It was a few minutes after seven when I turned onto the street that led to Anthony, Pop, and Grandmama’s houses. I’d planned to get there a lot sooner, but I’d gotten held up at work with two new intakes and a busted pipe in the main floor bathroom.

“Today has been a fricken mess,” I mumbled to myself.

I placed my right hand on Lucca’s belly while steering with my left. “We’re almost there, little man.” He only grunted in response. Restless and tired of being strapped down, he was ready to get out of his car seat.

My breath caught in my chest when both Anthony’s and Grandmama’s houses came into view. “Shit,” I cursed under my breath when I caught sight of not only Hendrix but also Pop and Maddie, along with Clara and her two sons, Liam and Declan, standing at the end of Pop’s driveway.

Hendrix was playing basketball with Liam and Declan so he wasn’t paying any attention to what was going on, but Maddie was staring directly at me as I drove toward her. The little shit was smiling too. Wouldn’t have surprised me if she’d planned this little run-in.

She’s as bad as Hendrix. Always stirring the pot.

Ignoring the sweet wave she aimed at me, I turned left into Anthony’s driveway and parked directly behind his Tahoe. Taking a deep breath, I shifted the truck into park and turned off the ignition. Unlatching Lucca from his seat beside me, I pulled him into my arms and slipped out of the truck.

I hadn’t even shut the door when someone cleared their throat from behind me. Spinning around, I was faced with a still smiling Maddie and a shocked looking Clara.

“Lookie what we have here, Clara,” Maddie said, elbowing Clara in the side softly.

I rolled my eyes. “I know you’re dying to say something so you might as well get on with it.”

Maddie’s smile grew. “I’m not going to say a single word about what’s happening here. I just wanted to stop by and say hi.”

Narrowing my eyes, I tilted my head to the right. “Spit it out, Mad.”

Maddie remained silent and merely shrugged.

Clara, however, did not. “You’re going through with it?”

I glanced over my shoulder at Anthony’s house. “It would appear so.”

She stared at the house blankly for a few seconds before a face-splitting grin spread across her face. “Good,” she said, “I was hoping you wouldn’t back out like a scaredy cat.”

I was half a second away from asking her what the hell she was talking about when Pop rounded the back of my truck and came to a standstill directly behind Maddie. “Shelby,” he said with a look of confusion on his face, “what are you doing here?”

“I—”

“She has a date,” Maddie interjected.

Clara chuckled, and Pop’s face turned to stone.

Clenching his jaw tight, he looked at me with piercing eyes. “You what?”

What the hell is his problem?

Furrowing my brow, I readjusted Lucca on my hip and glared right back. “Me and Lucca are having supper with Anthony.” Not that it was any of his business. “Do you have a problem with that?” He better not. If he did, I’d tell him precisely where he could shove it.

Both the question and the tone of my voice were bitchy, but I didn’t care. Pop had been acting extra weird around me lately, and I didn’t get it. The last time I checked, he had no right to question anything in my life. Like I told Anthony the other night—he wasn’t my daddy, he wasn’t my boyfriend, and he wasn’t my husband; therefore, what I did or didn’t do was none of his concern.

Pop shook his head, and his face turned red. “You don’t even know this guy.” The tendons in his neck corded and both of his hands fisted at his sides. I’d never seen him get angry before, but he looked half a second away from popping a blood vessel.

Seriously, what in the absolute hell is going on with him?

“I do know him,” I bit back, feeling defensive. “He’s a nice guy, a good guy.” My face began to flush red as my temper flared. “And he likes me.” I knew I sounded like a ditsy teenage girl defending her latest love interest, but I didn’t care. “And I like him too. Not that it’s any of your business either way. For the life of me, I can’t understand why you’ve got your nose stuck so far up my—”

“Shelby,” Anthony spoke my name from what sounded like two or three feet behind me. “Take Lucca in the house, baby.” He didn’t sound happy.

Great. Another pissy male. Just what I need.

I spun around on my heel, fully prepared to tell him he could take his demands and shove them up his ass but stopped short of doing so when I saw the look on his face. He wasn’t just glaring at Pop. He was downright seething.

Yep, he’s pissed.

“Inside, sunshine,” he pushed out through gritted teeth.

My defiance chose that moment to rear its head.

I stood in place and stared at him. He, however, wasn’t paying me, or the smartass look I had plastered across my face, any attention.

He was too busy shooting daggers at Pop.

“There something I can help you with?” he asked Pop in a hard voice.

“Yeah,” Pop replied as he crossed his monstrous arms over his chest. For an old guy Pop was in good shape. He looked just like an older version of Hendrix. It was creepy. “I want to know what the hell is going on here.”

Maddie sucked in a breath, and Clara froze behind me.

