Page 56 of Daddy’s Hunted Bride

Annoyed, I turn and head for the stairs, bypassing the rest of our family as I carry my sniffling Little girl up to my bedroom. I’m just closing the door behind us when she finally speaks.

“Daddy?”

Her voice is soft, far quieter than I’ve ever heard from her, and I freeze in place to look down at her. “Yes, baby?”

Bottom lip trembling, she peeks up at me through sooty lashes wet with tears. “Are you still very mad?”

My heart threatens to snap clean in two at the sadness in her voice. “Oh, baby. I was never mad. A bit disappointed in your behavior, but I wasn’t mad then and I’m not mad now.”

“Pinkie-promise?”

She holds her fist up, her littlest finger pointing right at me, and if I hadn’t already been head over heels in love with my little fox, I would have fallen like a rock then and there. Hooking my pinky with hers, I bring our joined hands to my lips for a kiss. “Pinky-promise.”

And just like that, she relaxes in my arms, her head falling against my shoulder in a gesture of such sweet trust and surrender, I can’t even move, can barely breathe for the emotions threatening to crush my chest.

“Are you still gonna punish me for getting in trouble with Auntie Gray and Uncle Eli?”

I should. I know I should. It’s a standing rule in our house, and even though I don’t hold her responsible for the other Little ones getting into mischief, she did admit to it being somewhat her idea.

But staring down at her sweet little head resting on my shoulder, I don’t have the heart to go through with what I’d had planned. The desperate need that gripped me downstairs has all but vanished, and all I want to do is snuggle her and comfort her until she falls asleep in my arms.

“Do you promise not to sneak out of any more blanket forts or raid the kitchen for unauthorized snacks again?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“All right. Then I think it’s safe to say you’ve learned your lesson tonight.”

She heaves a deep sigh of relief and relaxes even further in my arms. “Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?”

“I–I know I was really naughty. But could I… could I have a bottle of milk?”

Fucking hell, my heart. “I’ll do you one better. Just a second.”

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I tap out a message to Eli and send it off before carrying my sweet bundle to the nursery, where I settle in the oversized glider with her on my lap. We rock there for a few minutes, until someone knocks on the half-open door.

“You can come in, Eli.”

My brother pokes his head around the door and steps inside, followed by Gray. The former is holding a bottle full of the frozen hot chocolate I requested, while the latter has my babygirl’s stuffed Loch Ness monster.

Love wells in my chest as they each bring their gifts over to the glider. Eli hands me the bottle while Gray places the stuffie in Vanessa’s arms.

“Nessie!” she squeals, wrapping her arms around the animal and burying her face in its softness. “Thank you, Auntie Gray!”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Couldn’t have our little niece going to bed without her best friend, now could we?”

A sweet, high giggle slips out of my babygirl as she shakes her head. “Uh-uh! Nessie would be so lonely without me!”

I hold up the bottle for her to see. “And look what your Uncle Eli brought you.”

She gasps. “Frozen chocolate! Thank you, Uncle Eli!”

“You’re welcome, little one.” Bending down, he presses a kiss to the top of her head. “Make sure you drink all of that before you go to bed. You’ve had a very big night.”

Straightening again, he meets my gaze and lowers his voice. “I added some vitamin powder Ford recommended.”

“Thanks, Eli. I appreciate it.”