Chapter Twelve
“Hey, Uncle Li, I just wanted to…” Lucas began.
Nate stepped back, wanting to watch how this scene played out.
“You wanted to what, Lucas? Do you think I don’t have ears? What is your mother going to say when I tell her you wanted to defile my precious angel?”
It felt so good to have Li O’Donnell’s outrage directed at someone else.
Lucas sighed. “She’ll probably direct you to group therapy. My mom is very sarcastic. She’ll give you a lecture on how defiling is my favorite activity.”
When they’d shown up ten minutes before, his gut had tightened as he’d watch Li punch in the security code and let himself in through the front door. He’d watched as the man had avoided the kids’ area. He’d known exactly where he was going. The security office, where Nate had settled in for the night. Only the addition of his father had made Nate think Li wasn’t on an assassination run.
Liam had made his way to the office and then given Nate a rundown on what had happened in El Salvador.
It might take a few days, but Liam was absolutely certain someone from a rival cartel would handle the problem. He’d explained the work hadn’t been rough. A little misinformation here and there and voila, Li O’Donnell had two rival cartels taking each other out. He was a perfectly ruthless bastard, and Nate approved.
Just a few more days and Daisy should be safe enough to be out and about in public, and what was Nate planning on doing about that?
His father had sighed and said something about Nate being young and he and Daisy just starting to date and Nate had been honest.
“Marry her as soon as she says yes,” he’d explained .
Then real trouble had shown up. Before Li had been able to reply to his declaration of intent, those three lotharios had been invading and trying to take his honey. He’d known the minute those three had shown up Aidan had talked to the Doms and likely been an asshole who told them she was now on the market for a Dom.
Of course he’d heard the twins had been told what was happening and they’d unleashed a wrathful Lou on Aidan’s ass. Aidan was being bombarded with emails about male enhancement drugs. It was a minor revenge, but then Aidan had been following his father’s wishes.
This felt like malicious compliance at its finest.
The good news? He’d heard his girl explaining all the reasons she had no interest in any of these pretty, rich boys.
Gabriel Lodge was heir to a billionaire. Lucas’s parents ran a restaurant empire. Hunter’s folks were part owners of McKay-Taggart.
He was nothing but a soldier with a busted-up truck and barely a room of his own, but his Daisy didn’t care.
He was so fucking in love with her.
“I think they understand now, Liam.” Nate was perfectly calm since he knew where his Daisy’s affections went. He also thought once he had a collar around her throat all the horny arseholes would back off. Well, the Doms would. He got the feeling he would have to explain to more than one besotted idiot that Daisy belonged to him.
And he belonged to her, and he’d figured out his place in the world. By her side.
“You truly marrying my girl?” Liam asked.
“As soon as she says yes,” Nate replied.
His father put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m happy for you, son.”
Liam breathed out a deep sigh and looked toward the heavens before making the sign of the cross. “Thank the lord. No take backs, Nathan. No matter how much trouble she causes.”
Nate felt a grin slide across his face. “I can handle some trouble.”
“Did you hear that, Brody?” Liam was all smiles now.
“I told you it would work out,” his father said with a smile of his own. “And the best news is I’ve been talking to your mother and she wants to make Dallas our home base for a while. Elodie’s safely in Sydney. So we’d like to be around friends again.”
Liam’s expression turned serious as he held a hand out to Nate’s father. “We’ll be more than happy to have you. I would bet Avery already has Steph looking for a place close to us. You want to be close to us and not the run-down place where Daisy’s going to make Nate live. You’re going to need to learn a lot about home improvement, son.”
Was he about to get everything he wanted? His girl. His family. Knowing his sister was happy and fulfilling her dreams.
Daisy ran into the room, her cell in her hands. She looked at the boys who were still joking around and not getting ready for bed in any way. Daisy took a steadying breath.
Something was wrong.
“What is it?”
He and Liam asked the question at the same time, both moving in front of her.
Liam took a step back, giving Nate the chance to talk to her first.
Because she was his responsibility now. He reached for her hand. “What’s happening?”
“The alarm is off, and I can’t find Devi,” she whispered.
His father cursed under his breath. “I’m on it. We’ve been away from the bloody security cams. I’ll run them back. She couldn’t have gotten out the front. We would have seen her.”
