Page 384 of The Tempted

“Yeah? What would you be fighting for?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, daring me to answer.

“What do you think I’d be fighting for?” I asked incredulously. “World peace? My fucking life.”

“Wrong answer,” he said.

“Yeah, well, school was never my strong suit,” I muttered.

“Pay attention, because I’m about toschoolyou on something,” he warned, twisting in his stool so he was facing me. “The next time I ask you what you’re fighting for, you’re not going to give me any wise crack remark and your answer won’t be yourlifebecause your life don’t matter no more,” he continued, eyes sharp as they bore down on me. “You got a kid on the way, a kid that’s my niece or nephew, and the only reason you will keep breathing is because I won’t be the one who takes your life. I won’t be the one that make’s that kid grow up without a father, but if you turn around and decide not to be that kid’s father all bets are off,” he threatened.

I leaned into him and my eyes pierced his.

I was nobody’s bitch.

“You forget I’m the one who stood by your side twenty-four seven, making sure you kept breathing,” I fumed. “Don’t fucking threaten me Bianci because I’ll piss on your threats and shove them right back down your throat when I’m done. Your mob card, your tough guy act, it won’t work here,” I ground out. “This shit between me and your sister, it’s none of your business and until I ask for your goddamn input, stay the fuck out of it,” I ordered.

He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms against his chest before he nodded.

“Pretty strong words you got there, Riggs,” he said, cocking his head to the side unfazed.

“Try me, Bianci and those words will turn to actions,” I replied. “Your sister is a grown woman, stop fucking coddling her and let her be her own person. Give her that respect.”

“What do you know about respect?”

“Fuck you,” I ground out. “You think because I got your sister pregnant I disrespected her in some way—it wasn’t like that,” I explained.

Not that he deserved an explanation, but I was feeling generous.

I was losing my fucking mind.

“I’ve got respect for Lauren. I think she’s great. I didn’t plan on a kid, but shit happens,” I argued.

“It’s not about you, Riggs. It’s not about Lauren, either. You’re right she’s a grown ass woman, and she needs to take control of her life, I’ll give you that,” he started, pulling out his phone, turning the screen toward me. “It’s about that baby you created with my sister and it’s about being someone that baby can depend on and look up to.”

I glanced down at his phone and saw the picture of his kid, the one that wasn’t even biologically his.

“I changed my whole life for this boy and there isn’t an ounce of regret in me because he deserves it,” he said, tucking his phone back into his pocket. “Your kid deserves the same,” he added.

I should spit on him for telling me to change who I was.

I wouldn’t, and more importantly I couldn’t, because he was defending my kid. He was sticking up for my kid, fighting for Pea, and teaching me a lesson. I could learn a thing or two from Anthony Bianci.

He was a good guy to have in your corner and my kid was lucky to have him.

Not me.

Him.

That was pathetic.

It was wrong, and it made me want to prove to him I could be better. I could be more than just the asshole deadbeat dad they thought I’d be.

“I’m trying,” I said.

“It’s all I ask,” he replied.

Yeah, Pea was damn lucky to have him as an uncle.

Pea needed a dad like that.

Pea needed me.

Bones was right.

I needed to own that shit.

Or at least try to.

For Pea.

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