Page 127 of Undisputed Player
I followed with Estelle, her slight weight curled against my chest, her breath warm against my collarbone.
Adrian trailed behind, arms full of bags, his manic energy muted and careful.
Connor laid Sierra gently on the bed, brushing her hair from her forehead and tucking the sheets around her shoulders. She blinked up at him, eyes wide and trusting, and he bent to press a kiss to her temple.
“Sleep, sweet girl,” he soothed, his voice so soft I almost didn’t hear it. “We’ll be back soon.”
I laid Estelle on the other side of the bed, smoothing the blanket over her frame. She stirred, eyes fluttering open, and I crouched so my face was level with hers.
“You’re safe here, princess,” I whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Connor’s penthouse is a fortress. Mara’s outside, and we’ve got security on every floor. No one’s getting in on your sleepover.”
She reached for my hand, her grip surprisingly strong. “Where are you going?”
I forced a smile, letting my thumb brush over her knuckles. “PRstuff. Sponsors, press. Since I skipped out.” I leaned in, my voice dropping lower. “I’ll be back before you wake up. Promise.”
The lie was poison on my tongue, but I'd told worse ones for less important reasons.
Adrian poked his head in, arms full of takeout bags and a tray of dessert. “We left food in the kitchen. There’s coffee, tea, juice, and enough sugar to keep you both buzzing for days. And I’m locking Toffee in here so he doesn't eat your goodies.”
Sierra managed a sleepy smile, her hand reaching for Connor’s. He squeezed it; his thumb tracing circles on her wrist, then leaned down and murmured something in her ear. She nodded, her eyes meeting his, and I watched a silent conversation pass between them, something intimate and knowing.
She understood. She had an understanding since Jerry. She wouldn’t tell Estelle, but she knew this wasn’t just a media obligation. She knew it was something that required blood.
Connor straightened, his hand lingering on Sierra’s cheek. “We’ll lock the door from the outside. Mara will be in the hallway. It won't open for anyone.”
Sierra nodded again, her voice barely a whisper. “Be careful.”
Adrian grinned, meticulously placing cat treats on the foot of the bed so Toffee would sleep with the girls. “Careful’s my middle name. Right after ‘Catalyst.’” He winked at Sierra, then at Estelle, but the seriousness in his eyes made me feel bittersweet.
Estelle’s fingers tightened around mine, like my princess didn’t want me to leave.
I bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting my lips linger. "Sleep, princess. I'll be back soon. I promise."
“Please don’t leave me, too.”
The words were so quiet, so openly vulnerable, I stared down at her half-asleep face. Whatever I’d prepared to say vanished, swallowed up by the ache in her voice. She was a storm survivor in a delicate shell: almost shot, ripped from everything safe—her trust so hard-won, and now she wanted me, not my protection, my presence.
I cupped her jaw in my palm, thumb brushing her cheek. My forehead met hers, and the world shrank to her sleep-warm skin and the silent tremors of her breath.
“I will never leave you.” My voice was rough, barely steady. “You hear me? I will always come back. You’re not losing anyone else—not while I’m breathing."
She nodded sleepily, her lashes fluttering shut, but her hand didn’t leave mine until I gently pried it away. I watched her, memorizing the fact that she was safe now.
Adrian was quiet for a few minutes, then glanced at me, understanding. “Ready?”
I nodded, my heart a fist in my chest. “Let’s go.”
We slipped out, and Connor deadlocked the door from the outside. Mara nodded as she took her post. The penthouse was locked down, every camera feed on, every alarm set. The girls were safe.
I planned on vetting another ex-WBA woman to guard our girls with her after this incident; we clearly couldn’t be too fucking careful.
In the hallway, Connor’s jaw was tight, his eyes dark. “She knows,” he rumbled affectionately, meaning Sierra. “She always knows.”
Adrian’s grin was sharp. “Your bee doesn’t go buzzing around. We’re good.”
I nodded, glancing back at the closed door. “Let’s make sure we come back.”
Connor’s lips twisted in something like a smile. “We always do.”
