Page 52 of Magnus
She studied the couple for several long minutes before nodding. “I’ll go and get Angel. But if I think, even for a moment, that this situation or the two of you frighten her in any way, I will remove her from here and you will never see her again.”
Roman nodded. “We understand and accept your condition wholeheartedly.”
Magnus barely held back his laughter minutes later when he saw the Carluccis’ reaction as Angel was carried into the house by none other than the very protective Knox. Magnus had absolutely no doubt that Knox would shield Angel to his last breath.
As he would.
But their feelings of aggression dissipated the moment Angel asked to be put down and tentatively approached Patrice Carlucci. “Granma?”
“Yes, honeybee,” the older woman confirmed with a choked sob.
Angel turned to Roman. “Grandpa?”
The older man made no effort to stem the tears falling down his cheeks. “That’s me, sweetheart.”
Angel’s smile of recognition for her grandparents was enough to light up the darkest room. Or, in this case, melt the hard hearts of all the men in the room.
“Doyou think they’ll honor their promise?” Sapphie prompted once they were on the plane on their way back to England.
“Knox will keep an eye on things over here for a while, but yes, I think they will.” Magnus nodded. “If not, I have no doubt Knox will deal with them without mercy.”
Sapphie had known the depth of Knox’s affection for her daughter when she saw the glisten of tears in his eyes when he had to say goodbye to Angel at the airport. His men had looked almost as heartbroken.
“Angel has an army protecting her now, love,” Magnus said, confirming her suspicion. “I almost—and I do mean almost—felt sorry for the way in which the Carluccis discovered what a disgrace of a human being their son was.”
“A shithead?” Sapphie teasingly reminded him of his earlier description of her deceased husband.
“Yes.”
“You’re going to be such a protective dad.” Sapphie cuddled against Magnus in their adjoining seats on the plane. Angel was once again asleep in the bedroom after spending an enjoyable couple of hours becoming reacquainted with her grandparents.
“Always,” he promised. “Protecting and loving you, Angel, and any more children we might have together, will always be my priority.”
Something that proved all tootrue ten months later when, as Magnus had warned, Sapphie gave birth to twin sons. Two years later, they had another daughter.
Angel was the best big sister any of them could ever have wished for.
Magnus loved them all equally, but he adored and worshipped Sapphie.
