24. Chapter 24
Ella is half-asleep against my shoulder as Tiff fumbles with the keys to their home.
“Dammit,” she whispers under her breath.
I can barely see what’s going on since Mr. Squishy is blocking my view, but when I hear the door open, I take a step forward, following the sound of Tiff’s footsteps.
My shoulder bumps against the doorframe as we shuffle inside.
“We’ve got to be quiet,” Tiff whispers. “We don’t want to wake up Zach.”
Zach?
“Is he here?”
Tiff shrugs. “I don’t know, but just in case.”
I glance back outside, noting that his big-ass truck isn’t in the drive, which means he’s either with Honey (unlikely after the conversation I had with her), or he’s outside her dorm wishing he was with her (most probable answer). I may be a shit football player, but even I can read his playbook.
“I’ll take her up,” I offer quietly.
Tiff nods, leading the way upstairs. Ella doesn’t stir as I lay her gently in bed, still in her clothes because neither of us wants to risk waking her.
Tiff takes her shoes and socks off before pulling the covers up and tucking Mr. Squishy beside her.
She immediately snuggles into him and falls deeper asleep.
We stand there for a moment, our shoulders brushing as we watch the steady rise and fall of her chest.
She’s beautiful.
My daughter. Our daughter. I still can’t get used to the idea that she’s mine. She’s too beautiful. Too perfect for this world, and I want to do everything I can to protect her from the people in it.
Tiff shifts beside me and smooths Ella’s hair back from her face before kissing her forehead.
“She had fun tonight,” Tiff whispers, as she stands.
I don’t answer right away. I’m too busy watching her in awe. The way she loves our daughter, and how naturally it comes.
When did I get so lucky?
Not just to have a daughter like Ella, but to have her.
“I did, too,” I whisper, trying to say that as casually as possible. This was by far the best night I’ve ever had, but that might come on a little too strong.
“Come on.” She gestures to the hallway, and I follow her out of the room.
She carefully shuts the door and leans back against it.
“I’m exhausted,” she says quietly, her gaze fixed on my chest instead of meeting my eyes.
I step closer and rest my forearm against the wall behind her. She tips her chin up and glances at me with a slightly dazed smile.
I know I must look the same.
How could I not?
I’ve just had the night of my life with the only two people in this world I actually care about.
I lean forward, and our lips meet in a sweet, chaste kiss.
“I had the best night,” I whisper against her lips before kissing her again. It’s the best fucking feeling in the world knowing that she wants this just as much as me.
I love her. I love her so fucking much that I can’t let this moment go any further without being honest about what happened today.
“Tiff,” I say quietly.
She looks up at me. “Yeah?”
“There’s something I need to tell you.” I hold her gaze. “Before I leave tonight.”
Her expression shifts, her eyes searching mine as her back straightens against the door. “Is this about the job interview?”
The job?
“What?”
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, and her cheeks flush. “Yeah, you, uh, didn’t mention it, so I figured you didn’t get it.”
“I didn’t.” I shake my head, surprised I’d completely forgotten about that, too. “My dad somehow found out about it and blocked it.”
Her face falls. “Jamie—”
I cut her off with a wave of my hand. “It’s fine. I’ll figure something out. It’s not what I need to tell you.” I take a beat, preparing myself. “Your, uh, father came to visit me today.”
All the color drains from her face. “My father?”
“He showed up at my hotel.”
She takes a step away from the door and wraps her arms around herself. “I’m so sorry.”
I reach for her, but she’s already pacing, her mind clearly spiraling. “You shouldn’t be sorry.”
“Of course I should be sorry! He’s my father, he—”
“No. I’m sorry,” I cut her off firmly. “I’m the reason he’s here. My father is paying him.”
She stops mid-pace, turning to look at me. “What?”
“My dad is paying your dad to come here. To…” I swallow hard. “To sabotage us and make me come back to him.”
She stands away from me, processing it all.
“Of course,” she says quietly, more to herself than me. “Of course they’re working together. He and my mom haven’t said a word to me since he kicked me out. He wouldn’t just show up now unless there was something else going on.”
Her voice goes flat on the last word as I watch it sink in, hating that I’m the one who has to deliver this to her.
I swallow and tell her the rest.
“He says that I’m just some spoiled rich kid playing at being normal. He thinks I’ll get bored of this life and run back to Daddy’s money the second things get hard. That I’m going to hurt you and Ella, and I should do everyone a favor and leave now before I do more damage.”