“She went out back,” Daisy replied, still surreally calm. “She was upset about something, and she sits on the back steps when she’s upset. Lucas, I need you to get the boys into the nursery. Bri’s there.”
Lucas was suddenly all kinds of serious. “You need me to call my dad?”
She shook her head. “My father’s already on it.”
“Yeah, go get Ian,” Liam was saying into his cell. “Tell him I want a sniper on the roof of the club, and they’re looking for Devi on the east side of the Ferguson building. Keep this quiet. We don’t know what’s happening yet.”
Lucas turned to the kids. “All right, guys. Let’s get a move on.”
Hunter was already in motion, gathering up the youngest. “Let’s brush some teeth. Don’t want them to fall out, do we?”
They weren’t military but they were calm under pressure.
“We’ll stay with Bri and the kids,” Gabe assured them. “Let me know when the coast is clear. Until then, we’ll keep everyone in lock-down.”
The young men moved efficiently, getting the boys to cover without panicking them.
“I think they’re calling my cell.” Daisy’s hand shook slightly as she passed it to him. “I didn’t answer or look at the texts they sent.”
“Smart girl.” Her father still had his cell in hand. “Better to play dumb. The minute you answer you’re on a timer.”
Daisy nodded. “I also didn’t get close to the windows. When I realized the alarm wasn’t on, I made sure no one could see me. I would have loved to have seen her, but that would put me on a timer, too.”
She hadn’t panicked. She hadn’t rushed out trying to save her friend herself. He was proud of her. His cell rang, and he slid his finger across the screen, putting it on speaker. “Dad? What have you got?”
Daisy leaned in.
“She went out the back and did exactly what Daisy said she would. She was drinking coffee, sitting on the back steps crying,” his father explained. “And then two men with military-grade weapons dressed in all black took her. I think they’re in a van on the other side of the Ferguson building. Liam, I told you I thought someone was following us.”
Liam cursed under his breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see it so I brushed it off.” He looked to his daughter. “I was too eager to get home and tell you and your mother you’re going to be safe. I just wanted to see my daughter and tell her how much I love her.”
Daisy nodded. “I love you, too, Da. But we have to get Devi. I can’t let them take her. We have to exchange me for her, and then you’ll rescue me. It’ll be fine. I’ll be a perfectly good hostage.”
There was only one problem with the scenario. “They don’t want you as a hostage, love. They want you dead so you can’t testify against their boss. So no, we’re not exchanging you.”
“I can be very charming,” she replied, her shoulders straightening like she was actually getting ready to walk right into danger and expect to come out on the other side. Because she was charming.
Keeping her alive was going to be a full-time job.
“You are, my darlin. You are the most charming woman alive besides your sainted mother, but I think in this case, we should try to take the fuckers out before they lay hands on you.” Her father was suddenly the voice of reason.
“Da, we can’t let them take Devi.” Daisy’s voice wavered.
“Her mother is already on her way, and Boomer happened to be in the club tonight so he’s got a high-powered rifle, and I assure you he only needs one shot,” Liam explained. “However, we’re going to have to start the timer or I worry they might kill her and try again later. I can’t imagine Devi’s being charming right now. She’s probably proving she’s Erin Taggart’s daughter and giving them hell.”
“She fought hard,” Brody said over the line. “They roughed her up but good. However, she was alive when they put her in the van. Oh, wow, we’ve got incoming. Erin’s moving around the back. She’s clinging to the shadows. I don’t think they can see her. She’s in. ”
Erin Taggart strode into the room wearing an overcoat that absolutely did not fit her. She’d been playing at Sanctum so there was probably some fet wear under the men’s jacket. She’d tugged on a pair of sneakers, too. “Li, where’s my girl?”
“Brody’s got eyes on a van across the street. They took her in there,” Liam explained.
Erin simply nodded. “We need to get her out of the van. It’s too close quarters to start a fight there. Have they contacted you?”
“They’re trying to call right now,” Daisy said, holding up her phone.
“Damn it.” Erin’s jaw tightened. “We need a couple of minutes to put people in place. Theo’s having to move around the long way so they don’t see him. Ian’s with him. Brody, contact Big Tag and let him know they need to be behind the van.”
“On it,” his father said over the cell.
Nate could see the battlefield in his mind. One of the first things he’d done when he and Daisy had moved in was study the area around them. When her uncles came to visit, he would take a jog. Those long sessions were more about becoming acquainted with the area than actual exercise.
