because I wanted to fix the rift between him and my girl.
“It’s two fucking words,” Dad barked. “Repeat after me—I’m sorry. Not hard to say, dickhead.”
Colt’s jaw worked for a moment before he finally unclenched it enough to mutter, “I’m sorry.”
“You know, your plan was pretty genius,” I complimented him. “You just didn’t take into consideration one important aspect. River has been the only female I’ve seen from the moment I hit puberty. She knows more than anyone that I would rather chop off my own cock than touch anyone else.”
He grunted. “Yeah, well, I thought this whole bullshit relationship between you two was just you trying to fuck with me. I didn’t like you using my little girl to prank me. I didn’t realize you two had been together for years.”
I stood up straighter. “Our relationship isn’t bullshit. I’ve loved her since before I even understood what that kind of love really meant.” I pulled my brows together as I considered what else he’d just said. “And why the hell would I prank you like that? If I wanted to fuck with you, I wouldn’t use River. Trust me, old man. I have better ways to jerk you around than using the woman I love as bait.”
“Yeah,” Kingston muttered behind me. “If I were you, Unc, I wouldn’t be going to Mav for ink anytime soon. He’s liable to give you a big hairy cock or something.”
Colt’s lips twitched in amusement. “Noted.”
“When I asked you for permission to date River on her birthday, what I really wanted to ask was for your blessing to marry her,” I told him, needing to lay it all on the table so he understood where I was coming from. Maybe I should have just asked him that day instead of easing into it like Jack and Kingston had suggested. “Even though she’s vowed to cut you out of her life, I would still like your blessing.”
His jaw tensed again, and I witnessed him having trouble swallowing for a moment before he blew out a harsh sigh. “Yeah, boy. You have my blessing.” He thrust his hands into his jeans pockets. “But I want to walk her down the aisle.”
“I can’t guarantee that, man.” I gave it to him straight. “She’s stubborn, and right now, she’s pissed. You broke her heart.”
His shoulders slumped, his throat working again as he fought his emotions. “I know.”
“Well, don’t just stand there, dumbass!” Uncle Jet grumbled. “Figure out how to fix it. You found a way to get Kelli to forgive you for all the shit you put her through. I’m sure you can sort this out.”
Colt sighed. “Kelli suggested a few ways that might win River over, but I don’t know if she’ll accept anything I do. Or if it would even be enough. That girl is worse than her mother. She can hold a grudge.”
“You never know unless you at least try.” Uncle Bash spoke for the first time. “You shitheads take a seat. We’ll do what we can to help.”
“She’s going to think you’re trying to buy her forgiveness,” I growled at my future father-in-law as he suggested what he wanted to do to win River back.
“You take her on vacation, and by the time you return, the repairs on that house will be done,” Colt argued.
“She wants us to fix it up ourselves,” I told him. “It was why we even put in an offer on that house. She loves that place and has all these do-it-yourself projects planned. You need to think of something that doesn’t involve money.”
His eyes went blank, and I could tell he was clueless as to what that even meant.
“Okay, Unc,” Kingston spoke up, trying to help. “Let me try to simplify this for you. What’s River’s favorite movie?”
He frowned, his brain working on overdrive as he tried to find the answer. “I got nothin’.”
“Her favorite color?”
“Blue.” He was quick to answer this time.
“You only know that because I told you at her party,” Dad said with another glare. “And her favorite movie is The Princess Bride.”
“How the fuck do you know all that about my kid?” he demanded angrily.
“She spent more time at my house as a kid than at yours,” the enforcer said with a shrug.
“And when she wasn’t at Spider’s, she was at mine,” Uncle Raider added. “I lost count of the times River made Kingston watch that princess movie with her. Got Quinn hooked on it, too. I get them both themed presents from the