Page 40 of Lore
When I rush downstairs to find Atiana, I stop in my tracks when I see none other than Suit sitting at the kitchen table, feeding Dove her cereal.
This is my future if I don’t win Atiana back, and it’s flashing right in front of my eyes.
No fucking way.
“What are you doing?” I ask him, keeping my tone even.
He glances up at me as he scoops more onto the pink spoon in his fingers, before making a little airplane noise. Dove laughs and claps her hand, swallowing down the bite. “Rider spilled milk over his clothes, so Atiana went to get him changed. I’m feeding this little princess right here until she gets back.”
“Suit,” I warn, my voice low. I approach him and take the spoon from him. “I will feed Dove. Not you. This is my family, not yours.” My hands are shaking.
“I’m just helping Atiana,” he replies, his lips tightening. “You need to sort your shit out, Lore.”
“I am sorting it out. I don’t need you here trying to steal what’s mine.”
“If she can be stolen, she wasn’t yours in the first place,” he mutters, kissing Dove’s cheek before walking off.
I’m actually going to kill him the second we are alone.
Atiana isn’t the only one who’s mine. It extends to the little girl staring up at me with wide, honey-colored eyes. I pick her up and hold her against my chest, taking deep, calming breaths. “You want to eat more, Dove?”
She nods against me, lifts her head, and points to the strawberries on the table. I cut them up like I’ve seen her mom do and put them in a little bowl for her before sliding her back into her highchair.
She’s almost done when Atiana comes back with Rider. “Hey, where did Suit go?”
If only she knew what Suit was like behind closed doors, then maybe she would realize that sometimes the devil you know is better.
“He’s busy,” I say, trying to keep the bite out of my tone, then I turn to Rider. “Good morning. You want to kick the ball around the backyard this morning?”
“Yeah!” He grins, eyes lighting up. “When I go back to school, I’m going to be the best soccer player on the team.”
“Yeah, you will.” I smile, kissing the top of Dove’s head.
“I’m going to have a quick talk with your mom alone, all right?”
His violet eyes narrow. “What about?”
Ruffling his hair when I pass, I put my hand on Atiana’s waist. “That’s between me and your mom.”
“Just give me a minute,” she tells them and steps outside the kitchen. She spins around and glares up at me. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want Suit playing father to either of my kids,” I declare. “If you need something done, ask me. Not him.”
Her eyes go wide, and she puts her hands on her hips. Yeah, now she’s pissed. “Suit came into the kitchen and asked if I needed help. You were still in bed. Must have had a late night, hmm?”
“Yeah, actually, I did. I was up tossing and turning, thinking about that kiss and how sweet your little mouth is.” My eyes drop to her lips. Fuck, I want a taste right now.
Her eyes shutter. “Really? Then why did I see a woman leaving your room in the middle of the night? You’re such a lying asshole!”
Oh fuck.
Yeah, I can see how that looked.
My lips twitch at her outrage. “You’re jealous.”
“No, I’m not,” she replies, lifting her stubborn little chin. “They can have you. I’m sure they already fucking have!” She mutters something about a communal dick.
“Why were you near my bedroom door in the middle of the night? Did that kiss get to you, too?” I smile slowly, then reach out to pull her closer. I lower my lips to press a kiss to the side of her neck. Her body shivers. “You’re going to be mine again. You’re going to be on my dick and on the back of my bike. I’m not going to ruin that by fucking anyone else. Brandy came into my room—the room I left unlocked in case you changed your mind. When I realized it was her, I kicked her ass out. She didn’t even get to touch my cock.”