He was getting plenty of workouts because his Daisy was insatiable.
“So Theo and Big Tag come in from behind.” He could see them moving into position. “We need the targets in the courtyard.”
Erin nodded. “Boomer told me the courtyard would be perfect. He has an unobstructed view from the west side of Sanctum if they’re in the courtyard.”
“Li, I think you and Erin should ease out the front and stay in the shadows around the parking lot,” his father explained. “Nate and I can use the west side exit to come around on either side of the building, and then they would be in a nice trap. Even if Boomer can’t take them, they would be facing six of us, and there won’t be any place to run.”
His gut tightened. “How would we get them into place?”
He knew what was coming.
Daisy’s eyes lit up. “Me. I’m bait.” She actually smiled. “I think I can be good at this.”
Her cell trilled again.
“You’re going to have to answer them, sweetie,” Erin said, her voice tight. “If you can hold them off even for a few minutes, it will be so helpful.”
“So answer them but don’t answer them.” Daisy nodded and then slid her finger across the screen to answer the call. “Hello? Excuse me, who is this?” She giggled. “Sure, Hunter. Try again. Like you don’t try to scare me all the time. I’m not some ditz who falls for it.” She hung up. “That should buy us a minute or two. And I promise I can word salad them for a long time.”
“Excellent, then maybe you won’t have to be bait,” Nate pointed out.
“Daisy, I know I shouldn’t ask this of you, but they’re going to have guns on Devi,” Erin began.
Liam puffed up a little. “Now, Erin…”
“We can handle it without risking Daisy,” Nate assured them.
“But this is all about me,” Daisy argued.
“I’m worried about how close they’ll keep Devi to them. If Boomer can’t get a shot or if we end up in a standoff…” Erin began.
“Devi could get killed.” Daisy shook her head. “I’m not letting anything happen to Devi.”
“You’re not allowing anything at all, girl,” her father announced.
“Da, I can handle it,” Daisy replied stubbornly as her phone went off again. “You’re wasting time. Get into position.”
Erin was already moving. “We need a distraction, Daisy. Something that will make those men drop their guard for a second or two.”
A silent look was exchanged between the two women, some communication Nate didn’t get, but Daisy nodded her aunt’s way.
“I know exactly what to do, Aunt Erin,” she said resolutely. “I won’t let you down.”
“Daisy, stay bloody well safe, girl.” Liam moved out behind Erin.
They eased out of the building to get where they needed to be.
Nate’s father came in from the opposite hall. “I’ve got Ian and Theo in position.”
“Erin and Li just left.” Nate checked his SIG. “Dais, you’re going to answer now. It’s time. If you have to walk out, you go with your hands up, and the minute I give you the signal, you take cover, all right?”
“I’m supposed to distract them,” Daisy insisted.
“Cry,” his father said, checking his own weapon. “Give them a good cry. It unnerves men sometimes. Don’t worry. We’re going to handle it. Now answer. We need roughly sixty seconds to get into position.”
Daisy answered, and it was the hardest thing he’d ever done walking away from her, but he did it. Somewhere in the Sanctum building there was a whole team with eyes on the area. She had six trained operatives watching her.
“She’s going to be okay, son,” his father whispered as they snuck out of the building, taking the opposite route Li and Erin had. “She’s been in tight positions before. ”
“Yes, that’s what scares me.” Nate moved behind his father. “She thinks she can handle anything. I’m worried about what she’s going to think a distraction is.”
He should have stayed with her. Should have ensured she didn’t walk out of the building.
But then he saw the door to the van open and a tall man exit. He immediately turned and had a gun to Devi’s head. In his other hand, he held a cell phone.
The second kidnapper exited the van and stayed at Devi’s back. Naturally he had a gun, too, and it was pressed to Devi’s side.
“That’s right. You come out here and come out alone, and we’ll let your friend go,” the man was saying.
“They’re too close,” his father whispered. “If there were only one of them I would say Boomer can take him out, but if the other guy…”
If the other guy had enough time to pull the trigger, Devi would be gone and her whole family gutted. Daisy would never recover from watching her friend die in front of her.
His heart thudded, but Nate forced himself to remain calm.
“I can see Big Tag, but they can’t. Is there anyone behind the wheel?” Nate asked.
