Page 95 of Bet On Me, Daddy

There’d been a time, not so long ago, when she’d been buried in little blue boxes. But when she’d told him she wanted out, that she wasn’t interested in being anyone’s second choice, everything had been taken from her. It surprised her to realize how much she missed all the things she’d tried so hard to pretend hadn’t mattered.

You have your freedom now. That’s what matters.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Snapping the box closed again, Ruby turned to Cordelia and forced a bright smile. “Yup. Peachy-keen.”

Eyes narrowed in that ‘Domme look’ Lottie had tried to copy, Cordelia studied her for a long, tense moment. “Your Daddy asked me to keep an eye on you. Do I need to call him?”

God. She could only imagine how Beckett would freak out if she did that. “First of all, Beckett isn’t my Daddy. Not like that. We’re… It’s casual.”

Cordelia snorted out a laugh. “Honey, I hate to tell you this, but there’s nothing casual about the way that man looks at you.”

Excitement and panic slammed into Ruby’s chest in equal measure. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve known Beckett Stone for years, and I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you.” Tilting her head to the side, Cordelia studied her with those serious green eyes that always felt like they saw far too much for anyone’s good. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

“Haven’t noticed what?” Silver, who had been mostly quiet during the meal, finally spoke up.

Perfect fucking timing.

“How Beckett looks at Ruby,” Cordelia said, her concerned expression shifting into a smirk as she settled back in her chair, running her fingers through Ivy’s hair.

Silver immediately perked up. “Oh, you mean like he’s been starving for years and she’s a full fucking buffet?”

“Exactly like that.”

“Oh my god.” Cheeks burning, Ruby downed what was left of her mimosa, praying it would help the headache that was now pounding at the front of her skull. “It’s not like that, you guys. We’re just… enjoying each other’s company.”

Cordelia snorted out a laugh. “Enjoying each other’s company at Beckett’s house, which he’s never done for as long as I’ve known him.”

“That’s what I told her!” Silver jabbed a finger in Ruby’s direction. “Didn’t I tell you the other day that Ice has never seen him take someone home?”

“You did, but that doesn’tmeananything.”

“It means everything!” Lottie bounced in her seat, her eyes dancing with excitement. “I wish you’d stop fighting it so hard. You guys are so cute together! Almost as cute as Frankie and Holden.”

Frankie let out a sound that could only be described as a snarl. “Charlotte, I swear to god if you don’t stop with the Holden crap I’m going to make sure you walk down the aisle looking like a circus clown.”

“No you won’t.” Leaning over, Lottie snuggled against Frankie’s arm. “You love me too much to do that to me.”

“That’s probably true, but I wouldn’t push your luck.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Whatever.” But when Frankie rolled her eyes again, there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Besides, this isn’t about me. This is about the fact that Beckett is clearly head over fucking heels in love with our Ruby.”

Air. She needed air, and she couldn’t seem to get enough of it into her lungs. “No. He’s just—we’re just—it’scasual.”

Frankie cocked an eyebrow. “Did you contact Webster’s and ask them to redefine the word ‘casual’? Because what you’re doing with Beckett sure as hell doesn’t fit the current definition.”

“You can keep lying to yourself, Ruby,” Cordelia said with a nonchalant lift of her shoulder, as if she wasn’t trapping Ruby in yet another gilded cage with every word she spoke. “But the rest of us see it plain as day. If that man isn’t head over heels in love with you, I’ll eat my hat as the saying goes.”

“Wanna bet?”

She wasn’t sure what made her say it. But the words were out now, and the way her friends were watching her, there was no taking it back.

“All right,” Cordelia said after a long, drawn-out silence. “If Beckett doesn’t say he loves you by the end of the month, you can have all my tips for a week.”

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