Page 35 of Billionaire Daddies Next Door

I was so stupid. Chase wasn’t my hero. He wasn’t there to hold me and love me. Shame settled over me heavier than any weighted blanket would ever be.

CHAPTER 26

Chase

I left the truck running as I got out to open the front door for Bear and Smith. They were each carrying a twin with Mack moving slowly after them. “I’ll see you both in the morning.”

Bear frowned. “Where are you going?”

“We all know where I’m going.” I looked back at Joanie’s house and swallowed. “She needs someone.”

Smith scowled. “And you’re that someone?”

“I’m going to be.” I opened the door and waited for them to go through.

Smith held Macey out to me. “You take Mace. I’ll go take care of Joanie.”

“Don’t fucking pass my kid back and forth.” Bear shook his head. “Maybe it’s time we talk about this.”

I looked at the girls. “What’s there to talk about? If the girls ran away, I’m assuming you had the same fight. They want a new mommy and you don’t. You’re not ready for Joanie. I am.”

“What about me? I’m fucking ready.” Smith cut his eyes at Bear. “Sorry.”

“Maybe I’m ready. How the hell would you know?” Bear adjusted his grip on Maggie. “I could be ready.”

I backed away. “No one believes you.”

He looked at Smith and scowled. “You don’t believe me either?”

Smith looked away. “Let’s get the girls to bed.”

I shrugged. “I’m not waiting on you to get ready, Bear. She needs someone now.”

“Goddammit, Chase.”

I backed away. “Take it as motivation to be ready.”

I turned and jogged back to my truck. I was in a rush to get back to Joanie. The softness in her face when I’d put her in bed was replaying in my head over and over again. I wanted that softness like I wanted my next breath. I couldn’t stop the anxiety that tugged at me over not knowing if she’d look at me like that again.

I parked behind her car and let myself in through the front door. I locked the door behind me and kicked off my shoes. By the time I got to her bedroom, I was down to my boxers. She looked back at me when I walked in and I froze when I saw her red-rimmed eyes.

She turned her head away from me right away. “Go away.”

I pulled the blanket back and got in behind her. “No.”

She tried to crawl farther away from me but I wrapped my arm around her and tugged her into my chest. She grunted and went still. “I’m fine. I don’t need you.”

I pressed my thigh between her legs and wedged my other arm under her head. “Did you ever think that maybe I need you?”

Her breath caught. “Shut up.”

I smiled into her hair. “I’m sorry I left. I was always coming back, though.”

She sniffled and held my arm to her chest. “You think you’re so great, being kind to me and everything.”

“One of these days you’re going to admit you like me.”

“No, I’m not.”

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