Page 72 of Bobby

I lean in quickly and capture her lips with mine, wrapping my arms around her tightly as hers lock behind my neck on a moan.

She hasn’t said as much, but I know she’d prefer we keep this from the girls for now. I’m letting her lead on how she wants to tell them, but I already see them as mine. Just like I see her.

A noise behind her has her easing back, and with one last peck on her lips, I pull back and straighten my suit seconds before Ivy pushes the door farther open for her to see me.

“Hi, Mr. Bobby. Are you coming to my event tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it, princess.” Which is not a lie. I moved my entire schedule around weeks ago when she first told me about it the night we had ramen. That’s how certain I was that this was going to happen between her mother and me. Leone men really do attach themselves quickly to the person they find to be their one. It just takes longer for the other one to know.

Willow might just be thinking I’m simply offering her and the girls a ride, but it’s more than that. Where they go, I will, too, and so will my team. They’ll be protected going forward, but they might not know just how many men are protecting them at once.

“Lily, let’s go, or we’ll be late,” Willow says softly while Ivy screams, “Come on, Lily.”

Ivy is the first out and grabs my hand. “I can’t wait to show you my jerboa. I was able to use those art supplies to make it from clay, and Mommy helped me use a hot glue gun to put on the tail with a brown pipe cleaner.” She talks a mile a minute, and I listen to every word, smiling down with delight that such a small thing I could give her brings her so much joy. No one will ever touch her or take her from me. Her or her sister. I won’t be denied this feeling anymore.

Is this what all parents feel like? The constant tightness around their heart at knowing a child is beyond happy for what you did? I actually don’t care what others think and feel about their children. All I know is that I’m enjoying each new feeling I’m getting with the girls.

“Mr. Bobby.” Lily scrambles over and hugs my side.

I pat her back and bend to hug her, too, while still listening to Ivy talk about all the other things she added to her diorama when she was able to redo it.

Willow smiles at her girls, and I share one with her that has her cheeks blushing a bit before the elevator doors close and we descend to the lobby. Marco already has the car waiting when we exit, and it’s a short ride to the school since it’s on this side of town. Almost as if fate sent Willow and the girls into my life, as if they were always meant to be here.

Lily’s jumping around in her seat when we arrive, but it’s Ivy I look at.

“Are you nervous, Ivy?”

She looks away from the window she was staring out of and gives me a small smile. “No. I’ve got this.”

“That’s my girl,” Willow says, sending her a wink that has her giggling and looking away.

Marco opens the door and I get out first, then guide each of the girls out before we walk inside the building with Marco in tow. That man is as bad as me when it comes to their safety, especially after what happened to Lily.

Even though he destroyed the threat—quite thoroughly, I might add—he detests the administration of this school. He’s currently doing a private rundown of each member here to make sure no one knew or was part of what the PE teacher was up to. So far, he’s come up with nothing, but that won’t stop him from looking. I have a good hunch that once he clears the staff, he’ll move on to the parents and teachers. If a kid so much as sneezes on Ivy or Lily, I know Marco will step in and make them regret it.

Ivy and Lily lead us to the large cafeteria that’s set up with more presentation poster boards than most craft supply stores carry. It’s obvious which ones were done by kids who like their projects, those who barely did anything, and those who had their parents do it for them.

But none of them matter to me as Ivy weaves easily through everyone and comes to her project, which is near the back and on the end of one table.

“Here it is.” Her smile is wider than anything I’ve ever seen on the girl, full of pure pride in her work as she shows it off.

“Oh, sweetheart, this is amazing!” Willow cries out as she looks over it all.

Marco and I sing her praises as well, and the child beams with excitement. Even Lily gets into the merriment and is smiling with encouragement for Ivy, going as far as telling us all how her big sister’s project is the best and which ones around us aren’t good.

“You see that one? They didn’t even get the rainbow right. There’s only six colors and not seven.”

“Oh, that’s because Mrs. Hanks ran out of indigo because Zed needed it for his Earth.” Ivy points down a row to a very nice Earth replica with indigo for the water.

Lily thinks on it and then shakes her head. “No, yours is the best.”

“I agree, angel.”

I turn at my mother’s voice and see not only her but my brothers as well.

“Nonna Cynthia!” Lily runs and jumps at her. But before she gets too close, Tommy picks her up and hugs her first.

Should have expected her to bring the entire family.