I rest back, the wine in my hand. “You’re giving me mixed signals, James.” See Doc. Take time to build my strength. But . . . no wine. No protection.
The wine is swiftly removed from my hand and replaced with water. “Let’s not turn my mood as dark as Danny’s.”
I’m so fucking confused. “Are you telling me we’re trying?”
“Yes.”
Tomorrow. “Don’t I get a say?” I ask for the sake of it, surprised by his demeanor.
James turns his eyes onto me, his jaw grinding. “If you were my wife, I may consider giving you a choice.”
I balk at him. “You sound like a barbarian.”
He growls, losing his straight face and hooking an arm around my neck, hauling me into him, his mouth going to my ear and nibbling the lobe. “I’m going to get a yes out of you eventually, Beau, so let’s just cut to the bit when you realize it’s the best idea and we crack on with things.”
My smile is unstoppable, and it feels so utterly wrong when Rose is across the table in turmoil, although feigning being fine. Smiling. Laughing. It’s a bit of an insult, really, to everyone here. The temperature is still sub-zero, the atmosphere frosty, as people talk among themselves, pretending they aren’t as uncomfortable as each other. Except Danny. He’s not pretending to anyone. Seems incapable, actually.
“We’ll see,” I muse, detaching myself from James and joining everyone, taking a fork. But we’re all halted from diving in when Daniel comes racing around the corner on an electric scooter, a friend, Barney, I assume, following.
“Hey,” he calls, jumping off like a pro. “Barney’s dad has invited me out for dinner with them. Can I go?”
“No,” Danny grunts. “Your mum’s made curry.” He motions around the table. “We have guests.”
Daniel rolls his eyes. “I see everyone here every day.”
“Of course you can go,” Rose counters, standing from the table, completely ignoring, Danny. “Where’s Tank and Fury?”
They both round the villa at the same time, as if beckoned, followed by someone else. “Oh no,” I murmur.
“What?” James asks, looking at me, not noticing the man behind the two colossal Vikings.
“Barney’s dad,” I whisper.
“What about him?” James looks thoroughly confused. He wouldn’t be if he’d heard the intentions in Rose’s tone earlier. Barney’s dad passes through the two giants, looking a little bemused by them, and my worries multiply. Because he’s hot. Really fucking hot. Fuck. This is bad. So bad.
“What the fuck’s going on, Beau?” James asks, his eyes passing between me and Lennox Benson.
“Nothing. Nothing’s going on.” I pray. I pray so hard that Rose sees sense. I’ve seen her in one of these destructive moods before, and it isn’t pretty for the other man involved. Our only saving grace here is Daniel. Danny would never kick off in front of Daniel. And Rose knows it. Which, I conclude quickly, isn’t a good thing at all.
“Hi,” Barney’s dad says, looking around the table, even more bemused by the eclectic mix of people that is our family. “Lennox Benson.” The poor man doesn’t know who to hold his hand out to, his limb hovering awkwardly in midair.
I close my eyes and inhale when Rose rounds the table, going to him. “I’m Rose Cassidy, Daniel’s mom.” Oh Jesus, she’s holding no prisoners. I flick a nervous look to Danny. His nostrils are flaring as he rises from his chair. Rose Cassidy. She places her dainty hand in Lennox’s and smiles brightly, and, of course, Lennox Benson is taken aback. Most men are when they meet Rose. Although, wisely and respectfully, trying not to show it.
“Pleasure.” He shakes Rose’s hand briefly and steps back, out of the range of her magnetic allure. “My apologies, I didn’t realize you were eating.”
Danny moves in, tall and intimidating. I’m not going to be able to hold my breath for much longer, and as I glance around the table, I can see everyone is with me, the women watchful, the men bracing themselves to pull him back, including James who’s tense under my hold of his leg.
“Danny Black.” Danny extends a hand, his face deadly straight, his scar looking particularly deep. And, again, Lennox Benson is taken aback . . . as most men are when they meet The Brit. “Daniel’s father.”
“Good to meet you.” He accepts and shakes, and I watch Lennox’s face for any sign of discomfort.
Surprisingly, there’s none, but then Danny says, “Not a pleasure?” and it appears. Uneasiness.
Lennox laughs, nervous, glancing around the table as he takes back his hand. “I’ll leave you to eat in peace.”
“Join us,” Rose sings, motioning to us all at the table. All of us who are silent. Nervous. Don’t do it, Mr. Benson. Run for your life now.
“Yes, join us.” Danny cracks a smile, and Lennox seems to loosen up.
Because Lennox does not know Danny Black, therefore he does not know that the smile currently being splashed around is fake. Deadly.
“No, no.” His hands come up as he backs away. “We have reservations at the new restaurant in town. Daniel didn’t mention you had . . .” He glances around the table again, and James starts snorting in his chair next to me, laughing. I follow his eyes to Brad, Ringo, and Otto opposite who all have cheesy grins plastered on their faces. For God’s sake. If they’re trying to appear friendly, it isn’t working. “Friends for dinner,” Lennox finishes.
“Hey, Mister, can I go?” Daniel asks, kicking the stand of his scooter down and going to Danny, giving him praying hands. “Please?” He knows. He just knows that Danny wears the pants around here, even if Rose is trying them on at the moment. She’s wasting her time. The pants definitely don’t fit her, and it isn’t because she’s pregnant.
“Sure you can, kid.” Danny dips into his pocket and pulls out a pile of dollar bills.
“Ah, no need,” Lennox says, hands up again.
“You don’t mind if my men join you?” Danny says, motioning to Tank and Fury as he passes them some cash.
Lennox laughs a little, but he’s frowning. “Not at all. What time do you want him”—he eyes the Vikings—“them home?”
Rose moves in front of Danny, smiling. “I can pick him up if it helps?”
“She wants to die,” James mutters, shaking his head.
I agree. Tank and/or Fury will bring Daniel home. They’ll take him now too. That kid goes nowhere without them. Christ knows what Barney’s dad is thinking.
Danny smiles darkly at the back of Rose’s head. “Yes, we’ll collect him.” His hand rests on her nape and massages as the Vikings look on, plain confused. “One of the weird pregnancy things Rose has going on at the moment is a craving for pickles around ten at night, so we’ll be out picking some up anyway.”
“Oh, congratulations,” Lennox says, looking at Rose’s stomach. “You’d never know.”
“But now you do.” Danny smiles. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Sure.” Lennox holds up his hand to the table. “Nice meeting you all,” he says, getting a collection of murmurs in return.