Page 5 of My Solemn Vow (The Mafia Arrangement #1)

When I became a single dad, I decided I would only bring a woman into Kerrianne’s life when I could be sure she would be a good influence, would understand the life and expectations on her, and wouldn’t try to step in and replace her mother’s memory.

There’s only one woman I’m looking for. I find her in the crowd, in black slacks and a bright red sweater, and navigate toward where she’s chatting with a couple of her friends, a Bloody Mary in her hand.

One of her friends clears her throat when I approach.

My mother glances at me, her short gray and brown hair springing around her face.

The silver necklace Dad gifted her for their anniversary glints in the light.

Her face bright, she beams at me. “There he is. I was wondering if your father would ever adjourn the meeting. It’s like he forgets full moons are for celebrating and not just another business meeting. ”

“We had some concerns regarding the plan. You know how business is. I take it your meeting went well?” I ask, only half caring and mostly for appearance’s sake.

I force out a smile to make it look right and like I care. Royal’s reminders to hide some of how I’m feeling are still fresh, but exhaustion is setting in.

“Well, I won’t bore you with planning parties and festivities.

” She turns to look at me head-on, and her face falls.

“Oh dear.” She waves to her friends and then wraps her non-drink-filled hand around my bicep.

Mom’s intuition picks up my bullshit. She knows now I’m not here to say hello and that I love her. “Ladies, please excuse me.”

Quickly, she ushers me like a small boy away from the party. We head down the hallway toward my father’s office. Before we get to the door, I hear him and Neil inside, chatting about a trade route we established.

“Neil, could you give us a minute?” Mom isn’t really asking. Her tone is short and impatient.

“Can’t this wait?” Neil asks, eyes narrowed at her. “We’re talking —”

“Neil, out!” Mom snaps while pushing me into the room and waving toward the door.

Neil scowls. Then he draws a slow breath, becoming more neutral before he stands slowly, not ready to piss my mother off. Ducking his head out of respect, Neil obediently moves past us out to the rest of the festivities, scotch glass in hand.

I wouldn’t want to risk my mother’s wrath, but getting a front-row seat to him debating it was amusing. Mom is not a violent wolf unless she needs to be. But she’s the alpha’s mate for a reason, and there’s no point in pushing her buttons after she delivers an angry bark like that .

And Dad would never stand for someone disrespecting her. No matter how close he and his brother are.

“What’s wrong?” My father looks me over, brow furrowing. He unbuttoned the top buttons of his dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves. “Is this about the text message?”

“No, that was Royal being... Royal. Mom is making a bigger deal out of it than it is.” I scrub my hand down my face.

“You look like you’re about to fall down with exhaustion.” Ma gives me a pointed look, and then, with a hand on my chest, she pushes me, gently-ish, to the chair in front of Dad’s desk. “Sit.”

Once I’m seated, the exhaustion I apparently wasn’t masking well settles in further. My eyelids grow heavy. The comfort of the chair and privacy of Dad’s office give me the feeling of safety, and I yawn.

“Now.” She sits in the other chair, looking me over. “What’s going on?”

“Kerrianne is shifting in her sleep, again. I thought we’d gotten past this back in kindergarten.” I shrug and let my shoulders slump in defeat. “She’s having nightmares and saying that big, bad men were trying to take her from me. She’s afraid and terrified that they know our secret.”

“Well, she is that age.” Dad runs his hand over his five-o’clock shadow and then across his mouth before letting it fall with a thud to his desk.

“I don’t envy you. It was bad when you went through it, and hell when Royal went through it.

I thought we’d have to buy mattresses in bulk the way he shredded them. ”

“True.” Mom laughs and takes a sip of her drink. “It’s normal. She is starting to really understand how different we are. It’s also clear that she’s understanding more about people leaving. Of course she’s afraid to be separated from you. You’re all she has.”

“I am not.” I look at the two of them, bewildered at the suggestion that my daughter is alone. “We have the three of you.”

“It’s not the same as having two parents.” Mom taps her finger against her chin and pointedly lets that statement go, shifting the conversation. “I think what helped Royal most was shifting before bed. Wore him out until he could hardly keep his eyes open, then he’d sleep through the night.”

“Yeah. Then he hit that growth spurt.” Dad laughs, clearly taking a trip down memory lane. “Practically wore the same size clothes as you overnight. That’s why we stopped after him. We couldn’t hardly afford the two of you growing like weeds.”

I can’t exactly focus on what they’re saying though.

Could this be better if I had a mate? I hate that thought.

No, Royal and I grew up in a home with both parents, and they’re saying it happened to us.

If it happens to everyone, then it’s something I can get her through.

We’ve made it this far, just the two of us.

“It’s normal?” I confirm against the warring tension in my gut.

Mom nods and rubs my shoulder, comforting me. “It’ll pass. Leave Kerrianne with me for the night. Go home and get some rest. She’s downstairs playing with some of the other pups from the pack. It’ll be fine.”

“What about school in two weeks?” I run my hands back through my hair. The more I think about this, the more worries for Kerrianne’s safety come to light. “We opted to send her to the school with the advancements but —”

“But nothing.” My mother raises a stern brow. “Is she shifting uncontrollably during the daytime that I’m not aware of?”

“No.”

“Then she should go to that school. The school the pack goes to is very nice, but you’ll have the same issues you had before.

She’s smart, Valor. She needs to be in a place that challenges her with kids her own age.

Putting her in the advanced grades won’t make her well rounded. ” Mom reasons with me.

I groan before pushing myself up out of the chair because the world is getting blurry, and I refuse to sleep in my father’s office. “I wish the first one had agreed to the security updates. I hate moving her again.”

“It’ll be okay. Kerrianne makes friends anywhere. She’s bright and kind. She’s a good pup, Valor.” Dad reassures me. He walks around the desk and gives me a hug.

I don’t know what I’d do without the two of them in our lives.

Beyond that, as I walk back through the house, past the gathering of pack members who give waves and smiles, I can’t imagine trying to raise her without the support network I do have.

Every failure I have, someone can help fix it.

My family may be small, but my pack is large and full of love. What more could I ask for?