Page 66 of Under His Watch

“Thanks.” He didn’t have to offer, and I wouldn’t have to ask. That was how we worked, together as a family, looking out for each other. I grew excited about Tessa learning that she had a family in us all, a support network unlike anything she’d ever dreamed of having before.

Franco huffed a single sarcastic laugh. “You’re not going to ask her old man for permission to marry or anything like that, are you?”

I gave him a droll look.

He cracked up. “Yeah. I didn’t think so.”

I didn’t intend to ask Mr. West for anything. Tess wasn’t his to give away. She could make up her own mind and decide if she wanted to marry me. But Franco gave me the idea to at least reach out to Mr. and Mrs. West.

Not to announce my interest in marrying her.

But to tell them that she was mine.

They would never upset her or try to manipulate her again.

No one would. If anyone dared to harm a single hair on her head or incite the slightest worry in her mind, they would pay dearly. I would stop at nothing to prevent her from suffering, and I refused to let any obstacle get in the way of what would be our bright future.

26

TESSA

The next time I went to the shooting range to practice with the gun Romeo had given me, I met with Max, an older soldier who was missing three of his fingers on his non-dominant hand. He was tortured by enemies and barely made it out alive, but he had. And he was, according to Romeo, the Constellas’ expert marksman.

Romeo was too busy to practice with me today, the same as every day this week, but he told me that I was in good hands with Max.

I was. Not only was he informative, but he was also personable and chatty in a non-obtrusive way. I realized my concentration was much improved, too, because every time I came here with Romeo, he’d sneak up close to me to demonstrate how to hold or fire my gun, which would tempt me with his proximity. Having my man’s arms around me had me aroused and horny in a flash.

“Did you know Joseph?” I asked between rounds of practice.

He nodded. “I did. I knew his father, too.”

“Both of them worked for the family?”

“Yes. Both died in the line of fire, too.”

I sighed, feeling my face tug down with a deep frown. I hadn’t even met Joseph, but I was aware of the day he was killed at that first place I stayed at with Romeo. The more I lived with Romeo and got to know more and more members of their organization, the harder it was to remind myself that they could all die. Sure, we were all getting closer to our deaths with every minute that passed, but these men were soldiers, fighters, spies, and protectors. They put themselves on the line for their leaders, much like the military did, and I couldn’t help but worry about each and every one of them, regardless of how well I might know them.

It was a lot like Liam’s situation. Or Mr. Bardot, Nina’s deceased father. He was a military man like my old friend was, and I had utmost respect for their service. It was different, this privatized army of the Constella Mafia, but still similar.

“Did you get to know him much when he was on the security detail at that house?” Max asked.

I shook my head. “I was only there the one day and night. But I wouldn’t mind going back there.”

Max smiled. “It’s a nice building. I believe it had been in the family for a long time, but vacant for many years.”

“It needed work. It would be a big project to renovate.”

“That was Romeo’s plan. I think he wanted a project to preoccupy himself with while Dante had his new life with Nina.”

I never once thought Romeo was struggling with Nina being in the Constella Family now. But I could see Romeo wanting his own space as a bachelor there. “And a project to preoccupyhimself from the guilt about those three soldiers dying on his watch?” I guessed.

Max paused in reloading a gun. “You haven’t been around for long, but you sure know that man well.”

I smiled. “He told me a little about it. Survivor’s guilt. Then again, I assume that this ‘business’ has a high death count.”

“It does. And Romeo is aware of that. He’s grown up with this life and knows how dangerous it is. I suspect those three soldiers hit him so hard because he was personally responsible for them. He was supervising that meeting with the Dominos. And Romeo is very protective of those closest to him.”

I aimed through my sights but waited to actually practice.

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