girls—who are a package deal, obviously—then please have the decency to walk away before you break her again, because I won’t sit by silently again.”

“I do understand, Mr. Creed. And I respect you being upfront with me. Let me do the same for you.” At his nod, I continued. “This started as a job for me. I did not see any of this coming, and honestly, I didn’t want it. I was married before, and my wife cheated on me with a good friend. So, I have an idea what it’s like to be broken and need to rebuild.” I ran a hand over my head, not sure how to explain something that was so unexplainable. “I’ve been lost since the military. Just working on autopilot. No real relationships or attachments. And I’ve always maintained professional boundaries... until Olivia. She just brings something alive in me.” His expression softened at my words, so I hoped I was getting through. “I have no idea what’s going to happen between us, but I can promise you two things right now. First, I will put her and Elizabeth’s safety above my own—above everything—until the situation I was hired for is resolved. And second, I will always be honest with her.” It was the best I had to offer him in that moment.

He was quiet for a long moment, then he nodded once, seemingly satisfied. “Fair enough.” He clapped a hand to my shoulder. “Should we go join everyone else before they send in the search party?”

“Good plan.”

We made our way into the living area, and I was greeted by a sea of faces. The hubbub quieted when we entered as everyone took in the new guy. I automatically sought out Olivia’s face and she gave me a soft smile as she rose from the couch to come to me.

She laced her fingers through mine in a tight, reassuring grip. “Everyone, this is Justin Ashford. Justin... everyone.”

She laughed and tugged me around the room, introducing me to everybody. I already knew her parents and Camden, who had brought his family. Now I met some of her cousins—Asher, Levi, and Silas, and their respective wives and children. So many children. I also didn’t think it was lost on anyone how Elizabeth clung to my other hand as we made our way around.

“So, this is your boyfriend?” a bubbly blonde she’d introduced as Harper asked with a smile.

“Oh . . . well . . .” Olivia shot me a questioning look.

It was complicated and we’d never labeled things. If we were being honest, I guess I was her hired security turned booty call, and somewhere along the way we had grown some feelings. But what that equaled, I had no damn clue, and apparently, neither did she.

“We’re seeing each other, yes,” I said, stepping in to save her, and I could literally feel the heat of Camden’s stare on the side of my face, as this was news to him. I just couldn’t tell if he was okay with it or if I was about to get my ass fired.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound—of flesh. I squeezed Olivia’s fingers, then excused myself to walk over to him. “Got a second?”

He nodded. “Sure.” He kissed his wife on the cheek, then extricated himself from the love seat, leaving her with the sleeping baby to follow me back to the kitchen.

When I turned, he had planted himself near the threshold with his hands in his pockets, his gaze speculative.

“You and my sister, huh?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Depends.”

“On?”

“Is it for real or a part of the cover for my family? Because it’s obvious to me there are some feelings there, at least on her part, and I can’t let you hurt her, man.”

This was feeling oddly déjà vu. “I just had this talk with your dad. It’s very real, and I’m here to protect her, not hurt her.”

He did not seem impressed. “Doesn’t mean you won’t.”

“Not intentionally. And not like that douchebag in Italy.”

Nothing in his body language changed but I could sense a shift. Maybe I wasn’t going to get tossed out on my ass. “What do my parents know?”

“Everything. Olivia decided she didn’t want to keep any more secrets.”

He nodded.

“And I think she’s going to tell the rest of the family today too. She’s done hiding.”

“What do you think about that?”

“I think it’s her choice.”

There was a roar of laughter from the other room, reminding me of how much this family loved each other. How much of a family I didn’t have. I suddenly felt like such an outsider.

I cleared my throat. “I also wanted a minute alone to let you know Kade ran down your letter writer.”

His face paled. “And?”

“Female inmate. Off her rocker but harmless and not capable of doing this to your sister. The authorities will be taking it from here.”

“I’m not sure if I should be relieved or not.”

“Well, it’s one lead we can cross off the list and not waste time and energy on, so that’s good.”

“What’s next?”

“We’ve cleared her employees and the cleaning crew. I’ve pretty much cleared the leasing company, but I’ve got Kade doing a more thorough check on one office manager who has one misdemeanor in his background just to be sure, though he doesn’t ring any bells for me. That leaves me with the ex of one of her workers who also babysits and, the most obvious, the sperm donor.”

“You think it’s him? After all this time?”

“He makes the most sense. And in my experience, time means nothing if you’ve got an ax to grind.”

“Well, if it is him, and you catch him, I’d love five minutes alone with that motherfucker for what he did to my sister.”

“Get in line, man.”

We caught up on the case for a few more minutes, then as we turned to head back to the living room, he stopped me.

