This includes ensuring they come to no further harm.”
“Let me get this straight. You acknowledge I saved your daughter’s life, and now you’re saying I’m going to harm her?”
“It is my right. I am her father. I am the head of this household.”
“Yes, you are her father.”
“ I am the one who will care for her, and ensure her safety.”
Jack stifled a laugh, and Hidalgo’s face flushed dark with anger.
“Do not take me lightly, boy.”
For long moments Jack considered the man. His Southern upbringing came into play—this was his elder, and father of the woman he loved. As such he was due respect. As a matter of fact, he was asserting his rights to protect his daughters, so he should be applauded. But all Jack wanted to do was throat punch the bastard.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Gloria and Lydia were busy talking and laughing, but Beth was watching them.
“Sounds wonderful, Ricardo,” Jack said loudly enough for Beth to hear. After she turned back to her mother and sister, his gaze slid to Hidalgo.
“Listen here old man, you work really hard to make amends with your daughters. They deserve to have a father who licks their shoes for the rest of their lives after what you did. But don’t think you can threaten me, or for that matter Clint, ever again. We’re the men who are going to protect Lydia and Beth from now on. We’re responsible for their safety, and we’ll never put them in harm’s way like you did. If you do one more Goddamn thing to cause them one more tear in this life you’ll answer to us. I suggest you don’t take me , lightly.”
“Jack, how’s it going in here? Are you and Papa about ready for dinner?” Beth asked as she came into the living room.
“We’re having a great time, aren’t we, Ricardo?”
“Yes. Yes, we are.” The man was once again hunched over as he gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek.
****
“I ’m going to the hotel with your parents and the Marshals. I want to talk to them about their security,” Jack said.
Beth and Lydia looked at each other, perplexed at first. “He wants to make sure they don’t have any fucking leaks like they did with me,” Lydia said after she realized his intentions. Jack had already left, but Beth watched through the front room window as he got into the SUV. Lydia was probably right. Their watchdogs were still in place, too.
“He’s pretty damn protective of you,” Lydia said as they plopped down on the couch.
“Like Clint isn’t the same way,” Beth countered. “Have I told you how happy I am for you? Clint is so wonderful. I loved the way he took care of you in the jungle. You’ve deserved wonderful for forever.”
“He is, isn’t he?” She shook her head in amazement. “He wants to marry me.”
Beth closed her eyes and gave thanks. She took her sister’s hands in hers. “I hope you said yes. If you didn’t I’ll cut off your hair in your sleep.”
They laughed, remembering when Beth had tried to do it with her dull childhood scissors when she was four.
“He hasn’t officially asked me. But yes, I said yes.” Beth’s relief was palpable.
“What about you? Your big blonde god is amazing. Jack certainly looks like he adores you. But even better, you allowed him to touch you.”
Beth’s face heated, she looked away, and then turned back. “I need to talk to you. I’m so confused.”
“What, baby girl?”
“He’s talked about a future with me.”
Lydia tucked a strand of hair behind Beth’s ear. “That’s wonderful. You two seem great together. Am I missing something?”
“He’s too good.”
“That’s not possible. Nobody is too good for my sister.”
“You’re biased.” Beth forced a weak laugh. “Anyway, I keep freezing up on him. He thinks I’ll get past it, but I know I never will.” Lydia stroked her arm.
“Okay, can you tell me about it?”
“I haven’t been
“Let me get this straight. You acknowledge I saved your daughter’s life, and now you’re saying I’m going to harm her?”
“It is my right. I am her father. I am the head of this household.”
“Yes, you are her father.”
“ I am the one who will care for her, and ensure her safety.”
Jack stifled a laugh, and Hidalgo’s face flushed dark with anger.
“Do not take me lightly, boy.”
For long moments Jack considered the man. His Southern upbringing came into play—this was his elder, and father of the woman he loved. As such he was due respect. As a matter of fact, he was asserting his rights to protect his daughters, so he should be applauded. But all Jack wanted to do was throat punch the bastard.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Gloria and Lydia were busy talking and laughing, but Beth was watching them.
“Sounds wonderful, Ricardo,” Jack said loudly enough for Beth to hear. After she turned back to her mother and sister, his gaze slid to Hidalgo.
“Listen here old man, you work really hard to make amends with your daughters. They deserve to have a father who licks their shoes for the rest of their lives after what you did. But don’t think you can threaten me, or for that matter Clint, ever again. We’re the men who are going to protect Lydia and Beth from now on. We’re responsible for their safety, and we’ll never put them in harm’s way like you did. If you do one more Goddamn thing to cause them one more tear in this life you’ll answer to us. I suggest you don’t take me , lightly.”
“Jack, how’s it going in here? Are you and Papa about ready for dinner?” Beth asked as she came into the living room.
“We’re having a great time, aren’t we, Ricardo?”
“Yes. Yes, we are.” The man was once again hunched over as he gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek.
****
“I ’m going to the hotel with your parents and the Marshals. I want to talk to them about their security,” Jack said.
Beth and Lydia looked at each other, perplexed at first. “He wants to make sure they don’t have any fucking leaks like they did with me,” Lydia said after she realized his intentions. Jack had already left, but Beth watched through the front room window as he got into the SUV. Lydia was probably right. Their watchdogs were still in place, too.
“He’s pretty damn protective of you,” Lydia said as they plopped down on the couch.
“Like Clint isn’t the same way,” Beth countered. “Have I told you how happy I am for you? Clint is so wonderful. I loved the way he took care of you in the jungle. You’ve deserved wonderful for forever.”
“He is, isn’t he?” She shook her head in amazement. “He wants to marry me.”
Beth closed her eyes and gave thanks. She took her sister’s hands in hers. “I hope you said yes. If you didn’t I’ll cut off your hair in your sleep.”
They laughed, remembering when Beth had tried to do it with her dull childhood scissors when she was four.
“He hasn’t officially asked me. But yes, I said yes.” Beth’s relief was palpable.
“What about you? Your big blonde god is amazing. Jack certainly looks like he adores you. But even better, you allowed him to touch you.”
Beth’s face heated, she looked away, and then turned back. “I need to talk to you. I’m so confused.”
“What, baby girl?”
“He’s talked about a future with me.”
Lydia tucked a strand of hair behind Beth’s ear. “That’s wonderful. You two seem great together. Am I missing something?”
“He’s too good.”
“That’s not possible. Nobody is too good for my sister.”
“You’re biased.” Beth forced a weak laugh. “Anyway, I keep freezing up on him. He thinks I’ll get past it, but I know I never will.” Lydia stroked her arm.
“Okay, can you tell me about it?”
“I haven’t been
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