Page 90 of Fought and Freed

He rested his hands on her shoulders. “Stay safe, nipotina.”

With a wave toward Lucca and Torr, Maddy walked out to the Jeep and climbed in.

“He wasn’t what I expected at all,” Skylar said.

“What did you expect?” she asked.

Skylar didn’t say anything. He just drove.

She poked him in the side. “You were thinking of the Godfather, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, I was. I’m sorry.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Do you think your father will work with him, Jace?”

“It could mean a lot of work for our business,” Jace said. “But if he won’t, I will. He’s a good guy trying to fix what his brothers screwed up.”

That brought a smile to Maddy’s lips. She may not like that she came from a mob family, but it felt good knowing that it wouldn’t always be that way and that her guys were in this with her, trying to fix that wrong.

22

MADDY

When Monday rolled around, everyone stayed home to be there when the DNA lab technician called with the results. Skylar would need their support, one way or the other.

They were watching a movie while Skylar paced behind them when the doorbell rang.

They weren’t expecting company, and it was only eleven-thirty in the morning.

Cody paused the movie as Skylar rose to answer the door, grumbling, “That better not be her.”

Maddy looked over at Jace, and he mouthed, It’s her.

Skylar’s agitated voice drifted from the front of the house. “What do you want?”

“I thought I should be here when they tell you that the baby is yours,” Amber said.

Anger filled Skylar’s voice. “Go away.”

“That’s no way to treat the mother of your child,” Amber snapped.

Either Amber pushed her way inside, or Skylar invited her because she swept into the living room and took everyone. “Oh, how nice. The slut and the whole family are here. Don’t you have a home to go to, Maddy?”

“I am home. I moved here in December,” Maddy gloated.

She wished she had a camera because the look on Amber’s face was priceless.

Her mouth kept opening and closing in shock before she turned to Skylar and screeched, “Why didn’t you tell me she moved in?”

“It’s none of your business what he does,” Jace injected.

“Yes, it is!” Amber’s face turned red. “He’s my baby’s father.”

Cody gave her a menacing stare. “And he’ll take care of the child. Anything else Skylar does is none of your business.”

“For now.” Amber smirked. “Are you going to invite me to sit down?”

“No, I’m not—” Skylar stopped as his phone rang.

He walked over to the coffee table where it lay, picked it up, and answered it. “This is Skylar… Okay…”

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