Page 10 of Her Angel: Elias

“Only for you, baby.”

Pink flooded her cheeks, and she adjusted her glasses on her nose before crossing one leg over the other. “Fine, fine. Go on, then. Continue being ridiculous for me, Bear.”

Evie and Evy—still mirror images of each other, from the exact length of their pale blond hair to the shade of pink on their toenails—walked back to the pool tables with Delaney and Sammy. Max saw his wife coming and was back on his feet, tuning out everything and everyone except his little treasure.

“Peaches!” Chance scooped up the one I could only assume was Evie since she melted into him instead of punching him in the face. He buried his face in her neck and sucked in a deep breath that could be heard throughout the entire bar.

“He still sniffs her like a fucking bloodhound,” Evy complained with a shake of her head before kissing Reid. “Hey, babe. Papa Biker! Guess what we’re reading this week.”

She pulled a paperback from her purse and handed it to my dad. Tanner Reid took it, read the title, and released a full belly laugh. “Alien bikers. That’s hilarious, darlin’.”

“Right?” She took the book back and shoved it into her purse. “I got to pick this week, and I couldn’t resist when this one popped up on the list.”

Sammy took Max’s vacant seat and picked up one of the beers from the ice chest that Raider had dropped off for us earlier in the evening. Popping off the top, she tipped it back, gulping the entire contents before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

I watched her as I continued playing, taking my time lining up shots. Trying to impress my gorgeous wife. She picked up a second beer, her eyes flicking to me and heating.

And then one of the braver, drunker women from two pool tables away walked up beside me and put her hand on my arm.

It happened so fast, I almost didn’t have time to react. The bottle in Sammy’s hand hit the edge of the pool table, sending beer spraying everywhere. I shifted, knocking the other woman’s hand off me, and intercepted my wife before she could slit the drunken tourist’s throat.

Locking one arm around her waist, I wrapped her long hair around my wrist and pulled tight as I carried her toward the bathrooms. We both needed this, me just as badly as she did. My baby girl was finally out of control, and I needed to pull her back to steady ground.

I needed to show her that her daddy was here and he was going to make it all better.

I always would.