Chapter 26—Bobby
When I get off the elevator, Willow’s already waiting at her door for me. And I can’t deny the feeling that swarms through me at seeing her there. Not just the sight of her, but her waiting for me. Knowing I would be here on time like I told her earlier.
“You look amazing,” I say as I come closer.
“I look like I did all day.” She rolls her eyes with a shake of her head.
“Just because you’re in the same clothes as before doesn’t make my statement any less true.” I slide closer to her and enjoy that her breath catches. “Besides, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Where are the girls?”
“Changing,” she says as her eyes wander around my face, stopping on my lips. “They get to dress in whatever they want since it’s an after-school event and uniforms aren’t required.”
“Perfect.”
I lean in quickly and capture her lips with mine, wrapping my arms around her tightly as hers lock behind my neck on a moan.
She hasn’t said as much, but I know she’d prefer we keep this from the girls for now. I’m letting her lead on how she wants to tell them, but I already see them as mine. Just like I see her.
A noise behind her has her easing back, and with one last peck on her lips, I pull back and straighten my suit seconds before Ivy pushes the door farther open for her to see me.
“Hi, Mr. Bobby. Are you coming to my event tonight?”
“Wouldn’t miss it, princess.” Which is not a lie.
I moved my entire schedule around weeks ago when she first told me about it the night we had ramen.
That’s how certain I was that this was going to happen between her mother and me.
Leone men really do attach themselves quickly to the person they find to be their one.
It just takes longer for the other one to know.
Willow might just be thinking I’m simply offering her and the girls a ride, but it’s more than that. Where they go, I will, too, and so will my team. They’ll be protected going forward, but they might not know just how many men are protecting them at once.
“Lily, let’s go, or we’ll be late,” Willow says softly while Ivy screams, “Come on, Lily.”
Ivy is the first out and grabs my hand. “I can’t wait to show you my jerboa.
I was able to use those art supplies to make it from clay, and Mommy helped me use a hot glue gun to put on the tail with a brown pipe cleaner.
” She talks a mile a minute, and I listen to every word, smiling down with delight that such a small thing I could give her brings her so much joy.
No one will ever touch her or take her from me.
Her or her sister. I won’t be denied this feeling anymore.
Is this what all parents feel like? The constant tightness around their heart at knowing a child is beyond happy for what you did? I actually don’t care what others think and feel about their children. All I know is that I’m enjoying each new feeling I’m getting with the girls.
“Mr. Bobby.” Lily scrambles over and hugs my side.
I pat her back and bend to hug her, too, while still listening to Ivy talk about all the other things she added to her diorama when she was able to redo it.
Willow smiles at her girls, and I share one with her that has her cheeks blushing a bit before the elevator doors close and we descend to the lobby.
Marco already has the car waiting when we exit, and it’s a short ride to the school since it’s on this side of town.
Almost as if fate sent Willow and the girls into my life, as if they were always meant to be here.
Lily’s jumping around in her seat when we arrive, but it’s Ivy I look at.
“Are you nervous, Ivy?”
She looks away from the window she was staring out of and gives me a small smile. “No. I’ve got this.”
“That’s my girl,” Willow says, sending her a wink that has her giggling and looking away.
Marco opens the door and I get out first, then guide each of the girls out before we walk inside the building with Marco in tow. That man is as bad as me when it comes to their safety, especially after what happened to Lily.
Even though he destroyed the threat—quite thoroughly, I might add—he detests the administration of this school.
He’s currently doing a private rundown of each member here to make sure no one knew or was part of what the PE teacher was up to.
So far, he’s come up with nothing, but that won’t stop him from looking.
I have a good hunch that once he clears the staff, he’ll move on to the parents and teachers.
If a kid so much as sneezes on Ivy or Lily, I know Marco will step in and make them regret it.
Ivy and Lily lead us to the large cafeteria that’s set up with more presentation poster boards than most craft supply stores carry. It’s obvious which ones were done by kids who like their projects, those who barely did anything, and those who had their parents do it for them.
But none of them matter to me as Ivy weaves easily through everyone and comes to her project, which is near the back and on the end of one table.
