21. Beck
CHAPTER 21
Beck
I’d just taken a sip from my first coffee of the day when Alice burst through the door. “Daddy!”
She ran into my arms looking like a little princess, her hair intricately braided like she came straight from singing on the streets of Arendelle.
I’d been up half the night replaying Luna’s words in my head, feeling grateful that she’d shared her truth with me while simultaneously seething and wanting to track down this man and single-handedly ruin his life.
And I wasn't foolish enough to think that one conversation would fix what could have been between us. It meant we knew the truth—the full truth, but it didn't mean we were suddenly together. It didn't erase all those hurt feelings from the past eight years.
Now reality had set back in. Real life. Responsibilities.
“Daddy can I have a sleepover every night?” Alice asked wide-eyed, pulling me back to the here and now.
I squeezed her tight. “Sleepovers are great every once in a while, but not every night. They would lose what makes them special.”
“But it's so much fun.” Alice broke into a yawn mid-sentence.
“We also don't live here and maybe Constance and Faith don't want to have a sleepover every night.”
My daughter nodded enthusiastically. “I'm sure they will say yes.”
I grinned, loving Alice’s precocious nature all the while feeling completely inept to navigate the situation, so I fiddled with one of her braids only to have her swat at me. “Not the braids, Daddy!”
My hands flew above my head in capitulation. “I'm standing down.”
Alice threw me a look befitting a teenager.
Luna swept into the kitchen wearing an emerald silk pajama set she’d changed into last night that showed off her long, lean legs and complemented her auburn hair. “Love the braids, Alice.”
My daughter blushed, hand reaching up to touch her hair. “Thanks, Luna.”
“Morning, Beck,” Luna said, shooting me a sly smile as she headed straight to the coffee maker.
My heart thudded in my chest. “Morning, Luna.”
“Daddy, I'm hungry.”
I stood. “How does French toast sound?”
“Delicious,” Luna answered.
My lips twitched. “I was asking Alice, but it's good to know what you like.”
Alice walked right up to Luna and tugged on her arm. Luna bent down as Alice cupped her hand and whispered in Luna's ear.
Luna broke into a wide smile, then cupped her hand and whispered back into Alice's ear.
They were fucking adorable conspiring together. The tableau had me absently rubbing the spot over my heart.
I'd wondered what it would be like to raise my daughter with a partner. With someone who wanted both of us—the packaged deal.
They both straightened, mischief written all over their faces.
“We want donuts,” Alice said firmly.
Luna raised a finger. “And a latte. Preferably vanilla.”
I crossed my arms. “Is that so? And where do you expect us to get said donuts and vanilla latte?”
“In town,” Alice said.
Luna nodded enthusiastically beside my daughter as she pointed at me. “You're driving.”
Is that so?
They both nodded some more, the corner of Luna's lips upturned.
“What about Faith?” I was here to babysit, and I took that seriously. “Are we supposed to just leave her here?”
Alice gasped. “I'll get her!”
In a flash, she was out the door, her little legs carrying her across the back cobblestones toward Constance's cottage. I watched the whole thing through the glass pane covering the top half of the door.
Luna recaptured my attention. She leaned against the marble countertops, her forearms resting on the counter behind her.
“I should separate you two. You're a bad influence.”
Luna placed a hand on her chest. “Little ‘ole me? Never.”
“I’ll call bullshit on that.” I swallowed the space between us, and her arms came up to rest on my chest, the movement effortless, like we’d done this song and dance a million times before. “The bed was cold without you.”
When I finally emerged from my own bedroom this morning, I caught a glimpse of her on her phone talking to one of her associates.
The woman never rested. It was no wonder her body kept shutting down on her.
Luna extended a finger, dragging it down my chest, and I held my breath wondering what would come next.
When I stepped back, her brows furrowed.
“How are you feeling about last night?” I asked.
She blinked. Twice.
“Coffee,” she croaked. “I need more coffee before we talk about last night.”
I stepped to the side, blocking her path. “Talk first, coffee second.”
She crossed her arms and sank into her hip. If I were to have Faith paint this image, I’d dub it Unamused .
“You shared a lot last night,” I prodded gently. “I’m glad we cleared some things up, even if I will be kicking myself for the rest of my life for not getting your phone number right. And for how I’ve treated you these past few months.”
Luna peered at her fingernails like they were the most fascinating thing in the world. “I wasn’t exactly a peach, either.”
My lips twitched. That was one way of putting it.
Still, I loved all the poking and jabbing and fighting.
I took another step toward her, closing the gap again, her hands once again finding their place on my chest, her eyes focused there.
Gently, I lifted her chin. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I fucking want to tear the world apart to find the asshole that hurt you.” She shuddered underneath my palm. “And I’m so proud of you for everything you’re doing to make sure something like that never happens at Club Deux. You’re incredible .”
She gulped, eyes shining. “Thank you for saying that.”
I pulled her in tight, and at first wasn’t sure what to do; she just kind of froze there. Then, eventually, her arms tightened around my waist as I enveloped her in a hug. Luna sighed and a wave of content flooded my veins.
Eventually, Luna tilted back, smirking. “I could really use that coffee now.”
“You’re released,” I said, reluctantly dropping my hands.
She hummed and made her way to the coffee pot. “Monroe called. Sounds like I might have to fire one of our bartenders for being snippy at some customers.”
I clicked my tongue. “The customer is always right. Don’t they know that?”
Luna blew on her piping hot coffee, before saying, “That’s a common misconception. The customer is often wrong, but it’s not for us to judge that unless they’re being an asshole. Then my staff have every right to call security and kick people out. I have a no assholes rule at Club Deux, and I stick by it religiously.”
I stayed put, keeping the distance between us. “And was the customer an asshole?”
She shrugged, the movement shifting her top until it slid down her shoulder revealing her creamy pale skin. Luna quickly adjusted the material but not before she caught me staring. “It sounds like something activated the bartender and they responded inappropriately. I plan to give them a call once I’m caffeinated. I don’t tolerate rudeness from them, but I want to hear them out. If they were having a bad day, maybe they just need some time off to cool down. If they aren’t amicable…” She shook her head. “Then good riddance.”
“You’d give them another chance?”
Luna cocked her head to the side. “We’re human. We have bad days. I certainly wouldn’t want to be judged by how I acted on my worst days.”
“It’s generous, is all.”
“I wouldn’t have a business if I didn’t have great people around me. Do I make terrible hires? Sometimes. But most of the time I can tell if someone has the same principles as me.”
That reminded me of something I saw the last time I’d visited Club Deux. “You have posters up in the bathrooms.”
“You mean the warning signs about what behaviors to look out for that might indicate human trafficking?”
“It’s related, isn’t it?”
She blinked. “Yes. It’s related.”
Alice dashed back into the house, and our conversation ceased. “Faith’s coming!”
Sure enough, I saw Faith yawning as she traversed the pathway to the main house.
Luna got up. “I guess I should go get dressed.”
“We should too.” I pointed between me and Alice.
Luna walked past me, my nerves all but crackling at her proximity and my mind reeling.
Where the hell do we go from here?