Opting to avoid the reporters, I was instructed to head to a back entrance.
“Come on,” I said to Trix as I gathered Ellis into my arms. Ellis wrapped her arms tightly around my neck.
“Nugget, I need you to hold on tight,” I murmured to her.
“Daddy? I’m scared.” She buried her face in my neck and held tighter.
“Shh. I got you, princess.” I kissed the top of her head fiercely before Trix tossed a blanket over her to shield her from prying eyes. No one knew Rosalie had a daughter or was married. Anson was good at keeping her private life under wraps, sohaving to bring Ellis into the fray pissed me off, but there was no way I’d leave her and Trix, her nanny, behind.
I didn’t bring Ellis out in public often. We owned a large enough estate that Rosalie could run the property with our daughter without ever seeing anyone. The massive fences and the security perched in towers helped.
But out here? Where anyone could hurt her?
I was ready to rip some heads off.
Hotel staff knew we were coming, and ushered us in quickly, Trix’s arm threaded around mine as I shielded Ellis from the noise. Luckily, the inside of the place was secured, and Anson met us in the lobby.
“Come on,” he said tightly, his blue eyes taking in everything around us.
We followed him into the elevator and went to the penthouse. The elevator was private and went directly to where we needed to be.
We stepped into the massive living room, and Anson took the blanket off Ellis’s head.
She lifted her head, her blonde curls tumbling around her, her blue eyes wide.
“Dadda?”
“Hey, baby,” Anson said gently as she released me and reached for him. I let her go, and he took her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “How’s my angel pie?”
“I flew on a plane!” she said, grinning. “And Daddy let me have a wowwipop, and Trixie and Daddy let me color their nails!”
Trix held up her hand to show that Ellis had used her markers on the plane to fill in her nails. It was a sloppy job, but Trix loved Ellis and let her do silly things like that.
Hell, I did too.
I held my right hand up to show the blues and greens on my nails.
“Well, you’re going to have to do mine next,” Anson said, kissing her cheek and making her giggle again.
“With pink?” She fluttered her lashes at him.
“Of course, angel pie. All the pink you want.” Anson kissed her head again, making her wiggle in his arms.
Ellis’s eyes widened as she looked over Anson’s shoulder.
“Unkie Dunkie?”
“Hey, peanut butter,” Dante greeted her, coming into the room.
Ellis had a major love for Dante. Anson put her on her feet, and she rushed to him. He was quick to sweep her into his arms and nuzzle against her.
At first, I was nervous about Ro’s relationship with Dante, given all the shit I knew and had suffered. It took me a long time to even be near him, but eventually I overcame it, and we were good with each other.
Mostly.
I adjusted my aviator sunglasses, something I only took off at night, and watched as Ellis hugged Dante, who seemed to enjoy the affection, chuckling at her stories.
“It’s weird to see him with her,” Anson muttered.
