Page 78 of Queen Of Dark Money

Fuck.

“Youfeel a little better now?”Iasked, hesitant to pry but needing to know.Whenshe nodded,Ilet myself breathe again, pleased my quick actions had worked. “You’renot allowed to fucking scare me like that, okay?”

“Sorry,” she started, butIclosed the distance between us in two steps and grabbed her chin, jerking those big doe eyes up to meet mine.

“Thereis nothing for you to be sorry for, sweetheart.Ijust–Idon’t like to use the experienceIhave ifIcan avoid it, okay?”Isat down on the couch next to her and leaned back, oblivious to the fact that the towel around my waist did nothing to hide the outline of my dick.Hereyes scanned my chest, burning a trail in my skin as she glanced lower and blushed, but didn’t look away.

“Uhm,” she squeaked, glancing off in the distance only after she noticed she’d been caught red-handed. “Ican’t wear this around all the time.Ineed something to put on.”

Shehad me there. “I’llfind you something, just give me a minute.”Iseriously doubted she’d fit one of my shirts, andIdidn’t exactly keep loungewear on hand sinceIslept in the nude.Heroptions here would be limited.

Ipicked my phone back up and thumbed through my contacts, coming to a stop on the younger girl downstairs who was about the same size asKenz.She’dhad trouble with the father of her child recently, andI’dgiven her my number in case of an emergency.Sheowed me one for the last time he’d showed up.

Shestill didn’t knowI’drun him out of town with threats of physical harm if he kept harassing her.Shealso didn’t know her magical ‘child support checks’ were actually from my accounts.Icouldn’t stand to see a woman suffer, especially one like her, just trying to get by and raise a kid.

Maybeshe could help.

Shepicked up on the second ring; bless her. “Hello?”

“Ginger, hey, it’sDominickfrom the top floor.Howare you doing?”

Icould hear the wailing baby in the background and smiled to myself as she cooed at him off to the side and offered him a bribe in the form of snack puffs. “Sorryit’s so loud;Keithis teething, and he’s angry about it.Otherwise, we’re fine.What’sup?”

Iglanced over atKenzie, who was staring out the window with a faraway look in her eyes. “I’vegot a friend about your size who needs some clothes.Doyou have something she could sleep in, and something to wear around the apartment, until we can get her a more permanent wardrobe?”

Thesqueal from the other end of the line reminded me whyIwas gladI’dchosen not to have any more kids.Keithhad a set of lungs on him, and he used them well.Iwinced, realizing she’d picked him up to placate him as we talked. “Surething,Dom.Ican help.Hell,I’vegot a whole box of clothes hereIwas going to take to the donation center that she’s more than welcome to.Noneof it fits me anymore.Youknow, with all the baby weight.”

Icould hear the self-defeat in her voice and made a mental note to sendDirkdown with a thank you card and some fresh fruits.Theonly thing that could soften that tough bastard up wasMissGingerand littleKeith.Hewas head over heels for her, and the poor fuck didn’t even know it.Shewas the only other person who took the time to understand him when he spoke, and honestly, the two were made for each other, but both were stubborn as shit, and independent to a fault.

“You’lllose that weight soon, and even if you don’t, you’re still a knockout,Ginger.You’regonna walk to the store some daysoon, and some poor fool is gonna fall over his own shoelaces and right into love with you and that adorable little boy of yours.”

Ididn’t notice the wayKenzie’shead twitched in my direction, butIcaught the little huff of annoyance that echoed from her position.

Noteven my sub, and she’s jealous over a phone call.

Boy, howIwished she was in a state of mind to play.It’dbeen so long since someone had given me a run for my money.

AndIjust knew she’d meet me step for step, like a master chess player in a final tournament round, each move thought out and carefully curated to drag out the inevitable loss.

“I’llsendDirkdown to pick it up in a bit.Justleave it outside your door, if you don’t have time to talk, andI’llmake sure to put it to good use.”

“Justpromise me anything she doesn’t want will get donated to the needy, okay?”Keithstarted screaming in the background, andIwinced, feeling bad for her again. “I’vegotta go,Dom,I’msorry–”

“Freezea washcloth, and let him suck on it,”Isaid suddenly, remembering a desperate moment in my own past with a screamingTheo. “Orlet him gnaw on some of those freezy teething rings.”

“I’lltry that out, thanks,” she breathed, exasperation in her tone building as the wails reached a crescendo. “Fuck, sorryDom,I’lltalk later–the box is outside the door.Havea good night!”

“Youtoo,”Iechoed back to the empty line.Hergenerous contribution would save me from having to leave this penthouse, whichIdidn’t want to do right now.

AndthenIturned to face the wrath of the girl on my couch, who’d apparently been paying attention to the wholeconversation and no doubt had a very skewed understanding of my relationship with oneGingerPowell.

“Myneighbor,”Isaid, pointing to the phone. “You’llhave clothes in the hour.”Iglanced down at my own disrobed state and had the decency to blush. “AndI’mgoing to find some clothes now.”Ipointed at her seat on the couch and set my face in a stern stare. “Youstay here untilIcome back, okay?”

Shelaughed at that, a pure, melodic, tinkling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Wherethe fuck else amIgonna go?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

KENZIE

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