Hendrix sans Liam and Declan came barreling up the driveway. “Pop what the fuck are you doing?” He asked, a basketball tucked under his arm.

Pop ignored him as he continued to glare at Anthony. “Shelby rarely leaves her house except to go to work yet she’s coming over to your house, Lucca in tow, to have supper with you? That doesn’t make much sense to me unless you two are dating, and, well, I don’t know how I feel about that.”

Wait.

Hold the heck up.

I whipped around—again. “Excuse me? And just who the hell do you think you are? You are not my daddy, Pop, so you don’t get to question anything I do.”

Anthony’s arm wrapped around my bicep, and he tugged me back gently. I glanced up at him over my shoulder, but he wasn’t looking at me. “Not going to tell you again. Get in the house, Shelby.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. “Now.”

He looked downright irate.

“Come on, Shelby,” Maddie said, taking my free hand in hers. “Let’s go inside.”

The look on Maddie’s face was pleading.

Not wanting to get her, or Clara for that matter, upset, I moved toward the house. Both girls followed me, leaving Pop, Hendrix, and Anthony to continue their pissing contest in the driveway.

Once on the porch, I didn’t stop to think about what I was doing as I turned the knob and opened the front door like I owned the place. Stepping inside, I waited for Maddie and Clara to clear the threshold. Once they did, I slammed the door shut with more force than necessary and leaned my head against the cool wood. “These fricken men!” I hissed through gritted teeth. “They act like animals. I swear I don’t understand—”

Clara gasped, stopping my tirade before it ever got started.

I turned my head and followed her line of sight. When I saw what she was looking at, I froze. Mouth gaping, Maddie walked into the living room set off the foyer and turned around in a full circle. “He did all this?” Her gaze dropped to my little man who was still perched on my hip. “For Lucca?”

I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know what to think of the sight before me.

Toys—brand new judging by the flattened boxes in the corner of the room—were placed neatly in a pile by a blue and white plaid playpen that also looked new. Blocks, toy trucks, puzzles, stuffed teddy bears, a toddler-sized art desk complete with jumbo crayons and multi-colored construction paper—it was all there.

Suddenly, I felt a tad bit faint.

This man … this FRICKEN MAN!

Lucca squealed and kicked my legs with his feet. “Down, Ma-ma!” Wide-eyed, I stood him on the ground and watched as he ran over to the toys and dove in. Plopping his little butt onto the ground, he went for the blocks first. They, however, were quickly abandoned when he saw the foam floor puzzle to his right.

“Oh my God,” Clara whispered as she walked over to the playpen and ran her fingers along the top rail. “I can’t believe he did this.” Her eyes met mine. “Did he tell you about any of this?”

Unable to speak, I shook my head.

Hands on her hips, Maddie turned to look at me. “Shelby”—tears filled her emerald eyes—“I told you…” She shook her head as her voice trailed off. “You didn’t believe me but frigging I told you what I saw on his face at the diner. I told you!”

Her words from yesterday repeated on a loop in my head.

That man wants you, Shelby.

He’s going to be the sucker punch you never saw coming.

I took a couple of steps forward but stopped mid-stride when the door behind me opened. Anthony moved inside and the room fell silent. Even Lucca stilled, watching the scene before him play out.

When I didn’t say anything, Clara decided to speak up, surprising the hell out of Maddie and me both. You see, Clara was notoriously wary around people she wasn’t familiar with. After spending years being abused by her late husband, she had a hard time opening up or speaking to people she didn’t know. The only exception seemed to be the women and children who resided at the shelter.

“Um, hi.” Her voice was quiet, shy. “My name is Clara. I’m one of Shelby’s friends and co-workers.” She waved and offered a shaky smile. Pointing out the window, she continued, “Those two little boys across the street playing basketball with Hendrix are mine. Liam is the oldest. He’s six. Declan is my itty bitty; he’s five.”

Anthony crossed his arms over his chest. “Nice to meet you, Clara.” His gaze met mine. “You alright?” I didn’t speak nor did I acknowledge his question in any way.

What the hell am I supposed to say?

After clearing her throat, Maddie wrapped her hand around Clara’s wrist. “Well,” she said, grinning. “It’s time for us to go.” Both girls moved into the foyer.

Stopping in front of me, Maddie wrapped her hand in the fabric of my shirt and pulled me to her. “Remember what I told you yesterday.” She spoke low and quiet. “Live, Shelby. Don’t let that son of a bitch steal any more happiness from you.” She released my shirt and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. “Call me when you get home tonight. I need to know you’re safe.”

Mind whirling, I nodded in reply.

Clara strutted up to me next. She wrapped her arms around my waist, and whispered, “If you don’t hit that, you’re an idiot,” into my ear.