“She’s never brought a man home before. This is a big deal.” Just like their father, the way he stared at me begged me to protect more than just her body, but to protect her heart.

Funny, nobody seemed to realize she also held the power to shatter mine.

I wasn’t usedto family togetherness, but the day was actually fun. Inundated with more Creeds than I could’ve ever imagined—and apparently, there were about a million more—but they were all amazing. I settled back in my porch chair with a glass of Judy’s sweeter than sweet tea and watched the interplay between all of them. It struck a chord deep in me that I never knew existed until that moment, all that I’d missed, all that my family wasn’t. They laughed and shared inside jokes, and nothing felt forced. Their shared smiles told of a thousand more shared memories, and for a moment I actually found myself a bit jealous.

“You okay?” Olivia asked, joining me after she’d put Elizabeth down for a nap inside.

“Perfect.”

She smiled so sweet it put the tea to shame. “You kind of are.”

“Why do you keep stealing my lines?”

Her smile grew as I grabbed her hand and interlaced our fingers just as her male cousins joined us, pulling up chairs in a semicircle around her like a silent mafia of three.

I’d seen the whites of my enemies’ eyes in a warzone. Put bullets through them. Three protective family members did not make me flinch. I slid my sunglasses to the top of my head to make eye contact. “Gentlemen.”

“Uncle Fred tells us you were a SEAL.” Serious and quiet, this was spoken by the one I recalled was the oldest, named Asher.

“That’s right.” I took in the way he held himself, the way he assessed me with cool calculation. “Military?”

“Ranger. I work at the prison now, assistant warden.”

I nodded, knowing they loved Olivia and just wanted to feel me out. If I had a sister or a cousin like her, I’d do the same. Hell, I’d probably do worse.

“Do you sleep with all the women you’re hired to protect?”

“Silas!” Olivia interjected, clearly embarrassed. “Don’t be rude!”

I did not take my eyes off him. “No,” I bit out. “None.”

He narrowed his gaze at me as we stared each other down. “So you’re not fucking my cousin?”

“Silas—”

This from the entire group collectively, loud enough that I felt the others at the edge of the lawn pause their conversation to glance over to see what was going on.

Not deterred by his words or his tattooed bulk, I leaned forward so he’d hear me loud and clear. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I don’t fuck women that I care about.” I tilted my head and lowered my voice, channeling my SEAL interrogation days. “But let’s get one thing straight, right now. I don’t care who you are to her, if I hear you talk about her like that again, I will not hesitate to put you down.”

He kept his fiery gaze locked on mine for another long moment before he slowly sat back, an impressed smile crawling along his mouth.

“Do you know who that is?” asked the one in the middle, Levi.

“I don’t give a fuck.” I was still laser focused on his face, letting him know he’d crossed a line talking about our sex life.

“He’s the Silencer. An MMA champion.”

“Impressive,” I deadpanned, clearly not impressed, making Silas’s grin grow.

“That’s enough, guys,” Asher cut in. “No need for a pissing contest. Silas, that was out of line. Justin, we just wanted to get to know you because we love our cousin. She’s been through a lot, and we want to look out for her.”

“I’m right here,” she said, all sass. “And I can look out for myself.”

I squeezed her hand and shot her a glance. “Yes, you can.” I faced the trio again. “But I can appreciate you looking out for her too. And I assure you the last thing I would ever do is hurt her.”

A heartbeat later, Silas offered a big tattooed hand in truce. “Sorry, bro. Just had to put you through your paces.”

I nodded, then Olivia and I exchanged a look. I was silently leaving the ball in her court what she wanted to share with her family and when.

She gave me a small smile, then sucked in a breath and faced her cousins. “No need to do that, Silas. In fact, he would never hurt me because Camden hired him to protect me.”

“Come again?” Silas’s darker-than-dark eyes swung her way with the precision of a throat punch.

“We thought you guys were dating? The real deal?” Levi added, his voice low with confusion and a hint of lethal anger.

“We are,” we said at the same time.

Asher’s brow winged up, but he remained silent, awaiting an explanation.

Olivia gave them the nutshell version, but enough detail to make it clear the threats were real and so was our relationship.

“What the hell?” Silas demanded. “You kept that from your family? We would’ve helped.”

“How?” She tilted her head at him. “You’re busy with your families. And besides, Cam already uses the security company and is friends with the owner. He took care of it. Justin’s taking care of it. I didn’t want to worry anyone unnecessarily.”

Silas turned my way, his eyes haunted, reminding me of what Olivia had told me about their loss of a sister. His twin. It was clear he still had so much pain buried deep in there and a threat against another person he loved was opening that wound. “And are you? Taking care of it? Are you protecting the girls?”

