Uncontrollable Temptations (Tempted #3)(27)

“Was she proud?” Lacey questioned.

“She was over the moon, and Nonno called me Marcia Clark when I got my first job in a law firm,” Reina said, laughing at the memory. “They were really great.”

“You must be so close to them.”

“I was,” she said, fondly remembering the two people who raised her. “They passed a few years ago. My grandma first and then six months later my Nonno passed,” she continued, releasing a breath. “He was never the same after she died; even his doctor said he must’ve died of a broken heart.”

The room grew silent, and I walked around the table behind Reina. I looked at my daughter who sadly stared at her plate and leaned over Reina, placing the beer next to her plate before giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Regret filled me, realizing I had pegged her all wrong. She wasn’t some prissy bitch born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She was nothing like the woman I thought Danny would’ve been with, and for the first time I wondered about their relationship.

“Thank you,” she whispered, and I removed my hand, taking my seat again. I turned to my daughter and asked her about the college courses she was taking that were costing me an arm and a leg.

I felt Reina’s eyes on me as I diverted Lacey’s questions away from her. Lacey rattled on about term papers, boring professors and deciding on a major. I chanced a glance toward Reina and she smiled at me, her eyes thanking me for the reprieve and mine thanking her for the piece of her she had shared with us. By the time we cleared the table and made coffee, Reina seemed very comfortable and not the awkward woman I initially met.

We had pie and I commented on how Reina’s was better—she blushed and Lacey insisted she make it for her some time. I don’t remember enjoying many birthdays in my thirty-eight years but I’ll remember this one and when I do I’ll remember Reina’s smile, Lacey’s laughter and the unfamiliar peace that settled over me.

Reina glanced at her watch and frowned.

“You have work tonight?” I asked.

“No, I just didn’t realize how late it was. I should get going,” she said.

I nodded and looked over at my daughter who was messing around on her phone.

“I’m going to give Reina a ride home then I’ll take you back to your mother’s. That okay with you?”

“No, no, I took a cab here, and I planned on taking one back home,” Reina insisted.

“You don’t drive?” Lacey asked.

“I used to. I got rid of my car after…” she paused, “I need to get a new one,” she explained. Bianci had mentioned when he connected the dots between Reina and Danny he had discovered my brother had leased a car for her in his name.

“Have you met Pipe? He’s the mechanic at the Satan’s Knights car lot. I bet you he’d hook you up with a decent car. Right Dad?”

I looked at Reina.

“I didn’t know you were looking for a car. When you’re ready say the word and I’ll hook you up with one. Pipe runs the lot but we all have a piece of it,” I explained, before turning to Lacey.

“You okay with me dropping her off then coming back for you?”

“Actually, Gia is ten minutes away. We are going to catch a movie so she can pick me up,” she said.

“All right then,” I turned back to Reina. “You ready, Sunshine.”

“If you’re sure.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” I assured her, grabbing her leather jacket from the newel post and holding it out for her to slip into. She slipped her arms inside of the sleeves and looked over her shoulder at me.

“Truck or the bike?” I questioned, biting back the urge to lean down and press my lips to the tip of her nose. I cleared my throat and stepped away, grabbing my jacket off the back of the couch. I turned to face her, watching as she chewed sheepishly on her bottom lip.

“Bike,” she murmured, her eyes glowing with excitement. I blew out a ragged breath as I stared at her, vowing that a ride on my bike wouldn’t be the only thing that elicited that look in her eyes.

“Come, Lacey. Give your old man some sugar,” I demanded.

Lacey threw her phone onto the couch and made her way to me, wrapping her arms tightly around me as she reached up on tip toe to kiss my cheek.

“Happy birthday, Dad. I love you,” she said as she pulled back from me.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a hundred and handed it to her.

“Lock up when you leave,” I ordered.

“I will, thanks,” she said, shoving the money into her pocket and turning to Reina, throwing her arms around her. “I had fun tonight. I hope you’ll be around more often,” she hinted, giving her a slight squeeze before pulling back from the embrace.

“So did I. Thank you for inviting me,” she said with a smile.

“All right, let’s move. Love you Lacey,” I said, holding open the door for Reina. I pointed to my daughter. “Text me when you get home.”

“Okay,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Just do it, girl,” I grunted then sighed and gave her a wink before I closed the door.

I followed Reina down the front porch, walked around her toward the driveway and watched as she stared at my bike. I straddled the Harley and glanced at her.

“You coming or what?” I asked, handing her the helmet.