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  That was a no brainer. "The one leading to him."

  "So, what's stopping you?"

  Ryleigh thought for a moment. There wasn't really anyone stopping her. Her family would get over her dating a con because her mom had raised her to be a strong woman - and ultimately loved her. It was more her own insecurities that were making her second guess herself. "Me."

  Mary nodded. "Sometimes we're our own worst enemies."

  Ryleigh decided to lay it on the line. "Have you heard of domestic discipline? It's not exactly politically correct in today's world but..."

  To her credit, the older lady didn't seem shocked or even surprised. Instead she picked up her cup and pastry and sat down at the table with Ryleigh. Then she spoke. "One of my boys leans that way. For a long time, he denied that part of him."

  "He did?" She eagerly latched onto the information. "Did he finally accept that side of him?"

  “I think so. He’s talked about meeting a special lady.” She laid a hand over the top of Ryleigh's. "But I'll tell you the same thing I told him. If taking care of, protecting your loved ones makes you complete - who am I to say it's wrong? Particularly if there's a mutual agreement beforehand. Open communication is key for anyone who wishes to live in that type of household - as well as honesty. If you find yourself wanting your man to protect, love, and yes, even sometimes punish you - and he agrees to be that protector, I say go for it - and screw what modern society says."

  "Really?" She knew she sounded desperate, but the idea that she, a modern woman, could possibly have the same type of relationship her parents had made her feel needy.

  Mary arched her brow at her. "Yes, really. Social dictates aren't gonna keep your bed warm, girl. Only that man of yours can do that - if you decide to accept what he's offering." The chirp of a cell phone coming from the bag on the next table had Sister Mary Agnes rising. Before she left, she smiled once more at Ryleigh. "Like I keep telling my boy, you'll never know true happiness is if you let fear rule your life. You want it. Grab it with both hands."

  "Yeah." Ryleigh mumbled, as the woman retrieved her phone from her bag.

  "Mason, it's great to hear your voice. And yes, I'm behaving. I was just having a lovely conversation with a nice young lady..." Sister Mary Agnes waved at her as she grabbed her to go cup and headed toward the front door.

  As the bell jingled, Ryleigh stared after her, wondering what the chances were that the woman had a son named Mason. It wasn’t impossible, after all New York was a huge city, but she'd like to think that nice woman was her Mason's mom - that he had her support to be who he was.

  * * * *

  Hanging up the phone, Mason draped his wrist over the steering wheel of his truck and stared up at his home. The lights from his living room were welcoming as well as the sounds of his niece and nephew playing. But he wasn't in a hurry to go in. He'd been sitting in the drive for a few minutes as he'd talked to Sister Mary Agnes on the phone - using the time to decompress before heading inside.

  It'd been a short workday due to a delay with a shipment of supplies, and he found himself anxious to see Ryleigh, especially when he knew she was only a few blocks from the site having lunch. So, to keep from driving over there - particularly after she sent him a shot of a half-eaten sandwich and a large coffee, he'd reached out to the one consistent woman in his life, now that his momma was gone. Sister Mary Agnes.

  As usual he'd caught her out and about. Once she'd left her order, the woman never was at home - always exploring the city and being a social butterfly - much to his worry. In fact, when he'd called she'd just been leaving a coffee shop in Tribeca. Evidently, she'd had a very enlightening conversation with a young lady who had quite a bit in common with him.

  Always the matchmaker - wanting what's best for her boys.

  It'd taken him reminding her that he'd found someone to keep her matchmaking at bay. God knew he loved the rascally old woman, but he couldn't imagine coming home to any other woman than Ryleigh. The past few days had been almost a dream come true.

  Yes, she'd thrown all kinds of scenarios at him, wanting to know how he'd react if she did this or that. She'd asked what he expected from her - what he needed in return for the structure he was offering. He'd done his best to answer her questions honestly. To give her the answers she needed to be comfortable in becoming his woman. He wanted to be her everything. Not just her lover, but her protector, her confident, and if need be her disciplinarian. He wanted to keep her safe. Which is what had brought them to their twenty-four-hour test. The little minx had asked for a trial run - via a text.

