Page 161 of Angel

‘Elsa, lovely surprise,’ I drawled.

She marched into the house, whipped off her hat, peeled off her gloves, and dumped them along with her designer bag straight onto my chest.

‘Where’s my daughter?’ my mother-in-law demanded.

I arched a brow, holding onto her gear.

‘Inside, resting on the couch.’

Her uncle, Ed, loomed right behind his sister, his eyes glowering at me.

Damn.

The pair strode past me into the living area, Elsa’s face tight with worry, followed by her glaring, resentful brother.

All this heat was because the night before, while we were watching TV, Roxy dropped a hint to Elsa over the phone that she was not 100 percent.

‘I’m not the reason she’s unwell,’ I muttered after them as we entered the lounge.

‘Well, in fact you are, champ,’ Ed growled. ‘You’re the daddy, and the basis her whole life got turned upside down.’

The man was on a warpath.

I trailed him into the dining room, where I placed Elsa’s things on a table.

The pair went to Roxy on the sofa and fussed over her, giving her hugs and kisses and asking questions.

I eyed the scene, leaning my hip against the edge of the massive dining table, hands crossed over my chest.

Ed then sauntered to me, eyes hard, and I braced to let the man say his piece.

‘Here’s what I think. You’ve been a self-absorbed dick,’ Roxy’s uncle spat, poking a finger straight into my torso.

I arched a brow. ‘is that right?’

‘Yes! You spent a decade chasing Evangeline’s ghost, blind to the diamond right in front of your face. When her messed-up sister dumped you, Roxy picked up the pieces. Then Evangeline ghosted back into Nashville, and you went running to her? Instead of staying away from her toxic ass and focusing on your pregnant wife? What kind of a man are you? Roxy deserves a real partner, not a rockstar gigolo.’

I pushed my tongue inside my cheek to keep from lashing back.

‘I’m here now,’ I muttered, keeping my tone level.

‘Too little, too late, man,’ Ed fired back, his eyes narrowing. ‘I used to think you were a good guy, a stand-up man, but you’re just a massive disappointment. I’ve almost lost all respect for you.’

With an inhale, I took the verbal beating, letting the humiliation burn through me because I’d freakin’ earned it.

‘Ed, stop it, right now,’ Elsa pleaded, appearing between us with her hands raised.

‘No, Elsa,’ Ed growled, his eyes still boring into mine. ‘He needs to hear this.’

‘Uncle Ed, back off,’ Roxy’s voice cut through the tension.

She was leaning against the archway between the living and dining room, pale and taking deep breaths.

I went to her at once, wrapping an arm around her to steady her and help her to the table.

‘Angel has been nursing me for weeks through this morning sickness,’ Roxy said, as she sat in a chair. ‘He cooks every meal, cleans the house, and runs the errands. Best of all, he’s the one who got Reese locked up.’

‘He what?’ Ed froze mid-breath, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline. ‘What did you say?’