“Can’t tell.” His father’s back was to the wall, clinging to the shadows. “Bloody surprise op. I’m carrying comms from now on. I don’t like not having someone in my ear.”
But Nate knew comms could blow. His father had worked from the cozy comfort of a team with every possible technological advantage. Nate hadn’t gotten comfy yet.
“I don’t see you,” the man was saying as he moved Devi along.
Devi started to stumble, but the second man held her upright, keeping a tight hold on her. “My mother is going to kill you.”
The second man chuckled. “Sure. Your mom. I’m real scared, kid.”
They should be. They had no idea they were about to be surrounded by Taggarts. The only question was could they get the shots they needed without endangering Devi’s life.
“They’re almost where we need them,” his father whispered. “When Boomer takes his shot, I want you to roll out and get into position. We’ll still have one to deal with. You’ll be behind him.”
Nate cautiously looked around the corner while the kidnappers were arguing with Daisy about why she was stalling. They kept Devi in between them. The good news? She was half a foot shorter than one of the men. It would make for an easy shot. The bad? She was as tall as her second kidnapper. She would be an excellent shield for him.
He would have to be careful. So careful.
“She’s coming out,” the taller one said. “I think your friend wants you to… Holy hell.”
Both men stopped and their guns lowered suddenly, their eyes on whatever was happening in front of them.
Was Erin moving in early? He barely had time to register the grin that came across Devi’s face when the tall guy’s head snapped back. Boomer’s aim had been true, but the second guy was a harder target. Nate’s training kicked in. He strode out from behind the building and took the shot because Devi had been able to move away from him slightly. Nate fired, catching the guy in the head and ending the threat.
“Daisy O’Donnell!” Liam jogged over from the outer edge of the parking lot. “You put on some clothes right now.”
What? Nate looked over, and Daisy was smiling wearing nothing but the glorious skin she was born in.
She shrugged one gorgeous shoulder. “They were distracted.”
Erin ran in, grabbing her daughter and moving her away from the dead bodies.
Ian sat down in the middle of the parking lot and laughed his ass off while Theo joined his wife and daughter.
His future wife was still standing there. She was getting such a spanking. Nate tugged his T-shirt over his head. “Daisy O’Donnell, you know damn well that was not the distraction I was talking about.”
“But, Nate, it worked,” she replied. “Devi, you okay?”
“Thanks to you, bestie,” she called out.
“Hey, Dais, you’re looking good.” Hunter stood behind her.
“Thanks. I totally work out,” she said with a grin.
“Nathan.” Liam managed to make his name a command.
A command to deal with the source of all the storms in their lives. He moved in, shielding her as he stuffed her head through the opening of his shirt. “Do you want to keep your eyeballs in your skull, mate?”
Hunter immediately averted his gaze. “I thought you said we could look. I’ll go give the all clear to the rest of the guys.”
He’d changed his bloody mind about that, but he wasn’t going to argue with anyone but Daisy. “This is not the club. You were supposed to cry or something.”
Her chin came up, and she was so fucking gorgeous his dick hurt. “This was way better. They actually lowered their weapons.”
“I need a bloody drink,” her father exclaimed. “Nate, she’s all yours, son. Like I said. No take backs.”
“I was good,” Daisy insisted.
“Yes, you were, sweetie,” Erin said as she helped Devi up the stairs. “You were perfect.”
“I always knew Daisy’s boobs would save the world at some point.” Devi gave her a watery smile.
She’d put herself right in the line of fire. “You are never doing that again.”
Her hands were on her hips, and she faced off with him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Nathan Carter.”
“I bloody well do since I’m the man who loves you. I’m the man who’s going to marry you, and this right here? Hard limit, Dais. Hard fucking limit.” He’d been calm, but now he realized how close she’d come to getting hurt.
“Well, I’m the woman who loves you and is going to marry you, and this is not the sixteenth century where you own me,” she shot back. “So we should agree to disagree and then go inside and take out all of this adrenaline on each other before the cops get here.”
“You honestly believe we’re going to have sex now?” She was going to drive him mad. Utterly bonkers.
Her lips curled up. “Yep. See you inside, Nate.”
“Hey, are we doing something with these bodies?” Big Tag stood looking down at them. “Also, Boomer says all the sniping made him hungry. My kitchen is not equipped for him tonight.”
Nope. He had something else to attend to.
