“But...” I attempt to argue, but Saint lays a hand on my arm.
“Sweetheart.” He winks. “Ma won’t take no for an answer.”
Chapter Three
Saint
That was fucking easy. After telling Will I’d found my girl, the asshole spread the news to everyone in the family. Before I managed to track Gina’s beautiful ass down, my mother was already making wedding plans. Gina looks overwhelmed, and she probably thinks my family is a little crazy, but I know she feels this insane pull between the two of us. Whenever we’re in the same room, my cock hardens, and my mind fills with scandalous thoughts. Since the first moment I laid eyes on her in The Hitching Post, Gina has owned me, heart and soul.
My mother offers to help Gina settle into the guest suite while I run into Riordan Cove to talk to Dare. This conversation has been months in the making. Even though he was a professional baseball player, Dare never had the intense love for baseball that I had for hockey. He retired from the sport and didn’t miss it one bit. Will was the same way about professional football. He played for a few years, got tired of the nomadic lifestyle and stress, and retired young with regrets. I lived, breathed, and felt hockey down to my bones, only to lose it in my prime because of injuries. Life isn’t fair, and I’ve had a hard time accepting this fact over the last year. Dare gave up trying to reach me months ago, and we haven't spoken since. Will was always the peacemaker of the family, and he’s continued to put up with my shit in hopes of bringing me around. Little did he know, it would take an adorable curvy brunette with a sprinkling of freckles on her nose and the biggest blue eyes I’ve ever seen to do the job for my family. I have a new addiction, and it isn’t a professional sport. It’s keeping my girl safe and happy.
I sit in my truck in front of Riordan Enterprises for a few minutes and prepare myself. I’m sure the asshole is going to want blood and my firstborn before he forgives me. Kirk, my brother’s assistant, smirks when I walk in the office door and points his head down the hall. “The master is waiting. Good luck.”
I roll my eyes and keep walking. Without knocking, I push open Dare’s office door and stroll into the room. He looks up and shakes his head as I drop into the chair in front of his desk. “Rude, fucking asshole.” He leans back and rubs his bottom lip. “At least you’re sober. Mom said you found a victim.”
I flip him off and wince as I try to settle into the hard leather. My knee is protesting all the extra walking and lifting I’ve done today. “She’s my Payton, so fuck off.”
Dare stares at me silently for a few minutes before he sighs. “If you want to keep her, you’re going to have to clean up your act. No woman is going to hang around for the poor me act you’ve been putting on since your injury.”
I know he’s right, but anger flows through me. My whole world has fallen apart since my injury.
“Look,” I snap, but Dare cuts me off.
“No, you listen to me.” He stands and walks around the desk. “I’ve tried to let you work through this shit on your own, but I won’t stand by and let you mistreat some innocent woman because you think the world has shit on you.”
My knee protests when I leap to my feet and roar in his face, “I fucking love her. You stay the fuck out of my relationship.”
“I’m happy you’re serious.” He sighs and walks back behind the desk. “It seems like she is more important than your knee. At least she makes you forget it, the way you’re hopping around on it all of a sudden.”
“You’re testing me? Asshole,” I grumble as I drop into the chair. “Fucker.”
“Back at you. I’ll bring Payton by to meet Gina later.” He’s exactly like my father. He uses few words to tell me the past is forgotten.
“Maybe we can do dinner next weekend when things settle down.” He nods his agreement, and I turn for the door before he snaps his finger. “Oh, Mom said Gina needs an apartment?”
I glance at him and smirk. “Don’t rush to find something. I plan to use the Riordan mojo on her. She’ll be moving in with me soon enough anyway.”
Dare throws back his head and laughs, and I frown as he suggests, “Then you need to make an appointment with the Realty department and start looking for houses. What woman wants to live in her in-laws’ upstairs apartment?”
The fucker has a point. I stop off in the Realty department and have one of the associates pull up information on available homes in the area. I’ll give Gina a few days to settle in before springing house hunting on her.
When I walk through the kitchen door, I find Will sitting at the breakfast bar eating a sandwich. “Where are Mom and Gina?” I ask as I grab a soda out of the refrigerator.
“Mom took her back to her old place to grab a few things.” Will jumps when I slam the can down on the granite countertop.
“What?” I twist my hands in the soft cotton of his expensive polo shirt and pull him toward me. “And you let them go alone? Are you fucking nuts?”
He pushes back from me and attempts to straighten the wrinkles from the light blue material. “What? Mom said they’d only be gone for a little bit.”
This asshole just doesn't understand. I race out the door and over to my truck. Will jumps into the passenger seat before I can back out. I turn to him and glare. “Now you decide to come along?”
“Yeah. You’re acting like a crazy caveman. I’m not missing this.” He buckles his seatbelt as I tear out of the driveway.
“Alvin fucking Dresdin is her landlord. I have no idea if he’ll try to give them a hard time,” I explain, and Will finally understands.
He mumbles, “Fuck,” under his breath and pulls out his phone. After a few seconds, he slams his closed fist on his thigh, and I snap, “What?”
“Mom isn’t answering her phone,” he admits, and my heart drops. I’ll fucking kill the asshole if he’s touched my girl or my mother.
I drive the ten-minute route in a little under six minutes. After pulling up in front of the dilapidated building, I barely stop the truck before rushing to the door. I hear Will’s feet running up the stairs behind me as I thunder up to my girl’s old apartment. I throw the door open and find my mom and Gina standing at the dining room table packing a box.
My mom slaps her hand over her heart and gasps, “Jesus, Saint. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” She turns to Gina and shakes her head. “These boys.”
I look up at the ceiling and take a deep breath as my heartbeat returns to normal. “Fuck. Why didn't you answer your phone?” I bark, and my Mom’s eyes flash.
“Don’t use that tone with me, Saint Riordan. I’ll tan your ass.” She drops the shirt she’s holding and stomps over to me. I jump back when my mom pinches my stomach. “I’m your mother, and I won’t tolerate you acting like a two-year-old.”
Gina snorts behind my mom, and I look over her head and smirk at my girl. “Are you enjoying my misery, Sweetheart?” I glance down at my mother. “Sorry, Mom. I was terrified something had happened to you guys when we couldn't get a hold of you.” Her eyes soften when I lean down and kiss her soft cheek.