Page 104 of The Loves We Lost

“Brave man,” King adds. “Why didn’t you tell me your history ran that deep?”

“Yeah, because there’s nothing a man likes more than telling the world the woman he loves had turned down his ring and his patch.”

Both men are silent. Then King offers me his hand. I grab it and shake it. “Then good luck to you,” he says.

“I’m okay to go?”

King nods. “You’re good. Spark and Niro will cover the plans. Collins has given us forty-eight hours to pull his shit together, not that we’re doing anything about the money or weapons. When were you planning on coming back?”

“Tomorrow. Just need Vi alone in a place that meant something to us back in the day.”

I wave in Avery’s direction and stand.

King nods, just as Avery hits my arms and Vi joins us at the table.

“Hey, pumpkin,” I say, and press a kiss to Vi’s forehead.

“We might need to be on lockdown when you return,” King says. “Come back prepared. I’ll put two prospects on Niro’s house tonight and send two prospects to keep a watch for you so you can sleep well too.”

“Let’s get you to Uncle Colton,” I say, and I feel a tremendous sense of pride as I walk back into the clubhouse, Vi’s hand in mine and our girl in my arms.

A day will come soon when Avery won’t want me to pick her up. The novelty will wear off. She’ll think she’s too grown up to be carried. In fairness, she’s probably there already. But when the day comes and she tells me to put her down, I want to have memories of my little girl in my arms.

“I’ll just grab her bag,” Vi says. “Is it in your room?”

I nod. “It’s on the bed.”

“I’m ready, Uncle Colton,” Avery shouts when I knock on the door of his clubhouse room.

There are bags on his bed.

Lots of them.

“What’s all that?” I ask.

“It’s sleepover club business, so I can’t tell you,” Niro says, winking at Avery.

She wiggles from my arms and goes to stand next to him, even folds her arms the way Niro does. “Yeah. It’s sleepover club business, Daddy.”

Catalina leans over to me, her voice a whisper. “Fixings for a doll’s house they’re gonna build, cupcake shit, books to read at the dog shelter. Some doll with about thirty changes of clothes. I’m forgetting half of it because he was like a seven-year-old hopped up on food coloring, doing a two-minute shopping dash.”

The visual makes me chuckle. But I’ve always believed that Niro just needed people to see him for who he is. And as he stands with his hand on Avery’s head, I know my daughter sees him as I do.

“You got my daughter, yeah?” I ask as I walk to him and tug him in for a hug.

“With my life. Now fuck off,” he grumbles.

“You said a bad word, Uncle Colton,” Avery says.

“Yeah, well. Better get used to it, kid. Just don’t repeat it, or I’ll be forced to send you to bed early without doing that sleepover business we discussed.”

Avery looks up at him solemnly. “I promise I won’t.”

“What thing did you discuss?” I ask.

“Nothing for Daddy to know about,” Avery says, trying to nudge me to the door.

"It’s midnight milk and cookies,” Cat whispers with a wink.