“Daddy,” Piper says loudly gaining my attention.
“Yes, babygirl,” I say, giving her a grin.
Giant,” Piper giggles pointing to Whip.
“Why Ms. Piper, are you saying I’m a monster?” Whip asks, acting offended by placing his hand on his heart.
Giggling, Piper shakes her head no. “Giant like in story, Mommy,” she says, looking to her mom.
“Yes, baby, just like in your story,” Parker murmurs, a slight pink tinting her cheeks.
“You telling stories about me, babe?” Whip chuckles.
“Um . . . no. I just make up stories for Piper since I didn’t have any children’s books to read to her.” Fuck me. Can my woman make me want to kiss her and strangle her anymore? If I’d known this whole time she was paying her brother all that money she was making, that shit never would have happened.
“Well, fuck me, babe,” Whip mutters.
“Language,” Parker murmurs, looking to her lap.
“Sorry,” Whip says, giving me a look.
I give him a small shake of my head, I can’t talk about this right now. I need to find out everything else that Chigger has caused my woman. I know there’s issues I need to confront her about and I will be it’s just a matter of getting a moment without Piper to do it.
I think after Aries gets back here with the clothes I sent him to get, with the help of Raven and Victoria meeting him there, I’ll find time for her and I to have our conversation. For now, I’ll enjoy the simplicity of her company. Seeing her without all the gunk she has to wear.
Parker is beautiful when she takes the stage at Dolly’s Playhouse but sitting here now without a lick of it coating her face she’s downright gorgeous and I fuckin’ love it.
With her being a natural beauty, I want nothing more than to tell her she doesn’t need an ounce of makeup but I’m a smart fucker and won’t be saying shit, except for when I decide to take her to one of the clubs I’m a member of. When that time comes then Parker will do as I say and not fight me on it.
In fact, when the time’s right, I’ll be putting my mark on her. Not the ink that I want her to have but the collar that signifies her as mine. My cock twitches at the thought of seeing her wear my collar.
Before that can happen I need to make sure she trusts me. Trust that I will take care of her and Piper. Trust I will do right by her. I can’t simply take her to the room and slide it into place. No there has to be a show of trust on her end for me to be able to do it.
“Well, I’ll catch you later, brother,” Whip states, tapping the table and waves to Piper. “Later, squirt,” he says to her.
Piper giggles and waves to him. “Bye, Giant.”
Chuckles come from several of my brothers as Piper isn’t quiet in telling Whip goodbye.
“Yeah, Giant, see ya later,” Venom snorts from the stool he’s sitting on with his body turned sideways to look in our direction.
Whip looks toward Venom and throws up his middle finger mouthing ‘Fuck you’ rather than stating it loudly due to Piper being in the room. Normally, unless Corinne or one of the other little girls who come up from the Franklin charter with their dads is here, the cursing doesn’t stop. I’m sure the ol’ ladies would like us to stop but these boys are the next generation of the club.
“Lil mama, you done eating?” I ask, switching my main focus back to her.
Nodding, she lifts her gaze to meet mine.
“I need to get clothes from my apartment,” she mutters.
“Got it covered, baby,” I tell her, pulling out my phone to check the time.
“What do you mean you have it covered?” Parker huffs.
“I mean I’ve got it covered. Let’s get you and Piper back to my room and you can take a shower while we wait.” Damn images of her naked in my shower pop into my head.
Yeah, this is going to be fun making her submit to me.
Chapter Nine
Parker
I let the water stream down my body, allowing the warmth of it all to flow over me. When Cane stated he had it covered after I mentioned needing to go get Parker and my clothes I wanted to argue. However, I’m learning quickly when Cane sets his mind to something he doesn’t back down.
Plus, the thought of a hot shower without the water being a mingy drip, I’m savoring every last bit of it until the water runs cold.
Cane showed me to his room, let me in and left me alone, taking Piper with him who was more than happy to go.
Little traitor.
What is it about this man that makes not only me want to be in his arms but my daughter?
“It’s because he makes you feel safe,” my inner slut states with a snarky tone.
Ugh.
Sad part is the little slut is right. Cane makes me feel safe in a way I haven’t felt for years now. I know within my heart I can trust him, but it’s a matter of past experience that makes me want to run for the hills.
I tilt my head back and let the water rain on my face. I sigh in contentment at the wonderful feeling. I simply want to move into Cane’s shower.
Sighing I struggle with the decision I already know is going to happen. If I let him in and he hurts me though, who’s to say it won’t destroy me. I have no doubt he has the power to do that to me.
To hurt me in ways no one else has or could.
Not even my brother. Which is saying something because he’s done a lot. I mean a lot to me in the past.
For instance, sending one of his men to rape me on my nineteenth birthday as punishment for having the audacity to want to go to college. Let alone one far away from him where he couldn’t touch me. Due to my birthday being in October I graduated while being pregnant. I’d been able to hide the pregnancy from my classmates. I also opt out of walking across the stage to get my diploma since there would be no one to watch me receive it.
When Piper was born, I hoped to again be able to find a way to get out but he’d forced me to live with him stating I should spend the first year of Piper’s life taking care of her. At first, I thought this was his way of being nice to me but he had his own agenda for me. Warren didn’t want me there to take care of Piper. No, he wanted me there so he could order me to do as he commanded. I’d been lucky when I found the courage to move out and into the small, dinky apartment that all he wanted was for me to give him a majority of my money. I knew if he pushed the issue to sell his drugs I would have been back under his thumb.
Memories of our fights, our arguments, all the struggles I’ve been through over the past couple of years decide to hit me like a sledgehammer. My knees grow weak and I collapse onto the shower floor as sobs wrack my body.
My life sucks.
Truly.
“Lil mama,” Cane murmurs gently, his arms wrapping around my naked body. As many times as he’s seen me strip, I’m not worried about him seeing me without clothes on but I hate he’s seeing me like this.
At my lowest point.
God why me?
What have I done to deserve this?
“Deep breaths, lil mama, deep breaths. It’s okay. You’ll be okay. You and Piper both have me now,” he says soothingly, placing a kiss to the top of my head as he holds me to him.
Cane sits there on the shower floor holding me as I sob in his arms. Allowing him to take it from me. I’m not one to lean on others but in this moment, my head and heart are in the same place. I can trust him. Trust he’ll be there to keep me safe. Protect my daughter and myself from Warren and anyone else who might come after us.