“With my life.”

He seemed to sense something in me as well. Something I hadn’t said out loud, didn’t have the words for. But it reassured him, and after a moment, he nodded and sat back.

Eventually, conversation shifted to other, less emotional things. Asher told Olivia about his recent promotion to assistant warden and their last vacation to Florida. Levi talked about the store he ran with his wife and his twins’ latest escapades. Silas listened to it all quietly, offering a word here or there and answering when directly asked a question, but otherwise remaining silent, his eyes continually darting across the lawn to his dark-haired wife and daughters.

Olivia laid her head on my shoulder at one point, laughing at something one of them said, and they commiserated that they wished Jamison and Joshua had been able to make it. Two more brothers to add to the Protect Olivia squad, I was sure.

“Maybe next time,” she said with a sleepy smile.

“Yeah,” Levi said. “And are Titus and Elias ever going to come home for a visit?”

I knew she had a brother in the Air Force and another who was acting in L.A., and was probably wishing they could be here too.

“I’m not sure,” she answered.

“Do you have any siblings?” Asher asked, turning to me. “A loud mess like our family?”

I smiled benignly, fighting to keep the tension from my face. Olivia must’ve felt it because she squeezed my hand. “A sister,” I said, keeping it generic. “And, no, my family is pretty tame in comparison.”

I was saved from more questions when Olivia’s dad proudly announced that the burgers were ready.

The crowd became even more boisterous as we huddled around the family-style setup, Olivia’s father offering a quick grace, before everyone dug in and found a spot at one of two picnic tables or at one of the scattered Adirondack chairs in the shade.

It was clearly the women’s turn to feel me out when I found myself at a table surrounded by all the women, earning myself a smirk from Silas the Silencer himself as he sat under a tree with one of his daughters perched on his lap.

“So, how did you two meet?” the blonde I now knew was Harper, the health food store owner, asked after we finished eating.

I glanced at Olivia. “Want me to take this one?” I whispered.

She nodded, tension leaving her body. “Thank you.”

I repeated basically what she’d told her cousins, softening it just a bit and hopefully making it sound more romantic. No need to get the women all riled up over the situation that I had well in hand and ruin this perfectly good day.

“Oh my God,” Silas’s wife, Eden, said, her dark eyes wide. “I’ll bet Silas nearly lost his mind that you kept that a secret until now.”

“He’s okay,” Olivia said with a smile. “Justin reassured him that he’s got it under control.”

Asher’s wife, Genevieve, studied me with the scrutiny of a bloodhound. “He’s okay with it because he knows a man will do anything for the woman he loves.”

I felt Olivia stiffen next to me, but I held my own reaction in check. Nobody had said anything about love, and I didn’t like having one observant woman digging into the depths of feelings I hadn’t finished exploring myself yet.

“Gen—” Olivia started in an emotional whisper, but I cut her off.

“He’s okay with it because I swore on my life to protect them both, and I will.”

“Like I said...” Genevieve shrugged with a little smile.

Thankfully, our awkward powwow was interrupted by a rush of kids as Levi and Harper’s twins ran over along with Asher and Genevieve’s oldest, Caleb.

“Mommy!” Caleb said, his dark eyes dancing. “Can we blow bubbles?”

Genevieve ran a hand over his hair that was a shade lighter than hers. “That’s up to Aunt Judy. What did she say?”

“She said after we eat our burgers.”

“And did you finish your food?”

Three little heads bobbed in unison, making me smile.

“And what about the other little ones?” she asked. “Are you going to wait for them too?”

His smile fell. “Do we have to?”

“I think it would be nice, don’t you?”

He exchanged a glance with his cousins. One shook their head, one nodded. “I guess so.”

“Okay.” She kissed his head. “Go tell Daddy so he can get the bubbles out.”

They darted off and I caught Olivia watching me. I offered her a forced smile, internally pulling my shit together. It had been quite the day, coming clean with her family about everything, facing down her cousins, then having the L-word thrown at me so casually, as if it was nothing. The last time I’d let that particular emotion come knocking, it had consumed me and shredded my entire world. I wasn’t sure how I felt about going there again.

“Hey, Ashford!” Camden called out from across the yard. “You gonna hang out with the women all day, or do you wanna play some football with the men?”

I opened my mouth to decline, but Olivia pushed my arm. “Go. Let off some steam.”

“You sure?” I could use the chance to stretch my legs in the sunshine and let go of the constant worry about her and Elizabeth since they were both here with me.

“I’m sure. Have fun while I talk girl talk.”

