“Hey,” he said.

She eyed the males closely. “Hey. Everything all right?”

“Yes.” Ric smiled at Dee’s father. “See you for dinner tomorrow?”

“If I have to.”

Dee’s eyes widened. “You’re staying, Daddy?”

“That a problem?”

“No, no. Of course not.”

“Your momma deserves a vacation.” He looked back and forth between the pair, then said, “

’Night.” Got into a car and drove off.

“Why were you shaking my daddy’s hand?”

“He gave me his blessing.”

“There’s no call for lyin’, Ric Van Holtz.”

“I’m not lying. He said it. I think he meant it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure. I mean, he didn’t stuff me in his trunk and drive me out of here. So I take that as a good sign. Don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Still . . .

“I met your mother, too. She’s really amazing, Dee.”

“Did you say that to my daddy? In that same way?”

“Yes, but she is,” he argued. “There’s just something about her.”

“You did it,” Dee told him.

“I did what?”

“Found the way to my daddy’s heart despite your tragic birth into the Van Holtz family. And that is to go through my momma’s heart first.”

“Oh.”

“No call to look so cocky, though.”

“Fair enough. Now, come here,” Ric told her and she eagerly went into his arms, the pair hugging each other tight after such an incredibly bad day. But it had ended well, and that’s all that mattered in the long run.

“When we have kids,” Dee told him, “we’re getting Blayne, Abby, and Hannah to babysit.” Ric laughed. “Absolutely.” He hugged her once more. “You ready to head home?”

“Not yet. Not quite done for the night.”

“Funny, that’s what your father said.”

“Hmmm,” she replied, but that was it.

Holding hands, they headed back to the elevator, but Dee suddenly stopped and looked into his eyes. “Love ya,” she said.

Ric grinned. “I love you, too, Dee.”

She nodded and together they returned to Blayne’s hospital room and what had turned into a very nice mini-brawl.

Together, the three females dressed in designer gowns hauled the duct-taped, white-haired female from the back of the old Chevy one of them had stolen and dumped her into a dirt hole in the middle of a Staten Island landfill.

The She-wolf reached down and yanked the duct tape off her mouth. “Got anything to say?”

“Do you really think you’ve changed anything?” the white-haired woman demanded. “Do you think you’ve done any real good here? Or that you’ll do any good by killing me?”

“I think,” the She-tiger replied, “that your mistake was fucking with the wrong mother.” The only full-human among the small group stepped forward, raised the .45 she held and squeezed the trigger—once.

Afterward and together, they filled in the hole and cheerfully chatted about big dinner plans for the following day.

CHAPTER 33

Dee-Ann hugged her mother, smiling when Darla said, “Oh, my little Sugar Bug. I’m so glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you, too, Momma.”

Darla stepped back but held her daughter’s hands. Her eyes filled with tears. “Look at you, Dee-Ann. So beautiful.”

“Momma, don’t cry.”

“I’ve just missed you so.”

“I visited back in May.”

“I know but that don’t mean I can’t miss my little girl every day.” Darla held her hand out and Ric grasped it, moving around Dee to hug her mother.

“I’m so glad you’re both all right after all that ruckus last night.”

“We’re both fine, Momma. Where’s Daddy?”

“In the bedroom. Go on in and see him.”

Dee walked through the Kingston Arms hotel room. Mitch had upgraded their room to a suite after everything that had happened. Dee offered to pay and for a brief moment, she feared that the cat would hit her, he was so dang insulted.

And, as she expected, her daddy looked mighty uncomfortable with all this luxury. Where most people would be ordering room service and getting massages, since absolutely everything was being comped, her daddy was staring out the big picture window at the bright morning sky like a poor dog trapped in its kennel. She gave him another day, maybe two, until he’d have to go home again. Until he was running free on his beloved Smith-town hills.

“Hey, Daddy.” She put her arm around his waist.

“Hey, Sugar Bug.” He kissed her forehead. “You all right?”

“I’m fine. Momma started to cry.”

“Your momma cries at those sappy Christmas card commercials, so I wouldn’t worry too much.”

“Are you all right?”

“Knowing that my baby girl is going to be able to handle anything that comes her way? I’m just fine.”

“You were worried?”

“A father’s always going to worry. You’re my heart, Sugar Bug.”

“Then what’s Momma?”

She heard him give a low chuckle. “My soul.”

“Would you like to order some breakfast, Ulrich?” Darla asked after showing him around their fancy suite with a living room and three whole bedrooms! They stood in one of those bedrooms now, the morning light shining in on Ulrich Van Holtz and, good Lord, he certainly was a handsome man. She’d seen for herself over the years that many of the Van Holtz males were handsome, but this one . . .