Page 118 of Power Play

He always knew he wanted me and no one else, and he never wavered. True to his choice.

Unlike me…

Looking back at my mistakes, at the choices I’ve made, I often think that I needed to go through all of it. I needed to start appreciating what I have, to learn what is right for me and what is wrong. I needed all of that because without it, there wouldn’t be Maya. And she is the only choice I’ve made that I’ve never regretted. I learned how to love, and now I can love Clay in the way he deserves.

I wasn’t ready for him then, but I’m one hundred percent ready now.

Clay Rodgers is everything. And he’s mine.

CLAY

One year later, August

Layla’s phone dings again, and I grab it from the nightstand. The name of her group chat pops up on her screen, making me laugh. I silence her phone and put it back. I never read her texts, unless she wants me to.

“Daddy!” Maya yells. Her laughter is accompanied by Daisy’s barks. What now?

I get out of bed and glance at the closed bathroom door. The sound of the water running leaves no doubt that Layla is still in the shower. I make my way into Maya’s room. When I push the half-closed door open wide, I’m not prepared for what my eyes land on.

Shit. Layla is going to kill us.

“I don’t know how she got out,” Maya tells me, jumping out of her bed with Daisy in her arms. The dog’s fur is wet and covered in mud. A chunk of dirt is perched on her nose.

I squint at Maya, biting my bottom lip. Her chocolate brown eyes hold mine, but with how her lips start to tremble, I know she’s going to spill her secret any minute.

“I let her out when I went for a glass of water.” She stares at her feet. “I’m sorry.”

“For letting her out, or for lying to me?”

Her cheeks redden. “Both.” Maya steps toward me, a plea etched onto her face. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I won’t do it again.”

I crook a smile, ruffling her hair. “You’re fine, Princess, but next time there will be consequences.”

She nods.

“Okay, let’s clean up. If your mom sees this mess…actually, no. I don’t even want to imagine what she’d do.”

“Mommy says she’s a bad cop,” Maya comments as we go to her bathroom. “And you’re a good one.”

Her words make me halt in my tracks. Thoughtful, I scrutinize Maya. Her hair is in two braids that end below her shoulder blades. She’s pretty tall for a four-year-old, around three-foot-four. Her brown eyes, framed by dark brown eyelashes, stare at me from behind her glasses with warmth and curiosity.

She’s a very pretty little girl, and I have no idea how I’m going to react when boys start noticing her. I’ll probably be a mess.

“Daddy?” she says softly, tugging on my hand.

“Oh, right! Sorry, just spaced out.” I have a lot on my mind, considering we’re leaving for Madeira in two days. I laugh to myself, stepping toward the bathtub. “Let’s start with Daisy, and then your bed, and also the kitchen and the living room. To make sure there are no paw prints on the floor.”

“Okay.” She nods, and we get into work.

Thirty minutes later,as I return to our bedroom, the bathroom door opens and Layla steps out in a towel. Her blond hair is longer now, pulled into a messy bun on top of her head. She’s lost some weight, but, to my delight, her body still has all those curves and lines I love worshiping so much. Especially her round hips. I can’t go a single day without my hands on her ass.

“You were in the bathroom for almost an hour,” I say, closing the door behind me.

“Where were you?” She ignores my comment and heads to our walk-in closet.

“With Maya and Daisy. They’re already asleep.”

“Okay.” Layla emerges wearing tiny black satin shorts and a tee. Something in her behavior is off, but I can’t pinpoint what exactly.

---