Page 42 of Bully Alpha's Secret Baby

Jade’s expression softens slightly as she looks down at Penny. “Yeah, sweetheart. Just like princesses.”

We’re led to our table, and I make a point of pulling out Jade’s chair for her just to get under her skin a little more. She glares at me, but there’s a flicker of amusement in her eyes that I latch onto. At least she’s not completely miserable.

Dinner goes by smoothly, at least for Penny. She’s thrilled by everything—the menu, the fancy napkins, the tiny bread rolls. Her eyes light up every time a waiter brings something to thetable, and she giggles at all the “grown-up” things she doesn’t quite understand. She tries her best to mimic the adults around her, holding her spoon like it’s a delicate treasure.

Jade, on the other hand, is more reserved. She picks at her food, barely touching her plate, and I can feel her eyes on me every so often as if she’s waiting for me to mess up. As if this whole night is a test, and I’m just one wrong move away from failing spectacularly.

“Penny, wanna know a secret about this restaurant?” I ask, because I can’t help myself.

Her eyes widen. “What?”

“They’ve got the best ice cream in town,” I whisper conspiratorially.

Her face lights up like it’s Christmas morning. “Really? Mama, can I have some?”

Jade raises an eyebrow at me before turning to Penny. “We’ll see, kiddo. Let’s finish dinner first.”

I can tell Jade’s not thrilled with me. Probably thinks I’m trying to win Penny over with sugar. And maybe I am, just a little. But watching Penny’s excitement is worth every sideways glance Jade throws my way.

By the time we’re done, Penny’s practically bouncing in her seat from the sugar rush. She’s got chocolate smeared across her face, and her little hands are sticky, but she couldn’t be happier.

“We should get going,” Jade suggests, standing up and wiping Penny’s face with a napkin. “I think someone’s had enough for one night.”

“Not yet,” I protest, holding up a hand. “There’s one more thing I want to show you both.”

Jade sighs, clearly exasperated. “Damien, I think—”

“Trust me,” I interrupt. “You’ll like this.”

I lead them back to the car, and despite Jade’s complaints, we drive up to a cliffside overlooking the town. The ride is quiet, except for Penny’s excited chatter about the ice cream. Jade’s arms are crossed, but she doesn’t say anything. I can tell she’s curious, even if she’s trying to hide it.

When we arrive, I help Penny out of the car. She immediately runs to the edge of the cliff, Jade scrambling to keep up. “Mama, look! It’s so big from up here!”

Jade stands next to her, heaving in a breath and latching onto the little girl’s arm. “It’s beautiful,” she admits.

I step up beside them, feeling a strange sense of peace wash over me. This moment is perfect. For the first time all night, Jade isn’t giving me that skeptical look. For the first time, we’re just… existing together. And Penny’s joy is contagious.

“See those lights down there?” I point to the town below, where the streetlights create a web of golden lines. “That’s where we live. Pretty cool, huh?”

Penny nods eagerly. “It’s so far away! Like we’re giants!”

I chuckle. “Yeah, kinda like that.”

Jade glances at me, and for the first time tonight, there’s no frustration in her eyes. Just… something softer. Something that makes my heart do a weird little flip.

“I used to come up here a lot,” I tell her, my voice quiet. “Whenever things got… complicated. When my dad died last year and I needed to think, this was where I would hide out. Just for a while.”

She doesn’t say anything, just watches me with that guarded expression she’s so good at. But I can see it—the walls are cracking. Just a little.

Penny tugs on my hand, pulling me down to her level. “Look, Damien! I can see our house from here!”

I smile at her excitement, and without thinking, I ruffle her hair. “Yeah, you’ve got a good eye, kiddo.”

And then it happens. Penny looks up at me with her big, innocent eyes and says, “Dad, can we come here again?”

The word hits me like a punch to the gut.Dad.

Jade freezes beside me, her entire body going stiff. I can feel her tense up, but I’m too busy processing what just happened to react.

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