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“Whores are wholesome,” Darkness argued. “They provide an honest night’s work to earn their keep.”
“The ones you keep are going to end up being role models for Sammy, so you have to be really selective.”
Darkness pulled a nondescript, framed poster off the wall and began dialing the combination to his wall safe. “Yeah, I get where you’re coming from on that one. The thing is, I wouldn’t know which whores to kick out. They all look alike to me.”
Rose smirked at the big biker. He had a good fifteen years on her, but in this situation, he was clearly the student. “I’ll get with Mom and make you a list.”
“You do that, kid. How much money do you want?”
Shrugging, she replied innocently, “However much baby stuff costs. I’ll bring you whatever I don’t spend and all the receipts.”
Tossing her a lopsided smile, he replied, “I trust you, kid.”
“I’m sixteen and a half now, so stop calling me kid.” Her disgruntled voice made it clear that she thought sixteen and a half was practically grown.
“Whatever you say, kid,” Darkness said with a chuckle. “Will a grand do for now?”
“Sure, I guess.” Shoving her hands in her pockets, she smiled sweetly. “Can Ace drive me?”
An annoyed expression jumped onto the man’s face as he slammed his safe shut. “Hell, no. I don’t need your pops gunning for me too. Cut me a break here, kid.”
“Fine, let Peb take me,” Rose suggested. “He’s relatively harmless.”
Shrugging, Darkness quipped, “I didn’t know the boy shopped, much less drove. I’ll send Cork along for the ride, just to be sure you’re safe.”
Grabbing the money from his hand, Rose slapped the big biker on the shoulder before jumping up and giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. Darkness froze, clearly mortified by her whimsical shenanigans.
Unconcerned by his reaction, Rose skipped back over to the bed, grinning. “Want to shop with me? It’ll be real fun.”
Glancing nervously from Darkness to Rose, Tiffany elected to opt out of the situation entirely. “No, you go ahead. Someone needs to stay with the baby.”
Darkness had clearly recovered his faculties and was back to his brooding, mouthy self. “I can take care of my own kid. I don’t need no bitches rearranging their lives around sticking their noses in my business.”
Glancing over at the clearly annoyed man, both women burst out laughing. Rose made a grandiose bow. “Sorry to wound your male pride, but you aren’t even supposed to be lifting. I’ll get my mom to sit with Sammy. She’s running around here somewhere.”
Darkness, clearly intent on proving he was a dad-in-training and soaking up the new information being thrown his way, capitulated with dignity. “Fine, but no whores.”
Rose’s voice singsonged back with a giggle. “Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye.”
The big biker’s eyes narrowed, and he stated flatly, “Any more crazy talk like that, and I’m marking you off the list as well.”
Rose skipped out the door, laughing.
Easing down on the other side of the bed, Darkness looked down at his daughter. “Fucking hell. What am I going to do with a baby?”
Tiffany noticed the way he looked at his little one. His expression turned soft and adoring in a way she’d never seen on the man, and he rubbed her tummy like a pro. From the outside looking in, it might seem as if this was a horrible situation for a baby. But crazily enough, everything she’d seen out of the man so far led her to believe that he would be an excellent father.
“Suddenly finding out you had a daughter must be hard to cope with,” she said. “Most fathers have nine whole months to get used to the idea. Sammy got dropped into your arms in the space of a day. You’re probably still in shock. That’ll wear off soon enough, though, and you’ll fall head over heels in love with her, Darkness. I promise.”
Giving his daughter a tiny kiss on the forehead, he whispered, “I’m already there. Rose is right about getting rid of the whores. From now on, they can come after hours for parties only, and then they leave. I don’t want them around my little one.”
“Have you thought about getting yourself a house or an apartment?”
Eyes still fastened on his baby, he said, “No. I feel it’s safer for her right here. We’re secluded, have good security, and I trust the brothers with my life. Anyone so much as says boo to her, and I’ll give them an immediate dirt nap.”
Even though she didn’t typically advocate violence, Tiffany liked the sound of that. “I think you should clear out the whole top floor and renovate it into a kid-friendly apartment. Let everyone know it’s your personal space and no one is to set foot up there. We can make it real nice for you and Sammy.”
“I like that idea,” Darkness mused after a moment of thought. Then his brows pulled together, shadowing his eyes. “You and Rose keep calling her Sammy. I don’t remember choosing that name.”
