29. Franco
29
FRANCO
“ T his is so cool!” Caleb was in awe of everything I showed him. The gym, the huge yard, the outdoor pool that wasn’t open yet, the tennis courts no one really used. Even though this wasn’t my main residence, I wouldn’t be opposed to living here for good.
I had a hunch that Chloe would like staying by Nina and the other women. Based on how Nina leaned on Chloe just now, it seemed that their friendship was mutual.
If staying in the big house made it easier for Caleb to adjust, fine by me. I wanted to spoil them both. I intended to let them tell me what they wanted or needed and I would make it happen.
How could I not?
I was over the moon, so grateful that I had them in my life. It seemed natural to bend over backward and treat them like the treasures they were.
By the time we got to the basketball court, he seemed at ease with me showing him around.
“Can I play with Nicky?” he asked.
“Now?” Damn, I was hoping to talk with him a bit.
“Whenever.” He shrugged before grabbing a basketball from the rack and bouncing it. “When Mom and I visit here.”
I smiled. “What if you lived here?”
His jaw dropped. “Seriously?”
I clapped for him to pass me the ball. Dante was the swimmer. Romeo liked to run. But I enjoyed all sports and forms of fitness. Caleb passed the ball to me, and we started a little back and forth.
“What would you think about living here?” I asked.
“As long as Mom is safe, cool.”
This boy. He loved his mother, and I was so damn proud of him for putting her first. She put him first, though. And I would too.
“This house is extremely safe,” I said. It was. Since the bikers tried to break in and take Olivia for leverage, we ramped up the home security. Dante was already on it, requesting the tightest patrolling efforts with Nina here and expecting their baby.
“I saw the guards when we came.”
I nodded.
“And the fences. And the gates. And the guys who looked like SWAT men.”
I smiled. “Yep. All of them secure this home.”
“How come?”
“We run an organization that specializes in many things, and we’ve been successful.”
“You mean you’re rich,” he clarified.
“Very wealthy,” I replied carefully, without a note of bragging. “And sometimes, other people want to take our success and power?—”
“And money?” he guessed.
“Yes, and that’s where the security measures come into play.”
For the next fifteen minutes, he peppered me with tons of questions. Could he pick his room. Would he be able to go to school with Nicky. Was the pool inside always open. How would he be able to go to the library.
On and on, he asked me countless questions. I remained patient, answering all of them. It couldn’t be easy for him to adjust to a new home when Chloe had just relocated them from Philadelphia to run from Wes.
With every question, he showed me a little more about what he was interested in or curious about. He sought stability and the freedom to do things as he pleased, and that was justified.
All throughout his interrogation, we played some light ball. Mostly passing the ball back and forth, but also seeing if we could drive the ball past each other. I gave him the tip that if he ever played out here against Dante or Romeo, they’d understand a tug on his left ear meant he intended to feint to the right.
Eventually, he moved on to the harder questions. “What are your intentions with my mom?”
I bit back a laugh at his wording. So formal. And direct.
“Would it be all right with you if I married her?”
He stopped dribbling and stared at me, the ball at his hip.
“You…” He frowned. “You want my permission?”
I nodded. “Yeah. She’s your mom and I know you care about her. You’ve been looking out for her for a long while, and I’d like to help with that.”
He lowered his gaze, blinking. “You want to marry my mom?”
“We dated a long time ago and fell in love.”
“And still love each other now.” He lifted his chin. “I can tell. She was always so sad when she said she missed you.”
This boy didn’t even know me but he saw that.
“I missed her too.”
“What made you break up?” he asked.
I didn’t want to scare him or paint Chloe in a bad light. “Some people tried to get between us.”
He nodded, seeming so pensive.
“What would you think if I married her?” I asked again.
“Yeah.” He nodded quickly. “That would be all right.”
I smiled at him, knowing I would have the time of my life learning how to be this boy’s father.
Before I could say anything, he ran at me. The ball dropped and rolled away as he darted toward me. He wrapped his arms around me and caught me in a tight hug.
My heart fucking melted. My son was here, hugging me. I’d cherish this moment forever. He was trying to act so cool and mature, so indifferent like nothing could faze him, but he was so young and impressionable. And not too old or cool to want to hug me.
“I’m glad you’re my dad.”
I hugged him back the best I could at this angle. “And I’m glad you’re my son.”
Goddammit. Tears stung at my eyes, and I breathed in deeply to keep them at bay. This was one of the happiest moments of my entire life.
Nothing could go wrong. I felt stronger, better, more whole, just in knowing this boy would teach me how to be the best dad ever.
“Franco!”
I tensed. My heart raced as my instinct to fight kicked in. Adrenaline rushed through me.
“Franco!”
I gripped Caleb and forced him behind me, shielding him at Chloe’s frantic yell. Then I turned toward the house, reaching for the gun in my holster, hidden under my jacket.
She ran out the sliding doors. Her eyes were wide as she inhaled to yell again. “Hurry! Her water broke. The baby is coming today!”
“Whoa!” Caleb said behind me.
I fought back the fear that choked me at her yell. That was how quickly I developed the instinct to protect our son. As I came to terms with the fact that no one was attacking and nothing worse had happened to warrant her loud shout of alarm, I exhaled in relief.
“Scratch that,” Chloe said as Nina groaned from further inside. “The baby is coming right now!”