  "Yeah because she thinks that's gonna keep her bottom safe." He chuckled at the thought. If she showed tomorrow, like he hoped, she was in for a surprise. He was keeping track of all the times she'd sassed him, all the times she'd skipped meals and ate junk. Her bottom would be red before they made it to bed. It was enough to make his dick hard. His desire to claim her had made it hard to keep his promise, but he refused to break the trust she'd given...

  The loud shriek from his house had him jerking upright. "Diane!"

  Throwing his door open, he ran toward the home praying he wasn't too late. As he reached the front porch, Lisa stumbled down the steps, tears running down her face, followed by her brother. Inside the house, his sister continued to scream, the sound of breaking glass had him torn between going inside and staying with the kids. When another loud crash shook the house, he made the choice and hoped it wasn't the wrong one.

  "Unca." Lisa tripped over the crack in the sidewalk. He barely caught her before she spilled across the cement.

  "Whoa, baby." He caught her under the arms and cradled her against his leg while scooping up a crying Johnny. "Where's Mommy?"

  Crying, she babbled, a bunch of gibberish about Daddy and Mommy. From the best he could gather, Randy had Lisa cornered in his kitchen. Taking a calming breath, he tried to soothe the kids the best he could.

  "Shhhh. Everything will work out. Let's go wait for Mommy in my truck - okay, sweetie?" He staggered back down the walk to his truck, with a clinging Lisa who refused to let go of his leg and a sobbing Johnny. Pulling the door open, he set Johnny down on the driver's seat before lifting Lisa off her feet. "In, Lisa. We'll be safe here."

  He'd just slid back in, when his phone rang. Slamming the door shut behind him, he hit the locks and turned the engine over as he hit the connect button. It was Ryleigh.

  "Hey sweet pea, this isn't a good time." He spoke softly - not to scare the kids. "Remember what I told you about my assault?"

  "About your sister's ex?" The words were sharp. His girl had a good memory.

  "Yeah." He squeezed the bridge of his nose. "He showed up at my place and I'm out in my truck with the kids while he’s..."

  "Inside with your sister?" She supplied.

  "Yeah." He wrapped a comforting arm around his niece as the screaming inside the house died. Then it was silent - too silent. “Can you…

  "I'll take care of it. Your house, right?"

  "Yeah. Call your uncle. I can't leave the kids - " He suddenly had an armful of kiddos as a figure appeared at the passenger window and banged a heavy fist against the glass. Over the sounds of the crying kids, he could hear Randy demanding to be let in. It'd been years since he'd seen his former buddy, and time hadn't been kind. Nor has Diane, if those gouges are anything to go by.

  "Gimme my kids, you asshole!"

  "No, Daddy!" Lisa sobbed, when her father banged on the glass again – this time with a gun.

  "Shit, I gotta go, sweet pea." He dropped the phone and threw his truck in reverse. His passenger side mirror caught Randy, knocking him to the ground. The gun went flying, and moments later two uniformed officers swarmed the still screaming Randy.

  “Fuck.” Slamming on the brakes, he sent a prayer heavenwards. The kids were safe. He'd done his job.

  He watched in a daze as another patrol car pulled in behind him and two cops, one vaguely familiar, ran up the drive toward the home. The cavalr
y had arrived.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  When Ryleigh arrived on the scene twenty minutes later, it was pretty much all over. The ambulance was pulling away from the curb, only one squad car remained, and shockers of shockers, Mason stood next to her uncle, giving his statement as he cradled little Lisa in his arms. Another officer, her uncle's partner, was sitting inside the squad car with Johnny, showing him all the different buttons. As she rushed up the walk, her only desire was to make sure Mason was in one piece and the kids were safe. Not that she hadn't worried about his sister. But the babies were innocent in the battle between their parents.

  Mason's face lit up when he caught sight of her. "Sweet pea?"

  "Thank god, you're okay." She rushed to his side, before standing on tip toe to brush her lips across his chin. "Your sister?"

  "Alive." He didn't elaborate but with the little girl in his arms, she didn't blame him.

