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“He wouldn’t dream of it,” he says with a snort. “So, tell me about these baby daddies you suddenly have hanging around. How’s life, Doll?” He raises a brow, ignoring the twisting expression crossing my face.
“There’s nothing to tell, Roc.” I shove a spoonful of soup into my mouth, distracting myself from the question. I’ve gone down this spiraling road before. “They’re there, and I’m here. I’m their boss, and they’re my—the band I’m taking care of. End of story.”
“That’s why you’re avoiding the conversation altogether. Discussions are a healthy part of life. Now, tell me all about them. Have they apologized? Have you found out new information? How is my godchild holding up now that her four daddies are in her life? Spill.” His tone accepts no arguments as he glares at me. I nibble on my bottom lip when he raises a brow. “You are afraid,” he states, eyeing my face. “Why?” Reaching across the table, he gently squeezes myhand.
Rocco has been my best friend for four years now. Hell, he’s one of my damn pillars to lean on. Greater than any partner in the world. We met on the set of a music video I was helping with, and he was the actor they had hired. From there, we hit it off. At one time, I thought he might be interested in me and pursued it. After a fun night, we discovered we were good friends. Several months later, he found this amazing chef named Christian and married his soulmate. Granted, their relationship started off rocky with several toxic breakups, and then, Rocco pulled his head out of his ass.
“It’s annoying how well you can read me.” Slurping more soup into my mouth, I completely avoid his gaze.
“Like an open book, Doll,” he huffs. “It’s quite annoying that prying you open is so hard. We’ve been friends for years. You’d think you’d trust me by opening up and telling me how you’re feeling. I know you’re strong, but trust me, you’ll feel better when you talk about it.” He squeezes my hand in support.
I blow out a breath, stabilizing the nerves eating away at my insides. Sometimes it’s frightening how well he knows me and can easily peel my layers open one by one. Staring into his dark eyes settles the wrath and pain stirring in me. Sometimes I swear Rocco is my friendship soulmate. The one truly meant for me, but not romantically. And throw in Kaycee, Olivia, and Ode to form my perfect circle of friends. I couldn’t live without them. They’re all my family in their own way, building me up and supporting me through this whole mess I call life—the after Whispered Words fiasco.
“What if they leave again?” The words leave my lips, barely in a whisper. All the fear swirls like a damn tornado inside me, spiraling my damn mind in so many directions my breath stalls. “They’re rock stars. What if this is all a passing phase to them?” I swallow the lump in my throat and ignore the burning behind my eyes. “If they walk away, Roc. If they decide this is too much for them and bail on her. She won’t survive. Lyric will burn down the fucking world to get to them now. She’s had a taste of their fatherly love. I can’t protect her from them like I protect myself.” Everything in the room spins from my revelations, and my fingers clutch the edge of the countertop.
“The way I see it, Doll. You’re going to have to make a big decision. They’re in her life now. You told me over dinner that they didn’t know about her or the blasted restraining orders. It seems they were in the dark for a lot of it. Did they leave you? Yes. They knowingly walked away without a goodbye and blocked you. What was the true reason? Only they know. Now, it’s up to you whether or not you’ll ever truly trust them again. From what I saw of Mullet when he showed up to our dinner, there was a lot of determination and love behind his mischievous eyes.” I stiffen at his words, snapping my gaze to him. There’s no way in hell he had an ounce of love for me.
“Love?” I scrunch my nose. “There’s no way…”
“I’m a love-sick fool, Doll. Christian and I didn’t have the greatest start. But I knew when he walked away and right back into my life that the look he gave me when we finally reconnected was a look of admiration. I worked every step of the way to amend my wrongdoings. That look Mullet gave you was the same one Christian gave me. They’re not giving up on you. They obviously want to be in Lyric’s life. Isn’t that what you’ve always hoped for?”
I nod, nibbling my damn lip again as a headache pounds against my damn skull.
It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of since the moment she was born. It’s why I educated her on who they were and familiarized her with them. There’s never been a second in her life that she didn’t know who helped create her.
My father’s existence was hidden from me for so long. My mother refused to talk about him until I snooped, finding more information when I was little. That’s when I started writing to him every day, professing my innocent love, and begging him to come back, hence where all my daddy issues stem from.
“I don’t trust them. At all. They’re going to break her baby heart, and she can’t… I can’t…” I suck in a breath, squeezing my eyes shut as moisture burns, begging to unleash down my cheeks.
She can’t take a first-round heartbreak. Like I can’t take another round of them breaking my heart.
Warm, strong arms wrap around me, pulling me into his chest. He kisses my temple like the loving best friend he is. With a deep sigh, Rocco lays it all out for me.
“No one’s asking you to fall head over heels for them again. I mean, you could, but it’s not a requirement. Feel them out. Get to know them as adults. You’re wiser—Co-parent with them. Let them fully into her life. Let them help you through the overzealous schedule you’ve created for yourself. Now is the time to stop depending on your brothers and start leaning on the men who seem to want to step up,” he whispers with sincerity, holding me close to his chest. Comfort surrounds me at the sound of his beating heart thumping a lullaby in my ear.
“I hate you,” I mutter through the bubbling emotions tightening my throat.
A deep chuckle vibrates against my arm, and he kisses my temple again. “You love it when I make sense.”
“I do. But goddamn, Roc. I’m going to fall apart. They…they broke my heart once, and I…” Haven’t let anyone in sincethem. They were my forever, and then my forever ran away and became my never again, leaving me behind.
I’ve only hooked up with maybe a handful of men since they left and never let anyone in. I haven’t dated. I haven’t opened the protective cage I had put my heart in for some time. Fuck. And now my child is involved.
Sure, I’ve versed her with everything I know about the boys. But this is real now. They’re here, live and in person. No longer pictures in an album marked:Daddies. They’re a fixture in her life. She won’t forget about them overnight. She’ll want more until they’re tucking her into bed and staying under our roof. Lyric is persistent as fuck, just like her damn fathers. There’s no moving forward without them.
“I’m not telling you to jump into bed with them. Although maybe four dicks would really do you some good. Umph,” he grunts when my elbow lands in his gut.
“And we were having such a special moment,” I grumble, biting my lip to hide my smile.
“I’ll say one last thing. Take it day by day. Don’t roll over and forgive them. Make them beg. Make them get on their damn knees and earn your trust back. Let them see Lyric and prove themselves to her and to you. I don’t know them very well. In fact, I’d rather rip their testicles out for what they did to you. But I have a feeling there’s a lot you don’t know. And neither do they. One day at a time, okay?” He raises a brow, pining me with a stern look. “Promise me you’ll repair your heart and fix their wrongdoings. No matter what.”
“Fine, Dad,” I grumble, relaxing when he hugs me again, pulling me into his chest and kissing my head.
“So, do they know about your special visitor?” he asks, squeezing me one last time before stepping back.
“God no,” I say, taking another bite. “I’ll cross that bridge when…”
“When he kidnaps you, Doll? He’s getting brazen. Pictures of Lyric at school.” Rocco frowns, concern twisting his features. “I worry about you and her being all on your own out here. First, it’s pictures, and then—”
