Page 39 of My Solemn Vow (The Mafia Arrangement #1)

VALOR

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD

It’s been exactly a week since Sean died. Kerrianne reminded me this morning when she tried to go to school with Antonella that Antonella and I said she could go to school tomorrow.

I know she should go to school. The bonus classes over winter break are ‘optional’ and meant to allow families the flexibility to take their kids out during the regular session for vacations or whatnot that fall outside of the school’s scheduled days off.

It would be smart to utilize those extra days in the event she gets the summer sillies and needs to take summer break early.

Wolf pups and season changes aren’t always the most conducive to learning.

My little velociraptor is safe with Antonella, I have proof of that, but I’m being a nervous and overprotective father.

Not overprotective. My wolf disagrees, furthering my belief that I’m letting the situation control me and not the other way around.

If these candidates are up to my standard, then, and only then , will I let her go back to school.

Patrick’s top two candidates match my choices.

The oldest guard in the group at fifty years old, who tragically lost his mate and son in an ‘accident’ twenty years ago, and the youngest in the group, a twenty-eight-year-old who has formal military training as well as working in Gardaí.

I’m not concerned about either candidate or their ability to take care of my daughter, only that they’ll be able to connect with her.

The doorbell rings, and I leave the kitchen, where I’ve been cleaning things that aren’t dirty, which Holly used to call my ‘stress tell,’ to go answer it.

Kerrianne and Antonella are in the living room and had been working on some of her makeup homework.

She whispers loudly to Antonella, “What do I do if I don’t like him?”

It’s refreshing to hear that my daughter has the same concerns I do, which is why it felt like the right time to involve her in the interview process.

She’ll spend a lot of time with her guard, between the commute to school and anytime she’s not at one of the main properties. They have to get along.

Antonella certainly isn’t the damsel she could have been, but she isn’t a wolf. She isn’t a wolf yet. I’d feel better knowing that they get along with and trust their primary security and that it’s someone who respects them.

“We finish the interview. Then you tell your dad,” Antonella answers her.

I pause to be sure I hear the rest of their conversation. The interviewee can wait.

“Remember that kindness is important. We can have opinions, but that doesn’t mean they’re good to share out loud.”

“We can be nice without being friends.” Kerrianne recites something they must have talked about.

It’s a much nicer way than I would have phrased it. I open the door, and the first interviewee, the older of the two wolves, is waiting.

“Alpha.” He greets, turning his head away from me, exposing his neck .

I’m not the pack alpha, not yet, so being treated with that same respect is overly formal. But it shows that he takes who I am seriously.

I step aside and let him in. “Thank you for coming.”

“An honor.” Declan looks around my home as we walk through.

It’s not in the curious, snooping sense of what my home looks like, but his eyes look at the security of it. Window latches, entrances, potential hiding places, and potential weapons.

Kerrianne opts to sit in my chair with her little legs curled up cross-legged. I sit with Antonella on the sofa and offer the last wingback chair to Declan. He walks over to Antonella first and offers his hand out to shake.

“Afternoon, Mrs. Cavanagh.” He nods.

Got the memo she doesn’t know. His thoroughness is impressive.

I like him. You can feel how calm his wolf is. My wolf takes note, cocking his head and watching as Declan goes toward Kerrianne.

“Miss Cavanagh.” He extends his hand. “My name is Declan O’Toole.”

“Nice to meet you.” Kerrianne smiles at him, shaking his hand.

Seems he’s already winning points. I look over to Antonella, and she gives a tiny nod, disguising it as moving her long hair from one shoulder to the other.

He sits forward in the chair and looks at Kerrianne, pretty much ignoring me and Antonella. “So, tell me, Kerrianne. What is your favorite subject in school?”

It’s a strange question, and I want to cut in, but Antonella places her hand on my knee. So I keep my mouth shut and let the two of them talk.

“I like science. I’m really good at math.” Kerrianne beams .

“That’s fantastic. I’m partial to it as well. Good at countin’ things.” Declan nods.

His file said he worked inventory for the Doyles when he started. My wolf reminds me.

He immediately asks her another question. “What changes in your schedule the most?”

Not the direction I anticipated.

“Uhm.” Kerrianne’s nose crinkles, her mouth moving back and forth as she thinks. “Sometimes Dad gives me an allowance to go do things, like if I have a bad day at school, we can go get a frozen hot chocolate or ice cream. And I really like it if we can stop and get treats for Captain too.”

Declan passes a quick glance to me, and I nod. “And Captain is probably not a boat captain?”

“He’s a tortoise,” Kerrianne explains with an exaggerated eye roll. “Not a turtle. A tortoise.”

“He wouldn’t happen to be a Russian tortoise, would he?” Declan raises an eyebrow in suspicion.

