I laughed as she leaned down to hug me.
“How far is she? When did you find out? Is she taking care of herself?” Mom pulled back and looked at me.
“We don’t know yet. I’m waiting for Lucas to give me a doctor’s name. We just found out. And she’s fine.”
Mom grabbed my face and bounced her eyes around it. “You’re about to be a father. That makes me so happy. You’re turning into such a fine young man. I’m so proud of you!” she gushed, still speaking my father’s native language.
The corners of my mouth lifted. “Thanks, Mama.” I swiveled my eyes to my dad, who hadn’t said anything.
“Are you happy now? You wanted a marriage and a baby and that’s what I did.”
That look I normally saw him wear when he was deep in thought over a case covered his face.
“Of course he’s happy! It’s our first grandchild. Cashlynn needs a doctor ASAP. She already needs to start prenatal. That girl is a wild card, I’m going to have to talk to her about that.” Mom got lost in her own world, turning and leaving the room while still making a list of things out loud.
“You don’t seem very excited.” I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Did I ever tell you why I was so against you marrying a Cavana?” he asked.
“No, but after learning more about them recently I can only imagine.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “The Cavanas had their hands in a lot of shady shit. They had no integrity or morals. I know that might sound hypocritical considering what we do in the background, but we also have boundaries and things we’ll never be mixed up in. I don’t work with anyone I can’t trust and they were contracted with a group of people who hired me to work in their defense when I was still a lawyer. I know when you’re dealing with criminals you have to always watch your back and keep your eyes open, but even then I prided myself on always standing on my morals. The Cavanas didn’t hold that same standard, they didn’t care who they had to run over and sell out to get what they wanted. In the end they turned on the same people they were working for because the price was higher on the other side.
“When greed leads, eventually you will crumble. At some point you have to have a code and they have none. I don’t like having to look over my shoulders when I’m doing business. There’s already enough risk with the kind of people we work for and with. When my grandfather started The Bloodline, he made sure to build it on loyalty. That’s how we’ve been so undetected and successful. When I took over I wanted to take this business further than just killing, I wanted to create a legacy each of my kids could build their own branch from and that’s what I did. You each have unique skills and jobs but come together to form a well-oiled ship. Once you add in people who only are driven by money, that ship will eventually crumble.”
“Cashlynn’s not like that,” I protested, cutting him off.
“I’m seeing that, but you have to understand where I’m coming from as well. A lot of people refused to work with the Cavanas because of how shady they were. Cashlynn doesn’t seem to have their mindset, but are you sure she’s fit to be a mother?”
I bit down on my back molars as my body went stiff, playing his words over in my head. “Out of all the women I’ve been with, I don’t think there’s one more qualified,” I confessed truthfully. All the women I’d dealt with before Cashlynn were superficial. They didn’t hold substance nor did they have traits that showed they would be able to nurture a child. Most of the time I wanted a body for the night and nothing past that. With Cashlynn, things were different, everything about her was new and exciting. Dealing with her showed just how much I’d been missing out on.
“You fought hard against getting married and having a child, yet you seem to be falling into the role so easily.” Dad smirked.
“Yeah… well, when you find a woman like my wife, you can’t help but want to explore the relationship more.” I shrugged.
Dad stared at me intently. “You seem to have it all figured out then. You’re a smart man. Me and your mama raised you right. I had no hesitation with handing The Bloodline over to you and I trust you know what’s best for you and the family you’re creating,” he said, then switched to his native tongue as he continued. “Congratulations, son. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Pops.”
I stuck around my parents’ house a little longer, and on my way out, my mom called out to me.
“Can you try and get ahold of your brother? I’ve been calling him all day and he hasn’t answered.”
“Which one?” I had a feeling who she was talking about before she even responded.
“Which one stays stressing me out? That damn Ezra.”
I nodded. “I’ll stop by his house on the way to the club.”
“And tell him to call me. I tried to call Cashlynn too, but she didn’t answer either.” Her eyes narrowed, making me chuckle.
“I’ll have her call you, Mama.” I leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Stepping outside their house, I eyed the large open yard in front. The bright green grass was freshly cut. The smell of flowers blew in the wind. My mom made sure it looked like something right out ofBetter Homes & Gardensmagazine.
I headed for my car, parked in the large driveway.
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