Page 14 of Derick

When my foot touched the bottom floor, I let go of Derick and rushed to the huge open area, crying out with relief when I saw Hope sitting on the kitchen bench, helping Evelin cook. “Hope. My baby girl. Why didn’t you come in and wake me?”

I gathered her to me without caring when the bowl filled with whatever spilt down me.

“Mummys, Iza get breackfess with Nanny and Poppy. Thens wes making lots of cookies.” She frowned and looked down. I followed her gaze to see chocolate batter on me. “Mummy, yous broked the chocy cookies.” I sat Hope back on the bench top. We were both covered in cookie dough.

“Hello, princess. What happened here?” Derick came in and stood beside me. “Oh, I see it got you too, Ruby.”

“Mummys broked the chocy cookies.” Her lips wobbled, and she gazed down at the dress now covered in dough. “It’s was pretty dress. Dirty nows.” A tear slid down her cheek, and my mood changed when Evelin, Derick, and Lucas went to her and offered her whatever she wanted to make her happy again.

I giggled, and then it turned into a full-blown laugh when Derick’s father promised he’d take her to choose not only a new pretty dress, but some shiny jewels to go with them and donuts. “Oh no,” I heave out between peals of laughter. “S…she has you all…all wrapped around her ll…little finger. She’s going t…to become spoiled.”

“No,” Evelin gasped. “My grandbaby is an angel.”

I watched, horrified, as Evelin picked up Hope covered in dough. She wore an apron. It looked like an old-fashion, fifties style, but it didn’t cover the top part that well and the white shirt she wore that probably cost more than what I used to pay for my apartment in a month.

Evelin kissed Hope’s forehead and cheeks. “Let’s get you cleaned up and go shopping.”

Hope’s crocodile tears stopped instantly, and she nodded. “I loves you soooo much, Nanny.”

A sob caught in my throat at the look of utter devotion Hope gave Evelin. “Oh, princess, I love you too.” She kissed Hope’s cheeks again.

Derick’s arms came around me. “Ruby, if you don’t want her to go, just say. You’re her mum.”

I shook my head against his chest, not caring that he was getting covered in cookie mix. “No, it’s…it’s just I’m…I’m s…scared that when you l…leave me that Hope will n…never forgive me for letting her fff…fall for you.”

“Oh, my precious, I will never leave you.” His lips brushed mine, and I froze. This was my first kiss. Well, willingly given one. His lips ran over mine, and I sighed at the tingling feeling. I opened my mouth and his tongue sought mine. The room and everything around me fell away as I sank into the most incredible feeling.

“Drrk is kissing Mummy,” Hope squealed. I eased back, but didn’t take my gaze off the warm brown ones staring at me with a look that was undeniably love? “Ares yous my daddy nows, Drrk?”

Spinning around, I looked at Hope, shocked. She’d never asked about her dad or even said she wanted one.

I turned back to Derick, terrified at what his answer would be. I didn’t know if I was ready for him to take on the role, but then I didn’t want him to deny it and not really want her, and if I really was his soulmate as he said, I prayed that made Hope something special too. I nibbled on my bottom lip and tried not to cry as I silently pleaded with Derick not to break my baby’s heart.

“Princess, I would love to be your daddy. If your mummy says it’s okay.” The desire in his gaze was hard to miss. His eyes showed every emotion, it was one of the things I was coming to love about him.

I looked back at my daughter, and I just knew I couldn’t say no to either of them. What could it hurt for her to have something I never thought she would? Derick and his family had been nothing but nice to me.

“Yes, if that’s what you want, baby,” I said. Her squeal of joy had my heart soaring. I knew I’d made the right decision, even if it was just for a short time.

She put her arms out to Derick, and he stepped away from me and grabbed Hope. “Iza loves you, Daddy.” She kissed his cheek. “You’s keep bads men aways toos.” My heart skipped a beat when Derick breathed her sweet baby scent in, kissed her forehead, and sighed.

“That, my baby girl, I can promise.” He caressed her hair and hugged her against him. I felt the wetness slip down my cheeks as I tried not to choke on a sob. I hope he kept his promise. He caught my gaze and mouthedthank you.

I nodded, not sure what to do. One thing I did know was that the Silvermans had fallen in love with Hope, and truthfully, I couldn’t blame them; she was damn easy to love. I would let her have this and even take what I could for myself.

Derick

Watchingmy mother as she baked cookies with Hope, I looked over at Ruby, who I’d set up on a laptop to look through emails and start sorting out the change of address. I had been given a gift that I would do everything in my power to love and protect. Ruby had just shown me that she not only trusted me, but that she wanted us together. She wanted everything that came with being my soulmate. My one. I knew she wouldn’t have let Hope call me dad otherwise.

I was selfish. I had what most people only dreamed of. I had a family that loved me unconditionally. We had our own issues to sort out—what family didn’t?—but for some reason the universehad given me the gift of expanding my family and brought in two people that appreciate what I had been taking for granted. The universe was showing me what a selfish, spoiled idiot I’d been.

I gazed at the amazing woman I’d been gifted and the biggest wonder ever, another Silverman daughter, this one hadn’t been born a Silverman, but she would be spoiled like Angelica was. Hope deserved to be treated like the princess she was. Hope would never be scared and worry about her mother or bad men ever again. I would treat them like the rare gems they were. I vowed my daughter would never feel the worry I’d felt when my family had been hurt.

My goal now was to keep everything progressing forward with my family. Hope seemed to be settled, like she’d always been a part of this family, but I knew it would take a lot longer for Ruby to be close to where her daughter was. I’d get her there and have her fall for me just like I wanted, no, needed her to. Love. Ruby deserved to be surrounded by it. I would give it to her. I would give her the world.

I was sure Ruby wouldn’t have let Hope out of her sight. Not after her scare this morning. But to my surprise, she let my parents take Hope shopping. I knew my mother wanted to take Hope to all the things she had been craving, the girl’s section of the toy store for one. We had always been into sports, soccer, swimming, football, cricket, and the toys we liked had been transformers, cars, Lego, and Nerf guns. Sure, our mum had tried to give us dolls, my little ponies, and others that some called girls’ toys, but we wouldn’t have them.

I knew before my brother and I had been kidnapped that my parents had almost adopted a little girl, but the whole ordeal had put it off. I always wondered why they never tried again. But my mum now had the little girl to spoil with all the things she wanted to secretly play with.

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