Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
I laughed. All the women had been wonderful. Their children who were old enough had all taken a turn holding the babies. It truly was like a big happy family. I loved every single one of them.
“She’s more than welcome to come visit any time she wants. She and the other women here are so wonderful.”
“They think a lot of you, baby.”
“I think a lot of them. Thank you for letting me stay here. For bringing me into this family. I don’t know what I’d do if all of this wasn’t in my life. And you? Gideon, you’re so important to me.” I ducked my head, needing to tell him yet afraid he didn’t feel the same way. Why I was so insecure I had no idea. He’d shown me how much he cared for me every single day I’d been here. But did he love me?
As if he could read my mind, his gaze softened, and he leaned in to kiss me. “I love you, Emmanuell. Been waitin’ for the right time to tell you. Thought it would be when the babies were born, but that kinda didn’t turn out like I’d planned.”
“Babies are like that sometimes.” I smiled. “I love you, too.”
“Let’s put the girls down for their nap. I’ll call Thorn and see if they can come a little early. We’ll go out on the bike and maybe spend the night in Miami. Would you like that?”
“That’d be wonderful!”
“Good. Let’s get them down.”
We carried the girls to the bedroom the club had helped get together for them. It had three of everything, all of it color-coordinated as to which item was which child’s. Sophia grinned up at her papa before her eyes drifted shut and she was out like her sisters.
Gideon pulled out his phone and was texting when it buzzed. He frowned.
“What is it?”
“Thorn wants to meet with us.”
“I don’t understand. Aren’t they coming here already?”
“Yeah, baby. This is about Goldstein. He wants us in his office.” There was a knock at the door. Gideon opened it to find Lucy, Marianna, and Kitty at the door smiling brightly.
“Where are the girls?” Kitty asked excitedly, looking around. “I need snuggles.”
“They’re asleep,” I said with a grin. “I expect you’ll be picking them up and holding them now.”
“Absolutely!” Kitty and Lucy hurried into the girls’ room. Marianna hugged me.
“Thorn said he’s in his office. He said not to worry, everything is under control. He also said none of the women were allowed to have any more girls. Said if daughters took away Ripper’s man card, they’d take away every man card in the place.”
“I caught him talking baby talk to them again,” I said.
“I love it when that happens,” Marianna said. “Record it next time. We’ll have a blast.”
“You know I’m right here.” Gideon had his arms crossed over his chest, a fierce scowl on his face.
“Yup. Hard to miss that,” I said and flounced out the door.
He scooped me up and over his shoulder, swatting my ass as he grumbled down the hall. I squealed and laughed as he made his way down the steps and into Thorn’s office. The other man grinned at me before sighing at Gideon.
“I thought I told you to look for your man card. It couldn’t have gotten far.”
“What’s a man card against three daughters? I was screwed from the outset and took it on willingly. Get used to it, prez.”
Thorn chuckled. “Well, let her sit down. We have some shit to discuss, and I don’t want to do it staring at her ass.”
“Watch it,” Gideon growled as he let me slide to the floor. Took me a second to get my bearings after being hung upside down, but I managed.
“Not my fault, man,” Thorn said, raising his hands in surrender, a cocky grin on his face. “You’re the one who put her on display.”
We sat and Gideon put his arm around me, kissing my cheek as he did. “What’s up?”
“Goldstein wants a meet with Emmanuell.”
I sucked in a breath. “What? How did he find me?”
“We finally got Beaner to crack. In exchange for…” Thorn glanced at Gideon before continuing. “In exchange for us stopping his interrogation, he agreed to contact Goldstein and tell him you were here with us. He must know we suspect he had a part in your father’s death, so we’re not going to grant his request to meet with you alone. The only way he gets to talk to you is here. In our house.”
“Is that wise? I mean, I don’t want to put anyone here in danger if he thinks he can get rid of me. What if he tells the police you kidnapped me or that it was all of us trying to get my father’s money? This could go all kinds of wrong.”
“It won’t.” Thorn said. “No matter what he does, we can control the narrative here.”