Tears well in Tiff’s eyes as she bites down on her bottom lip. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him what I told you. He’s wrong.” I take a step toward her. “I told him I’m not going anywhere.”
She takes a deep breath, stepping back.
I don’t follow her.
Instead, I drop to my knees in front of her.
Her breath catches. Mine does too.
I’ve never felt the need to get on my knees for anyone before, but she’s the first thing that’s ever mattered enough.
“I’m never going to leave you, Tiff, and I’m tired of everyone thinking otherwise.
Now that I’ve found you and you’ve let me into Ella’s life, there’s nothing that is going to stop me from being here.
But I need you to know that my father is going to keep trying to pull me back.
My compliance is too important for him. They both are.
My father, your father. They’re going to do everything they can to tear us apart.
They think I’m not good enough. Fine. Let me spend every day proving I can be.
” I squeeze her hands. “They think I’ll leave?
Okay, I’ll show them exactly where I belong.
They think I don’t know what I’m doing?” I stand and cup her face, my thumbs brushing away the tears on her cheeks.
“Maybe they’re right about that part, but I’m learning, and I’m not giving up. ”
“Jamie…” Her voice is shaky and emotional.
“I love you, Tiff. I love Ella, and whatever they throw at us, we’ll face it together.”
She kisses me, and this time there’s no hesitation. It’s desperate and fierce and full of everything we’ve been fighting for.
the hem of my shirt, and she kisses me. Her lips tasting like redemption. A redemption I don’t deserve.
“Tiff,” I whisper against her lips.
She fists my shirt, stopping me from moving away.
“Stay,” she husks out, pulling me in for another kiss.
“Tiff—” I mumble against her lips.
“Stay,” she says again, more certain this time. Her fingers uncurl from my shirt, and her hand smooths over the fabric. “Please, just…stay.”
“Okay.”
She takes my hand, leading me down the hallway to her room.
I follow her, my eyes tracking the sway of her hips with every step she takes. She’s more confident tonight than yesterday.
The second we’re inside her room, she turns back to me and rises onto her toes to kiss me.
I barely have time to register her taking my shirt off or her fingers fumbling at my belt until my jeans slide down my thighs, and I’m kicking them off.
Still kissing me, her hands lock on my hips, and she pulls me toward the bed.
Like always, I go willingly.
She pulls me down with her, and suddenly I’m braced over her, my hands planted on either side of her head. She arches under me, her nails digging down my back in slow, deliberate lines—sharp enough to sting, hot enough to make me groan into her mouth. The sound vibrates between us.
I break the kiss just enough to rasp against her lips, “I don’t deserve you.” It’s the truth. This woman has been through so much…without me there. She had to forge a life, while I fucked up mine. She’s brave, she’s strong. She’s fucking everything, and she doesn’t even realize it.
Her lashes flutter, and she looks away with flushed cheeks. “Don’t say that.”
“I mean it.” I capture her mouth in a quick, fierce kiss, tasting the salt of her skin. “After everything…after all that I missed. I don’t deserve to be here. To have you and our perfect Ella fall into my lap like this.”
I crash my mouth to hers, kissing her as I take her shirt, bra, and jeans off until she’s lying underneath me in just a pair of black panties. My gaze devours every inch of her newly exposed skin.
I’m so fucking unworthy.
I start to kiss every part of her body. Her forehead, her cheeks, her chin, her jawline. Everything, because it’s the only way she’ll let me show her how sorry I am about what happened between us.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper against her collarbone, my hands steady on her hips.
“I’m sorry.” Another kiss to her shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Then the other shoulder.
“Jamie.” It’s a whine and a moan all at once.
Her hips roll up, grinding against my hardened cock, but I don’t take my boxers off. Nothing about tonight should be about me. This needs to be all about her.
“I’m sorry,” I breathe before closing my mouth over one of her perfect pink nipples. I suck gently, then harder, rolling the tight peak against my tongue.
She gasps, her back bowing off the mattress as my hand drifts lower across the soft plane of her stomach. I slide it beneath her thin cotton panties, feeling the fabric clinging to her already damp center.
Repent.
That’s all I want to do right now. She deserves it.
I groan low against her chest, letting my fingers roam her slick pussy.
She shudders when I find her clit, and I circle it once, letting the pad of my finger drag through her wetness before pressing just firm enough to make her hips jerk.
The panties stretch tight across my wrist as I dip deeper and slide my middle finger along her entrance, coating it in her arousal before slipping inside.
Fuck.