  "That's good news." Then she held her hands out to Lisa but kept her eyes on her man. "Why don't you let me hold her while they take your statement? Little ears don't need to hear all the icky stuff." She smiled at the little girl. "Would you like to come play a game on my phone, sweetie? I have a really cool candy matching game."

  "Unca?" She looked up at Mason, still clinging to him. Her uncertainty tugged at Ryleigh's heart strings.

  "It's okay, Lisa. Go with Ryleigh." He gently deposited her into Ryleigh's arms. "I'll stay where you can see me."

  "Promise?" She squirmed against Ryleigh's hold.

  "I pinky swear." Mason hooked his pinky through his niece’s, and Ryleigh's heart melted. If she hadn't been in love with him before - she was now. As she snuggled the girl closer, she realized she wasn't scared. It felt right.

  "Ryleigh?" Uncle Danny's voice stopped her before she made it even three steps towards her car. His tone assured her that he was not going to let her presence go unaddressed.

  She sighed, then glanced over her shoulder. "What is it?" She wasn't about to let his overprotective streak keep her from comforting a scared little girl. At the moment all it did was annoy her. Besides he had a job to do. He needed to leave her alone and get on with his job.

  "Don't think we aren't gonna talk about this." He warned.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the slight stiffening of Mason's shoulders. This is where shit really could hit the fan if Mason lost his cool. It was up to her to defuse the situation, even though the look in Mason's eyes warned her that doing so would land her in hot water. He could hold his own against her uncle, but the last thing they needed at the moment was to have a pissing contest. So, ignoring his pointed look, she faced off with her uncle. "Really?" She gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Last time I checked I picked my boy-friends. Not you, Uncle Bobby, or even Daddy, none of you have any say over who I do or don't date."

  The muscle in Danny's jaw clenched. He obviously wanted to say something, but professionalism dictated he take Mason's statement - not have a drawn-out confrontation with his niece over her dating habits. The expression on his face was priceless. Like all Fagin men he hated defiance. Not that she really cared.

  "We'll see about that," he finally drawled.

  Which translated in Fagin speak to 'over my dead body'. She wanted to shake her head. When would the men in her family ever figure out that she didn't have to do what they said? Mason on the other hand was a different story - and she was sure her bottom would pay the price for not heading his warning. But she decided not to linger on the consequences. She had bigger fish to fry - like comforting a scared little girl who had been traumatized enough today.

  "Whatever, Uncle Danny. It still isn't going to change anything. Mason and I are together." She tossed her braid over her shoulder. "So why don't you finish taking his statement. Because I'm sure he'd like to check up on his sister, and these kids look like they could use a hot meal, and some snuggles. Not standing around in the front yard while a police officer takes their uncle's statement."

  "Fine." The word came out between gritted teeth. Her uncle looked like he was about to have a stroke.

  Oh, yeah. I'm definitely gonna hear about this at the next family dinner.

  But as she slipped inside her car and settled Lisa on her lap, she caught a glimpse of wonder on Mason's face. Like he couldn't believe that she'd actually claimed him in front of her family. In for an ounce, in for a pound, she thought. After listening to the attack on Mason's truck and not knowing what was happening, she'd been scared out of her mind. She couldn't lose him. Now the reckoning she had coming for interfering between him and her uncle - that was a different matter. God, she hoped he'd go easy on her - considering she'd never had an honest to god discipline spanking from her mate before. As she opened the app on her phone, she couldn't help the slight tingle in the pit of her stomach at the idea.

  "Here we go, sweetie." She held the phone in front of Lisa. "See we spin these to match them up."

  "Cool." The little girl touched the screen. The tinned sound of the corny app music filled the interior of the car as Ryleigh helped her clear the screen. After the third time, Lisa leaned back against Ryleigh's shoulder and gazed up at her. "Ryleigh?"

  "Hmmm?" She pressed a kiss against the crown of Lisa's head.

  "You make a really great Aunt. I think Unca should keep you." The little girl's words made her smile.

  "We can only hope, sweetie."

