Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Kian glared at him. “Like you haven’t said the same damn thing to your wife.”
“He does have a point, dear.” Bridget poked Mac in the side before hurrying over to Kian so she could coo at our daughter. “Oh, my goodness. Aren’t you so precious? It’s hard to believe that ours were ever this small now that they’ve grown up so much. One of these days, I’m going to blink, and it’ll be Molly in that bed after she has our first grandchild.”
“Over my dead body,” Mac growled. “And whoever the fuck thinks they can knock my little girl up will be six feet under, too.”
“Language,” Bridget snapped. “The baby is only hours old.”
“A little cursing won’t hurt her. She’s gonna be a Silver Saints princess,” he reminded her.
“Well, your first princess just turned sixteen years old, so don’t be surprised when we get a call from the school because she thinks she’s old enough to use all the swear words she’s heard you guys toss around over the years,” Bridget muttered, shaking her head with a sigh. “Our girl has enough sass in her that she’d probably make up some of her own just to piss off her teacher and then make a whole case over how she shouldn’t be in trouble for using words that don’t even make any sense.”
I laughed. “I can definitely see her doing something like that.”
“Enjoy your precious girl while she’s small enough to think that everything you say is gospel,” Bridget advised me with a smile. “Eventually, you’ll be tearing your hair out over her antics, just like me.”
Mac moved closer to his wife and pulled her against his side. “Molly isn’t that bad.”
“I’m not saying she’s bad, just a handful,” she corrected. “Which you don’t really see because she’s a daddy’s girl. But some day in the future, she’s going to meet a man and she’s going to think he’s as awesome as you, and then you’ll change your tune.”
“That’s not gonna happen anytime soon since she’s not allowed to date until she’s at least thirty.”
As they continued to banter, Kian leaned close and murmured, “Thirty.”
“Thirty what?” I echoed, my brows drawing together.
“That’s how old Tabitha will be when she’s allowed to go on her first date.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “That’s more than a little hypocritical when I got pregnant with her at nineteen.”
He shrugged. “Maybe so, but that’s the rule.”
“Good luck laying down the law with our daddy’s girl.” I took Tabitha from his arms and smiled down at her. “She’s already got you wrapped around her little finger. I bet all it will take is one little pout, and you’ll cave. Even when it comes to dating before she’s thirty.”
He shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”
I didn’t want to be the kind of person who said I told you so…but I sure as heck did it when he was proven wrong sixteen years later.
EPILOGUE
PHANTOM
“Seriously, Daddy?” Tabitha cried, stomping her foot in frustration.
I folded my arms over my chest and glared right back at her. “Not gonna happen. You’re only sixteen.”
“Dixon went on a date last week, and he’s only fifteen!”
Shrugging, I prepared myself for the tears that would inevitably come soon. “Dixon’s a boy. Besides, it wasn’t even a real date, Tabby. He went out with a group of friends.”
“That’s all I want to do. We’re going to the dance as a group.”
“Boys will get ideas,” I argued firmly.
“Aaaargh!” she yelled as she threw her hands in the air. “It’s not fair.”
“You’re my precious baby girl. It’s my job to protect you.”
Her big blue eyes—so much like my own—filled with moisture, and a fat crocodile tear slipped down her cheek.
Fucking hell.
“I’m growing up, Daddy. You can’t protect me forever.”
I scoffed. “Watch me.”
Her tears began to come in earnest, and I felt a crack in my resolve. My eyes darted down next to me, where my wife sat on the couch, watching me with a smug expression. “You want to back me up on this?”
Tessa shook her head and smirked. “I warned you the day she was born, Kian.”
My eyes narrowed, making it clear she would pay for this later.
“I’m not taking her side either.”
“That’s not gonna save your pretty little ass, sweet girl,” I growled, low enough that only she would hear.
“Ewww, Daddy,” Tabitha said in a disgusted tone. “Just because I can’t hear what you’re saying doesn’t mean I don’t understand. Do you have to do that in front of me?”
“You’ll understand when you’re older,” I murmured with a chuckle.
“Great!” she shrieked happily and ran over to give me a hug before practically skipping out of the room. “Thank you, Daddy!”
“Wait…” I looked back and forth between my daughter and my wife. “What just happened?”
Tessa was laughing too hard to answer at first. I went back over the conversation and still couldn’t figure out why she’d suddenly been happy and thanking me.