Chapter 22
Boone held Tildi in his lap, running his palm down the length of her hair. Life had a funny way of twisting and turning. Things that were once the most important in a person’s world could become worthless, and dreams you never dared to dream could come true.
He knew this for a fact because he didn’t give the first fuck about dealing with Nico Midnight. The Little girl in his arms—loving her, caring for her needs and wants, and keeping her safe—was the only thing that mattered.
She was his world, his everything.
“So, we’re agreed?” Sev kept his voice low.
“We are,” Boone answered without hesitation. “Wait. I have one condition.” Pulling his wallet from his pocket, he pulled out the picture he’d had for over three years. Unfolding it, he smoothed the creases and handed it to Sevin. “I promised my men she’d be the last face he saw before he died. If I’m going to turn over taking Nico out to you, you have to swear to me she’s the last person he sees.”
Sev took the photo from him and studied the only picture Boone had of Cara Bradshaw. Nodding, he refolded her picture and put it in his wallet. “I swear, he’ll die with her face in his mind.”
That was that. The weight of retribution disappeared. No, not disappeared. Transferred to the man who could carry it out without endangering the people Boone loved.
Sev turned to Tino, his new second in command. “Get rid of Vinnie’s body and the rest of Nico’s men.”
At the end of it all, things weren’t going to work out well for Nico. But once Sev put an end to him, the Cosa Nostra would be run by someone who at least had a moral compass. It might be a bit off tilt, but the Midnight family would be out of the human trafficking business.
Tino nodded and signaled for the rest of Sev’s men to take the others away. After Tino cleared the room, Sev turned to Boone. “I’m going to have my hands full for a while, but once things settle down, I may come visit you again in the future. There are aspects of the ranch I’d love to explore.”
Boone stared his friend right in the eye. “Anytime,” he said.
Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. Boone had a sneaking suspicion he knew exactly what aspects of the ranch Sev wanted to explore. And that would happen over his dead body.
It was time for them to leave. Sev could handle his family matters on his own. When he stood, he kept Tildi in his arms.
“Daddy. Put me down. I can walk.”
“Never said you couldn’t, babygirl. But I want to carry you.”
Sighing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her cheek on his chest. That was more like it.
“Come on, bluebell. Let’s go home.”
He carried her straight to her room when they got back to the ranch. The neighbors and ranch hands had all understood, and no one objected to celebrating Friendsgiving the next day. Even the one special guest no one knew about.
His girl was exhausted after her ordeal. She needed a bath, a meal, and an early bedtime. And he was just the Daddy to make that happen.
Once he had everything set, he led Tildi into the bathroom. She was tense. Part of it was because of the day, but part of it was nervousness about how bad of a spanking she was going to get.
To be honest, he was having a hard time deciding what to do. What she’d been through was punishment enough as far as he was concerned. He’d have to pay close attention and make sure she didn’t feel guilty. He wouldn’t do anything tonight, anyway. Her bottom had to still be sore from the night before.
She wasn’t smiling. She wasn’t even looking at him. That meant she’d pulled into her own head. It was the last place she needed to be. He needed her focused on him and the life they had to look forward to together.
Luckily, what he had planned should do the trick.
“Hold Daddy’s hand, babygirl. I have a surprise for you.”
Curiosity lit her lavender eyes. Thank god. Taking out his phone, he pulled up the app he’d installed. “Are you ready, little one?”
“What are you going to do, Daddy?”
He winked. “Just this, babygirl.” He turned off the bathroom lights, plunging the room into darkness.
Tildi squealed and grabbed his arm. Before she could climb him like a tree, he pushed the button on his phone. The shades of purple lit the room, and twinkling stars decorated every surface.
The breath she drew in was adorable, as was the breathy, “Oh!” she whispered. Releasing her hold on his arm, she turned in a slow circle, taking in all the constellations projected around the room. “It’s… it’s…” Turning her gaze to him, she finished with a whispered, “Beautiful.”
Damn if he didn’t feel like the king of the world. And he’d just gotten started. He brought up a romantic playlist on his phone and connected it to the speaker system. When the music started, he held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”
She stared at his hand, then up at him. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She nodded and he took her into his arms. They swayed to the music, and he sang along, meaning every sappy, heartfelt word of every song. As they danced under the stars.
When she seemed to tire, he moved to his next surprise. Turning both taps in the bathtub to their highest pressure, he added lavender bubble bath.
As the tub filled with bubbles, he slowly undressed her. He made sure to caress every inch of her body. After helping her into the bath, he got her settled.
Adorable was the closest word he could come up with to describe how she looked, sitting in the tub with bubbles all the way up to her chin. They were going to be taller than that shortly.
When he turned to lift the picnic basket he’d asked Ruby to put together, she thought he was leaving. “Can’t you get in, too, Daddy?”
Setting the basket on the counter extending from the tub, he grinned. “Not this time, babygirl. Tonight is all about relaxing and having Little girl fun. We’ll have big girl fun another time.”
Reaching into the basket, he pulled out three balls. Tildi watched as he pushed a button on each. The balls glowed in everchanging neon colors, and when he put them in the water, they lit the bubbles.
Tildi laughed. After the day they’d had, that was a more beautiful sound than anything on the playlist he'd made. She played with the balls, giggling and singing along with the music. And sinking further into Little space with every note. Perfect.
His final surprise, his piece de resistance, was the charcuterie board of cheeses, chocolates, and fruit. He’d found a board long enough to stretch all the way across the massive jacuzzi tub.
They nibbled and sipped sparkling grape juice until their stomachs were almost as full as his heart. When his Little girl’s eyes started to droop, he pulled the drain plug, dried her off, and got her into her pajamas. They lay in bed together, and he read her stories while she cuddled with Puff and colored a picture.