I swear to God I almost had a heart attack.

Well, I’ll be damned… Clara found her lady balls.

Eyes wide, I leaned back and stared directly at her. “Who the hell are you and what have you done with Clara?”

She stuck out her tongue. “Bye, Shelby. See you at work tomorrow.”

Once at the door both women turned and waved goodbye at a squealing Lucca. Maddie scowled, and Clara pouted when he didn’t wave in return. Too engrossed in his new toys to give a crap about anything else, he ignored them both.

The moment they were out the front door, I turned to face Anthony and pointed at the toys and playpen. “You did this?”

“Yeah, baby, I did.”

“Why?” I didn’t understand.

I didn’t understand him or this situation. He played with my son, bought him toys. Not to mention, he said he wanted me, yet he didn’t know me. If he did, I doubted he’d want anything to do with me, and he sure as shit wouldn’t be calling me things like his light, his hope, and his purpose.

If he only knew how damaged, how broken, how tainted I was…

Stop it, Shelby, I chastised myself. Enough is enough.

Closing the space between us, he wrapped an arm around my back and pulled me into him. Our chests collided and the heat of his skin seared into mine.

Holy hell.

It was the first time he’d been so close. I mean, he’d given me a foot massage, but that was different. At least, to me it was. “Anthony”—his name left my lips in a whisper—“what are you doing?”

His face crept closer to mine, and my lungs froze.

For what felt like the millionth time that week, I couldn’t breathe.

Absolutely. Could. Not. Fricken. Breathe!

“To answer your first question, I did it because I wanted to. You may not believe me, but I have every intention of taking care of you and Lucca both. That includes providing for you whether it be food, clothes, toys…”

He was crazy.

Crazy with a capital C!

Anthony exhaled, and his breath ghosted over my face and neck causing chill bumps to erupt along every inch of my skin. My eyes slid closed at the sensation combined with the words he was speaking. “As for what I’m doing right now, sunshine, I’m trying really damn hard not to kiss you.”

My stomach knotted, and a plethora of emotions rushed through me.

I had no business—absolutely no business—developing feelings for a man that I barely knew, but, damn it, at that moment I wanted to tear down every wall I’d erected around my heart and allow myself to get to know Anthony Moretti—heart, body, mind, and soul. The thought was a dangerous one, but he made me want to act on impulse, throw caution to the wind, and break every rule I’d set for myself regarding men.

He invoked emotions in me that I’d never felt before and I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it.

Anthony’s face suddenly dipped closer to mine, and my breath hitched in my chest. Half of me panicked at the thought that he was about to kiss me while the other, more dominant, half screamed for me to pull him closer and beg him to take what he wanted. The burning desire strumming beneath my heated flesh needed to know what it felt like to have his lips pressed against mine, to have his tongue plunge deep into my mouth.

I needed him to take me, to consume me.

I shuddered at the thoughts running through my head.

Wrapping my fingers around his biceps, I inhaled.

My eyes fluttered open to find him staring down at me with an intensity I’d never experienced before.

I could get lost in those beautiful eyes.

When his arm tightened around me further, I told myself that I needed to back off; that I needed to put some space between us. My brain and body, however, were not in sync with one another.

Screw it. What’s one kiss going to hurt?

“Anthony”—I whispered his name, gripping his arms harder—“you keep talking about kissing me, sugar, but you haven’t done it yet.” I licked my lower lip and moved closer to him. “I’m starting to believe you may be all talk. Why you—”

In the blink of an eye his lips crashed down on mine, and my world went up in flames. Pleasure like I’d never experienced before zinged through every cell in my body and my heart leaped into my throat.

Anthony’s hands slid into the back pocket of my shorts and curved around the swell of my butt. I gasped at the contact and Anthony took full advantage. Wrenching me closer, he delved his tongue into my waiting mouth.

It was a first for me.

I’d been kissed before but not like this.

Removing my hands from his arms, I slid them into his hair and grasped at the silky strands with shaky fingers. Anthony growled into my mouth and pleasure ripped through me.

Oh God, I thought. How can a simple kiss feel this good?

Pushing to my tiptoes, I pressed against him harder, needing to get closer.

I was just about to remove my hands from his hair and wrap my arms around his neck when he suddenly ripped his mouth free of mine and cursed loudly, startling me. “Fuck!” he bellowed before falling into me.

Still standing on the tips of my toes, I didn’t have time to right myself before I tumbled to the hardwood floor, landing on my back with a jarring thud. Anthony tried to catch me, but he wasn’t fast enough. On impact, my hand flew to the hem of my shirt, making sure it stayed in place, covering my stomach and sides. If he glimpsed the scars lining my torso he’d ask questions I wasn’t prepared to answer.

