Chapter 8
Ice
Eyes wide, pupils blown with that hint of fear he so loved to see in her, Silver inhaled sharply. “Sir?”
“You’re hiding something from me, babygirl. Spill it.”
Her gaze darted to the left, and his stomach twisted. “Am I really that obvious?”
So it wasn’t his imagination, after all. Fuck. “Like an open book. Hey.” Cupping her face, he nudged her head up but she kept her gaze firmly averted.
That would never do. “Look at me, Amanda.”
Slowly, reluctantly, she locked eyes with him, and his heart constricted at the tears shimmering over the dark brown. “I’ll tell you, but before I do, I want you to know I didn’t do it on purpose. I don’t even know how it happened.”
“Didn’t do what on purpose, baby?”
Silence welled, filling the space between, filling the whole damn room until it felt as though he might suffocate. And he knew, before she even spoke, his entire world was about to change.
“I’m pregnant.”
He couldn’t have heard her right. Shock stole his breath, and for a long moment he could only stare down into her wide, terrified eyes. “You’re what?”
“Pregnant.” Some of the fear gave way to defiance, though he could still see it there, flickering in her eyes even as she tilted her chin.
Pregnant. The word bounced around in his mind, drowning out every other thought as he stared at her. “You’re having a baby.”
“Yes.”
“You’re having my baby.”
“Yes.” Softer now, less sure. “I know we didn’t talk about it and I have the IUD so I don’t even know how it happened but it did and—”
He crushed his lips to hers, desperate for the taste of her. His woman, carrying his child. And felt her give, felt her surrender. Heard her surrender, a quiet whimper that threatened to snap the last bit of his self-control.
“We’re having a baby,” he whispered against her lips, tears stinging his eyes as he lifted his head to meet her shimmering gaze.
Awe. That was what he felt. Awe, that this woman, this perfect, beautiful woman was his and they were going to grow their family together.
“We are.” She let out a breathy sort of laugh as she clung to him. “You’re not mad?”
“Why the hell would I be mad?”
“Because we never talked about it. Because we have plans. Because I’m going to get fat and round and—”
“Careful, little girl.” Tightening his grip on her face, he forced her head back even further, thrilled by the twin flames of defiance and fear dancing in her eyes. “That’s the mother of my child you’re talking about.”
“I am going to get fat, Ice. That’s how pregnancy works.”
“And I don’t give a fuck. You could gain a hundred pounds and I would still love every single inch of you, Silver.”
It was relief now, filling her eyes as she stared up at him. “You mean that?”
“I do, baby. I love you. And yeah, I love this sexy-ass body, but I can’t wait to see your tummy getting all round with our child.”
“And when I can’t even put my own shoes on because my feet and ankles are swollen up like sausages?”
“Then I’ll rub your little sausage feet,” he said with a grin, earning him a laugh and a swat to the arm in response. “I’m going to take care of you, Mandy, and our baby.”
At the use of her childhood nickname, she melted, pressing herself against him with a sigh. “I was so worried you wouldn’t want this. Want us. That’s why I didn’t tell you this morning.”
“Ah. So that’s why you were acting so cagey. Keeping secrets from your Daddy.”
“Mmm, yes.” Her tone turned teasing, seductive. “I was very, very naughty.”
“Well, it’s a good thing for you that I’ve been keeping my own secrets.” Of course, now he felt like his news paled a bit in comparison, but he still couldn’t wait to see her eyes light up when he told her. “Simon called me earlier.”
“Simon?” He felt her tense, heard the sharp intake of breath. “Is it Ace? Is he—”
“No, baby. Everything is fine. Better than fine.” Nudging her back so he could see her face when he told her, he let his excitement slip through with a grin. “We got invited back to Play Me Like That. Just the two of us, as special guests. They want us to sing Ruin Me.”
Eyes locked on her face, he watched her process. Watched the wheels turning in his mind through the windows of those dark eyes he loved so much. Waited for her excited squeals, the “Are you for real?”, the fists pumping the air.
And watched instead as she burst into tears.
Panic gripped him by the throat as she wept, big choking sobs, tears streaming down her face, ruining her makeup.
Lottie is going to fucking kill me.
“Baby. Baby, what’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy.”
“I am happy! I’m so h-h-happy!”
“Then why are you crying?”
“I don’t know,” she wailed, throwing herself against him as she sobbed.
Confused and worried, he did the only thing he could think of and wrapped his arms around her, rocking her gently from side to side. “Shhh, baby. It’s okay. Daddy’s right here.”
He still wasn’t sure what the fuck was going on, but he held her through it, let her cry it all out on his shoulder until she finally gave a deep, shuddering sigh and pulled away from him with a loud sniffle. “Sorry. I don’t know what happened.”
“You never have to apologize to me for tears, baby. You know that.”
“I do.” Her smile was a bit crooked, but she wasn’t sobbing anymore, so he’d take it. “And I love you so much for that. In case I haven’t told you lately.”
“I never mind hearing it again.” Cupping her face in his hands, he brushed at her tears with his thumbs. “Tell me what you’re thinking, my beautiful goddess.”
“I’m thinking I have no idea how I got this lucky.
I’m thinking I can’t wait to get on stage with you again.
” She hesitated, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, uncertainty stamped all over her face.
“I’m thinking… I’m thinking that I miss the band.
And I know that probably pisses you off, because obviously that means I miss Ace but I don’t, I just miss—”
“You miss us,” he said softly. “You miss what we were, who we were when we were Deviant Whispers.”
“Yes.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t understand? That I don’t miss it, too? That I don’t miss the music and the fans and the thrill of it all?”
