19. Zeke
Zeke
“ W ell, that was quite the show!” I gave a quiet golf clap as I rounded the corner out of the pantry, crunching on a mouthful of dry cereal, shaking a handful of the small honey oats into my hand.
Coming out of the pantry, Clay’s and Piper’s faces were filled with shock, their brows up to their hairlines, before their cheeks turned pink and they averted their gazes.
No doubt, both of them would have liked to ask how long I had been watching, but another high-pitched, “Daddy Clay?” rang out from Maisie’s bedroom.
I had been watching nearly the entire time, so I was well aware that neither was in a position to handle this situation or admit to themselves they were actually falling for each other, so I stepped in generously.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go get Maisie for you two.
” I flashed them a wink, Piper still sitting, face flushed at the edge of the counter, her skirt pulled back down around her as much as she could manage with Clay still knotted inside her—his jeans dangling off his hips, his shirt buttoned one hole off in his hurry to get his clothing back on.
“Once you get her back down, go round up the boys. I’m callin’ a Blackwood Ranch meeting in the living room in an hour, and wipe that fuckin’ smirk off your face, Zeke.”
Clayton did his best to remind me he was pack lead, making sure to get in an order or two and a little dig to establish who was in charge, even though it was pretty hard to take him seriously while he was still knot deep in Piper, his ass crack hanging out in the breeze.
“Sure thing, boss, I’m just glad to see you two getting along so well.” I beamed, emptying some more cereal into my open mouth and crunching away loudly over the sounds of Clayton’s fuming. Piper had already disappeared behind her hands, furiously blushing.
“Daddy Z!” Maisie squealed as I intercepted her at the top of the stairs, my hands slipping beneath her little, outstretched arms to lift her up.
“Miss Maisie Rae! We’re gonna fly on home to your bed,” I shouted triumphantly as I made my way back down the hall, swinging her as if she were flying back to her room. The room was pink, frilly, and filled with more play tea sets and plastic ponies than any child could realistically use.
But hey, she was our baby girl, and we did our very best to ensure she didn’t want for a damn thing.
“USS Maisie Rae coming in for a landing.”
I buzzed my lips, imitating the sound of a radio call. Her high shrieking giggles peaked as I swung her down onto the pink pony princess bedspread, her small body bouncing once before I threw the blanket over her.
“Again!” she begged as I leaned down to kiss her forehead, her little arms hugging me around the neck, refusing to let me go.
“I think that was the last flight of the good ship Maisie Rae tonight.” I released her gently, giving her another forehead kiss before I sat back on the edge of her bed.
“Why were you out of bed, hmm?” I tucked the blanket beneath her chin and gave her a serious look.
“Daddy Kota and Papa Monty read me a story, but Daddy Clay and Miss Piper didn’t! And you didn’t sing me a lullaby!” she blurted, her bright blue eyes big as saucers as she pleaded her case.
“Sometimes not all of us grown-ups can do good-night time,” I explained to her, fluffing her white blonde curls before tucking a few behind her ears. She looked up at me with those big puppy dog eyes. “Tonight, Miss Piper needs a bit of a rest, and Daddy Clay needs to finish up a few things.”
While this hardly softened the blow, I had an ace still up my sleeve.
“ But …” I wiggled my fingers, and Maisie’s face lit up with glee once more as she realized I hadn’t accounted for myself. “I can certainly sing you a lullaby.”
“Yay!” Maisie cheered before snuggling down into her blankets.
I gently stroked her forehead as I began to sing.
“ Tender shepherd, tender shepherd, let me help you find your sheep... ”
The sound of my voice filled the small room, her lashes fluttering before I made it to the second line:
“ One in the meadow, two in the garden, three in the nursery, fast asleep. ”
I repeated the small loop a total of three times, my voice growing softer with each refrain. Maisie’s breathing evened out and slowed, her eyes drifting shut before I sang the last note.
Giddily, I skipped my way down the stairs on light feet, dancing a dixie waltz into Montana’s office, where I knew I would find him and Dakota poring over feed orders and other administrative stuff I didn’t concern myself with.
I burst in with little to no regard for what they were doing, a smile a mile wide plastered on my face.
“Lord help us,” Montana sighed, sitting back in his leather desk chair. “That shit-eating grin always means trouble.” He shook his head disapprovingly, but there was already a smile playing at his lips.
“What is it? What’s that look for?” Dakota pressed, impatient.
“Guess.” I spread my hands wide, gesturing to unseen possibilities.
Montana rolled his eyes, but Dakota sprang up from his chair, running through guesses, rapid fire.
“You got a new truck?”
I shake my head.
“There’s a new kind of cookies in the kitchen tonight?” Dakota tried again, hopefully.
“No, siree,” I snickered, drifting to one of Montana’s bookcases to pick up an old silver spur he’d placed on it for decoration.
