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The final question that lingered in my head as Ford’s eyes met mine—why hadn’t he told me earlier?

But then the answer came as quickly as a thunderstorm. It wasn’t in Ford’s personality to boast about his career, his status as a fucking SEAL, as a special ops guy in the military in general.

A giggle bounced in my throat as Ford’s cheeks remained red. Even the rest of his team seemed a bit…bashful concerning the announcement that had every pair of mouths hanging open and eyes bugging out of their heads. I couldn’t wait to embarrass Ford even further by how not-macho this went, but in the back of my mind, I knew that he’d succeeded in his intentions to knock Becca down a peg.

She slunk away from Ford and his team, disappearing into the crowd beside us with her tail tucked between her legs.

Success without stepping on his daughter’s toes was evident in her eyes as she slipped out of my embrace and bounded over to her dad.

Chapter 32

FORD

Istudied Colette’s face, desperately searching to understand her reaction to Bernie’s announcement. Waiting for the anger at another lie…though not technically a lie, but all the same, something I’d hidden from her, to dance across her expression. But instead, I found understanding and excitement? Was she…proud of me?

Two arms wrapped around my stomach with a force stronger than even Bernie had slugged me with, and I grunted on impact. Glancing down, curly red hair buried against my torso. “You came!” Azelie exclaimed, squeezing me even tighter.

“Wouldn’t miss it. I just figured you could use a few recruits to help with the Becca situation,” I replied.

She chuckled and peeled her face off me but kept her arms wrapped around me. “I was fine. I was going to let her have her moment and then tell her off later when I managed to dig up something good on her. But I’ll take this. This was even better.” She grinned as Bernie steppedtoward us.

“You gonna introduce us, or now that we’ve successfully deescalated your situation, are we fucking chopped liver?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes as Azelie stepped away and scanned my team. Colette quietly crept up behind her daughter but said nothing.

“This asshat is Bernie. He likes to blow shit up,” I grumbled, tossing a thumb at my best friend. Azelie giggled as Colette’s brows furrowed. Pointing to Mikey, I continued. “That’s Mikey. If you can’t tell, he likes to get punched, but he tends to punch back. Also, he’s the one that helped me with your knives,” I explained and glanced at Colette. She smiled warmly as Azelie looked at her mom.

“Knives? You have knives? What knives?” Azelie asked, and Colette waved dismissively.

“Go on,” Colette said.

“That’s Scottie. She’s dating the bonehead Mikey and is a phenomenal shot, so best not to piss her off.” I pointed at Scottie, who winked at Azelie. “That’s Dom. He’s probably the smartest guy I know, which is why it’s a good thing he took over when Griffin retired, or we would’ve been fucked the next day.”

Dom smiled and gave a brief nod toward Colette and my daughter. “I’m assuming that’s Griffin?” Azelie asked, pointing at my old commander.

He nodded and raised a brow. “You have no idea how nice it feels to not be the only dad now.”

Azelie’s eyes widened, and she stumbled back. “You’re a dad?”

Griffin sighed as the rest of us chuckled. “Why is that always so fucking surprising? I’m a great dad. The best dad. Jane at leasttells me I am.”

“Who’s Jane?” Azelie asked, her eyes darting between me and Griffin.

“His wife and the only woman in the world to tolerate his ass,” Bernie stated and tossed a thumb at the big oaf who scowled. “She’s awesome and totally put him in his place the first time we met her. We had to rescue her when she got kidnapped, and she wouldn’t let him forget that it took him three—”

“All right! That was what, five almost six fucking years ago. Can we not let it go?” Griffin inserted with a growl.

Azelie’s mouth fell open as a strange snort-like sound rumbled up from her throat. “I can’t figure out if I should laugh or be shocked. You let her get kidnapped? As in, she really got taken by someone…?”

“He didn’t let her get kidnapped. It was this drug cartel guy who—” I stopped talking as Colette sliced a glare toward me. “Details don’t matter. What does matter is she’s safe, and I promise that won’t happen with you, okay?”

Azelie slowly nodded as Macy scootched her way over to my daughter’s side, dragging Cory with his head hung low and eyes locked to the ground. “Tell her,” Macy muttered, shoving him forward.

“Tell me what?” Azelie’s brows furrowed as my sights locked onto the boy who had crushed her. I clenched my jaw, holding back the anger that was also partly his fault.

Cory twisted his toe into the ground, refusing to look at Azelie. Or me.

“Cory,” Thomas grumbled and shoved his arm.