Page 89 of Toxic

"I'll train him. I'll look out for him. You have my word," I vow.

"And are you going to guarantee he doesn't get hurt?" she asks.

"You know I can't do that."

"Exactly. It's not happening."

I turn out of the subdivision then accelerate. "You have to give him something. He needs his mind off emancipation and a way to release his rage."

Her voice turns angry. "How dare you use my fear of emancipation to try and convince me of this."

"I would never do that."

"You are right now."

I veer to the side of the road and put the car in park. I sternly state, "No. I'm stating the facts. And if you take a step back, you'd realize how wrong the statement you just made sounds."

"My statement?" she fires back.

"Yeah. As if I would ever do something manipulative and hurtful toward you."

She huffs.

"Seriously?" I quietly ask, hurt she could ever believe that and pissed she still doesn't trust in my love for her.

She squeezes her eyes shut, takes a few deep breaths, then slowly looks at me. "I've told you I don't want Sean boxing and why."

I reach for her cheek. "Listen to me, dolcezza. Fighting is in his blood. If you give him this, it's going to make things better between you two."

"How?"

"He needs to feel a win right now."

She blinks hard. "I'm not allowing my son to put himself in harm's way."

"He's an O'Malley. They box. And I will—"

"You'll do nothing to protect him because you just admitted you can't!" she cries out and pushes my hand off her cheek. "This conversation is over. Now, take me home."

I don't move, holding in my anger. One thing I know is that Sean needs this. He's an O'Malley. It's in their genes to fight. Plus, he already got the bug from his father years ago. All I want to do is help Sean and Bridget, but she can't seem to let go of the notion I'm going to harm her.

"Bridge, if you just—"

"Stay out of my business, Dante! They're my kids—my blood! Not yours!" she yells.

Words don't usually affect me, but she might as well have punched me in the face. I seethe, "Yeah, I know whose kids they are. It doesn't diminish my role in their life or how much I care about them."

She laughs and points at me. "Your role? You aren't their father. So stay out of my business. Now, take me home." She turns toward the window and crosses her arms.

For several moments, I study her, drowning in the new sting she dealt me.

"Take me home," she repeats, not glancing at me.

"All right, Bridge. Have it your way. That's what this always is between us, right?"

Her head snaps toward me. Blue flames burn in her orbs. "What's that mean?"

"You know damn well what it means. Any chance you get to run from me or avoid my help, you take. All you do is try to shove me out of your life," I admit, hating how it sounds out loud.

---