Page 32 of Deceit & Destruction

Johnny stormed into the distillery before Primo’s guys and went head-to-head with his father. The motherfucker had already made the cut in Cassie’s belly, though, and by the time Johnny got her to me, she had already lost a lot of blood.

Upon our arrival at the hospital, they took Cassie right into triage. She received multiple transfusions and they stitched her stomach closed. I wasn’t able to see her until the following morning and I haven’t left her side since.

“You can stop staring at the fetal monitor,” Cassie says softly. “Dr. Harnette said she’s fine.”

I tear my eyes away from the monitor and take in my girl.

“I can’t help it,” I admit hoarsely. “I thought I lost you both.”

She squeezes my hand.

“We’re yours forever.”

It’s true.

Ace killed Blackthorne—two shots between the eyes. That motherfucker can never hurt Cassie again.

“I love you,” I whisper, squeezing her hand.

A smile stretches across her face.

“I love you too, Mike.”

“And I love Mikayla too.”

When Cassie finally woke, she told me she had a name for the baby, that she wanted to name her after her daddy.

Anyone can be a father.

Even the most vile human beings.

But it takes someone with a lot of heart to be a daddy.

In a few months Mikayla Robinson will be born and she’s going to know just how big her daddy’s heart is because I’m going to love her with everything I am and when I win the Vince Lombardi trophy, that little girl is going to be on top of my shoulders.

THE END

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