“I think we’re letting the authorities handle this one,” his father said, joining Big Tag.
Nate followed his future wife. His job wasn’t done.
* * * *
“Did you have to do that?”
Daisy slid onto the barstool beside her father, feeling infinitely better. Well, mostly. Her backside was a wee bit sore because Nate had some things to work through. But oh, the orgasm after had been one hundred percent worth it. “I had to save Devi. O’Donnells get the job done. No matter what they have to do.”
Her da raised a hand toward the man working Sanctum’s bar this evening. “We need two. Make ’em doubles.”
She was kind of glad Nate had taken his anxieties out on her backside because she needed to be loose for this talk. Despite the fact her da had told her he loved her, she was still nervous. “Da, I thought we should talk.”
He shook his head. “Not until we’re properly lubricated.” He nodded as the bartender slid two glasses in front of them. He raised his toward her.
She picked hers up and they clinked glasses as they said sláinte in chorus and she tipped back for her first drink.
She sighed at the taste and realized her da had made the same sound.
Her mom was right. She was her father in feminine form. The question was could he accept her.
“Now, we should talk,” her father said with a sigh. “I suppose this conversation is a long time coming.”
She was confused, but then she was often confused. “Long time? I thought you just figured out I’m not some saint. You know I’m not evil either. I’m pretty normal for a woman.”
“Normal? Ain’t nothing normal about you.” He snorted. “My darlin’, did you honestly think I didn’t see you all these years? Did you think I missed all the times you said you were going to Bri’s or Devi’s and you snuck out with some gangly boy who couldn’t grow facial hair?”
There hadn’t been too many times. “Why didn’t you stop me?”
He took another drink. “Because I know what my relationship was like with my mum when she brought her foot down. Right on me neck. My mother put the raising of my brother on me and ignored us most of the time. She had other priorities. But when I did what most young men would do, like have any kind of a social life, she would ground me. I hated my mother a lot. Dreamed about being anywhere except her house. I couldn’t stand the thought of you hating me, Daisy.”
Her heart clenched. “I could never hate you, Da.”
He seemed to let the words sink in. “I followed you most of the time. To make sure you were safe.”
“A lot of those times Aidan came with us, or Cooper or the twins.”
“Yes, I made sure of it,” he confessed. “You weren’t doing anything that’s not natural for a young woman your age. But I always worried you would end up… I worried you would end up finding a man like me one night.”
“What?” Her father was the best.
“Like I used to be,” he said with a sigh. “Not now. Falling in love with your mum set me straight, but I wasn’t the same man before.”
“Momma says you went through women like they were chicken wings.” She and her mother had several long, painful conversations about her da’s past.
“I really liked chicken wings.” A wicked smile hit her da’s face.
She could see his call. “I really liked bartenders.”
Her da’s head shook, but he laughed. “Oh, Daisy, you’re my sweetest miracle and my worst nightmare.” He reached out, cupping her cheek as he stared at her. “I was ready for Aidan. I’d practically raised my brother. I knew how to handle a boy. My brother went bad, but I figured your mum would offset anything nasty in my DNA.”
“It wasn’t in your DNA. It was in his. Your brother was a bad guy. He was selfish and mean. There wasn’t anything you could have done to save him. I know you tried.” She couldn’t allow her father to think he’d been anything but wonderful. Even if he had apparently been the stud of choice amongst the Dallas chicken wing waitress scene.
“Then I found out we were having a girl.” His expression went soft. “I can’t tell you how scared I was at first. I didn’t know how to raise a girl, but I knew Avery would teach me. When they put you in my arms and I looked down at the sweetest face I’d ever seen, I lost my heart all over again. I thought I was raising a little Avery.”
“I’m not like Mom. I’m afraid that’s Aidan.” Her brother had their mom’s temperament. He was patient and kind and knew how to stick with something. She was like their father. A bit mercurial until she knew what she wanted. Something of an imp at times.
“Yes, I realized you were like me when you were around twelve. And then I realized you had my sex drive, too, and that was when I started to choose delusion.” He knocked back the rest of his whiskey resolutely. “Now, what you have to understand is delusion is not a bad place to be. Delusion can be nice. Just because a man chooses to park his RV in delusion and live there happily for a few years doesn’t mean he doesn’t love his daughter, doesn’t mean he don’t understand her.”
