Page 295 of Romeo

“Partly.”

His eyebrow rose.

I let out a breath and glanced upstairs again. “I couldn’t fuckin’ wait anymore.”

Something shifted in his expression.

There it was.

Recognition.

The smug son of a bitch didn’t even have to say it for me to know exactly what he was thinking. I remembered him standing outside that wedding almost a year ago, telling Georgie that I would respect his wishes and wait until Fiona was legal.

And then telling him that when I came for her, not even God would stop me.

At the time, I’d thought my cousin was being dramatic.

Now I was standing in his bar with Fiona upstairs and no intention of taking her back to Virginia.

“Don’t,” I warned.

Gator’s mouth twitched. “Ain’t said shit.”

“You’re about to.”

“Was just thinkin’ how a certain handsome, wise, extremely observant cousin might have predicted this exact shit damn near a year ago.”

“There it is.”

His grin appeared for barely a second before seriousness took it again. “You waited longer than I would’ve.”

“I know.”

That admission cost me more than it should have.

Gator knew it too.

I leaned my forearms on the bar and stared down at the scratched wood. “Thought I was doing right by her. She was seventeen when I met her. Then eighteen and still in school. She had plans. College. A life in Rosewood. I didn’t want to be some old asshole decidin’ she belonged in Nebraska because I got hit with the fuckin’ curse and couldn’t see straight anymore.”

“You let her choose.”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

I looked at him. “She chose me.”

Gator’s grin came back, broader this time. “Well, no shit.”

“Fuck you.”

He laughed, but I couldn’t quite get there with him. The rage from last night had burned out enough that all the things underneath it had room to breathe, and none of them were fucking funny.

“I should’ve taken her sooner.”

That stopped him.

“I don’t mean against her will. I’m not as stupid as you are.” I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find a way to put into words what had been eating through me since Rosewood. “I kept thinkin’ givin’ her space was protectin’ her. Lettin’ her stay there. Lettin’ her finish school. Lettin’ this whole thing happen at her speed. Then I turn into that fuckin’ parkin’ lot and realize all I really did was make damn sure I was too fuckin’ far away if she ever needed me.”