11. Demon – Splashing Color
ELEVEN
DEMON – SPLASHING COLOR
Demon
The sound of footsteps wake me up. I open my eyes to see sunshine filtering through my window and Ivy standing by the door. “Is everything all right?” I ask, my voice husky from sleep.
She cringes. “Sorry for waking you,” she says quietly. “I just wanted to see if it was okay to go downstairs and make Sammy and me some breakfast.”
“Yes, that’s fine.” I begin to sit up, and she puts her hand out.
“It’s okay, I’ll get it. You go back to sleep.”
“Mom,” I hear a chirpy voice say.
“Yes,” Ivy replies over her shoulder. “I’ll be right there.”
“Mommm.”
A little girl with brown locks, the living image of her mother with a dash of freckles on her nose, bounces into my room holding a ratty old unicorn. I’ll have to get her another one. It looks like it smells.
“Please keep your voice down,” says Ivy. “People are still asleep.”
She takes no notice of her mother. Her little eyes wander around my room. I don’t miss the scrunch of her nose.
“This is your bedroom?”
I nod.
She looks perplexed. “Why is it so boring?”
“Sammy!” Ivy chastises.
I’m happy when Sammy doesn’t allow me to respond and cuts right on in. “I’ll give you some of my stuffed animals to put in your room to add some color. Maybe we should paint your walls, too?”
I stare, amused. Her and her mother’s pajamas are currently the only color in my room, and that does not surprise me one bit. It’s also who they are. They have the types of personalities that brighten every place they go.
Ivy just shakes her head and peers at me. “I’m sorry.”
“What color should I paint my walls?” I ask Sammy.
She pouts. “Definitely pink... maybe rainbow.”
Ivy snorts, then coughs, hiding her laugh.
“Hmm... how about we go get you some breakfast,” I suggest, knowing waking up to pink and a rainbow of colors every morning would be a hard pill to swallow.
“Is Ava cooking?” Sammy asks me with one brow raised.
“We can wait until she wakes up if you want. She makes breakfasts most mornings.”
She looks up at her mom. “I can wait for pancakes.”
Ivy smirks. “I bet you can.”
Sammy peers down at my bedside table. “What’s this?” she says, and picks up a carefully folded crane.
“An origami bird,” I answer.
She twists it around, checking it out from every angle. “Can you teach me how to make one?”
My eyes widen in surprise. “Sure, let’s go to the computer room and grab some paper.”
I get out of bed, and Ivy and Sammy move aside. As I walk past Ivy, she mutters, “Thank you.” I pause and give her a brief nod. Having someone thank me all the time is strange, but it’s starting to grow on me. I get this surge of dopamine every time I’m with Ivy. She’s different to anyone I’ve met, and I like being in her presence.
As we walk down the stairs, I can hear movement in the kitchen. I gather Ava and some women have already started to cook breakfast. I go to the computer room and get some paper and scissors from the desk and then lead Ivy and Sammy, who are following close behind me, to the dining area.
We take a seat, and I get to work cutting the two pieces of paper we need. “The paper has to be square for it to work.”
I hand Sammy one piece of paper. She enthusiastically watches me.
“Fold it in half,” I say while showing her how. “Repeat in the other direction.”
Ivy sits next to Sammy, puts her hands over her daughter’s, and shows her what I mean.
“Turn the paper over,” I say.
As I give Sammy the rest of the instructions, Ivy helps her when needed. Before long, Sammy is smiling from ear to ear with the finished origami bird in her hands. She leaps off her seat and throws her arms around my neck. I stiffen slightly at first, then ever so gently put one arm around her back. A weird sensation washes through me.
Grasping the origami bird I made, I pinch and pull the bird by the neck and tail. “You can make it flap its wings by doing this.”
She joyfully darts around the room, making the origami bird’s wings flap and making whooshing sounds.
I look up at Ivy. Her eyes are lined with tears. Have I fucked up?
She sniffles and lowers her voice. “Sammy’s father would have nothing to do with her. It means a lot that you took the time to teach her something.” Her voice cracks as she finishes the last few words.
My hands itch to touch her but remain where they are. I have no right to comfort her because if she knew what my hands are capable of, she’d think very differently about wanting her and her daughter to spend time with me. But no matter what happens or how she feels about me, I’ll keep them safe.
“It’s shit about her dad. Sammy deserves better.” I despise neglectful parents.
She sighs. “Yes, she does. Who taught you how to make the origami birds?”
“My sister.” I think back to that day. “She came home one day from school and was so excited to show someone how to make one and that someone happened to be me. After that she always had a couple of them in her room, so it reminds me of her.”
