Page 15 of Double Take

“Is everything okay?” Axel stops beside me as her gaze darts from one of us to the other.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Hi.” Sunny gives us a half-hearted wave.

“Ma’am, I need to deliver these items to get to the next destination.”

“But I didn’t order anything. You must have the wrong address.” Her frown deepens as fear skates across her face. It’s clear she thinks her ex is somehow involved.

“Rylee.” I grab her shoulders. “It wasn’t him. We bought you some furniture.”

“Oh….” Her shoulders drop as she almost sags to the ground.

“Baby, don’t be scared. Everything’s fine. He’s not going to bother you ever again.” Axel wraps his arm around her, drawing her to his chest as I direct them where to deposit the furniture.

“This is too much.” She shakes her head as tears fill her eyes, and the delivery guy jogs back down the sidewalk, barking orders to the other two men with him.

“And don’t worry about the furniture.” I cup her cheek. “You don’t have to pay us back, so don’t worry about that. We’re doing this with no obligation and because we want to help. What are we supposed to do with all the money we have? We’re two single guys with no families and–”

“You’ll consider it charity.” She steps back and brushes her hands on her sweatpants. “Use the finances as a tax write-off. I don’t like it because I want to prove I can succeed on my own. But….” She shifts Sunny higher on her hip. “I’ll only accept if you know I’m doing you a favor also. I’ll print out a charity form on Monday and sign it so you can claim it on your taxes.”

Lord, this woman is more stubborn than anyone I’ve ever met. Except Sage. Who is also stubborn as shit.

“I don’t think it works exactly like that. But we’ll figure something out.” Axel holds his hands out in surrender. “I promise.”

“Good.”

“Momma?” Sunny’s face turns green, and tears fill her eyes. “I sick.”

“Oh, no.” Rylee’s eyes widen in horror as she glances around for somewhere to take her.

“Let me.” I snatch Sunny from her arms. From the dark circles under her eyes and the frazzled expression on her face, this is not the first time she’s rushed Sunny to the bathroom today. “Which way?”

“That way.” She points toward the bathroom. “But I–”

I don’t give her time to finish her plea to do everything on her own and rush the bulging-eyed pixie to the bathroom.

As her little body shakes, she loses her breakfast in the toilet and glances up at me out of the corner of her eye. “I don’t feel good.”

“No, honey.” I smile at her reassuringly and lift her up, holding her clammy body to my chest. “I don’t think you do.”

When she melts against me, my heart swells with something akin to love. I not only want to take care of and protect Rylee, but I’m also falling for her daughter as well. They both deserve to be showered with affection. Something they’ve both been denied for too long.

Chapter Nine

Two Days Later

Rylee

The second I attempt getting out of bed, blinding pain shoots behind my eyes, and the room feels like I’ve jumped on a Tilt-A-Whirl. Sweat breaks out on my back, and it takes every ounce of my willpower not to hurl on the pillow.

This is so bad. I’d cry, but I feel too bad. Even when I was dealing with morning sickness, I wasn’t chained to my bed.

I clasp my forehead and lean on my elbow. Oh, my God. I can’t do it.

The mattress and pillow welcome me back into their arms, but even then, I feel like shit. If this is how Sunny felt, no wonder she was crabby this weekend. Not that it stopped her. The second the medicine broke her fever, she’d been up, running around, playing, and scattering her new toys all over the house.

My eyes drift shut. I’m not complaining. She’s never had so many toys. Neither her father nor her grandparents bought her anything but clothes–even for her birthday and Christmas, so what few toys she had, I purchased for her with the few dollars I wasn’t hoarding away for my escape.

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