Page 32 of Damned By His Angel

“No.”

King’s face turns red as if ready to argue, before this shit can turn into a battle ground between Meelz and her dad, I cut in. “He isn’t yours to end, he’s hers, so the choice remains with her,” I declare.

“What the fuck do you have to do with any of this, Cronos?” Bishop snaps.

“He’s with me and if you don’t like that, then too bad!” my angel says in my defense. I know she means well, trying to speak in my defense, but given the information she has just dropped, her family won’t accept my presence easily and that’s okay. I’ll show each of these fucking Murdoch’s that I’m not temporary, I’m here for the long haul.

“Clearly my presence isn’t up for negotiation, so how about we get to the part where we tell you that Colson Salvatoro knows your pick up times, the place and when for each month,” I say.

“You fucking ratted us out!” Knight roars.

“You’re dead, you fucking snitch!” Rook adds.

“Take him!” Bishop orders, but before any of them can move to follow the command of their don, Meelz speaks up.

“He didn’t rat on anyone… I did.” The looks on everyone’s faces at her admission is priceless. The guys look torn between wanting to strangle her and betrayed. Carlina and Allison both stare at Meelz with understanding as if they know why she did what she did. In the eyes of the mafia, Amelia just committed the greatest act of betrayal. Most families wouldn’t allow you to live. I’m banking on the Murdochs not going with that option, because if they decide that is the route they want to go, then a war will ensue because I’ll never allow them to harm her.

“Why?” King whispers brokenly. “Do you hate me that much that you wanted not only me but my brothers and Vincent to get killed? Do you want your cousins to grow up without their fathers?” His questions may be valid but I know Amelia and I know she can’t take much more of this shit from her family—she isn’t the same girl they once knew. I rise from my seat on the couch, drawing their attention to me and off her. I keep my gaze on the males as I offer Meelz my hand blindly. She places her hand in mine and slowly rises to her feet beside me.

“Hate is a strong word, she never meant to hurt any of you!” I roar. Each of them jerk back at my harsh shout. “Did you miss the fucking part where you were told that she was beaten? How about the part where he not only physically abused her but mentally fucking destroyed the woman you once knew? Pull your fucking heads out of your ass or you will be the ones growing old without her.”

“Is that a threat, you little cunt?” King snarls as he steps forward, Bishop and Gage hold him back when Amelia huddles into my side and hides her face.

“It’s a promise,” I say with such conviction no one can dispute that I speak the truth. “You felt what she is hiding.” King’s face hardens.

“You took advantage of her?—”

I cut her father off before he can continue his bullshit. “Much like her mother, I will love that little girl the same way Allison loves Amelia. There may not be an ounce of my DNA in her little veins but she is mine, make no fucking mistake of that, and if you or your family put either of my girls in harm’s way, I will take them both from you. You and your family do not scare me, I’ve been to hell, King, and believe me, I’d go back again if it meant keeping my family safe.”

“What the hell is he talking about?” Allison breathes out as she climbs to her feet, she looks to her daughter but Meelz keeps her face hidden in my side.

“Ally–”

“Shut the hell up, King,” Allison snaps, she looks scared and that isn’t a look I would have expected to see on her face. “Amelia, what are they talking about?” The pleading tone of her voice has me snapping out of my anger. I gently shift Meelz so she is in front of me with her back to my chest. Her mother runs her gaze up and down her, looking for signs of injury but the second I rest both my hands on her bump, Allison stumbles back a step and covers her mouth with her hand.

“Mom—” Meelz is silenced when her mother shakes her head. My temper flares. How dare she judge my angel.

“I’m going to be a grandmother!” At Allison’s outburst I reel back, Amelia even tenses, that was not what either of us were expecting her to say.

Amelia

Mom and Aunt Carlina didn’t even give me a chance to utter a single word after Mom made her declaration of becoming a grandmother. They both dragged me from my uncle’s office. Nos tried to follow us but my mom shoved him backward and told him that he wasn’t welcome to be present for the womanly conversation we were about to have. Her and my aunt dragged me outside, then called my other aunt’s, who are all sitting around the large outdoor table that we currently occupy. To say this is awkward is an understatement. I feel like a teenager who just told her mom she had sex for the first time and about to get the talk.

Aunt Kiara, Aunt Clare and Aunt Carlina are all sitting there staring at me with the broadest grins on their faces and it’s starting to make me squirm. Aunt Anya looks as happy as my mom but my heart hurts when I look at Aunt Koby. I know she is happy for all of us kids but I also know it’s hard for her to celebrate new life when she lost her son. Having Ryat and Lailani living here with her and Uncle Knight has been good for her, but it still isn’t the same as having Havoc. Chaos and Cass fly out here a lot with their twins to visit and I know seeing her son helps ease some of the ache of losing his twin.

I subtly place my hand on my bump and try to force my thoughts back from that dark path, I haven’t even met my daughter yet and the thought of her being taken from me or worse, dying, has me wanting to curl into a ball and cry in the corner. Now that I have this new life growing inside me I can understand why my family sometimes goes off the deep end when one of their loved ones is threatened.

“Stop looking at me like that, Meelz, I’m fine.” I nibble my bottom lip, feeling like a prick that my Aunt knows I am thinking about her loss. “You having a baby is something to celebrate. I mean, I think I can speak for all of us here when I say none of us thought you would ever have a kid.” I balk at Aunt Koby, who just shrugs her shoulders.

“Why?” I squawk out.

“Uh, are you joking?” Aunt Kiara sounds genuinely confused.

I harden my stare as I face her and nod. “Yes!” I snap.

“Because you were all about your career and never wanting to bring anyone into this family and now we find out you’re pregnant and with Cronos.” Aunt Kiara’s assessment of the situation is black and white but it’s wrong, there is gray surrounding my whole life right now.

“Yes, Cronos and I are together but he isn’t…” I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. “He isn’t the father to my daughter.” All six of their faces slacken. I want to laugh but I refrain. I’ve just blown their minds. In their eyes, I am the perfect one. I never fuck up or make mistakes so hearing this news has clearly thrown them.

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