Page 115 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

“Need me for this?” Bull asks.

“No, I think we’re good—” I say, just happy we’re in a good place again.

“Need, no,” Theo interjects. “But you’ve been my friend and brother Dom for a quarter of my fucking life, Bull. I hate hearing that you have a reason to doubt Logan. If you don’t need to be anywhere, stick with us this afternoon. Be our conscience.”

Bull smiles. “I can do that. Lemme arrange a couple of things. I’ll meet you in the small conference room in a half-hour.” He jogs off toward the stairwell beside the lifts at the far end of the hallway.

“He’s going to show us up by taking the stairs, isn’t he?” Theo mutters to me.

“Yup.”

“Asshole. I’m surrounded by assholes. I’m still taking the elevator. Come on.”

Down three levels, Theo follows me into the Nursery. It’s surprisingly quiet. Maybe not surprisingly, when I see Bravo, Warrin, and Faolan sitting in the storytime corner with Yummy, Aggie, and Matty on their laps. Bravo’s reading from a book called “The Bumblebear,” which I’m pretty sure Emmy got for Cynnie. Emmy herself isn’t asleep—no surprise—but she is curled up in a sleeping bag on the floor beside Sammi. Olivia’s on a mat between them with a few of her sensory toys scattered around. Unlike Emmy, my daughter’s completely sparked out, spread like a little starfish.

Emily’s gleaming eyes meet mine when I walk through the door. She doesn’t close them and pretend to sleep because my baby girl doesn’t lie to her daddy. She puts a gentle hand on Livvy’s tummy and smiles at me.

I return her smile. I love seeing my two girls together.

“Ulp,” says a soft voice from my right.

“Uh-huh, this doesn’t look like napping,” Theo says, peering over the edge of the “pirate ship” at where Amy and Hunter are sitting, putting together a Lego pirate ship that’s a miniature of the ship they’re sitting in.

“Lego,” Amy whispers, as though that’s an all-encompassing excuse.

“If you’d said you wanted to come up to the Nursery and play Lego after the swim, that would have been fine. But you told me you were coming up to nap.”

Amy’s pretty face screws into an expression that’s one part remorse and three parts defiance. “Everyone else said they were coming up to nap, so IthoughtI might nap but then Hunt showed me where the Lego were?—”

“Don’t throw me under the bus, babe-girl,” Hunter objects. “You asked me where the Lego were.”

Amy shoots a filthy glare at the house submissive.

“You should have told me you were considering a naporplaying with Lego,” Theo says firmly. “We could have discussed the importance of napping after the day you’ve had, walking all over the Aquarium and swimming, so you wouldn’t be too tired to scene tonight. Since you avoided having that conversation with me, I’d like you to come to the Blue Harem room for fifteen minutes. I’m going to give you a warm bottom and an orgasm and see if that helps you nap.”

Theo reaches over the rail of the pirate ship, offering his hand to Amy. She stares at him with wide eyes, her rosy mouth hanging open, before she scrambles to her feet and takes his hand.

“Good girl,” he praises her, before leading her out of the Nursery.

Chuckling, I make my way over to Emily. Beside her, Sammi is asleep, curled tightly around a huge purple teddy bear. When I sit down on the floor at her feet, Emily starts to sit up but I wave her back down. I find one of her feet through the sleeping bag, draw it into my lap, and start rubbing her little toes.

Emily collapses into a puddle. She pulls the top of the bag around her face and cuddles into it, the way she does with one of the throw blankets she keeps on our bed.

“Daddy,” she whispers.

“Shh, baby. Daddy’s helping you relax enough to have a nap. Everything’s okay.”

“Did you lay siege to Master Chess’ office until he let you in?” she asks sleepily.

“We didn’t need to. We had a talk. I’ll wait to hear from him until tomorrow. You’ve done enough to help Daddy today, my little wonder. I’m very proud of you. Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight? Just you, me, and Livvy. I saw a place I’d like to try when I was at Rockefeller Center. Steak and seafood. They have a private dining room that I’ll get so you’re not worried if Livvy starts to fuss.”

“Oh, yes, please, Daddy.”

“Good girl.” I switch feet. Emily groans softly. “Let that thought carry you off to bowbies, little girl.”

She closes her eyes. Her thumb sneaks into her mouth. Before Bravo even finishes the new book he’s started reading, “Princess Jack and the Very Hungry Dragon,” Emily’s asleep. I sit and watch my girls for a minute.

This is everything I’d hoped for. This moment. My girls happy and peaceful in the place that’s meant so much to me over the years. Surrounded by friends who understand my little’s needs. Surrounded by love and acceptance.

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