“Yeah?” Kerrianne looks at him with the same suspicion, narrowing her eyes.

“I’ve one of my own. Her name is Magdalena.” Declan makes slow moves to slide his phone out of his pocket and open a photo gallery, which he shows to Kerrianne.

At the excited little wiggle of her butt in the chair, I imagine the puppy in her wagging her tail. “That’s so cool!”

I can pretty much text the other guy and tell him not to come to the interview. It’ll be a waste of time.

They start bonding over tortoises, and before I know it, Kerrianne leads Declan through the house toward the tortoise room.

Antonella stops me from following too closely, her hand coming to rest on my chest. “You know he’s the right choice.”

Her opinion feels right. My wolf immediately agrees with her.

The three of us are clearly thinking the same thing, but asking her opinion anyway feels right. No, I’m just testing her. This isn’t asking for an honest opinion. I made up my mind. But I let the words leave my lips anyway. “Text the other not to come?”

Considering it for a moment, Antonella looks down the hallway. “No. This is a good experience for her, but she’ll pick him. Start whatever extra background checks you’re planning, and let her interview the other. But Declan is your man.”

The contradiction to my line of thinking causes me to pause. I’m so used to efficiency and moving within a set system that I didn’t consider my pup’s development. How will she learn to do this if I don’t give her the opportunity?

“You know, how much you know about this business doesn’t speak well to Gregorio’s ability to keep quiet.” I tease her gently.

My arms ache to wrap her up into a hug, but we haven’t made any sort of moves of affection toward each other in the last couple of days, and with Kerrianne so close... How do I explain this? It’s safer to deny myself the touch.

Antonella smiles coyly. “Well, my father wanted me to be involved. It’s the ‘insignificant things’” — she uses air quotes — “that Gregorio was willing to let me know parts of. Security checks were one of those things.”

For a moment, I wish I had been able to meet her father. The man who made his daughter capable may have been able to give me advice in raising my own. She’ll never be Kerrianne’s mother, but she could be a mentor.

She’ll be her mother and mother our next pups. My wolf imagines her belly swollen with a sibling for Kerrianne.

I stuff it out of my mind. Starting to trust her sure as fuck doesn’t make her a good mother. There is still a chance this is some grand plan at deception.

But you want her to be. My wolf scoffs. Quit fuckin’ kidding yourself.

Kerrianne and Declan come out of the tortoise room and then lead the way back to the kitchen and the living room where they sit down again.

We follow their lead and take our seats.

Again, Declan takes charge of the conversation. “What’s your biggest worry about security?”

Kerrianne’s eyes get glossy with tears. “That we don’t all get to go home.”

“You’re upset about losing Sean?” Declan asks.

My hackles rise. Why didn’t she tell me? I want to interject, but Declan seems to have it under control.

“I don’t like that he died protecting me. And I know that it’s supposed to be better now but...”

“But even though it isn’t your fault, it feels like it.” Declan gives her a reassuring smile.

Where is this conversation going?

“I promise you, Kerrianne. Guys like me and Sean, we know the risks of this life, and it’s an honor to get to protect you. If dyin’ is what it takes to get the job done, then God says it’s our time to go. We don’t argue with God about it.” Declan mostly faces Kerrianne, and he levels with her.

Treats our pup with respect. My wolf approves with a firm nod. He settles inside me, retreating with the lack of threats.

“Okay.” Kerrianne’s voice is small, and after a few seconds, she asks, “Do you like going on field trips?”

“Field trips, approved, can be fun. Do you ride on the bus, or do we drive separately?” Declan cocks his head with the question that’s security-minded but benign enough that she doesn’t notice.

“I ride on the bus.” Kerrianne eyes him suspiciously. “Do you listen to music or podcasts?”

“Music. Got too many voices in my own head to be hearing other people blabber,” Declan answers, letting Kerrianne take charge of the interview now.

“Are you gonna yell at me?” Kerrianne glares .

“It’s not my job to parent you. I won’t yell.

If I raise my voice, it’s to shout, and it’ll be because you’re not being safe.

But once you are safe, then it’s up to your da how things get handled.

” Declan is firm about it. “I won’t lie or keep anything from either of ya where your safety is concerned.

It’s not my job to do anything but make sure you’re safe. ”

Antonella’s movement of her hand, low on the couch, is out of sight for Declan and Kerrianne, but I take a quick glance, and she’s holding her thumb up in approval.

First with a firearm and now with a member of the security team, Antonella is quickly proving that she’s capable and competent for this life.

I don’t know if I should be excited or even more wary about her presence because of it. If Antonella really is only the truce caller or someone who is fed up with the violence, what does that mean for our life together?

A year where we don’t get shot at. My wolf thinks about a life with her again. Taking a walk down the pier with Kerrianne between us.