Page 123 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection
Logan raises his eyebrows.
Emily steps into the room, clasping her hands together. “Sunday?”
“I’d like to come to playgroup,” De Leon tells her. “If your daddy says it’s okay.”
Fuck, that’s smooth. Now if Logan says no, Emily will be disappointed, and probably want to know why. Which Lo can’t explain without being insulting.
A muscle pulses in Logan’s jaw but his voice is even when he says, “There’s no playgroup this Sunday. It’s been postponed. But, yeah, I’ll send you the details of the next one.”
I notice Logan doesn’t explainwhyplaygroup has been postponed – because almost the entire playgroup is going to Niagara Falls for Logan and Emily’s collaring ceremony and engagement party. He may trust De Leon enough to come to playgroup, but he’s not inviting him to the party.
De Leon’s mouth twitches in what might be a smile. Fucker probably knows about the engagement party, stalker that he is. He nods at each of us as he leaves, collecting his bags from the hallway. I don’t know where he’s going, or how he’ll get there, since Mac and the car are gone, but I’m confident we’ll see him at the next playgroup.
Logan sighs as he pulls himself out of his chair. He looks stiff and I wonder if his leg is still bothering him. His face has healed while I’ve been away, with only a faint pink line high on hischeek to match the fading scar on his forehead. But it reminds me that it’s time to get back to work on my second favorite op: Project Dirty Digger.
“You doing okay, buddy?” I ask him.
He nods. “Just ready to call it a day now that you’re home safe. You took a decade off my life, mate, getting chased around Devon by mercenaries.”
I pat him on the shoulder. “For all the shit I gave him, De Leon did a good job.”
“Yeah.” Logan sighs. “Oh, Emmy’s place in Scotland sold. We just got confirmation today. We should close in twenty-eight days.”
“Good. Pay me back half. Put the other half into the company.”
“Maxie—” Logan begins.
“I told you it was my buy-in. I meant it.”
Shaking his head, he loops his arm over my shoulders and steers me into the great room, where our littles are waiting. Despite his gesture, I know I’ve won. The company should be capitalized against lean times and I’m happy to be the capitalist.
As soon as we walk through the door from the hallway, Cynnie runs to me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile so bright.
“I’z so happy you’z home, Oppa,” she says, snuggling into my chest.
I drop kisses onto her sleek head. “I’m happy to be home, baby. You understand why I couldn’t let you know I was coming, right?”
She tips her head back and slides her arms around my chest. “You’z had to be bondy to be safe?”
“Bondy?”
“James Bondy?”
I laugh and drop another kiss on the top of her head. “Yes, I had to be bondy. I couldn’t risk the bad guys hacking our calls or messages and knowing where to find me.”
“Now you’z home, you be safe?” She looks up at me again, her face serious, deep brown eyes worried.
“Yes, my bumble. Now I’m home, I’m safe. And I have so many plans for you, my baby.”
She bounces in excitement, and catches my chin with the top of her head, making my teeth clack together and shooting an eye-watering sting through my sinuses.
She claps a hand to her crown, which is probably sore from the impact, since I have a sharp chin, before throwing herself at me. “Oppa! I’z so sorry!”
I laugh despite the ache. “It’s okay. I’m very excited to be home with you, too.”
“You’z tell me the plans or I’z ruined them?” Her sweet face creases in concern.
“You haven’t ruined anything. I’ll tell youoneof my plans. Everything else is a surprise for my bumble.”