That was all the cue I needed. I dropped a peck to her lips and loped off to join the guys.

“Heads up, Ashford!”

I looked up just in time to keep myself from getting beaned in the head with the incoming football, my hands automatically lifting to catch the pass Camden had lobbed my way with a shit-eating grin from about twenty yards out.

I tucked the ball close to my chest and jogged that way only to have Silas rush me, tackling me to the ground, knocking it loose.

“Fumble!” Levi crowed, making Asher laugh.

Okay, so that was how this was gonna go. I shoved Silas’s big body from mine, and before any of the giant Creed goons could make a play for the loose ball, I scrambled for it, got my feet under me, and made a mad dash past Camden, headed toward the two red chairs they clearly had marked as an impromptu end zone.

The women were yelling, cheering me on. The sunshine was warm on my back, the wind whipping over my flesh, the scent of burgers and lake filling the air. In that moment, it was all too easy to forget I wasn’t really a part of this family and to let the easy camaraderie of the day fill me up. Especially as I made it through the end zone, only to be rushed and thrown back to the ground by a clearly competitive Silas.

“Don’t be a sore loser!” Olivia hollered at him.

He rolled to his back with a laugh, then faced me. “Good one, man.”

“Thanks.”

He uncoiled to stand and offered me a hand. “Beginner’s luck.”

I laughed in return. “Probably.”

Turned out he was right. I got my ass succinctly handed to me by the Creed boys, but it was all in good fun. Mostly. Camden and Silas took that football stuff seriously. But that was fine with me because it let me sweat out some of the stress that had been simmering in my system. Olivia’s stalker had been way too quiet for way too long. Everything inside of me was screaming that this was not a reprieve like I knew she wanted to believe. This was just the calm before the storm, and I did not like that one fucking bit.

When it was time to go, everyone trickled out a few at a time with happy smiles and sleepy kids.

“You take care of her,” Asher murmured to me under his breath as we shook hands and the girls said their goodbyes.

“I promised you I would.”

He nodded, then turned to hug Olivia and kissed Elizabeth on the cheek.

We were the last to leave, and while she buckled Lizzie into her car seat, I pulled her father aside.

“I just wanted to take a moment to reassure you, one more time, that I’ve got my eye on the ball, sir. They are safe with me, I swear it.”

“I have no doubts,” he said, easing the breath from my lungs. “Not anymore. I see how you look at my daughter.”

I didn’t know what to say and he didn’t seem to expect a response.

Olivia joined us and put her arm around her father to kiss his cheek. “Bye, Daddy.”

“Bye, sweetheart. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” She turned to me. “Ready?”

I nodded.

We said goodbye to her mother, then loaded up to head back to her place.

“That wasn’t too painful, was it?” she asked once we’d pulled out onto the main road away from her parents’.

I shot her a smile. “Other than your brother and cousins handing me my ass at football? Not at all.”

She laughed, her eyes sparkling like warm cider. “That just means they like you.”

“I’ll be sure to remind my bruised ribs of that tomorrow.”

She was smiling as she turned to rest her head back on the seat, content to let me drive as Elizabeth sang to herself in the back. The moment was not lost on me—the sweet simplicity. How perfectly domestic it was to be driving home after a long day with her family.

Home.

It should’ve scared me how easily the word had come to my mind. It wasn’t my home, not even close, but something about it was seeping into my bones unlike any other place I’d ever laid my head.

We got back and after a quick shower, I volunteered to keep an eye on Elizabeth so Olivia could clean up before dinner.

“You sure?”

“Of course I am. Me and the Juice Monster will be fine, now go.”

Her eyes flitted to Elizabeth on the living room floor, where she was occupied with some toys, then back up to me. “Okay, thanks. I’ll be quick.”

“Take your time.”

“What do you say?” I asked Elizabeth once Olivia was gone. “Wanna help me with dinner?”

Big hazel eyes lifted to mine. “Help you?”

I held out my hand. “Come on. Let’s see what we can do.”

She hopped up and instead of grabbing my hand, she leaped up like a little spider monkey, forcing me to carry her.

I was overcome by the scent of little girl—baby shampoo, sunshine, and sweetness—and my heart squeezed painfully in my chest. Unable to help myself, I pressed a kiss to her head and held her close for just a second. Just one. Then I took off at a gallop toward the kitchen, making her giggle and squeal.

I kept her in my arms as we perused the meal offerings, and we finally settled on spaghetti with a side of fruit snacks... a compromise.

The table was set with an assortment of fruit snacks, the meat sauce cooking and noodles boiling, when Olivia found me with Elizabeth on my hip, letting her stir the sauce.

“What’s going on in here?” she asked.

