Page 20 of Ghost

“Thanks,” he said, taking the heaped plate.

The second I plated my own breakfast, Payton’s sleepy cry echoed down the stairs.

I smiled.

Sleeping beauty was awake.

Chapter5

Ghost

My eyes were locked on Rae’s ass as I followed her up the steps into Payton’s room.

I was so fucked.

All night, I stood sentry at my baby girl’s crib after our standoff in the kitchen, and for hours I watched her sleeping peacefully while my mind warred with thoughts of how something as precious as Payton could come from a part of me, and then to images of the sexy little spitfire tasked with my daughter’s care.

Oh yeah, Rae was going to be trouble.

And my fucking Pop, he knew I thought he’d hired a man to care for my daughter and had done nothing to set me straight.

“Is she okay?” I watched carefully as Rae lifted Payton from her crib and carried her over to the changing table. My hands sweated every time I thought about how much I had to learn. I didn’t know the first thing about babies or how to keep one alive. I moved in closer behind Rae to watch her work.

“She’s perfect!” My daughter’s eyes widened at the sound of her nanny’s excited voice, and she cooed happily before turning her green eyes on me.

Beautiful.

“She likes you.”

My head twisted down at Rae. “What?”

“She likes you. She usually doesn’t acknowledge that anyone else exists but me.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“You think?” I looked back down at my girl and grinned. “I’m your daddy, princess.” Payton’s eyes lit up, a slobbery smile on her face.

“She’s smiling at me.” Pride hit me like a thunderbolt. I was a father. The idea and the reality were completely different.

Rae laughed, grinning up at me too. “She is. But we better get her a bottle before she starts screaming.” The morning had been a whirlwind of firsts, but seeing the look on Rae’s face, I was mesmerized by the way her lips curved up and her eyes sparkled.

Fucking hell, I knew next to nothing about the woman, and she was making me think things I had no business thinking.

I had to get my guard up.

The last thing I needed was another woman with the power to fuck me over. I’d trusted Jenny and she’d dropped my daughter on Banner’s doorstep and took off. Anyone could have taken my daughter if his wife hadn’t been there.

I wouldn’t let that shit happen again.

“Are you okay?” Rae’s southern drawl snapped me out of my thoughts, pulling my focus to the concerned look on her face.

“I’m—” The words died on my lips when a sharp knock from downstairs vibrated up the stairs. “Shit.”

I spun around and rushed down the steps, a little surprised when I opened it and found my pop standing on the other side with Haze and Kane flanking him.

My brothers’ eyes widened, and a frown pulled at my dad’s lips as they all looked me over. “You look like shit, boy.”

“Thanks.” Without waiting for an invitation, they pushed past me into the loft.

“It’s warm in here,” Kane said, going straight to the fire Rae built and sticking his hands out toward the flame. It was well below freezing outside but thanks to Rae the loft had already warmed.

---