Page 203 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

“Bad word, Daddy.”

“Why are there three cops in your house, D?”

He places the milk jug on the bar, then steps closer toward us, crossing his arms over his chest, ignoring his daughter’s scold.

“Luca,” Bri calls out, turning to face him with a smile on her beautiful face.

I pull her against my chest, needing her contact, because I have no idea how I’m going to explain this to my brother without revealing too much.

He didn’t know Justin and I knew each other, and as far as my family is concerned, they all think Eric and I stopped being friends after the summer of my high school graduation.

Eric was going to follow in his father’s footsteps. It was no secret, and the son of a notorious criminal couldn’t be friends with a fed or anyone else in law enforcement. Not when my father had plans of his own for me.

“What are you doing here?” I finally ask, buying myself more time.

“I asked first. You going to tell me what’s going on?” His eyes flicker down, eyeing where I have my palm cupped around Bri’s hip. “Didn’t you two break up months ago?”

“Yes,” Bri answers. “Technically, we did break up, because your brother is an ass.”

“I concur on the ass part,” Justin agrees.

My eyes snap to his, giving him my best “fuck you” stare without flipping him off in front of my niece—or our niece, seeing as how he’s still married to Mia’s mom’s sister, even though he should have divorced the bitch by now.

At least Luca didn’t marry London. And Paris, J’s wife, is the crazier of the two sisters.

Bri twists around in my arms. Tipping her head back, she looks at me with those blue eyes.

“Maybe one other person can know.”

“Bri,” I growl at her, not meaning to.

Peeking at Gabe, I see my son has fallen asleep, his head resting on her chest with his small hand fisted around the top rim of her tank top.

It’s as though the little guy is holding on to her to make sure he isn’t taken from her again. Can’t say that I blame him.

“D,” she counters my tone, pulling my eyes back to hers.

“Son of a fuck.”

I shake my head, not wanting to involve anyone else—especially not my family. Then again, aren’t Bri and the kid my family now, too?

“Can we limit the cuss words in front of the kids, please?” Bri cocks her head in my direction as if to say, “really.”

I look at Mia. She has her little eyebrow lifted, obviously agreeing with my woman. Then I glance down, staring at my son.

“Whose baby is that anyway?” Luca asks casually as he walks over to where Summers is standing, taking Mia from him.

Shit.

Here goes everything I’ve worked so hard to prevent him from finding out.

“He’s mine.”

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

BRIANNA

“I’m sorry, come again?”

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