Page 204 of Daddy, Sir

He stopped behind her, inhaling deeply, steadying himself.

“Lily.”

She froze.

Her shoulders tensed, her fingers clenched around the doll in her lap. And then, slowly, she turned her head.

The moment their eyes met, the world around them faded.

Because, right there in front of him, dressed in pink and looking as perfect as she had all those years ago, was hisLittle Lily.

Greyson took a steadying breath before moving closer, his boots barely making a sound against the padded floor of the littles’ play area. He lowered himself to one knee beside her, a deep groan slipping from his throat as his muscles protested.

“Damn,” he muttered, rubbing his knee with a smirk. “I’m not as young as I used to be.”

Lily giggled, the soft, airy sound sending warmth straight through him. “Neither am I.”

Greyson shook his head, his gaze tracing over her face, the familiar sparkle in her eyes, the way she still had that natural innocence about her. “No,” he said. “You still look just as Little as the day we met.”

Her cheeks flushed, a faint pink creeping across her skin.

His chest tightened, and he swallowed, forcing his voice to remain even. “Are you here with anyone?”

Greyson wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer, but he had to know. The thought of her in another man’s arms, calling someone elseDaddy, made his stomach churn.

Lily shook her head. “No.”

She shifted, glancing around the room, and his pulse kicked up a notch. “Are you?”

“Came alone,” he answered, almost interrupting her.

An awkward silence settled between them.

Greyson held her gaze and then let out a slow breath, forcing himself to break the tension.

“I’ll let you get back to playing,” he whispered, though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Lily nodded, but he didn’t miss the flicker of something in her eye. Disappointment? Uncertainty?

He forced himself to his feet, another quiet groan escaping as he straightened. Fuck, his years of service were catching up with him. Then, without another word, he turned and made his way to the side of the room, finding an empty chair. And then he watched her.

Not in an intrusive way, not in a possessive way, at least, that’s what he told himself. But hecouldn’tstop looking.

She was stillhisLily.

Maybe not in the way she once was.

Maybe not at all.

But as she sat there, lost in her own world, brushing the doll’s hair with delicate fingers, Greyson’s thoughts reeled.

Could he do this?

Could he step back into her life?

More importantly, did shewanthim to?

Chapter Four

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