Polly shook her head. “Y’all are too good to be true. I’m a lucky mother-in-law.”

Matt looked around the table as his father went to sit back down but before he could speak, there was a pounding on the front door.

Tim stood and put a hand out. “Tate, you sit your butt down.” He craned his neck. “If you will all excuse me a moment. It’s for me.”

William perked up and moved to follow.

“It’s my father,” Beth whispered.

“Everyone, please sit.” Shane stood and put his napkin down.

Matt got up. “Don’t move,” he admonished before he and the rest of the men at the table got up and left.

“Oh for goodness sake!” Tate stood. “This is ridiculous.”

“Tate, let them handle this,” Polly spoke. “Let Matt do this. He needs to. You exorcised that demon with the protection order. Let him feel like he’s protecting you. It seems silly but that’s what men like to do.”

“I’ve ruined yet another gathering with my drama.”

“You sit your butt down, Tate Murphy! I will not have you making this about you. It’s not. It’s about your father, who is a bad man. You all deserve better. Now you let those boys kick some tail and we’ll crack the windows here to hear what’s happening.” Polly raised an eyebrow, daring her to disobey and moved to open the windows.

Matt felt nothing but the ice of resolve to end this bullshit once and for all. The oily f**ker had come to the firehouse to try and work him for money a few weeks before and he’d sent him packing.

Tim was standing on the porch, menacing Bill Murphy when Matt came out. Shane stood in the doorway, letting Matt handle things.

“I don’t know what you’re doing here but as Tate is inside, you’re violating the protection order even being this close.” Matt stood next to Tim with William on one side and Nathan on the other.

“I been hearing around town how my girl is using you for money. I figure if you want me to keep quiet about it, you need to provide incentive.”

“You’re aware that this kind of thing is illegal. It’s called extortion, might be considered blackmail but I’d go with extortion. You’ll do more jail time that way,” Edward spoke lazily from his place on the porch but Matt heard the steel in it.

“You’ve been warned to remove your carcass from this property and that you’re in violation of the protection order. Get your sorry ass away from here. I’m not going to let you hurt Tate ever again, you got me? This has gone on long enough with your pathetic abuse of your daughter.” Matt stepped forward, pleased to see Bill step back, his bravado failing.

“Why doesn’t Tate tell me herself?”

“We’re all telling you. You’ve threatened my children, you’ve threatened my wife, you’ve hurt my brothers and sisters and it’s not happening ever again. I beat your ass fifteen years ago, you want another helping?” Tim asked.

“You’re a weak, pathetic excuse for a human being. If the only thing that makes you feel like a man is abusing a woman a foot smaller than you who’s never done a damned thing to hurt you, no wonder your wife doesn’t stay at home.”

Tim gave him a sideways glance that held a cringe. Matt knew he pushed hard but damn it, his woman had been terrorized for most of her life by this piece of shit, he was done trying to reason with him.

Bill lunged at him but Matt was ready and his fist was cocked back to deliver a very satisfying punch to the nose. The other man howled in pain and stumbled back. “You hit me! I’m going to sue you for assault!”

“You’re on my property, you’ve been advised to leave and you attacked him. It was self defense and there are plenty of witnesses to say so.” Edward chuckled. “Now get your drunken ass off my lawn. If you so much as look at my daughter-in-law-to-be again, or any of these children you were gifted with but threw away, I’ll come up with ways to sue you until the end of time.”

“I don’t have anything for you to take, Chase!” Bill moved back to the sidewalk.

“Certainly not pride. But it’d amuse me to mess with you for a good long time. My grandchildren are in the house, we’re having Christmas breakfast. You get on out of here.”

“Go on now, Bill. You’re in violation of the order and if Tate wishes it, I’ll arrest you right now.” Shane moved his hands to his waist.

“No, I’m just fine, Shane, thank you.” Tate came onto the porch and leaned into Matt, who put an arm around her. “If he leaves now. If not, arrest him.” She looked at her brothers, the Chase men and finally Matt and smiled. “Thank you. Now, food is getting cold and there are some children who want to open presents, oh and me too, so let’s eat.”

“I love you,” Matt murmured as they walked into the house after watching Bill stalk away.

“Me too. Matt?”

He stopped and looked down into her face. “Yes, Venus?”

“You’re really going to get some tonight. You’re very sexy when you’re tough.”

He laughed, leaning down to kiss her quickly. “Thank you for letting me handle that.”

“Come on already!” Liv called out from the doorway and Matt sighed, dragging Tate into the dining room.

As they ate breakfast, Polly watched the children, her grandbabies as well as her newly, ready made ones, play and laugh. Children should grow up safe and knowing they were loved.