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“I’ve already ordered you a sewing machine, Tricky Tricks. I’m going to teach you everything I know.”
“Yay!”
“Tricky Tricks?” I gritted. “Do you do this to hurt me?”
Kenzie giggled. “I’m sorry, Liam. I know it bothers you, but when I was little, I wanted everyone to call me Jasmine because she was my favorite Disney princess. Eventually I grew out of it. Sometimes you just have to wait it out.”
“Ah, so will Tooty Booty be Laurel’s name till she grows out of it?”
Kenzie’s grin vanished quick. “No, and as soon as I can take your sister, I’m kicking her butt for that one. One little baby fart, and now Genny won’t quit with that nickname.”
Laurel didn’t seem to mind, happily munching on her potatoes.
“Did you know about her plan to resort to kidnapping when she’s ready to have kids?”
“I did,” I replied, grinning. “Her first plan was for me to have more and she’d take her pick. She forgets I’ve known her her whole life. Our oldest sisters felt the same way, so that left plan B.”
“How is this a real plan that’s happening?”
“Whatever happens, Uncle Liam looks out for all his nieces and nephews. Don’t I, Laurel?” I tickled her nose. “Don’t I have your back?” Laurel squealed, gleefully waving her arms. “Wow. She loves everyone, doesn’t she?”
“Not everyone,” Kenzie said, smiling at the two of us. “Laurel has a great sense of character. Hated Luca on sight, but loved you right away.”
“That is the highest compliment I’ll ever be paid.” I shook the baby’s tiny fist. “Thank you, Laurel.”
“But you shouldn’t call yourself her uncle.” Something in Kenzie’s voice drew my gaze. The smile on her lips shifted to something softer—private.
“No?” I asked softly. “What will Laurel call me?”
“It’s a title you’ve heard before.”
I dropped to her lips, pants tightening as she licked them. It’s taken herculean strength to hold myself back since I blindfolded and bent her over the couch— No, since I met the woman.
Nothing had changed. Mackenzie was still too young for me. Our lives couldn’t be more different for all that she was committed to becoming a Merchant. I shouldn’t want her as much as I do, and she didn’t give a crap.
What chance did I have of resisting her when she was practically my daughter’s best friend? When she curled up under my arm when we watched those far-fetched Pixar movies? Or when she texted me filthy things in the middle of the night, so I’d wake up to a hard-on and then picture doing all the things she described to get rid of it?
Answer: I stood no chance at all.
“There’s something I should tell you,” I began.
Kenzie leaned back. “What?”
“It’s over between me and Hendrix. It was just a bit of fun to begin with but... now it’s over.”
“That is something I should know.” Kenzie’s hand found mine under the table. “Does this mean you’ll be having fun with me now?”
“There are two children at this table.” That only made her laugh. “What it means is I won’t sabotage this? I’m open to seeing where it goes.”
She stroked the inside of my palm, tightening my pants further. Such a simple act had such an embarrassingly strong effect on me.
“I’m open to that too.”
My phone buzzed, stealing my attention. “One moment.” A glance at the screen read Roman. “Excuse me.”
I handed Kenzie Laurel’s food, and was up and out of my seat in a breath. “Roman, do you have him?”
“Hello, boss.” There was a smacking noise on the other end—his gum. “I’m looking at our boy right now. I found him.”
“Where?”
“Hotel in Rockchapel. Nice one,” Roman said. “Decent security. Cameras on every exit.”
“Can you get him out of there?”
“Won’t need to. The chef received a fat wad of cash to suspend room service due to a kitchen emergency. Vito left the hotel twenty minutes ago and is at a restaurant right now, ordering two tables from me.”
“Whatever I pay you, it is not enough.”
“It’s my pleasure to serve.”
Again, from anyone else that would be sarcastic. But Roman was more than satisfied being paid an obscene amount to do what he did best—find what’s hidden. The challenge kept him from spending too long in his overstuffed head.
“Bring him to Astoria.” I cast a look over my shoulder. “I’ll be there in an hour. Don’t start questioning him until I get there.”
“Yes, boss.”
We hung up. In that single tap of my finger, I made a decision.
“Mackenzie.”
“Yes?”
“We’ll have to speed up dinner and put the girls to bed early. You and I have plans tonight.”
“We do?”
I tipped her chin, stroking those perfect soft lips. “Tonight, I take over your lessons. You experience firsthand what it is to be a Merchant.”
MACKENZIE
Liam was quieter than usual on the drive, and that was saying something. To be fair, I stopped asking questions after where are we going? I thought he’d fill in the details on his own, and ten minutes later I was still waiting.
