Free Created In Fire (Art of Love Series) by Donna McDonald

sucker punched you?” Will asked to confirm, narrowing his eyes and turning his best teacher gaze on Kevin, who looked away and flushed. To men who were used to clean cut appearances, the shaved head and earring he sported now made him almost as intimidating to them as Shane.
    Michael nodded. “Yes. Carrie was about to faint. It was catch her or hit him back. There wasn’t much choice at the time.”
    The power of guilt, Michael thought, looking at Ethan’s and Kevin’s flushed faces, was so much more intimidating than physical strength. He thanked his mother and father both for that lesson.
    “Interesting family you’re marrying into son. We’ll need to order two more pizzas if you get this worked out,” Will said, looking at Ethan, who looked ready to let the ground swallow him, and then back to Kevin who was now flushing with embarrassment.
    “Kevin, don’t hit Michael again. I taught my son how to throw a punch as well as take one. He won’t be nice next time, no matter how much he cares about your sister.”
    “Yes, sir,” Kevin said, shoving hands in his pockets. “I don’t intend to hit him again. I regret the first time.”
    “Can we just get the apology part of this over with and move on?” Ethan asked, his impatience winning out over his promise to himself to say as little as possible.
    “Sure. I’ll accept your apology, if you walk Carrie down the aisle and give her away at our wedding. I want you to prove to her that you think she’s a good woman making a good decision,” Michael said. “That’s all the apology I want from you, Ethan. Fake it if you have to for now. We’ll work at making it real later when you see I’m the right man.”
    Ethan thought about that for a minute while Michael Larson stared and waited. Finally he nodded. There wasn’t really anything else to do. He’d promised Maggie to make amends, and he did love his daughter, even though he was still disappointed in her.
    “Okay. Deal I guess,” he said, sticking out a hand, which Michael stared at untrustingly for few seconds, but finally took.
    Then Michael turned to meet Kevin’s reluctant gaze. “I owe you an ass-kicking for the sucker punch. It will happen one day no matter how sorry you are now,” Michael said firmly. “And as scary as Shane is, he doesn’t fight my fights. He just hands out bandages after. Of all the men in my family, I have the least amount of self-control. Your sister saved your ass from the beating from hell today.”
    Kevin sighed at the threat. “I’m not a bad guy,” he said wearily. “You can ask your father.”
    “I hear you. I’m not either—but I can be as bad as I need to be when it comes to taking care of your sister,” Michael told him. “Don’t hit me again and expect to get by with it. And stop being so mean to Carrie. She hates you enough already.”
    “I intend to fix that too,” Kevin said, sighing and running a hand through his hair. “I know I need to square things with Carlene—I mean Carrie.”
    Kevin saw Michael’s grin and wanted to grin in return. He had to give Larson points for having both guts and a sense of humor.
    “I know. I know. You can stop with the evil eye. Carrie hates her real name. Mom and Dad are the only ones allowed to call her that,” Kevin said.
    Michael swung the door open and motioned the men inside.
    “Truthfully, I didn’t even know Carlene was her real name until today. She signs everything, even legal papers, Carrie Addison,” Michael said, leading them down the hall.
    “Carlene was my mother’s name. It’s a good name,” Ethan defended lightly, stepping inside. “Is this your house?”
    “Yes. It’s small, but completely paid for, which is nice in my line of work. I can financially take care of your daughter, but she doesn’t really need me to. She’s a good business woman,” Michael told him.
    Jessica strode down the hall, surprising the two strange men when she walked up to Michael, as tall as the men in her