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“I got it!” she releases me with a cute and very out of character squeal. “I’m going to be principal for the Midsummer Exhibition!” She leaps into my arms and kisses me.
“That’s amazing,” I say as soon as she ends the kiss. “I’m so proud of you, Tsarina.” I spin us so her back is pressed against the wall and kiss her how I want.
My hands knead the firm muscles of her thighs and ass while my lips assault her pretty little mouth. She tastes like guilt and pleasure, an addiction I never want to cure. I swallow every little moan she makes against my lips. She grinds against me when I bite her lush lower lip. When I finally pull back, she looks up at me with the brightest green eyes, hazy with desire.
I set her down and take a step back, willing my dick to calm down. I can’t go over to have dinner with her brother with a raging hard on. I hear Levi and Ivy get off the elevator and watch through the peephole as they walk into the apartment across the hall.
“I’ll go first, you can follow me a minute or two later,” Claire says. “It will be extra cover if I’m there before you. Plus you can calm down.” She looks down at the bulge in my pants pointedly.
She gives me a kiss before darting out the door. I glance at the clock, noting the time when I notice her phone sitting on the counter. Normally I wouldn’t look at it twice, but it lights up with a text message from an unknown number. Luckily for me, her notifications aren’t hidden on her lock screen, so I can read it.
Unknown: You have 24 hours to pull out of the exhibition or I’m going to the media with your secret.
I see red. Literal red. I have never been so angry. I slide her phone into my pocket and take an extra minute to calm down. If I go over there with raging anger, Con will immediately notice, and I’m not putting Claire in that position. I take a few calming breaths, secure in the knowledge that I now have someone to destroy, my favorite fucking pastime.
When I walk across the hall and enter Con’s apartment, I’m back to normal, cool-headed Griff. A smile tugs at my lips when I walk in and see Levi holding both girls like little footballs in his arms. I’ve heard about women getting baby fever, but I’m pretty sure he’s got a serious case of it right now. He keeps giving Ivy lascivious looks as he gently rocks both girls back and forth. For her part, Ivy keeps her eyes firmly on Lilith as they chat on the couch.
“Give me one of those.” I say walking up to Levi.
“No way. These are mine,” he turns away like the baby hoarder he is, “get your own.”
“No, asshole,” Lilith laughs, “they’re mine and let Griff hold one.”
Levi pouts and doesn’t move.
“I’ll revoke uncle privileges.”
“Ugh, fine.” He hands me one of them, and I tuck her against my chest.
I’m not sure who I’m holding until her little fist uncurls and I see a painted middle fingernail. I chuckle knowing I must have Elle. Con mentioned how one of the baby books about twins suggested non-toxic nail polish to differentiate between identical twins if you were worried about mixing them up.
“You have Elle,” Lilith says standing up next to me and patting her little bottom. “We decided that if she was going to give us the finger all the time we’d decorate it.”
“I figured.” I use my other arm to pull her in for a hug and kiss her temple. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel good. Tired, but really happy.” She stays tucked against me. “I miss seeing you every day.”
Another tidal wave of guilt crashes over me. I’ve been keeping my distance since I started seeing Claire. It’s so hard to hold back. My skin crawls with the knowledge that every day I don’t open up to them is another cut into our collective friendship.
“Are you two trying to steal my girls?” Con says with a teasing smile as he and Claire come out of his home office. He pulls Lilith away and wraps his arms around her possessively.
“You can keep Hoodrat. I’ll take the babies,” Levi says.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Ivy mumbles from the couch. “Give me Nora and go help Con bring dinner up.”
“I’ll go too,” Claire says as she follows both of them out.
“So,” both Lilith and Ivy turn and look at me, “why have you been such a stranger?” Lilith asks.
“Work. I’ve spent a couple of the past few weeks on the west coast or in Tokyo working on our Asian affiliates.” I manage to answer evenly because that statement is entirely true.
After a long look, Lilith nods, “It’s just strange to go from seeing you all the time to only once a week. I miss you.”
Fuck.
So much guilt.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better.” In an effort to lighten the mood, I sit down beside Ivy and hold Elle cradled on my forearm. “Let’s do a side-by-side comparison to see if we can tell them apart yet.”
