“Seth, that’s enough. If you don’t like my friends, you can go out the same way you came in.”
He downs the rest of his beer and grabs another. The quick move makes him stumble, and he has to right himself. Without losing a single drop, he drinks half of the new beer. “Don’t get all hoity-toity, Lori-Bell. You ain’t above me taking you across my knee.”
My face heats with both embarrassment and rage. “Don’t you touch me.”
“You can’t do nothing about it.” He grips my shoulder.
Gerry snorts another laugh.
Stepping forward, Ion puts himself between Seth and me. “You are old enough to know that touching a woman who doesn’t want your attention will not be tolerated. You might also note that several of Lori’s friends are police officers and will drag you out of here. Now, we don’t want to ruin your daughters’ birthday party, so just step back and behave yourself.”
With a frustrated huff, Seth’s eyes narrow. “I want to take the girls out for dinner tonight.” He looks at me.
“They have plans with friends.” As if I would let them get into a car with his drunken ass.
“I have rights. I’m their real father.” He drinks the rest of his beer and stumbles over for another. “All you freaks in one place.” He spreads his arms to encompass the backyard.
Max and Sam are standing, watching the kids play. Mari and Tilda stand under a large umbrella I had set up for those who can’t take the sunlight. Many of the residents who tried to help find Livi when she was kidnapped are here. I’m mortified that my ex might make any of my friends feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.
Keeping my voice low, I hold the rage inside me at bay. “You cannot come here once every three or four years, embarrass me in front of my friends, and threaten to take the girls away. No judge will ever give you any part of their custody, Seth. If you want to see them, you can do it sober or not at all.”
The angry fire that I remember well flares in Seth’s blue eyes. Once upon a time, he was a handsome and charismatic young man. Now he’s just a drunkard. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Lori Bell, you have no right to say nothing to me. You’re just a poor girl from Buffalo and the wrong side of the tracks at that.” He raises his hand.
I flinch.
Ion’s strong fingers wrap around Seth’s wrists. His eyes flare similarly to the way they did when I saw him at the dance. “Might I have a word?”
He pulls the now-wincing Seth to the side of the house. They are still visible, but Ion’s voice is too soft to hear. It looks as if he’s whispering in Seth’s ear.
A minute later, Seth collects Gerry, and they leave without another word.
Ion nods at me before joining his granddaughters under the umbrella.
It’s after seven when Willa takes her family and my girls home for another sleepover. It was what Dotty and Olivia wanted for their birthday, and they skipped out the door, barely stopping to kiss me goodbye.
It’s rare for me to have a night to myself. Twice now in ten days feels luxurious. Once everyone is gone, I shower, pull on a comfortable sundress, and leave my hair damp. Flopping on the couch, I close my eyes. As soon as I do, the boogeyman and Seth merge as a threat to my babies, and I jump up. The girls may be able to sleep, but I’m still struggling, and today’s events didn’t help.
A quick text to Willa lets me know everything is fine. Only my own fears haunt me now.
The doorbell rings, and I calm my heart before checking out the window.
My heart races at the sight of Ion’s broad shoulders and captivating eyes.
His expression is unreadable, but his gaze captures me as it always does.
I open the door. “Hello. Did you forget something?”
“No. I think I owe you an apology. I used my vampire gifts to remove the twins’ father. Perhaps that was not entirely ethical.” He searches my face for whatever he’s hoping to find.
“Come inside, Ion.”
When he does, I can’t help crowding him. His scent is an intoxicating mix of earth and spice. “I can’t imagine you’ve done anything wrong. What did you tell Seth?”
Making no attempt to get away from me, he looks into my eyes. “I nicked his skin so my elixir would allow a thrall. I told him he was never to be intoxicated in his daughters’ presence again, and he would never raise his hand to you or any woman ever again. It was extremely high-handed, and I shouldn’t have done it.”
It doesn’t sound very egregious to me. Still, I’m too curious to let him off the hook right away. I have to crane my neck to meet his gaze. “Why did you do it?” My pulse feels as if it might pound out of my skin, and my flesh tingles as he runs cool, callused fingers along my jaw. The soft touch heats me far more than any warm-blooded man ever has.
“A father should be counted on. He should protect his children and his mate.”