“Time for sleep, babygirl. Tomorrow is a big day with an even bigger surprise.” Hopefully one she would like, because he’d gone to a lot of trouble to make it happen at the Friendsgiving celebration.
“Bigger than all this? What is it? Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!”
He forced his face into a stern frown, even though he thought her antics were as cute as all get out. “Unless you want to end our date with a hot bottom, I suggest you change that attitude.”
She sighed and looked so pitiful it was all he could do not to laugh. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”
He ruffled her hair. “That’s all right, bluebell. Just be careful.”
And just like that, Little Tildi was gone and adult Tildi gazed at him. “I mean it, Daddy. I’m sorry about today. I know you’ve told me about putting my safety at risk a million times. I thought you were being over-protective. Well, I mean, you are being overprotective. But now I understand why. It was so scary today. Nico could have taken me away forever. And I really, really needed to tell you I loved you one more time.”
Something inside him settled. He didn’t realize how much he needed her to understand why he was so protective. He had always thought it was enough that she just obeyed him. But this, this was so much more.
“You are my everything, Tildi. I’ve lost people before. It was hard, but I survived. Losing you would end me. I’d never get over it. Thank you for giving that to me.”
“Well, you know I might forget in the small things. But I won’t forget when it’s important. Not ever again. And I have a secret to share with you. I’ve never told anyone before.”
Okay. She had his attention. “I told you once I changed my name, but I never told you what it was. My name was Seraphina Michelle Boucher. I went by Sera. I’ve never told anyone because I didn’t trust they wouldn’t contact my family… well, the General… and tell him where I was. I’m telling you because I do trust you. Can you help me contact my sister, Breezy. Seeing her would be the best present I could ever get.”
Her willingness to trust him almost sent him to his knees. And that she told him was going to make tomorrow go a lot easier.
“Thank you for telling me, Tildi. Your trust is the greatest gift you could ever give me. I’ll work every day to be worthy of that trust.” Now for the tricky part. “I don’t know if we’ve ever talked about everything Wilder Security is capable of. We have very sophisticated equipment, and my men are some of the best in the world at what they do.”
“Okay, why would that upset me?”
“When you told me the stories of your past, I was worried that when we got home the General might be a problem for you. I needed to be able to protect you from him. I used your fingerprints to find out who you were. I didn’t look into anything personal about your past. I wanted that to come from you. Even the Wild Men don’t know your previous name. But I needed your father’s name to keep you safe.”
The color drained from her face. Her gut clenched. Had he fucked everything up? God, he couldn’t lose her. He’d have to find a way to make it right.
“Are you all right, bluebell? It’s okay if you’re angry with me. You have a right. I should have told you what I was planning. If you need time to mmph?—”
Tildi cut him off, pressing her hand over his lips. “I’m not upset with you, Daddy. Someone very wise told me that you don’t have to be perfect to be loved. That goes for Daddies, too. It was just a shock.”
Thank god he was already sitting down. Relief had him lightheaded. How was it possible for someone to become more important than life to him in a matter of weeks? She said she wasn’t upset, but he had to be sure.
“You turned white as a sheet, babygirl. I should have thought of a better way to tell you. Are you sure you can forgive me?”
‘I’m sure, Daddy. I’m sure because I already have.” She threw her arms around him and pressed kisses all over his face. “If I lost color in my face, it was because what you did was give me back my sister. Will you help me call her? I know it will be busy tomorrow. I’m just glad everyone said they could have the Friendsgiving celebration then. But after that, I want to, I mean, when you can, and if you have time, I’d love to see if Breezy even wants to see me. If you can’t, I mmph?—”
“She does want to see you, babygirl. Very much.”
Tears filled her beautiful eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “She does?”
He pulled her into his arms. “Yes, sweet girl. She wants to see you so much that I paid for her to come.”
“Oh! She’s coming? Here?” Her voice was little more than a squeak.
He couldn’t take it anymore. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he cradled her in his lap, holding her as she cried. She fit perfectly.
Nuzzling deeper into his hold, into his heart, she asked, “Do you know when she might want to visit? I’m not rushing you. I know it takes time to make plans.”
“Bluebell, Breezy is going to be here tomorrow for Friendsgiving.”
She shoved out of his arms and stared up at him, mouth opened to a perfect O that did wicked things to his dick. “Tomorrow? She’s coming tomorrow? Tomorrow! Daddy! She can’t come tomorrow. I’m not ready. What will I say? What will I wear? She doesn’t know me anymore. She doesn’t even know I have pink hair! I…I need… I need Kenzie.”
Spinning on her sock-clad feet, she raced out the door. Her voice echoed down the hall. “Kenzie! Kenzie, you’ll never believe it. Can you dye my hair brown?”
He stared at the empty, open doorway and then broke into a run himself. At the door, he roared, “Matilda Jayne, do not change the color of your hair!” He started back into the bedroom, then turned back and added, “And don’t run in the house, little girl!”
Then he entered the bedroom and pushed the door almost closed.
The bedroom door crashed open before he’d made it five steps. Tildi hit him at a full out sprint. He had to plant a foot so they didn’t both wind up on the floor. She scaled him like he was a rock climbing wall, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
He held her in place easily, but before he could speak, she kissed him. “I love you, Boone Daniels. With all my heart as long as I live.”
She released him, dropped to the floor, and was out the door like a shot. Again.
What had just happened?
A slow grin spread across his face. Matilda Jayne Seraphina Michelle Boucher Lewis. That was what just happened.
And he was the lucky man who got to have it happen to him every day. His heart swelled because that was all he’d ever need.
The End