  * * * *

  By the time Mason got done dealing with Ryleigh's dickhead of uncle cop, his patience was stretched thin. Out of all the cops on the New York police force, he'd have to get the same cop that busted him making out with Ryleigh all those years ago. But he'd changed. He wasn't the fresh out of jail con anymore. He'd rebuilt his life - much like a phoenix does from the ashes. He was stronger now than he had ever been. Which is why his little girlfriend had earned an ass-warming for trying to protect him from her family. He'd told her he could handle, and he could. But she has to let me.

  Then after leaving Johnny and Lisa in Ryleigh's capable hands, he'd gone to the hospital to deal with his sister's care. The doctor met him at the door and had assured him that after some extensive therapy and the emergency reconstructive knee surgery Diane was getting ready to undergo, there was a good chance she'd eventually walk again. The aluminum bat Randy had used to keep Diane from escaping had more than left marks on her. It made him want to beat the hell outta Randy again. It'd been a long four and half hours while he waited to hear the verdict. He'd sagged with relief when just before the eleven o'clock news, the doctor had come out and told him Diane was out of the woods and he could go home. Every part of his body was weary.

  Now sitting in Ryleigh's car outside her home ‘cause the police had impounded his truck for processing, he scrubbed his face with his palms. It was time to go grab the kids and find a hotel. He wasn't about to assume they could stay the night - even if every part of him longed for nothing more than eight hours of shut eye. He slowly unfolded his frame from the car. After locking it, he made his way up the walk. This wasn't what he'd pictured when he finally crossed the threshold into her home. It was more along the lines of a repeat of their encounter in the alley. He figured their first time would've been up against a wall just inside her front door.

  Using her keys to unlock her door, he quietly slipped inside the house. The soft glow from a small lamp on a stand just inside the foyer cast enough light for him to see the almost ethereal figure come down the hall towards him, her fiery hair a stark contrast to her white cotton nightgown. Before he even managed to turn completely, he had an arm full of soft woman pressed to his side. A sense of peace washed over him as he held her to his side. He savored the closeness for a few minutes before finally speaking.

  "The kids okay?"

  "Yeah. I ordered pizza, and then we watched a movie on Netflix." Her voice came out soft. "They're both sleeping in the guest room."

  He rested his chin on top of her head as another problem landed on his weary shoulders. Damn, he didn't wan
t to wake the kids. "Thanks, Ryleigh. You didn't have to take them, but I certainly appreciate it." He sighed. "But if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition, can we just stay here tonight? I can make arrangements tomorrow for a hotel, but I'd hate to wake the kids after such a trying day. "

  She sighed, before pulling back from him. "Really? I can't believe you just asked me that." She glared up at him. "My uncle's doubt I expected. But not yours. I give up. I'm going to bed. The couch pulls out. Make yourself at home. Good night." She stomped back down the hall.

  He frowned, his tired mind trying to figure out why she was pissed. He trailed after her, barely catching her by her arm before she entered a bedroom that was obviously hers. "Sweet pea?"

  "So now it's sweet pea?" She jerked her arm free of his grip. She sighed. "Look, we're both tired. Just chalk it up to high emotions. I'll see you in the morning." She moved into the room, obviously ready to shut him out.

  His own temper flared a bit as he caught the edge of the door before she could close it. "I don't think so. What the hell is your problem?"

  "At the moment - you." She crossed her arms over her chest, as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. Then he crossed the room until he towered over her.

  "Oh, I'm gonna show you a problem, little girl." He leaned in - his face inches from hers. "You really think it's a good idea to push after the day I've had - especially when you've already earned a butt warming for getting between your uncle and me."

  Her eyes narrowed. "There were more important things at the time than your pissing contest with my uncle."

  "Did you mean it?" He finally asked.

  "What? That your pissing contest..." She started.

  "No. You told your uncle you were with me." He backed her towards the bed. "Did you mean it?"

  "Of course, I meant it. I don't say things I don't mean." She retorted.

  "Good. Then you knew the consequences of your actions. " He sank onto the edge of her bed and jerked her over his thighs.