“Damn it,” he cursed again as he dropped to his left knee by my side. “You alright?”

Sucking in enough oxygen to replace the air that had been knocked out of my lungs, I nodded in reply. I’d been in plenty of fights and taken enough beatings over my lifetime to know that nothing was broken or cracked. I may have a bruise the size of North America on my back come morning, but I’d be fine.

“I’m,” I gasped, still trying to swallow more air, “okay.” I grimaced as I pushed to my elbows. “What the hell was that?” Narrowing my eyes, I glared at Anthony with malice. “You could’ve killed me!”

Just then I heard the sweetest little giggle ever.

Sweet my butt … more like devious.

I recognized it immediately.

Eyes wide, I peeked around Anthony and pointed to Lucca and the yellow plastic bat he held clutched in his toddler-sized hands. “Tell me he didn’t hit you with that.”

Anthony’s face was impassive as he glanced over his shoulder at a beaming Lucca.

For a moment, I panicked thinking he was about to be a dick to my baby. It didn’t matter if I liked him or not, if he said something cruel to my son I’d rip his head off his shoulders and kick it around like a soccer ball.

“Yeah.” A bright smile broke out across Anthony’s face. “Nailed me on the side of my knee. Kid's got a hell of a swing.” His voice was strained, and his cheeks were tinged red.

I almost laughed.

After standing up, Anthony bent over, slid his hands under my arms and lifted me off the ground like I was light as a feather, which let’s face it, wasn’t the case at all. I’d always been tiny, but after having Lucca, I seemed to gain weight at the drop of a hat. It didn’t bother me though. I’d come to accept—and love—my curves.

My entire body ached as I straightened my spine and stood tall. “Thanks.”

I stepped around Anthony to face Lucca. “Little man…” My voice was stern as I gently pulled the bat from his hands. “We do not hit our friends.” I pointed at Anthony who was standing close—too damn close—behind me. “And Anthony is our friend. Got it?”

Lucca lifted his little chin in the air. “No.”

Uh oh.

Confused, I furrowed my brows. “What do you mean no? I thought you liked Anthony?” God knows he’d played with him enough the night before. “What did he do to get you so upset?”

Looking over my shoulder at Anthony, I asked him, “What did you do?”

He wore a sly grin on his face as he peered down at Lucca. “I think he’s mad that I kissed you.”

He couldn’t be.

He was just a baby. There was no way he’d understand…

Anthony stepped around me and squatted down, close to being eye level with Lucca. “Hey, buddy.” Lucca’s lips twisted into a pout, and he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked a little upset. And by a little, I mean a lot. “Are you upset with me?” Lucca remained silent. He didn’t speak, didn’t babble. “Your mama and I—”

Lucca moved around Anthony and wrapped his arms around my leg. “My ma-ma!” he shouted before pressing his face against my thigh and squeezing me tighter.

Well, there was our answer. “Little man—”

“Don’t, sunshine,” Anthony interrupted as he stood back up. “He needs to get used to seeing us together.”

“Tony…” My voice trailed off as I ran the back of my hand across my forehead. “What just happened—it can’t happen again.” A bolt of pain sliced through my heart at the thought.

Push him back.

Keep him at a distance.

Don’t let him get too close.

“I mean, kissing you was great, but—”

Before I had a chance to blink, Anthony’s hands shot toward me. To my dismay, I instinctually flinched in anticipation of him hitting me.

The blow never came.

Instead, he gently cupped both sides of my jaw in his palms and leaned in close. “You finish that sentence, and I swear to Christ I will take you over my knee the first chance I get.”

My mouth dropped open. “Care to repeat that?”

Anthony’s eyes hardened, and he inched closer. “You heard me. I may take a lot of your sass, baby, but the moment you try to keep those sweet lips from me, I will turn you over my knee and spank your ass red. You understand me?”

The man was crazier than an outhouse rat.

I jerked my face out of his hands. Squaring my shoulders, I looked him dead in the eyes, and replied, “Like hell you will. My body belongs to me, Anthony—not you. Therefore, if I don’t want you to kiss or touch me, you won’t. And if for some screwed up reason you get the notion that it’s okay to do either of those things without my permission, well, sugar—” I reached down and scooped Lucca up into my arms. Settling him on my hip, I pressed his right ear against my shoulder and covered the other with my hand “—that’s when you’ll find out exactly how dark and twisted my mind can get.”

A cocky smile spread across his face.

That damn smile is going to be the death of me.

With a slight shake of his head, he pointed behind me. “Get your ass in the kitchen, sunshine. Dinner is waiting, and I know you’re probably hungry.”

Never one to say no to food, I turned on my heel and moved.

I’ll deal with his domineering ass later.