Page 140 of Melt For Us, Daddy
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” And it was the truth. If her people were going through hell, she wanted to be right there next to them, loving them through it.
“You understand we’re going to be under a lot of scrutiny. Not just from the Feds but from the general public as well. Reporters, podcasters. Harlan’s arrest is going to make waves, especially with Jacob being the one who helped bring him down.”
“What do we have to hide? Nothing, as far as I’m concerned.”
“It’s not that we have anything to hide. I just… worry. Maybe you should go stay with your parents for a bit. Just until the initial media frenzy dies down.”
Temper sparked in her chest at the suggestion. “Fuck that.”
As expected, her response earned her a narrow-eyed stare. “Excuse me, little girl?”
“You heard me. Fuck that, Cordelia. I’m not going anywhere. I’m sure as hell not going to run and hide and leave you two to face this alone.”
“You will if I say you will, Ivy Mae. It’s bad enough I can’t protect Jacob from the shit storm coming our way. If I can shield you, in any way, I will.”
“And I love you for that.” Lifting a hand to her neck, Ivy gripped the flower nestled there. “But when you put this on me, it wasn't just you claiming me. It was me promising to love you and support you, no matter what. I told you once that I don’t care if we hadn’t said the vows yet, I’m with you. Sickness and health, better or worse, the whole nine yards. The only thing that’s changed is that we’ve added Jacob to that promise. Please don’t make me choose between submission and love, Dee.”
“Fuck.” Sliding her hand around the back of Ivy’s neck, Cordelia drew her down, pressing her lips to Ivy’s. “All right. I won’t send you away. But the same rules as before apply. If Holden or his men give you an order, you obey without question. Rules I give you and Jacob for your safety are non-negotiable. Got it?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“My good girl.” She reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair from Ivy’s face. “What would I do without you?”
“You’d live a full and happy life. Because you’re a fucking survivor, Cordelia Summers. With or without me, you would have carved out the best life for yourself possible. You never would have let yourself settle for less.”
“Maybe. But the life I made for myself is a hell of a lot better than I ever could have imagined, because you’re in it.”
Love swamped her, drowning out everything else. “Ditto. I love you.”
“I love you too, babygirl.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with both of you, too.”
Twisting around on her Daddy’s lap, Ivy stared at their baby boy as he pushed himself up on the couch and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“What did you say?” Cordelia’s voice was a bit hollow, a bit strained, and Ivy wondered idly if her heart was beating as fast and hard as her own.
“I love you. Both of you.” His cheeks, already flushed with sleep, turned even pinker as his gaze flicked between them. “I know it’s probably not the right time to tell you, but I’ve been wanting to for a while. Since the safe house, really. And, well, I was kind of hoping maybe you’d want to… keep me.”
Everything in her wanted to leap into his arms, to hold him tight and promise him they’d never let go. But this wasn’t a decision that could be made by only one of them, so Ivy turned back to Cordelia. To her Daddy. “What do you say, Dee? Should we keep him?”
Cordelia’s gaze remained locked on their boy. “That’s really what you want, Jacob? There’s so much of the world you haven’t seen, haven’t experienced yet.”
Rising from the couch, Jacob crossed the short distance to the loveseat and sank to his knees in front of them, his expression so open and full of love Ivy had to blink back tears. “Then let’s experience it together. I-I know there’s a lot I don’t know, a lot I’ve been sheltered from. But I know what love is, Cordelia. And I know that I love you, and Ivy, and I want you both by my side while I figure out my place in this world.”
This time when Cordelia spoke, her voice was thick with tears. Reaching out, she ran a hand through their boy’s hair. “I think you’ve already found it, baby.”
Everything about him lit up at her words. “Really? I can stay?”
“I think you’d have a fight on your hands with our Ivy girl if you tried to leave.”
“Damn straight you would.” Laughing wildly, Ivy reached for him, tugging on his shirt until he climbed up onto the couch, sandwiching Cordelia between the two of them. “You’re ours and we’re yours. Right, Daddy?”
“Absolutely, babygirl.” Blowing out a shaky breath, Cordelia dropped her head onto his shoulder. “I swear the only thing that would make this day better would be knowing that Silas Redding is finally in hell where he belongs.”
“Then your day is about to get a lot better.”
Between them, Cordelia froze, her face going carefully blank as she twisted around to stare up at him. “You better not be fucking with me, Jacob.”