Ivy leans in closer and puts out her hand, but she frowns and stops herself. She has a natural instinct to ease people’s pain, but she can’t help me. No one can.
She lowers her eyes, then raises them before she asks, “Have you heard anything about the people after me or my ex?”
“Not yet. The organization doesn’t give a shit about anything but getting their money back. They’ll be after you, but once they find out you’re under the MC’s protection, they might change their mind.” Key word might . People like them are unpredictable.
Her shoulders slouch and she bites her lower lip. I watch the movement, enthralled, and wonder what she tastes like.
“Breakfast is ready,” Ava calls out. Sammy rushes out at full speed.
As we sit at the table outside, Zara, Twitch, and Rage introduce themselves, followed by Dolly and Trixie. I sit back and watch the interactions like I usually do. After breakfast I yawn. The lack of sleep is catching up with me.
“Go lie down for a while, we’ll be all right,” says Ivy, her face soft.
I know they will be. I stand and go, but there’s a weight in my chest when I leave her and Sammy and go to my room. But as soon as my face hits the pillow, I crash.
Giggles wake me, and I know straight away it’s Sammy. I’m lying on my stomach, but I’m shirtless. As my sleepy eyes open, I feel a cool sensation on my back. “What are you doing?”
“I’m coloring in the skull.”
It almost makes me laugh. It’s the War Brothers MC logo. “Yeah... with what?” It’s not her fingertips, it’s something cooler.
“Marker.”
All that comes to mind is I hope it’s not permanent, but either way I don’t mind if she’s having fun. “Mmm... What color?”
“Purple.”
“Sammy,” Ivy calls out with concern in her voice.
“She’s in here,” I answer.
I hear her footsteps followed by a gasp. “OMG! Sammy!” She tries to chastise her, but her voice conveys amusement. She chuckles.
“I’m not done yet,” Sammy says. She’s strong-minded for such a young girl, though that’s a good thing.
“It’s okay,” I reassure Ivy. “Let her finish.” Since she’s started, she might as well finish it.
“All done,” Sammy declares cheerily. “Your tattoo looks much better now,” Sammy says a matter-of-factly.
Ivy’s staring at my body, her eyes wandering around my tattoos. Her cheeks are flushed, and there’s no mistaking the heat in her eyes. When I slip a shirt on, she clears her throat. “Yes, Sammy. It’s beautiful work.”
Once I stand, I notice a stuffed bear with a bright red shirt on sitting on my bed. “You’ll look after my teddy won’t you,” Sammy says sternly.
“Sure will,” I reply.
“At least you have some color in your room now,” Sammy adds.
I glance between the two of them. I certainly do.
* * *
We have a late lunch that afternoon, and we’re all outside. Reaper, Bomber, and Viper are talking among themselves by the barbecue, where Reaper is grilling a few racks of ribs, steaks, and sausages. Milly has arrived, and she’s standing off to the side, talking with Ivy and Sophie. Cash and Rage are sitting at the end of the table, deep in conversation, while the other women are bringing out the side dishes. Axle, me, and Sammy are left, as well as Elena, who is holding Hope.
Axle shoots me a smug grin, then peers at Sammy. “Have you been having fun?”
“Oh, yes,” says Sammy. “I got to color in Jett’s big skull tattoo.”
He gives her a puzzled look. “Oh yeah,” he raises a brow at me. “I’m curious now. I want to see it.”
She gets off her seat and wanders around me. She lifts up my shirt, so I turn to show Axle. He bursts out laughing.
Sammy has her arms crossed over her chest and gives him the evil eye. “What’s so funny?”
Axle murmurs, “Oh, shit,” under his breath, then presses his lips into a firm line as if trying to hide his laughter. “I mean wow. You did an awesome job there. I love the color.”
Hope cries. I can tell it’s her tired cry. Elena stands holding her, patting her back. It doesn’t work, so I get up and go over to her. Hope sees me and reaches out her arms to me, making me smirk.
Elena rolls her eyes and passes her to me. “What’s your secret? You’re the baby whisperer.”
“No secret.” I bring Hope close to my chest and slowly sway from side to side. She closes her little blue eyes. I hear a collective sigh. I peer over my shoulder to see Milly and Ivy giving me a soft look.
I take my seat again while still rocking Hope. Ivy sits next to Sammy. “You’re good with kids,” she says softly.
“Children are innocent until they’re tainted with the sins of the world. They show unconditional love.”
Ivy blinks a few times. “That was beautiful...” she says, her tone sounding fragile. “You’ll be an amazing father.”
I inch back, shocked. That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.