I turned, barely saving the spoon from making a saucy mess on the floor.

“We cook, Mommy!” Elizabeth exclaimed from my arms.

Olivia arched a brow, biting her lip against a smile. “Really?”

I nodded. “Spaghetti and fruit snacks. Chef’s choice.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“Oh, it will be,” I said with as much inuendo as I could sneak in. “Have a seat. It’ll be done in a few minutes.”

She took us in for a moment, then moved to sit.

I let Elizabeth “help” me finish the sauce, then I put her in her seat and drained the noodles and served the ladies. I had no idea what had come over me, I wasn’t usually this domesticated, and I had emails regarding my background checks into her ex burning a hole in my inbox, but it seemed like the thing to do. Plus, we had to eat, right?

“Thank you.” She looked up at me, locking on to me with a look that spoke volumes. There were feelings there she couldn’t express either, and somehow, that made me feel relieved.

“You’re welcome.”

We ate and I cleaned up the kitchen while she bathed Elizabeth. I had a few minutes while she was putting her to bed to fire up my laptop and check my emails. I had a few actually.

I deleted one from Tricia and ignored one from my father, scrolling to get to the one from the company I used for running intel. They were high level, as close as you could get to top secret stuff, short of having military clearance. It came with a price tag, but in most cases I had clients willing to pay, and that included this time.

Subject: Christoph Donato

I scanned the email, desperate to know his whereabouts and if he was in the United States. If he was the one tormenting Olivia. I silently prayed he was so I could find him and make him pay for every sin he’d committed against her.

But no.

Not only did I now have access to much of his background, but I had his most current whereabouts, which was still in Italy, including a grouping of very good surveillance photos of him on the streets, moving in and out of a dance studio, and arm and arm with a leggy blonde.

“Fucker,” I spat, eyeballing the asshole.

Something about him struck me as oddly familiar, even though I’d never met the man. I looked closer, realizing it was probably because Elizabeth had the same hazel eyes and the same shape of his nose. I wondered if Olivia realized that, and how she felt looking at his features in her beautiful daughter every day.

But, putting that aside, disappointment was bitter as I realized my best lead in this case had just been obliterated.

Next email . . .

Subject: Sofia Ricci Ex-boyfriend

Unable to locate. Please verify identifying information.

I stared at those few words on the screen, confused as hell. I’d never had my sources come up with nothing in a search before. A little short if the person didn’t have much of a history to speak of, but never... nothing.

Now my sixth sense tingled, and all kinds of alarm bells started ringing, even though nothing about that made sense. But you could bet your ass I’d figure it out.

“Everything okay?”

I glanced up and slammed my laptop closed at Olivia’s voice. “Yup.” No need to tell her about the report right now. Not until I knew more. It was clear she was loyal to a fault where her employees and friends were concerned, and I didn’t want her saying anything she shouldn’t to them until I knew more. If there really was a boyfriend, I couldn’t risk her saying something she shouldn’t to Sofia, and she, in turn, alerting him. He might be a ghost right now, but I’d find him. I always did.

She leaned against my doorway, her expression serious. “So . . . about what Genevieve said earlier . . .”

I blinked at her before my mind circled off the emails and back to earlier.

A man will do anything for the woman he loves...

“I don’t want you to feel... I’d never pressure you to—”

“Olivia. Stop.” I set my computer aside and stood, pulling her into my arms. “I am not the kind of guy to be pressured into anything, so do not worry about it, okay? Your family is just observant. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine if it makes you uncomfortable,” she whispered, her fingers clutching my shirt, her forehead dropping to my collarbone. “They shouldn’t go throwing around the L-word like that.”

I heard the emotion wavering in her voice. It reached inside my soul and tipped me right over the edge.

I dropped my lips to her head. “No,” I agreed. “That was for me to do first.”

Her breath caught as my words sank in. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet mine with a thousand questions in her eyes.

I nodded, silently answering her.

“Say it,” she whispered. “I need to hear you say it first.”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, fighting the sudden burn, before I opened them again, knowing I was about to dive off the cliff I swore I’d never jump off again. But she was the one I was willing to do it for. “I love you, Olivia. So damn much.”

A small cry escaped her and she covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Suddenly, she threw herself on me, wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck, holding on much like Elizabeth had earlier. “I never thought I’d hear those words from a man again in my life. I never thought I’d want to.” Now the tears were falling freely down her cheeks, and she was laughing. “But I do. And I love you, too.” She laughed louder, making me laugh too. “Wow. Is this real?”

“Oh, it’s real, baby.” I pressed a kiss to her jaw, then her lips, and proceeded to show her just how real it was.