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The baby began to cry, and I panicked. “Luca!”
He came out of the kitchen with a slice of toast sticking out of his mouth, a mug of coffee in his other hand. The instant his eyes fell on his daughter, his entire face changed. Placing the mug on the coffee table, he crouched down so he was as level with the swing as his huge body would allow. “What’s wrong, princess?” he cooed. “Do you have a tummy ache?”
She only cried louder, and he sniffed. He didn’t make a face at the smell, but he stuffed the toast into his mouth and wiped his hands on his basketball shorts before picking her up. “Let’s get my love bug a clean diaper,” he said in a voice I’d never heard him use except with Love Bug.
The baby was average size, maybe a little smaller, but she looked like a baby doll when the huge defensive line footballer lifted her into his arms. Cradling her close, he walked over to where a baby blanket was spread out on the carpet. All the items needed for changing a diaper were already arranged, and he carefully got on his knees before placing the baby on the floor.
If the smell trapped in her diaper was harsh to the senses, then when Luca unsnapped the messy thing, it was enough to burn a person’s nose hairs. I quickly pulled my T-shirt up over my nose, inhaling the fabric softener, my body wash, and deodorant. Luca wasn’t even fazed as he cleaned up the mushy mess. I couldn’t watch for long, because the sight was enough to make me gag, but I couldn’t help looking back every few seconds, enthralled by how efficient the most irresponsible guy I’d ever known was with the itty-bitty baby.
My honorary cousin had always been a dumbass, too caught up in his own wants and needs to care about anyone—except for maybe Violet. And even she had suffered the aftereffects of Luca’s tantrums over the years. Yet the moment Love Bug was placed in his arms, it was like a switch flipped inside him. He became a different man, on a mission to show Violet that she could trust him to take care of her and the tiny baby he’d been tasked with protecting by Violet’s husband.
Shaw and I both had our doubts at first, but after witnessing how amazing of a dad Luca was, we’d begun to relax. Our worry hadn’t just been for Love Bug’s sake, but for Violet’s mental state. The dark place she’d gone to when she broke up with Luca back in high school was something we’d feared happening again with the death of Remington. Maybe he’d feared it too, and that was why he’d turned to Luca to ensure she didn’t fall down that dangerous rabbit hole when he passed on.
Once Love Bug had on a fresh diaper—as well as a new onesie—he cleaned the smear of baby shit off his thumb with a wipe. Standing, he reached down and lifted her into his arms. “Is my princess happy again?” he murmured with a smile, making the baby gurgle at him. He kissed the top of her head, and she laid her ear against his chest.
He stood there, rocking back and forth, rubbing the baby’s back until her eyes drifted shut. It didn’t take more than a few minutes, and then he was placing her on a different blanket spread on the carpet, this one surrounded by pillows and the gigantic midnight-black pit bull.
“Crush, be good,” Luca commanded, and the dog turned so his head was closer to the baby, his eyes hyperfocused on the sleeping infant.
Luca went back to the diaper-changing blanket and started gathering the messy items. That he cleaned up after himself was almost as surprising as it was watching him take care of the baby.
“You can drop the mask now,” he said with a smirk as he came out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a dish towel.
Cautiously, I pulled down my T-shirt a little and took a tiny sniff before inhaling deeper. Smelling nothing but coffee in the air, I blew out a sigh. “Fuck—”
“Language!” Luca growled in a quiet voice.
“Crap,” I amended and was surprised I didn’t roll my eyes. The baby probably didn’t even understand words yet, but Luca wouldn’t allow anyone to use curse words around her—not even Vi. “How do you deal with that smell all day long? I hope Shaw doesn’t want kids right away, because I don’t think I could handle changing diapers.”
He shrugged before picking up his mug of coffee and draining the contents. “It’s different when it’s your kid, man. It was hard at first. I cried because I thought I was hurting her. But after my dad and Uncle Shane showed me a few tricks, it was a heck of a lot easier.” He tipped his empty mug at me. “I’m getting a fresh cup. You want some?”
“Nah, but thanks.” My eyes widened when he picked up my bowl of soggy cereal and took it into the kitchen. From my place on the couch, I heard him rinse and then place the dishes in the dishwasher.
Holy shit. Luca Thornton was domestic as fuck.
I nearly laughed at the change in him, but honestly, it was good to see him finally being mature.
A smile still lingered on my face when my phone rang. I quickly answered it before it could disturb the sleeping baby.
“This is Jagger,” I said quietly since I didn’t look at the screen before lifting the phone to my ear.
“Jags, don’t freak out.”
I leaned my head back against the couch, trying not to do just that. Violet’s voice was calm enough, but I heard something underlying in it that told me whatever she was going to say was going to upset me.
“Did you two pick up your dresses?” I asked instead of demanding she tell me what was going on.
“Yes,” she said after a slight pause. “They are safely locked in the back of the SUV right now. I… Ugh, okay, I’m just going to say it. Shaw kind of fractured two knuckles.”
I tensed. “How did she fracture anything while trying on her wedding dress?”
“We were ambushed in front of Riley’s beforehand,” she explained. “One of the photographers got too close to me, and Shaw punched him in the face. It was one little punch, and he was such a crybaby about it.” She huffed loudly. “But anyway, the cops are questioning her while we wait for the doctor to get her discharge papers.”
“For fuck’s sake!” I snapped, jerking to my feet.
“Language!” Luca called from the kitchen.
Ignoring him, I practically jogged into my bedroom. “Are they going to arrest her? Do I need to call Ma?”