“Here it is.” Her smile is wider than anything I’ve ever seen on the girl, full of pure pride in her work as she shows it off.
“Oh, sweetheart, this is amazing!” Willow cries out as she looks over it all.
Marco and I sing her praises as well, and the child beams with excitement. Even Lily gets into the merriment and is smiling with encouragement for Ivy, going as far as telling us all how her big sister’s project is the best and which ones around us aren’t good.
“You see that one? They didn’t even get the rainbow right. There’s only six colors and not seven.”
“Oh, that’s because Mrs. Hanks ran out of indigo because Zed needed it for his Earth.” Ivy points down a row to a very nice Earth replica with indigo for the water.
Lily thinks on it and then shakes her head. “No, yours is the best.”
“I agree, angel.”
I turn at my mother’s voice and see not only her but my brothers as well.
“Nonna Cynthia!” Lily runs and jumps at her. But before she gets too close, Tommy picks her up and hugs her first.
Should have expected her to bring the entire family.
“What? No love for me and Payton? I thought I was your favorite,” Tommy says as he tickles Lily enough to make her scream with delight.
“You are, you are.” She laughs as she squirms out of his reach and runs to Payton, who pretends to block Lily from her man as they circle each other.
“Hey, Mama.” I open my arms and squeeze her tight to me, kissing her forehead. She’s been smaller than me since I hit puberty, but I know not to make her mad. She can still wield a wooden spoon with the best of them when she’s really upset. “Didn’t know if you were going to make it.”
“Of course I was. A nonna always keeps a promise. And I promised Ivy, didn’t I, angel?”
Mama opens her arms, and Ivy nods before walking into them and squeezing tight.
“So, this is what a jerboa looks like, huh?” Vinny asks as he and Danny read every detail on her cardboard background.
“Yup. And I’m happy to answer any questions you have about them,” Ivy says, pulling out of my mama’s arms and standing tall, pitching her information to her first two customers of the night.
“It was very sweet of you all for coming out,” Willow says. “Ivy will be talking about this for months.”
“So will Tommy. I think this is the first thing he’s learned since discovering girls,” Danny remarks, and the rest of us laugh.
We’ve been here for just over two hours.
The crowd is thinning, but our girl has had a steady group of people coming to ask her questions.
I’d like to think it’s because so many are curious about the little creature she chose, but I also know that my brothers have drawn a few people this way.
Everyone has been polite enough not to approach any of us for anything—something that’s done rarely when we’re seen all together.
But I’m sure the look my mama is giving, matching Marco’s, when people get close has something to do with it.
If someone even opens their mouth to speak, Mama asks them if they know about jerboas, then shows them over to Ivy.
Each person has been smart enough to realize the stars of the show tonight are the children, not the men standing at the side of one of them.
I feel Willow stiffen next to me. I’ve been by her side all night, inching closer by the hour until my arm was brushing hers as we leaned against the wall by Ivy’s display. I scan her face quickly and see she’s looking away. I follow her line of sight and growl.
“Who is it?” Danny asks, probably noting Willow’s actions a second after I did and then hearing me react. Even Vinny is standing taller, no longer leaning casually with us against the wall.
“Trevor,” Willow says.
“Willow’s ex-husband and the girls’ father,” I supply to make it seem as if my brothers didn’t already know who he is. As if they didn’t read her file when Danny first looked into her.
“What are you doing here?” Willow asks as soon as he gets close, taking a step toward him.
One I hate, but I refuse to keep her from defending herself.
Doesn’t mean I won’t stand at her back if she needs me.
Along with my brothers. All but Tommy, who I note has taken a step between Trevor and Ivy while Mama and Marco are walking the room together.
“Despite how you treat me, I am Ivy’s dad. And I will be present in her life.”
Willow flinches back as if she’d been slapped. The air grows cold as the frost in my eyes takes up my entire being. How dare he cause any unkind reaction from my girl.
“I never said you couldn’t be here for her.” Her voice wavers a bit, and I see her shutting down. It’s a glimpse into how Trevor has always treated her, probably even before the divorce. And I don’t like it one bit.