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Some of the reddish-purple color drained from Colt’s face, and he turned his head to gape at the enforcer. “No, it’s not.”
Dad only glared at him. “She’s not even my kid, and I know her favorite color is blue. And I know caramel is her least-favorite cake flavor, but you picked that for her birthday cake.”
“You spend too much time with her,” he snapped. “She can’t work at your place anymore.”
“Why? Because I know her better than you?” He shifted my nephew in his arms, looking down at the other man with disgust. “She’s eighteen. If she wants to keep working for me, she can and will. Just because you don’t know shit about your own kid doesn’t mean I have to fire her.”
I felt River before she even touched me. Her hands trembled as she wrapped her arms around me from behind, her face pressing into the center of my back as she inhaled deeply. I stroked my hands over her bare arms, soothing myself with the feel of her beneath my fingertips. Being away from her the last few days had been agony. I’d been on runs in the past that had taken longer, but she hadn’t been pregnant then.
There had been an urgency in me, screaming at me to get back so I could protect my woman and baby.
I ached to pull her around in front of me, kiss the hell out of her, and mark her as mine right there in front of her father. My instinct to protect her, however, had me keeping her behind me.
“You don’t know her better than me,” Colt raged at my father as he turned fully to face him. From the look on Colt’s face, I knew if Dad hadn’t been holding Ian, Colt would have probably punched him. “She’s my little girl. If I say she can’t work for you anymore, then she won’t. And she sure as fuck won’t be dating your worthless son.”
Behind me, I heard River gasp at the same time my mom and both of my sisters started shouting.
“Stop it!” River’s cry drowned out whatever they said. She started to pull away, but I tightened my hold on her. Sighing, she kissed my back then tugged herself free before walking around me to face her father. Colt glared at her, but she marched up to him fearlessly. “Maverick is not worthless, and I’m not going to stand around and let you talk about him like that. I love him, Dad. With everything in me, I love him. And I will be dating him. You have no say in it. Just like you have no say in where I work. As of today, I’m an adult, and I get to make my own decisions regarding my life.”
“Not while you live under my roof!” His voice boomed off the walls, causing Ian to jump and the other babies to start crying.
She tipped her head back, meeting his gaze without flinching. “Then I guess I’m moving out.”
“I forbid it.”
A humorless laugh left her. “Forbid all you want. That doesn’t mean shit to me now.” She shook her head at him. “You know, I’ve always respected you. You’ve worked so hard and given me so much. Yet right now, I see you have no respect for me in return, Dad.”
His jaw clenched shut, and I saw him gritting his te
eth. Long moments passed with father and daughter staring each other down, but then River’s shoulders slumped and she turned to me with a sad smile. “Let’s go,” she murmured softly.
I took her hand and tugged her close. She melted against me as her side brushed mine, and we started for the door.
“River, get your ass back here!” Colt roared behind us.
She glared at him over her shoulder. “I’ll get my things from the house later.”
He took a step forward, but Aunt Kelli got in his way. “Let her go.”
“She’s not moving out. Where’s Ben? Have him arrest Maverick.” River stumbled, and she looked up at me with a ghostly white face as fear filled her eyes.
“What for?” Aunt Kelli demanded. “She’s eighteen and leaving willingly with him.”
My hand tightened around River. Ben probably could arrest me if they knew I’d gotten River pregnant before she turned eighteen. But no one knew she was carrying my baby.
Still, if Colt found out, he would have Ben tossing my ass in jail in a heartbeat.
That wasn’t something I was going to worry about at the moment, however. For now, I just wanted to get my girl home.
Eight
River
My relief that there hadn’t been any bloodshed was so strong that I sagged against Maverick as soon as we were outside.
His arm tightened, and he pulled me closer into him as we walked to his motorcycle. Taking his helmet, he offered it to me and then climbed on. I put it on and got on behind him. As I pressed my front into his back, my arms going around his waist, everything felt right in the world.
That feeling was short-lived as Dad stormed out of the bar with half the party guests right behind him. “Let’s go,” I told Maverick, and he started his bike.
