Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“Okay,” she said simply, before crawling over the bed until she could flop onto his chest and wrap her arms around him.
She nuzzled, scenting him, and Caine’s lips tipped up into the muted smile he reserved only for her.
The conflict in him loosened as he carded his fingers through her hair, her easy acceptance clearly meaningful for him.
The scene was so fucking sweet I had to look away before my eyes got all glazed.
Couldn’t have him witnessing that nonsense ever again.
“I can feel you,” he said, as if reading my mind.
I chuffed. “I’m gonna regret that.”
“Too late.”
Minnie straightened again, but didn’t move away. “Alpha, picture.”
Caine’s head tilted. “You want to draw a picture?”
She jerked her head and pressed her finger into his tattooed arm. “Picture.”
“Ah, tat-toos,” he said, slowly, getting the hang of teaching her.
She mimicked him, almost saying it right before tugging at her long sleeves and the collar of her sleep shirt, peering down at her blank skin. “Ta-oos?”
“When you’re bigger,” I proposed, and it was clearly the wrong answer as she kicked out her legs—which might’ve been cute if I wasn’t familiar with her strops.
And how relentless they could be.
“Alpha.”
“I know you want to be like Alpha,” I sighed, glaring at Caine. “Your fault.”
“Don’t be jealous, darling,” he teased, and I felt the compulsion to flick him on the knob. “I’m sure she’ll ask to dye her hair blue at some point in the future.”
I refrained from what I really wanted to say, facing Minnie again instead.
“How about this . . .” I waited until she turned to me before suggesting a bargain—when had negotiating with two-years-olds become my norm?
“We can go to the shops today, and get you some tattoos just like Alpha. We’ll paint them at home. ”
It took her a moment to process that my offer was positive and not grounds to throw a full-blown tantrum. It had three of her favourite words—shop, Alpha, and paint—so she was appeased. She clapped her hands again to prove it. “Ta-oos!”
She was settled, asking Caine no more questions, and once again content just to be lounging between us.
She did start to tug deliberately at the sheets covering my top half, however, peeling them down before worming into my lap.
I wrapped my arms around her and tucked her in close, letting her latch on as I rocked back and forth, patting her softly.
She didn’t need to be nursed anymore. Not really.
She still liked it at night, but she’d accept the bottle if I was too sore.
She was mostly on solids, but she relished the comfort, the closeness, and I’d never deny her.
I enjoyed it too, and I’d continue to do it for her as long as I was able. Or until she wasn’t interested.
Fuck what anyone else thought.
“Would you like breakfast?” Caine asked me, and I glanced up at him.
“Sure,” I said. “If it’s not a hassle.”
He eased out of bed, artfully slipping on his briefs without Minnie even noticing he’d stood up. It wasn’t until he was fastening his trousers that she started to fuss. “Alpha’s coming back,” I soothed her, stroking her head. “Don’t worry.”
Fully dressed, and his eyepatch back in place, he bent over the bed to kiss my cheek. I flushed. Minnie reached out for him, withdrawing to hiccup. “Alpha?”
With a soft huff, he leaned in further and kissed her too, trailing his knuckles across the side of her face as she returned to suckling. “I won’t be long, princess.”
He strode out of the room, and Minnie decided she’d clearly been awake long enough already and her eyes fluttered shut, taking a nap.
I glanced at the clock. It was a little past eleven, earlier than she’d usually go down, but she would’ve been up since five, and no doubt had Edith running around in circles for hours before she declared it was time for me to wake up.
The fact she’d waited at all was a novelty, though Edith had likely sensed I’d be a little tender from the event last night.
She’d been right on two counts.
Ensuring my movements wouldn’t rouse her, I inched off the bed, wandering over to place her in the cot.
She would only sleep for an hour, at most, but it would give me time to eat before she wanted to make good on my promise and head down the street.
I was tugging on a clean shirt when Caine returned, a tray balanced in one hand.
He was also in a fresh shirt and trousers, having obviously changed before moseying down to the kitchens.
Or calling for someone to bring the food up.
“Did you bother Lori at this time? She doesn’t start for another hour.”
He pinned me with a flat look. “I am capable of making breakfast.”
My eyes widened dramatically. “Wow, I’m learning a lot about you.”
“Do you want it or not?”
I laughed, putting on some underwear before hurrying over to the bed.
He set the tray in my lap. There was chopped fruit, toast with butter on—apricot jam on the side—and a bowl of the smooth porridge I loved.
He was observant. Though, there was only really enough for one person.
I looked up at him. “Are you not eating?”
