Possessive Daddy Next Door

“Yeah. I know. I was there.”

“And they’re still away, right?”

“Until their rotten fucking hearts finally explode, yeah, they’re in prison.”

He lets out a breath. “So that’s what this is all about, huh. You were a part of the biggest mafia bust in the last decade, and now they want revenge.”

“More revenge,” I say bitterly. “They killed my wife, Beth. Tab’s mother. Killed her in cold blood one night while I was working a late shift. Left Tab alive and unhurt, but I’ll never forgive or forget. I’ve been hiding ever since, trying to keep Tab away from all this, trying to give her a life of her own.”

“But you can’t run anymore,” he says.

“No,” I confirm. “I can’t. It won’t work anyway. If they hunted me here, they’ll hunt me anywhere. I can’t keep moving around for the rest of Tab’s life. It’ll fuck her up too much.”

“And you think this won’t fuck her up?” He arches an eyebrow at me.

I stare at him. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were the perfect fucking parent,” I say. “I’m trying to do my best.”

He looks away. “I get it. I just wish you hadn’t brought it here.”

I’m quiet for a long moment, watching Tab and Delia run around. I agree with him about that much at least. I wish I hadn’t brought it here, either. But I did and what’s done is done. I can’t go back and change shit, even if I wanted to.

Plus, if I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have gotten more of sweet Delia. I can’t help myself with that girl, and I know I won’t back down because of her. Patricks might understand a little of that, at least a piece, but I know he wouldn’t be happy to know that I’m fucking Delia, and that I’m falling deep for her.

“I’m going to need your help,” I say, my voice low. I don’t want Delia to hear me. I don’t think she’d be happy about this. “I know you don’t want to give it. I bet you’d rather throw me the fuck out for bringing this bad news down on your head. But I’m going to need your help anyway.”

He lets out a breath. “You put away some sick people,” he says. “You suffered some awful consequences and you’re still suffering them. And you’re trying to raise your daughter all alone. I think I’d be a real asshole if I told you that I wouldn’t help.”

I look at him, surprised. “Well, yeah,” I say.

He laughs and shakes his head. “You’re right that I wish you hadn’t brought this here. I’m not happy about having the fucking mob sniffing around the Lofthouse family. Mrs. Lofthouse is likely very, very annoyed about the whole thing, but if she let you in, then I have to defer to her. She wants to help you, then I guess I’m on board.”

“How big of you.”

“How about you say thanks, instead.”

I hesitate. “Thanks, Patricks. I appreciate it.”

“Yeah, I bet.” He sighs and shakes his head. “Mobster. Man, that must have been a nightmare.”

“You have no clue.” I look back at Delia and Tab. I try not to think about the violence, the danger. About hurting innocent people just to keep the mob from being suspicious of me. “Those were dark days.”

“But you did some good.”

“Yeah, I did. And my wife paid for it.”

“I’m sorry about that. I really am.”

“Thanks. Can’t bring back the dead. Just have to keep moving forward.”

Patricks nods and stands. “For what it’s worth, I’m on your side,” he says.

“So you won’t be watching my every move now?”

He laughs. “Oh, no, I’m still watching. Even more closely now. But at least I’m on your side.”

I sigh and grin up at him. “All right then.”

He nods and glances over at Delia. “She really likes you. I’ve been with this family for a while, and while I don’t know her all that well, I’ve never seen her this happy before. She’s always been so… serious. Dedicated to her job, I think.”

“She’s good with my daughter,” I say.

“Yeah, she is. I hope you’re not just… using her. For all this.”

I glance up at him. “I’m not.”

“And I don’t just mean the money. I mean the safety, the help.”

“I’m not,” I repeat.

“Right. Good.” He nods once and turns away. I watch him walk off and disappear back inside.

Delia comes over and plops down next to me. Tab runs around in a circle then falls down in the grass and laughs.

“What did he want?” she asks.

“The usual,” I say. “But I think we’re cool now.”

She frowns at me. “Really?”

“Really. I told him everything and I think he gets it.”

She looks surprised. “I thought you’d… you know. Talk to me first.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just, I knew he’d keep pushing and I wanted to get it done. Plus, you were having so much fun.”