“You never talk about it.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and still he heard the hurt echoing in her words. “Even when I’m going on for hours about how we could start something new or do our own thing, you never really say anything.”
Apparently today was the day for them to share all their secrets. “Because it kills me, knowing we’ll never get back what we were. And I guess it was just easier to let you do the dreaming for us, because it hurts so damn much.”
“Oh, Ice.” Reaching for him, she slid her hands into the hair he’d taken down from its ponytail after the ceremony, pulling him down to her for a long, slow kiss. “I’m sorry. You should have told me I was hurting you.”
“Yeah, I should have. And I’m sorry I kept it from you. I just… You would get so excited talking about it, and I didn’t want to take that away. Didn’t want to squash all your big dreams.”
“I don’t want them to be my big dreams. I want them to be our big dreams. Whatever comes next, I want to do it with you or not at all.”
“Ditto.”
“So, we’re agreed, then.” She cocked a haughty brow. “No more secrets.”
“No more secrets.” Ducking his head, he took her lips again, slowly now, letting himself savor the taste of her as he held her against him. Her body, that now cradled a life they’d made. Together.
He broke the kiss, his eyes locked on hers as he lowered himself to his knees in front of her, breaking that contact only so he could stare at her soft stomach. “Hi, little one. I’m your Daddy.”
Soft laughter echoed around him as he leaned in to press a kiss to her stomach. “I don’t think she can hear you.”
“She can.” He didn’t know a damn thing about how this whole thing worked, but he felt the truth of it in his soul. Sliding his hands beneath her dress, he caressed her bare calves, working his way up her legs as he looked up at her. “You’re going to be the best fucking mom.”
“Yeah?”
There was doubt there, in her voice, her eyes.
But that was okay. He had enough faith for the both of them.
“Yeah. You’re going to teach her to be strong and sassy and not take anyone’s shit.
And she’s going to drive us both crazy, because she’s strong and sassy and doesn’t take anyone’s shit.
But we’ll love every second of it because she’s ours. ”
“She might not be a she. That’s just how I’ve been thinking of her.”
“She, he, they. I don’t give a fuck. Our baby. Our child. And they’re going to take the world by fucking storm.”
“Fuck yeah, they are. Look at who their parents are.”
By now he’d worked his way up to her hips and he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties, slowly tugging them down her luscious thighs, all while watching the need, the hunger flicker across her face.
“Ice, we can’t. There are probably people waiting to use this bathroom.”
“Then they can wait a little longer. My good girl deserves a reward. Step out of your panties, then turn around. Hands against the wall, ass out.”
Her breath hitched, but she did as she was told, turning and bracing herself as he pushed the silky green material up to her waist, baring her glistening pussy to his gaze.
“Feet apart.”
Again she did as she was told, his good, good girl, spreading herself for him. His cock pressed against the zipper of his dress pants, straining for release, but that would have to wait.
Right now was about her.
Cupping her ass cheeks in his hands, he spread her even further, chuckling softly to himself when she whimpered.
“Daddy, please.”
Begging already, which meant she was getting desperate and he’d barely even touched her.
Good.
With her spread open, he leaned in, running his tongue over her inner thigh, up to the swell of her bottom. One cheek, then the other, deliberately avoiding the places she wanted him to touch, and earning himself another of those needy little whimpers.
He bit her, gently, nothing more than a graze of his teeth over her ass cheek, but it was enough to have a shudder wracking her body and her hips swaying, a silent entreaty for more.
But he didn’t want her silence. He wanted her begging, pleading, desperate for him before he finally gave her what she wanted.
So he continued, teeth and tongue teasing her goosepimpled flesh as she squirmed and whimpered and whined.
And then, finally, “Goddammit, Ice. You’re killing me, here.”
He chuckled, letting it vibrate across her sensitive skin. “You know what I want, baby.”
“I already begged and you didn’t give me what I wanted.”
“Oh, my naughty little goddess. That hardly counts as begging.”
To prove his point, he dragged his tongue up the inside of her thigh, letting the tip just barely graze her soaked lips.
“Daddy, please.”
“Please, what, baby? Use your words. Tell Daddy what you want.”
“I want you to eat my fucking pussy until I scream, that’s what I want.”
“Bossy brat,” he scolded playfully. “Maybe I should eat you out until you’re right on edge and then fuck your ass instead, without letting you come at all until we get to the club.”
“No, no, I’m sorry! Please, don’t, Ice, I’ll die.”
“Hmm. I suppose it’s lucky for you I’m feeling rather sentimental at the moment.”
And with that, he finally gave her what she so badly wanted, sliding his tongue between her soaked lips. Her quiet moan filled the room as he pressed his face deeper into the scent of her, the taste of her, drinking her in as he used his tongue to torment her.
“Oh, fuck. Ice. Daddy. Please. Please.”
Spurred on by the whining desperation in her voice, he focused on her clit, lapping at the swollen little bud as she shuddered and pressed her hips back, grinding herself against his tongue.
And he let her take her pleasure, let her have that tiny bit of control as he ate his fill, the taste of her like the sweetest ambrosia.
Her body coiled, tightened, letting him know she was close. Pulling her clit between his lips, he sucked hard, knowing the little bite of pain would send her flying.
And fly, she did, screaming through her clenched teeth as she bucked against his mouth. He continued to feast, until he was sure he’d drained every last ounce of pleasure he could from her body.
When the tremors finally eased and she slumped against the wall, he pulled back, pressing a gentle kiss to each of her bottom cheeks before rising to his feet behind her.
“Daddy’s turn.”