“No,” he said. “I never eat breakfast. Lorelei doesn’t make it for me.”
I snorted, noticing he hadn’t moved again. “Are you coming back to bed?”
“I have work to do.”
“Oh.” I nodded absently. A couple of days ago, I might’ve shooed him out the door myself, or watched him leave without even thinking to convince him otherwise. It was odd having the opposite inclination now. “You can’t stay a little longer?”
He hesitated, though we were both coming to terms with newfangled practices, it seemed, as he advanced seconds later. I scooched over to give him room before snatching up the toast and taking a bite. A pleased sound echoed in my throat.
“Perfect amount of butter.”
“Hm, I’ve watched you slather it on before.”
“Thought you didn’t watch me?”
His eye twitched. “I misspoke. Lorelei told me of your—”
“Fuck off, Caine. You’re a stalker. Admit it.”
“It was a safety precaution,” he reminded me, his jaw clenching.
“Alright, then.” I rolled my eyes, though it lacked heat. “Don’t chip a tooth.”
I switched to the fruit once the toast was done, groaning at the burst of sweet yet tart strawberry juice on my tongue. Caine was staring at me intently. Heatedly.
“Must you moan like that while our child is two feet away?”
“She’s asleep, she can’t hear—”
“Not what I meant,” he rumbled, and for whatever reason, my gaze lowered, clocking the bulge he had growing down there. “Sitting there with your hair mussed and your full tits leaking through your shirt. Are you trying to tempt me?”
I paused mid-chew, cheeks rounded with my mouthful. “No?”
He released a sharp breath. “Then maybe it’s just your natural tendency.”
“Or you’re just a pervert,” I threw out with a shrug.
He didn’t deny it.
Once I’d finished my porridge and moved the tray aside, it dawned on me fully .
. . we were in my room. Not saying I hadn’t gathered that already, Caine hadn’t fucked me completely stupid.
It was more the thought of, now we were bonded, what was going to happen?
Would we return to our opposite wings and only see each other every day or so?
Would we sleep together every night? I wouldn’t be opposed to the proposition of sharing a bed with him, waking up trapped in his arms—acting like a regular mated and in-love couple, in that sense.
I did value my own space, and since I’d slept alone for so many years, it could take me a while to get on board with the extra body heat and not being able to burrito myself in the covers anymore. It would be a sacrifice, but I could accommodate.
If he wanted to, I supposed.
“What happens now?” I asked, and he cocked an eyebrow at me in question. “Are we going to do this properly? Be a family and do mated-pair things, or what?”
“That was my understanding, yes.”
I nodded. “So, where are you going to sleep?”
Comprehension crossed his face. “My bedroom is just a room with a bed,” he stated.
He’s a poet. “It has no meaning to me. I’d initially chosen one for convenience—beside my office and hidden away at the far end of the house.
Once you moved in, I relocated to a room closer.
Remaining in the east wing, but nearer the stairs in case you were in need of me.
I don’t care for it. I could move again. ”
That’s why his room didn’t seem like his, because he didn’t really value the space. He rarely slept anyway, so I could understand why he’d have that opinion.
“I guess you could move in here.” I hefted my shoulders lazily, drawing patterns on the bedsheets. Not looking at him. “If you wanted to.”
Fingers tapped the underside of my chin, lifting my gaze. “I do.”
My stomach fuzzed with warmth.
“We could even gut out the room next to this one, make it yours,” I suggested. “A proper den with a door built in between. Just in case we ever needed our space.”
“I don’t need space from you.”
My expression flattened at his vaguely petulant tone.
“Well, I might need space from you. Especially if you start coming home late and disturbing me with your mafia stink. Or being all horny and handsy. Minnie is two weeks away from being two, I’m gonna need every single minute of beauty sleep I can get. ”
A beat passed before he sucked a breath through his nose, and released it silently. “Fine,” he said, sounding reluctant. He’d wanted to dispute it, but he wouldn’t hinder my ability to take care of our daughter. “Any other time, I’ll be sleeping in here. In your den, with you.”
“Fine.” He’d be able to sense my satisfaction, but he didn’t mention it.
“My office can stay where it is,” he declared after a pause. “Separate pack business from . . . us. I don’t want to taint it. Or to blend it all unintentionally.”
“A space for family and a space for business?”
Caine nodded, and a wistful look glinted in his eye as he brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. “I didn’t expect to have this—didn’t think I’d ever know the alternative to being alone.” The faintest curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. “I’ve never felt so gratified to be wrong.”
My expression softened, mirroring his smile. “Me too.”