Fall Into Place (Taking the Fall #5)(11)

I feel him nod against me as we let go. He holds my shoulders and gives me a nod, then moves past me to hug his daughter.

Instantly, I’m being engulfed in a bear hug, and I can’t help laughing. My dad has his arms around me and kisses me on the cheek. He’s always been unafraid to be a dork with us, so he does it every opportunity he gets.

Leaning in close, he whispers in my ear. “Good job, Tony. I’m proud of you.” I smile at his words, happy to know that he thinks I did the right thing.

“Can we eat now? I’m starving.”

We all laugh at my mom’s statement. She never stops talking about food.





Nine





Mary




I thought everything was fine. It was all going so easy until my new mother-in-law decided she wanted to poke. Something she’s very good at. Probably why Anthony is so laid-back like his father. They’re used to handling Jeanette, or just sitting back and letting her burn stuff down.

“You pregnant?” she asks, making what was just a very loud table with almost the entire family around it go silent. Instantly, all eyes are on us. All the women seem excited about the idea. We’d be the first to have a baby out of all of the kids. One of Anthony's sisters is married, but they haven't had any kids yet, and all my brothers are still single. I think.

“I…I…” I stutter over my words, my eyes darting back and forth between my mom and dad. My mom looks like she might burst with excitement, but my dad’s face is back to being hard

again.

“It’s a yes or no question,” my dad says with an angry edge to his voice.

“Don’t talk to my wife in that tone,” Anthony fires back, but he remains relaxed in his chair, one hand on my back rubbing small circles.

I expect my dad to come out of his chair and across the table, but I see him fight a smirk.

“Both of you shut up and let her speak!” My mom slaps my dad on the chest, making him rub the spot. It’s like he thinks we got married but still aren't sleeping together. He’s lucky I was with a guy who held out. I’m sure if it had been anyone else but Anthony, they would’ve taken what I’d been offering in a heartbeat and not made me wait.

“Well?” My mom’s sitting on the edge of her chair like she’s about to shoot out of it.

“We don’t know yet. I guess I could be.”

“I f*cking hope so,” Anthony says, following my words.

His words make my mom shoot up and squeal, “We have to get everything planned for the wedding now!”

My dad grabs her by the waist, pulling her into his lap. “Settle down and finish your dinner, Cherry. You worked so hard making it.”

“Who cares about dinner? We have weddings and babies and so much to do!” She wiggles around on my dad’s lap, trying to get free, but he just tightens his hold.

“Cherry, if you don’t stop wiggling on my lap like that, I’m going to take you upstairs and work some of this excitement out of you.”

My mom blushes, turning to wrap her hand around my dad’s neck.

“I’m out!” One of my brothers stands up, leaving the dining room table. Most everyone follows after that, because we all know my mom and dad are about to go into can’t-keep-their-hands-off-each-other mode. As much as I think it’s cute and hope I still have that after being married for over twenty-five years, I don’t want to see it.

Anthony and I follow suit, thinking about trying to slip out unnoticed and wanting to spend the weekend with just the two of us before I have to go back to classes. I’m more than happy spending our honeymoon in our bed at home. We’d be spending it in a bed if we were anywhere else in the world, so to me it doesn’t matter where that bed is.

“I need a word,” Saint says, stopping us at the door.

“Can this wait, Dad? I really just want to get home and enjoy my wife before the moms start beating us down with wedding magazines and baby shower ideas.”

“Viktor Kozar.” Saint says the name, ignoring Anthony’s words. A serious look crosses his normally relaxed face, and it makes me grab Anthony’s arm.

I hear him take in a deep breath. “I knew the last name Kozar sounded familiar. I just couldn’t place it. Is he related to Nika Kozar?”

“She’s his daughter.”

“Fucking shit. You’re kidding me.” Both Saint and Anthony rub their hands through their hair in an eerily similar way. It’s what they both do when something is bothering them.

“Who’s Viktor Kozar?” I ask, not understanding the problem.

“Someone you don’t f*ck with, that’s who.”

“Dad, I know you helped him all those years ago. Let’s just sit down and talk to him. I’m sure his daughter is fine. She’s with Sam.”

“With Sam?” Saint’s eyebrows rise like he can’t believe what Anthony is saying.

“The girl Sam’s ‘holding’ is Viktor Kozar’s daughter?” I make air quotes around ‘holding’ because I’m still not sure what Sam’s doing with her. Hell, I don’t even think he knows what he’s doing with her.

A look of shock crosses Saint’s face.

“Did you say Sam is holding Viktor’s daughter?” Jeanette’s shocked voice chimes in as she comes to stand next to Saint.