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“Pink!” she protested.
“I couldn’t find it. You get the purple one tonight.”
“Pink!” She stomped her foot.
“Uh oh! It’s the bedtime dragon! Did she eat the princess again?” I teased, grabbing the comb to run through her shoulder length hair quickly.
“No dragon,” she pouted.
“Then stop acting like one,” I said with a smile, lifting her into my arms to go read to Axel. Normally I’d read to Ines first, but since I had every intention of curling up and hiding away in her bed, it made sense to reverse our routine.
When I walked into Axel’s room, Ryker perched on the edge of the platform, reading a chapter out of the newest book Axel had brought home from the library at school. I brought Ines in, bouncing her soothingly on my lap while I waited for Ryker to finish reading. Even if I wanted to strangle him for taking story time from me. He seemed determined to insert himself into every facet of the kids’ lives, like he was their father, and that just did not fly with me.
I wouldn’t have been okay with a man I dated acting so high-handed with my kids, let alone a complete stranger. It was only nine o’clock at night, and I already wanted to curl up in a bed. To do that, I needed to get through the bedtime routine, but that didn’t mean I wanted to lose that time with my kids.
Ryker leaned forward, kissing the top of Axel’s head warmly and whispering goodnight to him.
“Goodnight, Cookie Monster. Holler if you need me,” I murmured, kissing Axel’s forehead and then taking Ines to her room as Ryker closed Axel’s door. “I’m just going to get her settled. It could take a while.”
“No worries,” Ryker grinned at me, stepping into her room and pulling back the blankets of her bed. I crawled in with her, pulling the covers up over us as I picked out one of her shortest stories from her turret shelves. Ryker perched on the edge of the bed, and I tried to ignore his presence as I read my girl a story about unicorns. When I finished and closed the book, Ryker took it from my hand and replaced it on the shelf.
“I’m just going to stay with her for a bit. It’s a new house and a new room,” I said.
“You good, Princess?” Ryker asked, ignoring me.
“Mmm,” she murmured, already half asleep. He leaned in to kiss her cheek and then grabbed me around the waist.
“Say goodnight to Ines, Sunshine,” he ordered.
I kissed her but made no move to get out of the bed. Instead, I settled down deeper into the covers, tugging them up over his hands at my waist and deciding to pretend they weren’t there. He flung them back easily, plucking me from the bed and tossing me over his shoulder. With me perched there and fuming silently, he reached down and fixed the blankets for Ines, tucking her in nice and tight.
“Call me if you need anything, Princess,” he whispered to her.
“Night ‘yker,” she murmured back in that sleepy voice. He seemed satisfied with that, striding out the door, though he took the time to close it quietly.
“Do I look stupid?” he asked as he walked down the hall to the master bedroom.
“I’m guessing the answer you’re looking for is a no,” I said back. “If I say no, will you put me down?”
He grunted when I dug my nails into his side through his shirt. I’d initially been looking for something to pinch, but there was nothing.
The man didn’t even seem to have skin over the solid mass of muscle. "It’s time for bed,” he said, and he flung open the door to the master bedroom. I’d assumed, since Axel didn’t come racing out of it in terror when he took a shower, that there was nothing horrific about it. I didn’t expect the lilac accents through the room, or the front, brick exterior wall to be painted white. The entire wall on the side of the house was a massive window, the view of the woods outside it reminding me just how isolated we were. When he spun to kick the door closed quietly, I got my first view of the low platform bed with sheets and a comforter that looked nearly silver in contrast to all the white and black of the room, and the pillows were my favorite lilac color too.
“I’m sorry I didn’t paint it lilac. I have some limits when I sleep here too,” he grunted, and he flung me off his shoulder until I thumped on the bed.
I scurried to my feet quickly, unwilling to put myself in a position where I stayed in a bed willingly. Not with the monster in the room with me, anyway.
“You should get changed for bed,” Ryker growled at me.
“I’m not tired,” I lied, making for the door. “Besides, I want to wait and see if the kids need me at all.” He went for a panel on the wall, pressing a button and the light sound of feedback filled the room.
“Audio monitors,” he grunted. “This room is soundproof, so we won’t hear them without it.”
“Right, well I’m still not tired,” I spat, and then hesitation settled over me as I processed his words. “Why exactly does your room need soundproofing, Hulk?” I swallowed down my nerves, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared at him.
He only raised an eyebrow back at me in answer, before he pressed on like the question didn’t need an answer.
It most definitely needed a damn answer.
