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Maverick
Hearinghertellmeover and over last night that we were okay calmed my nerves. It was my biggest fear that she would hate me. I’m pulled from my thoughts by the commotion out in the hallway, just as my door barrels open, and a ball of energy bolts through the door and jumps on my bed.
“Hey Daddy!” she squeals out as she throws her arms around my neck.
“Chelle, you called me daddy,” I say with shock and disbelief in my voice.
“Well yeah, you’re my daddy. Now I have someone to take me to the daddy-daughter dances, to movies, to scare off the boys even though I think boys are gross.” She continues to ramble on about all the things we can do together and I can’t stop smiling.
“Okay, sweetie that’s enough,” Shay says. “Go put your bags away in your room and let Ma… I mean Daddy rest.”
“Okay, Mommy.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek before jumping off the bed and skipping out of the room.
Looking over at Shay, her face glowing as she watches our daughter leave. God, I fucking hate that I missed Chelle’s childhood, all because of a fucking spell and not wanting to go for what I wanted when I saw it. “We made a beautiful little girl.”
“That we did. Do you ever wonder what would have happened if that night had gone differently?” she turns and asks me.
“I do, but then my father would have had his greedy little hands on you sooner than he did. And who knows what would have happened to that little angel. Maybe in some cosmic way, I was meant to place that spell on you that night.”
“Maybe,” she says as she lies down next to me on the bed and rolls into my embrace, placing her head on my chest.
I place my hand on her back and begin to gently rub up and down. “I promise this will be the last time I ask, but are you still okay with what happened between us?”
Partially raising up and turning her head to me, she gives me a scowl. “Maverick middle name unknown Michaelson, ask me that again and I’m going to tan your hide. I’m not mad. I wanted it. Was it the situation I wanted to do it in? No. But I will never regret being with you. Now, no more about that. How are you feeling?”
“Little sore, don’t know what Levi gave me, but I’m feeling better. Not ready to run a marathon, but better. You know Hunter came in earlier asking if I was ready to move in. Said this was my room if I wanted it, that way we could all be under the same roof.” I shift my eyes to her quickly, looking for a physical response to what I just told her. What I get is a sly look as the corners of her lips turn up and a twinkle appears in her eyes.
“I love it, having all my men together. Makes it easier to hop beds,” she says with a snort that has me returning it with a belly-wrenching laugh.
“I guess it would. Well, I’m glad you like the idea. I already told Miles to pack my shit and bring it here. They got excited about it, said they were packing theirs too. They didn’t want to be apart from Beba.”
“Do you think they’re mates?” Her curiosity takes over.
“Landry swears they are. Miles and Miguel, well they’ve never stopped talking about her since that first night, much like me with you. I knew you were the one, I was just too much of a chicken shit to stand up to my father.” I place a kiss on the top of her head as I resume stroking my hand up and down her back.
“They have my parents here,” she softly tells me.
“I know.” Those two words are all I need to say. I understand better than anyone how hard this is for her, given my relationship with my own father.
“I want to see him, to hear him explain how he could so easily trade my life for magic. A father is supposed to care for his child, but he didn’t. Why couldn't he just love me?” Tears are streaming down her face now, my shirt soaked with them.
“Hey, don’t shed a tear over that man. He may be your father by blood but he’s not one. Just like mine isn’t. Family is who you make, like Beba. Like I have with Miles and Miguel. And now we have our own family; you, me, Chelle, and the guys.”
“I know but it’s limited. I mean yes, warlocks and witches have slightly longer life spans but not like those of wolves, and definitely not a vampire. I’m going to grow old. How does it work with aging with wolves and vampires?” Her eyes squinted as she turns her head and looks up at me,
“Baby, that is something to leave for another day. Today, right now, let's just nap in the comfort of each other's arms, knowing our family is together.”
I laid there rubbing her back as she sobbed, until they grew softer, eventually stopping and I knew she had fallen asleep. All I wanted to do was rush to the packhouse and beat the shit out of her father. But it wasn’t what needed to be done at the moment. I knew my father was going to retaliate. There was no way in hell he was just going to let us leave. When I know she is fully asleep I roll her slightly, just so I can get my arm out from under her, strategically placing a pillow that she can hug instead of me. Once she is situated, I slowly sit up at the side of the bed, letting my bare feet hit the soft carpet underneath my feet.
Using my hands, I slowly stand, a little wobbly at first, needing to reach out and take hold of the headboard to steady myself. Looking down, I see my phone plugged into the charger, sitting on the nightstand. Pulling it from the cord, I pick it up and carefully move across the bedroom to the door. I’m thirsty and need something to drink, and she needs to sleep.
I keep a hold of the wall with my hand, as I move down the hallway, having to stop several times to catch my breath. Heavy hands grasp ahold of my shoulders. “What the fucking hell are you doing? You should be in bed,” Miles barks out harshly.
“Thirsty, hungry, and I needed to move around a bit. Besides, Levi told me I could start getting up and walking around. It would help speed up the recovery."
He tells me all about how Beba says they’re driving her crazy and I can’t help but laugh. Seeing my best friend happy with the woman I know he loves is worth the pain I’m feeling right now. He helps me sit down at the kitchen table while he goes to make both of us a sandwich and something to drink. While he’s doing that I power on my phone and decide to check my messages for anything work-related. I doubt my father would tell them he
had me chained up in his home. No, we couldn’t let the humans know anything.
