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“Nope,” I bit out. “Not one bit.”
He stared straight ahead. “What about Gigi?”
“She didn’t want to rest. She told me that I needed it more than she did.” I scrubbed a hand down my face. “But she finally listened and fell asleep.”
She had tried fighting the exhaustion but eventually, fell asleep in my arms. It was where I always wanted her. Tucked in my hold, safe in my touch and at peace in my heart.
“She’s like her mother that way. Meadow and Ryder are more me. But Gigi?” Angel shook his head. “Jay will always be walking this earth as long as Gigi’s around.”
“I could have lost her and our baby tonight and it’s messing with me,” I blurted, leaning my head back against the wall. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost them.”
“You saved her,” Angel pointed out. “And you saved your unborn child.”
“I’d die first before I let anything happen to them.”
“You were raised well, Vince.” He paused. “I remember the first night we brought her home with us. I put her in her crib while Jay took a shower. I wanted to give her a little bit of time alone. Pregnancies and births aren’t easy. Even the quickest deliveries can still be stressful, so I was trying to give Jay a moment of reprieve. Anyway.” Angel cleared his throat. “I never really prayed before that night. Not outside of the missions I’d been on. It’s hard to have faith with the shit I’ve seen. But that night I did. I prayed hard, Vince. I prayed for a man like you to come into my baby girl’s life and take care of her like I do. To love her even more than I can and ever will. Thank you for answering my prayer.”
A lump formed in my throat. “Thank you for giving your daughter to me.”
“You have my blessing. I know you haven’t asked for it, but you don’t need to. I’ve seen the way you are with her.” Angel looked at me then. “I always said that I would threaten any of the guys my girls ended up with but you and Shade? I haven’t had to threaten either of you.”
“Meadow and Shade have been through a lot.” I crossed my arms under my chest, looking at the man I hoped would one day be my father-in-law.
“They have. I didn’t know Sunny for long. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that my youngest kid was dating two men who were closer to my age than her own.” Angel sighed. “But when it comes to Meadow, she does what she wants and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. She has a good head on her shoulders. They all do but Gigi was the one I was worried about the most. Until you broke down her walls.”
“I’m in love with her,” I finally confessed to him.
Angel smiled. “Oh I know and I’m happy you are.”
“You’re in love with me?”
My head whipped around.
Gigi stood outside her bedroom door, staring down at me with wide eyes.
“You should be sleeping,” I said, rising to my feet and going up to her.
“Vince.” She grabbed the hoodie I was wearing, thanks to Angel letting me borrow one of his, and pulled me closer. “Tell me that again.”
I looked over my shoulder.
Angel nodded. “I’ll be downstairs. I’ll try and calm your dad down. He’s more furious than I am.” He shook his head and went back down the hall, leaving Gigi and me alone.
“Vince.”
I turned around and grabbed Gigi’s hand, pulling her back into her bedroom.
“Vince,” she repeated, her voice firmer. “I need to know. Did you mean what you said?”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” I cupped her shoulders. “I’m in love with you, Gigi.” It felt so damn good to finally get those words off my chest. Words that I had been wanting to say ever since I gave her the necklace so many years ago.
“You love me?” she asked through unshed tears.
“Yeah, Queenie.” I kissed her forehead, brushing my nose against hers. “I’ve always loved you. From the first moment I met you.”
“I’ve known you since you were born,” she whispered.
“Exactly.” I pinched her chin, tilting her head back to meet the soft impact of my mouth. “I loved you then. I love you now. And I’ll spend the rest of my days, continuing to love you.”
