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“I’m letting Lyla call the shots, because I want her happy. I have doubts T-Boy will last a week. It’s not like the kid has shown any staying power.”
“He has it in spades and I think you know that. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have let him get close to your daughter again.”
“I need him close to kill him.”
“You really want me to end your life, don’t you, motherfucker?”
“Feel free to try, old man,” he responds with another shrug, stretching his legs out and slamming his boots down against the wood of his rickety-ass old desk.
Damn, how long has it been since I was that fucking cocky? Nic would say I still was. Ford’s got a few hard lessons to learn. If there’s a bright side to any of this mess, it’s that I may get a front row seat to that.
“You keep threatening my son and I might. Still, the more you say, I can’t help but notice that he’s still breathing, motherfucker.”
Ford shrugs. “He may have showed a little promise.”
“Fucker, get over yourself. T is a good man. He’d be damn good to Lyla if it worked out. The boy just got involved with a spoiled brat who played mind games on him and his brother.”
“You like my daughter.”
“I do. She’s got fire in her.”
“Yeah. She’s always been full of what the old timers around here called piss and vinegar. I’m not going to lie to you. I was ready to kill your boy—I had every intention of doing it.”
I frown, but I don’t say shit. I remember that feeling when I found Chains and Kayden. Fuck, he makes my little girl happy and there are days I still want to plow my fist into his face just on principle.
“Raising girls is hard,” I allow.
“You’re not fucking joking,” Ford agrees. “So, what? Are we going to be friends and shit now? Swap stories about women? Piss off the porch to see who has the bigger dick and who can stream it out the farthest? Hang out on holidays?”
“You aren’t ever fucking seeing my dick and I don’t talk about my woman to anyone. She’s mine. Her shit is mine, her good is mine. I don’t share any of it with anyone, and we are never going to be friends. You’re too full of yourself, so on all of those—hell, no,” I snap.
“Thank fuck,” Ford says, making me laugh.
I rub my hand against the back of my neck. “Although my wife may get it in her head to invite you to family dinners and shit. She’s like that.”
“You can just tell her no. Problem solved.”
“If Nicole wants you and yours for a family dinner, you’re coming. I don’t care if I have to drag your ass there against your will.”
“You afraid of your old lady?” Ford asks and I sigh.
“I’d move heaven or earth to keep her happy, that’s true enough. But dragging your ass to Kentucky? I’d do that because if I didn’t, she’d try to lock me out of her pussy and pout. I don’t want to deal with that bullshit.”
“That’s part of the reason I’ll never have an old lady. Too much bullshit to deal with, if you ask me.”
“A good woman will change your mind on that.”
He studies me, but he doesn’t say anything else about it. Instead, he changes the subject. “I give you my word, T-Boy will be safe here. That said, he won’t have it easy. The boys think highly of Lyla, so they’re pretty fucking pissed right now. He’ll have to earn their respect if he wants it. Plus, I’m not you.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“That means I’m not going to protect him. He may have to throw some muscle if he really wants to stay here. And if he don’t?” The asshole nudges his chin up and looks at me point blank. “Then he can tuck tail and run back home. Lyla will see she deserves better—because she fucking does.”
I let his bullshit fly by me. Ford has no idea the strength my boy has. Hell, I’ve watched him and I knew it was there, but I’ve only seen it spark to life since all this bullshit with Gabby went down. Thomas wouldn’t believe me, but I have faith in my boy. If he truly wants to be a part of Lyla’s life, he’ll make it happen. If he doesn’t, then he’ll protect her and come back home and still manage to be a part of his child’s life.
“I’m cutting through your crap and ignoring it. Frankly, I’m more concerned about someone trying to kill you, your family, or both. Your daughter is carrying my grandbaby. That makes this shit my business. I also want to make sure my boy is protected. I can send some men up that will answer to T. They’re good men. It will give you extra firepower.”
