“Can I take Jessie?” She’s still clutching the unicorn.
“Of course.” I lead her to the living room and find her a full coat, helping her into it before I put on shoes and grab a thick sweater myself. “Ready?”
“Yes, Sir.”
I hurry her down the hallway and into the garage, knowing she will be a bit unnerved until she’s in the car, worrying about someone seeing her.
As I pull out of the parking garage, I scan the area, instantly spotting the same fucker. He’s farther away, but I recognize his size and ball cap. “Fuck,” I mutter. I take a right out of the garage, moving in the opposite direction. He clearly has me pegged by now though because I see him on the move out of my rearview mirror. He’s jogging across the street toward his car.
“Daddy?” Eve glances over her shoulder.
“Face front, baby. It’s safer in case Daddy has to hit the brakes.” I take a left and then another right, hoping by the time he gets in his car, he can’t find me.
Luckily, I never spot him again. I’ve lost him. Just to be safe, I drive around in circles for a while, taking strange turns several times before getting on the highway. He’s not on my tail, and eventually, I sigh and reach for Eve’s hand.
She’s shaking.
I lift her fingers to my lips and kiss them. “It’s okay, baby.”
“It’s not though, not really.” Her tone tells me she’s waffling out of her little space. And that’s fine if it’s what she needs or wants, of course, but it won’t change anything.
When I get off the highway, I pull over into a parking lot and put the car in park, facing her. I cup her face. “You okay?”
She shakes her head. Her eyes are watery.
“Listen, baby, I won’t make this decision for you. It’s your choice. If you want me to tell you everything I’ve learned this morning, I will. Right now or when we get to Roman’s or later today. But, here’s the thing. Nothing has really changed. Not where you’re concerned. I still don’t know anything about who’s after you or who the man is watching your apartment. I need you to know that nothing is ever going to happen to you because I won’t let it. I know it’s stressful, but I bet you’ll handle it better if you stay in your little space and enjoy some time with your friends. I promise if anything ever happens that you need to know for your safety, I will tell you immediately. In this case, I think you should let Daddy talk to Roman, Julius, and Davis first. Can you do that, baby?”
She nods. “Yes, Daddy.” Her voice is small.
“Good girl.” I lean closer and kiss her forehead. “You good?”
She nods again.
I know she’s only marginally good, but, even after spending only one week with her, I feel like I know her well enough to encourage her to stay in her little space, oblivious to the new facts that honestly don’t concern her directly. Perhaps after speaking with the other men, I’ll decide to bring her into the fold, but for now, I’d rather not worry her.
I pull back onto the road, look in every direction, and finish the drive to Roman’s.
Chapter 24
Colton
We pull up to what would most aptly be described as a mansion. Wow. Not what I was expecting. After driving through a gated entrance, I park in front of the estate and stare at the older brick home for a few moments before removing my seatbelt. Eve does too.
I round to her side of the car and let her out.
She clutches her unicorn as we take the steps up to the front door. Before we reach for the knocker, the door opens. A man in his early seventies opens it. He’s very formal and serious-looking, but he smiles wide as soon as he spots Eve. “Come on in. You must be Master Colton and Evelyn. My name is Weston.”
Master Colton? I shake his hand and then help Eve out of her coat.
“My wife’s name is also Evelyn. She’s the cook here. She’s in the kitchen. I’m sure she’s going to love meeting someone with her namesake.”
Eve grins. “I never meet anyone with my name,” she tells him. “My mama said it was an old name.” Eve flushes the moment those words come out of her mouth.
“Evelyn,” I admonish her.
Weston chuckles. “Your mama is right. It is an old name. Much too old even for my Evelyn. She’s only fifty-seven.” He winks. “I married me a younger gal.”
Eve giggles.
Weston hangs Eve’s coat in the closet and nods over his shoulder. “Come on. We’ll drop your Daddy off in Master Roman’s office and go find the other girls in the kitchen. My Evelyn is so excited to have a houseful of little girls today. She’s cooking up a storm, making you all kinds of treats for lunch.”
We reach the office first, and I glance inside to find Julius and Davis have arrived before me. I reach for Eve’s chin and tip her head back. It seems necessary to ensure she knows who’s in charge here and assert my dominance firmly. “You’ll be on your best behavior, right?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Don’t cause Evelyn any trouble. I know you don’t want my palm on your already sore bottom again today.”
She flushes and ducks her head, but I see the shudder at the same time. In addition, she squeezes her thighs together and her dress is thin enough for me to see her nipples have beaded. “I’ll be good, Daddy.”
I pat her bottom and turn to enter the office. When I make eye contact with the rest of the men in the room, I find them all smiling at me. “What?” I glance over my shoulder, but I know what they’re thinking.
“Impressive,” Davis states. “That’s all.”
I shrug. “Just giving her what she needs.”
I shake hands
