Page 146 of Daddies' Holiday Toy
“Oh my god, are you okay?” she asks, voice muffled.
She’s actually shaking.
That tugs something deep in my chest, something I can’t shove down no matter how hard I try.
I wrap my arms around her without thinking, one hand splaying across her back, the other cupping the back of her head.
Beside me, Liam’s doing the same with one arm, trying not to crowd her too much.
“We’re fine,” I murmur, brushing my hand over her head. “We’re okay, sweetheart.”
She leans back enough to search my face, checking for damage that’s been done by her father.
Liam gets the same treatment soon after.
Behind us, Reece clears his throat.
“You’re both out on bond. Conditions are simple, stay away from Carson, and don’t do anything that’s gonna get you thrown back in here before your court date.”
I nod. Liam mutters something in agreement.
Holly’s still looking at us like she’s not convinced, but eventually she lets us step back so we can finish our paperwork.
When we finally walk out into the cold night air, she stays between us, one hand hooked into my arm, the other into Liam’s, keeping us tethered to her.
“Reece, you’re coming with us,” she tells him, giving him a look when his hand snakes into his front pocket to pull out his set of keys.
He shoots her a soft smile, though it holds a little bit of wariness. “I figured.”
The drive to her apartment in Reece’s car is quiet, except for the hum of the heater and the occasional sniff from her. She doesn’t cry but her eyes are glassy.
By the time we park out front of her building, she looks even more drained, sagging against the door.
Liam’s the first out of the car, coming around her side to open it up and catch her when she practically flops over.
He keeps her close when we head up to her floor, rubbing her back in soothing circles, murmuring soft words to her as the numbers above the elevator doors climb.
Inside her apartment, she sets her coat on the hook and just…stands there.
Almost like she’s not sure what to do with herself now that we’re all gathered here, back in the place where everything fell apart.
I can’t say I blame her.
She’s in limbo right now, caught between all of us, our choice to walk out her door that day, and the baby that’s been wedged between us all.
I step forward, tilt her chin up, and press a kiss to her lips.
Her shoulders ease a little at that.
“Stay the night. You can all leave in the morning but just…please stay. At least until I fall asleep.”
“Okay,” I tell her quietly. “Until you fall asleep. We’ll be back. We just need to get our own shit sorted first.”
She nods, and Liam leans in to kiss her cheek, Reece coming up behind him to peck her forehead, then we’re all moving with her back to her bedroom.
We get her undressed and settled under her covers, tucking her in and crowding around her just like we did when we all spent the night together.
Her smile is soft as she closes her eyes, a soft noise leaving her right before she drifts off to sleep.