“It means he needs time to process that his baby girl is a woman and she’s going to make mistakes and go wild at times,” Daisy said softly.
“But she’s still my little girl,” he replied. “And I’ll always be her da. Daisy, you and Aidan are the best things I’ve ever done in my life. I’ll always see you as a sweet baby who toddles around after me. I’ll always feel the way you used to rest your head against my shoulder and sleep, and I would sit there no matter how much work I had to do because nothing was more important than letting you rest. This family… It’s more than I could have imagined.”
Tears pierced her eyes. “I love you more than you can know.”
“You’re just learning about love,” he said with a smile. “And I’m happy for you. So Nathan Carter?”
She sniffled and decided to tease him a bit. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Her father’s face went red. “He told me he was going to marry you.”
“Uhm, do we really need a piece of paper?” Yes, her imp was out today.
“You do,” her father said, righteous indignation in his words. “You absolutely do.”
“Hey, stop teasing your father.” Her mom joined them, putting a hand on her father’s shoulder. “I’ve been around them all week. Trust me. They’ll be married far sooner than they should be, but when it’s right, it’s right.”
Her father’s gaze softened when he looked at her mom. He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. “Well, we married within three weeks of meeting each other, so I think it can work out. Have I told you how much I missed you?”
Her mom ordered a whiskey of her own. “No. You were too busy starting a cartel war that led to your best friend’s daughter nearly getting murdered and our own being forced to use all of her assets to save her.”
“Now, Avery, you can’t blame it on me,” her da countered. “First off, it worked. As of an hour ago, the man Daisy is supposed to testify against is dead. Shanked in prison because someone started a very good rumor about him turning on another cartel and exposing their crimes. What’s good for the goose and all. Brighton told us when we were explaining all the bodies. Kai’s pissed, by the way. We got blood on the concrete or something and it could be triggering to patients. I say it’s like immersion therapy.”
“That’s not a good therapeutic plan in the case of PTSD,” Daisy pointed out. “Oh, and I’m going back for my master’s in clinical psychology. I’m going to start a children’s practice at the Ferguson Clinic. I told Uncle Kai all about it.”
“No wonder he looked a little green,” her father said.
“I think it’s a wonderful plan.” Her mom held her glass up. “To our Daisy.”
“Hey, what the hell is happening?” Her brother was dressed hastily, his shirt not properly buttoned and…yes, it was inside out. “Gabe shows up at the club and tells me Devi got kidnapped and Daisy distracted the bad guys with her boobs and now everyone is dead, but you guys are drinking?”
Her poor brother. “Just another night for the O’Donnells. ”
“Get my son a drink, Matt,” her father ordered. “And top me and my daughter off. Did I mention to you my sweet Daisy can drink anyone under the table?”
Aidan sank down beside her. “I have no idea what’s going on.”
“Daisy and I have agreed to be ourselves around each other from now on.” Her father picked up his now full glass again. “The bad guys are all dead. Your sister has a career path that has nothing to do with danger, and both my kids are getting married. Nate hasn’t formally asked yet, but he knows what happens if he doesn’t. So let’s have a toast, and then you two should stay away from the main stage unless you want to know how you were conceived.”
“I’m going to need more liquor,” her brother said.
Maybe her da was onto something. She lifted her glass. “I think we can stay a little delusional, Da.”
He grinned and winked her way. “To delusion.”
That was something she could drink to.
* * * *
Nate stared across the lounge where it looked like the whole O’Donnell family was now celebrating.
Damn, his woman was fine.
“You really think you can handle her, son?” His father stood beside him. The same way he’d been for as long as Nate could remember. Brody Carter might have missed the first couple of months of his life, but he’d more than made up for it.
“Of course he can.” His mom wrapped an arm around his waist. “He and Daisy are a perfect match. Just like her parents.”
He watched as Liam and Daisy managed to slap their shot glasses on the bar in time and drink in perfect synchronicity.
A terrible thought hit his brain.
“I’m the Avery, aren’t I?”
His father patted his shoulder and sighed. “Yes, son, I’m afraid you are definitely the Avery.”
“Hey,” his mom said. “That’s not such a bad thing to be. She’s all kinds of awesome.”
Nate threw his head back, laughter filling him. His woman was wild, and he would have to balance her. She looked over and smiled his way.
It wasn’t a bad thing to be at all.
He led his parents into the bar to join their extended family.