“Clay actually gave you a raise?”
“Hell, no,” I laughed heartily as I gave the eight-pointed spur a spin.
“Can I have a hint?”
I began to rhythmically jingle the spur while softly singing, “ Someone’s in the kitchen with Piper, someone’s in the kitchen I know, someone’s in the kitchen with Piper ? — ”
Both twins shot upright, their spines like fence posts and eyes wide.
“What!?” Dakota crowed in disbelief before I finished with a flourish.
“ Knottin’ on the countertop!” I thumped my palm in time to the song on the corner of Montana’s desk.
“Bullshit.” Montana shook his head, but an amused grin curled his mouth upward.
“Yep, Bossman finally caved—got him some of that sweet, sweet Piper Collins.” I sighed dreamily, thinking fondly of being knot-deep in her myself.
“We’re probably going to have to add him to the tally now.” Dakota shook his head, but a grin had already crept across his face.
“Well, shit.” Dakota scrubbed a hand over his short hair, looking from me to Montana, then back to open space.
“Clay wants to have a ranch meeting in the living room in an hour to ‘talk.’” I did my best to mimic his dire expression, which drew a laugh from both twins.
“Yeah, I bet he does,” Montana sighed, kicking back in his seat, hands knitted behind his head. “Probably wants to make sure he can put his own spin on the situation, so no one forgets who runs the place.”
“Yeah, well, I think we all know who runs the place now.” I punched Dakota in the shoulder and watched a flush spread across his cheeks.
Montana pursed his lips, eyebrows pinched together, as if he was about to ask Who? —but it dawned on him before he got the word out, nodding slowly.
“Hell, she managed to get Montana and Clay to loosen up. She deserves to rule the roost, if you ask me. I’m not even jealous that I’m the only one who hasn’t knotted her today. She’s put in a lot of good work.”
I slapped Montana on the back, nearly sending him flying, and any doubt that I’d meant Piper taking the lead was erased.
A while later, I plopped down onto the sofa beside Piper, who was freshly showered and dressed in modest pajamas. Dakota was quick to fill the seat on the opposite side.
Montana, patient as ever, perched on the chaise portion of the sectional facing the three of us. Clayton hovered over us from his place standing on the rug, bulky arms crossed over his chest.
“I called this meeting to discuss a few important things,” he began gruffly.
Though, after reproachful glances from the boys and I—and maybe even Piper’s apprehensive expression—he softened his tone.
“Obviously, we all know what’s been goin’ on here.” He allowed a moment of acknowledgement before moving on. “We’re all grown-ass adults capable of making our own decisions, but I think we can agree that we need to do what’s best for Maisie.”
Everyone nodded and made sounds of agreement, urging Clay to continue.
“Then, of course, there’s the matter of Piper’s heat.” Clay cleared his throat, obviously distracted by the mere idea of Piper in heat—and who could blame him?
At this, Clayton had the good sense to shut up and let Piper take the floor.
“Well, I guess I hadn’t even thought that far ahead. I’ve been off suppressants for a while, but I could go to the nearest center to make sure that I don’t have one?—.”
I cut her off, quick to clarify. “Nobody’s saying you gotta suppress your heat, Pipes.”
The idea hung in the air a moment without argument, that rosy blush flooding Piper’s cheeks as she stammered, “Oh, well, I mean…I didn’t know if anyone could be spared. It’s been so busy, and with Maisie and everything...” she trailed off, her excuses sounding thin, likely even to herself.
“I, for one, would be happy to volunteer myself and my knot for heat-helping services,” I assured her with a wink. “Anytime you need—heat or not, if I’m being honest.”
Piper’s cheeks deepened to a hot magenta.
“Me too, obviously,” Dakota was quick to jump in, hot on my heels.
“Of course, I’d also be, ahem , happy to support you in any way possible during your heat,” Montana offered gentlemanly, even if he had to clear his throat halfway through to keep his voice from cracking.
“Not like I wouldn’t help, either,” Clayton cut in grouchily before continuing.
“All we want is for you to be comfortable, whether that means going to the center and getting some suppressants, staying at the center and going through your heat there with professionals, or having your heat here, at home, with us.”
It felt like forever before Piper offered some kind of response, her sky-blue eyes fixed on her fidgeting fingers as her teeth worked her bottom lip nervously.
She finally looked up at all of us, clearing her throat. “I think I would prefer to go through my heat here, at Blackwood Ranch—if that’s really okay with you guys. It shouldn’t be for a while.”
“We’ll have to make some arrangements for childcare, and make sure that Clayton and I clear our schedules for a few days—but other than that, it’s really not any trouble,” Montana assessed aloud, easing his own concerns as much as Piper’s.
“Oh, trust us, Pipes,” I chimed in with a grin, Dakota smirking over at me. “It is way more than okay .”