Page 193 of Baby Girl
Xavier examines the table like he wants to murder it before turning back to me. “They are yours.”
I shake my head. “I would remember buying all that. My gifts are all at my dorm.”
Derek shifts behind me. “Yes, your gifts. But these things, we bought for you so you didn’t have to pack an overnight bag every weekend.”
His voice goes up at the end like he has suddenly realized something. He forces me to turn in his arms, and the intensity in his eyes has me pulling back from him. As much as he will allow, anyway.
“That night, when you were here looking for your art supplies, did you think the clothes in the wardrobe and the bathroom products were for someone else?”
His jaw does that thing where it visibly hardens as he waits for my answer, and that feeling that I fucked up turns into a certainty.
“Um, maybe?” But also, how does he know I was here?
The literal last thing I’m expecting him to do is throw his head back and bark out a laugh before crushing me and the bottle of water to his chest. Ice-cold water splashes onto my chest, and I gasp while he continues to laugh.
My cheeks burn as he takes several deep breaths before looking me in the eye, the laughter fading from his expression. “Emery, there will never be another woman in our space, ever again. It will only ever be you for us. If you see a gift or a new dress or a red lipstick in this apartment, at one of our houses, offices, cars, anywhere that we own, you are automatically allowed to assume it is yours. Understood?”
My throat aches more than it did when I first woke up, so all I can manage is a nod.
Derek raises an eyebrow. “Understood?”
It takes another sip of water, and dropping my gaze away from that penetrating stare, before I can respond. “Understood, Daddy.”
“Good girl. Now turn back around and let Xavier feed you your snack.”
I carefully turn back around, Derek’s hands circling my waist the entire time, until I’m facing Xavier, who is now sitting on the chair by the side of the bath.
He grabs a scoop of whatever is in the bowl and offers it to me.
Obediently, I open, and he places the freezing cold spoon into my mouth. Creamy, smooth ice cream immediately starts to melt in my mouth, and I suck on the spoon as he pulls it free.
Joy fills my body. “Cookies and cream!”
He smiles at me, that boyish one I rarely get to see. “Anything for my dove.”
Chapter 101
Emery
I giggle to myself as I step away from the bedroom door with my four sleeping daddies on the other side, the feeling of being a covert operative sneaking out a little too fun not to fantasize about. I’d woken up in the middle of all four of them, more than a little too warm, with one arm and one leg—from two different men—thrown over me.
I barely escaped with my life.
Last night, our dinner had arrived as I’d been getting into my pjs, and after making my way through half of a chicken burrito, I’d succumbed to a food coma and promptly fallen asleep sitting on Darcy’s lap. I have vague memories of cuddles on the couch and then being put to bed.
Which means we have yet to have The Talk. I’m not planning on leaving this apartment until we do, and if that means I have to skip classes, then fine. Well, not really. But I’d totally skip Monday classes. Besides, I’d be able to get private lessons from Derek and Hudson to make sure I don’t fall behind.
Ohh, that would be a fun role-play.
Excuse me, Professor, is there anything I can do to make up for missing your class on Monday?
This time, my giggle is more of a snicker as I open the fridge door and peer inside to see what my options are. Weirdly enough, there is actually plenty of food in here. I grab a banana and the milk, then make myself a hot chocolate before plonking down on one of the barstools.
And it is at this exact moment that I realize I haven’t seen my things since I arrived. My heart vaults into my throat, and I whip around to survey the room, gaze darting all over the place until—
My things are exactly where Darcy left them, next to the couch. They haven’t been moved. Leaving my mug and banana on the counter, I go to my bag in search of my phone, but after inspecting each individual pocket, I don’t find it.
Straightening, I put my hands on my hips and scan the room again, this time with less urgency. That’s when I spot the new charging station on the counter—right next to my banana and hot chocolate.
