Page 87 of Corrupted Memories
“Good morning, Love Bug. Good morning, Rebecca,” I say, squatting down to Charlotte’s height as she runs toward me. I pull her into my arms, hugging her close and nodding at Rebecca that I’ll take her back downstairs in a minute. She leaves as I pick up my little girl and carry her into our room. Sebastian puts his phone down, his eyes softening as they fall on our daughter. Charlotte wiggles, trying to get out of my hold.
“My girls, so beautiful,” he says, and my heart grows even more for him.
“Tell Daddy that we’re on the hunt for Dolly and he needs to get out of bed,” I say, nearly laughing at his expression. It’s clear he wanted me to give her back to Rebecca and join him back under the sheets.
“Get out.” She pouts and I set her on the floor. Charlotte runs right out the door and yells, “Daddy help Dolly!”
I clutch the robe tighter around me as Sebastian moves off the bed. His tight buttocks flex as he grabs the boxers and faces me. The butterfly tattoo is now joined by a small caterpillar, but like always, my eyes drift to the large crest and my heart clenches.
For the most part, our life has been relatively normal. If you count being followed by bodyguards and more money than any human should have as normal. I’ve met Christian, the leader of the Outfit, a couple times during holidays, but otherwise, that part of Sebastian’s life never touches us. He kept his promise, and my anxiety does lessen with each passing month. One of the compromises was when Charlotte grows older, she’ll be sent to a large, private academy. The sort of place that highly influential people send all their children since it’s unknown unless you’re part of this world and guarded better than a prison.
He walks toward me with a taunting grin, grabbing my waist. “We could just lock the door again and…” He tilts his head toward the bed.
My fingers skate up his chest to wrap around his neck. “I know you want another baby, but it will happen when it happens.”
He sighs, leaning down to kiss me just as Charlotte screechesDaddyagain. Sebastian groans into my mouth.
“She’s lucky she’s the most precious thing to ever live, or I’d find her utterly annoying,” he mutters, letting go of me to grab a shirt and sweats out of his drawer.
I chuckle, pulling out my own clothes and following him down the hallway. Stopping short at herdoorway, I hold my hand over my mouth just as he takes it in.
“Love Bug, didn’t you and mommy clean your room yesterday?” he asks, horrified.
“Yes,” she says, tossing another stuffed animal onto her bed.
My shoulders shake as I try to conceal my laughter. Her room is absolutely destroyed, probably worse than it was yesterday.
I tap his back. “Daddy’s turn to help.”
He grumbles, moving past me as I head downstairs to help Rebecca with breakfast.
She smiles when I enter the kitchen. “I found Dolly, Mrs. James.”
I pick up the squishy button-eyed doll and sigh. “We’ll give them time to clean the room and then let them know.”
Rebecca smothers her smile and nods, moving to pull out the eggs and sausage while I start piling the fruit to cut and peel.
When I hear the thundering footsteps of my husband, I wash my hands and wait for them at the bottom of the stairs.
“Dolly!” Charlotte gasps and squeals as soon as she sees me.
“Oh, when did Mommy find that?” Sebastian asks with an unheated glare.
I smile sweetly. “Just now of course.”
He sets our daughter down with a humph and I hand it to her before Charlotte runs off to turn on cartoons in the living room. Sebastian catches my waist. “You’ll pay for that later.”
“Pay for what?” I tease as he kisses me, his hand squeezing my ass.
He rolls his eyes and moves to grab out daughter as Rebecca and I finish, then set up the table. After buckling Charlotte into her highchair, I sit next to my husband.
“What’s the schedule today?” he asks. What he really means is what are Charlotte's plans because our days revolve around hers.
Her little eyes scrunch and she looks up at Rebecca, who nods at her encouragingly.
“Remember you wanted to visit the animals. What’s that called?”
She pouts further.
