Safe with Me

“It is?” Brynna asks. “Let me see.”

Josie shows her mother her loose top front tooth and then turns around to show me. “See, Caleb?”

“I see. Let me go get my pliers, I’ll take it out for you.”

“No!” Josie giggles and covers her mouth with her little hand.

“My tooth isn’t loose,” Maddie pouts with a long face.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Brynna chuckles and kisses her cheek. “It will be soon.”

“Can we watch a movie, mama?” Josie asks with a yawn.

“I think it’s time for bed, sweetheart.”

“I want Caleb to tuck me in,” Maddie responds and turns her big brown eyes on me, gazing at me hopefully.

“Come on,” I snap my fingers and Bix jumps off my lap, happy to head upstairs to bed. I scoop both girls up and carry them, one under each arm, like they’re sacks of potatoes, making them giggle like crazy. “I’ll dump you in bed!”

“Mom! Help!”

“You’re on your own,” Brynna laughs as I climb the stairs. “I have a kitchen to clean.”

“I’ll be down to help in a while!” I call down to her as I toss the girls on their beds.

Time to put them to bed and have some quiet time with their sexy mother.

***

“Yellow stripe, corner pocket,” Will calls out and takes his shot, easily sinking the ball.

The pub is loud thanks to an old jukebox in the corner playing Livin’ On a Prayer and the girls at a nearby table laughing their mostly drunk asses off.

“You know,” I mention to Nate who’s sitting on a stool next to me, watching Will shoot. “Your wife is the loudest one over there and she isn’t drinking anything other than water.”

Nate laughs and looks over at my sister with humor and love. “She likes to have fun with her friends,” he murmurs.

“They all do,” Will agrees as he joins us after missing his last shot.

“Woot! Woot!” Meg chirps and the whole group collapses into a fit of giggles just as a waitress arrives with plates of food for them all.

“Our girls can eat,” Luke remarks and motions with his chin as heaping plates of ribs and nachos and chicken in baskets with fries are laid out on the table before them.

“I’d rather that than Stacy starving herself,” Isaac mutters and circles the table, looking for the best shot.

I silently agree. I love watching a woman eat.

“Nat’s sexy when she eats,” Luke mutters, almost to himself, mirroring my thoughts.

“Hey, ace!” Jules calls from the table, waving the dessert menu about. “They have chocolate cheesecake! I’m getting two slices!” She holds up two fingers and laughs, turning back to the girls.

“Nope, not afraid to eat, those girls,” Will laughs and pats a laughing Nate on the shoulder.

“Where’s Matt?” Isaac asks, checking his watch. “We’ve been here for almost an hour.”

“We’ve only been here an hour and Meg is already that drunk?” Will asks, a horrified expression on his face, making us laugh.

Just then we all go quiet as we see Matt walk through the door with a tall, dark-haired man with him. As we watch, the stranger smiles, listening intently to what Matt is telling him as he leads him to the girl’s table.

I don’t have to ask to know who the stranger is. It’s like looking at a darker version of my father thirty years ago.

“Oh, hell no,” Isaac growls but Will stops him with a hand on his chest.

“Chill out, man,” he murmurs to him softly. “This is no more his fault than it is ours.”

Isaac scowls over at Will and then back to where the girls are smiling and giggling at something Dom has said. He shakes each of their hands respectfully, but when he gets to Jules, he stops and holds her hand in his for a moment, his face sober and watchful. Jules’ eyes are glued to him in awe, and finally, she hops off her stool and hugs him close and smiles up at him happily. He smiles back, pats her shoulder if somewhat awkwardly and Jules takes her seat and digs into her nachos. Natalie also offers him a hug and a smile before he and Matt begin to walk this way.

Three siblings down.

“I have someone for you guys to meet,” Matt begins as he and Dom approach. Dom’s blue eyes are wary and reserved.

Nervous.

Luke steps forward and offers his hand. “I’m Luke Williams, Natalie’s husband,” he gestures to his beautiful brunette wife and shakes Dom’s hand.

“Dom Salvadore,” he responds.

“Nate,” Nate stands and offers his hand. “Jules’ husband.”

“Will, the youngest brother.” Will approaches Dom and shakes his hand, holding his gaze. “Do you like football?” he asks, making us all smirk.

“I don’t watch much of it, I admit,” Dom responds with a half smile. “But I hear you play.”

“That’s right,” Will confirms, still holding Dom’s hand tightly. “Don’t tell me you play European football,” he sneers.

“Some,” Dom says with a slight nod. “Europeans don’t wear pads to protect them like the American pussies do.”

We all hold our breath and watch for Will’s reaction. He stares at Dom, blinks twice, and then busts out laughing.

“Fuck you, man.”

Dom turns to me and I shake his hand, pleased that his own grip is firm and strong. Mom always said, you can tell a lot about a person by their handshake.

So far, I don’t have any complaints.

“I’m Caleb,” I tell him.

“You’re the one in the military?” He asks.

“I was, yes.”

He nods and leans in to murmur to me, “Thank you for your service, man. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Well fuck.

I just nod as Isaac approaches, still scowling.

“I’m Isaac.”

“The oldest,” Dominic responds.

“That’s right,” Isaac confirms and shakes Dom’s hand. “I’m not sure how I feel about you yet.”

“Well, that makes two of us, I guess,” Dom nods and steps back, eyeing us all. “I wasn’t expecting to discover that Steven Montgomery has such a large family. I had no idea what I’d find, to be honest.”

“Let’s get some food and more beer over here,” Luke suggests and motions for a waitress whose eyes light up and she scrambles to come take our order.