“What are you brats whispering about?” I ask when I go out there to find some food and drinks to take back to our room for when Nora wakes up.
After our talk, I got her changed, and it only took a few minutes of rocking her before she dozed off.
“Nothing,” Kylie answers, her hand over her mouth as she tries to stifle a giggle.
Addie ducks her head and won’t look at me.
“Kylie,” I say warningly.
Her jaw falls open as she gasps. “Angel, it’s rude to assume I’m being naughty.”
Pausing behind the couch where they’re spread out, I reach down and tug her ponytail. “I would bet big money right now that you’re plotting something and getting Addie to join in.”
Addie looks up at me with her wide blue eyes. She always looks so damn innocent and sweet, though she can be a brat, too. “I’m not doing anything.”
The room is dim; the only light illuminating the space is the enormous TV. I glance over at Ash, who’s sitting next to Kylie,but he has his head rolled back and is sleeping soundly with a bunch of M&Ms placed all over his face.
Jesus.
I hadn’t really looked at my brothers when I first walked in until now.
“Kylie,” I whisper sharply, though I’m trying not to laugh.
This girl has been the family prankster for so long that nothing surprises me anymore. Mostly, she keeps her pranks harmless, though usually messy. There’s been a time or two that she’s scared the shit out of Wolf, only because he’s a big fucking baby when it comes to any of the girls in our family.
“What? He fell asleep. Daddy knows I hate it when he passes out during movies. How is he supposed to learn the songs with me if he does that?” Kylie blinks several times for dramatic effect, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“I’m so glad our room isn’t next to yours because I feel like we would just hear you getting spanked for the entire vacation.” I grin at both of them before heading to the kitchen. “Night, girls.”
“Night, Uncle Angel,” they answer in unison.
It won’t be long before Knox has candy on his face and both girls get in trouble.
Smiling, I head into the chef’s kitchen and dig through the triple refrigerators. The housekeeper, who will come in each day while we’re here to tidy up and get us more groceries if we need them, stocked the kitchen with anything we could want. We even had her get all the girls’ favorite candies, so even though we’ll all try to give them a limit on how much they can have, they will still be able to binge on sugar, since it is Christmas. We wouldn’t be good Daddies if we didn’t let them have a little fun.
I find a variety of finger foods I can feed Nora. Some salami and cheese with crackers, grapes, a few strawberries, yogurt pretzels, and applesauce. It’s not a proper dinner, but it willsuffice for tonight, and I’ll give her a protein shake in her sippy cup along with it.
As I’m pouring the chocolate liquid, Maddox walks in, wearing a pair of gray sweats and a hoodie, looking like he just woke up.
He smirks at me. “Did you see the girls out there putting candy on Knox and Ash’s faces?”
Laughing, I roll my eyes. “When I saw them, it was only Ash.”
“Well, they’re working on Knox as we speak. But they couldn’t stay quiet to save their lives, so it won’t be long before one of our brothers wakes up.”
“This is going to be a fun week, isn’t it?” I ask with a grin as I lean against the enormous island in the center of the kitchen.
Maddox looks in the cupboards, pulling random things out. “Fun, but exhausting. Brynn and I both crashed out as soon as we got here. I’m going to find us some food, and then we’ll probably watch a movie in bed.”
I hold up the plate of food and Nora’s sippy cup. “We’re doing the same. Christmas tree hunting first thing tomorrow, though.”
“Addie!” Knox booms from the other room.
We both laugh, and I head toward the exit that will take me up by another stairway.
Yeah, it’s going to be a fun vacation.
7
