“Yes, you would.And you’re welcome.”Bri smiled.“Devi’sgot a real shot at becoming a designer.I was with her in New York a couple ofweeks ago and they loved her work.”
“But they haven’t called me back.”Devi stood.
“There’s still time.”Brianna was always an optimist.
“Sure.I’m going to go check on the babies.I’ll be in thereif anyone needs me.”Devi turned when she got to the hallway that would leadher to the nursery.“And Daisy, I’m happy for you.If your dad can’t be… Well,then he isn’t the Uncle Li I know.He’ll figure this out and then he’ll be allteam Daisy again.He’ll go frommy daughter is a saint of a girltomydaughter can drink you all under the table.Now, if you love me, you’llremind us all Bri has written three books and never lets anyone read them.”
Brianna gasped.“She already knows that.”Bri looked herway.“You know that.”
“Yes,” Daisy agreed.“I know, and I think what Devi ispointing out is time works the same way for all of us.It’s going by, and youneed to figure your shit out, sister.Be brave.Let us read them.Then let yourmom read them.”
Bri went a pasty white.“Absolutely not.Maybe someday.Whenshe’s old and can’t see.Hey, Hunter.”Bri smiled, her weirdthank godsomething is saving mesmile.“Daisy, Hunter is here.”
He was.And he wasn’t alone.Gabriel Lodge was with him, andthey’d brought Lucas Taggart along.Gabe and Lucas were both a bit older thanher crew.They’d been a couple of years ahead of Daisy, but Hunter had alwayshung around them.
“I thought y’all would be at The Hideout.Also, I thought wewere locked in.”They hadn’t even given her the security code.Which wasprobably good because she wasn’t great at remembering random numbers.Nate hadlet them in, and he’d watched as she’d greeted all the kids.When Michael andVanessa Malone had brought in way too much stuff for their infant, Nate hadheld the tiny girl while Daisy had helped them set up.He’d looked so hot.Abig muscular man rocking this tiny infant.He’d even hummed.He hadn’t lookedfreaked out or anything.
Because he was a man who could handle some chaos.
Lucas winked her way.He was a gorgeous man in hismid-twenties, but he couldn’t hold a candle to her Nate.She’d seen him holdinga baby, and he’d just frowned the whole time.Admittedly the baby was hiscousin, and he’d needed a diaper change.She rather thought Nate would havesimply done it.
“My dad kind of owns the building,” Lucas pointed out.
“He doesn’t,” Bri countered.“Your dad and Uncle Ian donatedthe money for the building, but Kai owns it.Have you thought about coming infor a session or two?”
Bri was kind of being a bitch, and Daisy supported her.Lucas could be a heartbreaker, and he was a little full of himself.TheFerguson Clinic was housed in the building next to Sanctum.They’d grown overthe years from it being run by Kai Ferguson and specializing in PTSD issues tohaving family therapists and specialists in domestic violence and marriagecounseling.What they didn’t have was a child psychologist.
“He knows the code because he caters the group sessions theyhave sometimes,” Bri continued.“Why are you acting like…like you?You doremember who we are, right?”
Lucas gave them both a big smile.“Yeah, you’re my littlecousin and Daisy is… Well, we’re not related, Daisy and I.”
“Actually, neither are we.Like no blood between us.”Brigasped when she looked over at the indoor playground.“AJ, you cannot hit himwith a chair.This is not wrestling.”
She ran off to save Wyatt Murphy from Armie Hutchins, whoapparently had been watching wrestling with his dad.Or maybe his grandpa hadbeen in town.She looked back at the guys who’d invaded her space.“What do youneed?Did you leave something behind?The kitchen’s in the back.”
Gabriel Lodge wore jeans and a button-down that he’dbuttoned down to show off a good portion of his cut chest.He had longishjet-black hair he normally pulled back in a queue, but tonight he’d left itdown.“We just wanted to come by and see if you needed some company.”
Hunter grinned.“Yeah, The Hideout feels boring without you,Dais.”
She wasn’t sure why.“I almost never play in the dungeonbecause I can’t find a play partner.Actually, the last time I was in thedungeon you told me I should leave.”
The last bit was said to Gabriel, who held up a hand.
“Hey, baby, I did not put it in those words.I asked if yourbrother knew where you were,” Gabe corrected.“You have to understand, yourfather is extremely scary.I’m not sure the man is well half the time.When hegathered the tops and told us he would murder anyone who tried to tempt you, Ibelieved him.”
“Aidan was pretty clear, too,” Lucas admitted.“But he hasrescinded his order.”
Daisy felt her jaw drop.“I’m sorry.You’re here because youthink now that my brother has stopped pretending I’m a virgin in need ofprotection, you can… What?What do you think is going to happen tonight?”
Hunter squared his shoulders like he was going into battle.“Look, Daisy, we think you should pick.You’re a sub and we’re all tops, andthe three of us are all open to exploring a D/s relationship with you.”
“You are?”She wasn’t going to laugh at them.Nope.They hadtender male feelings, and she would have to check the part of her that reallywanted to guffaw.
“You’re gorgeous,” Gabe said with a sigh.“I mean, stunning.I know you grew up with these two, but we didn’t meet until later, which meansyou can see me as a man and not a boy.”
“I assure you, I don’t see you as a little girl,” Lucasproclaimed.
“No, you see me as another notch on your overly crowdedbelt.”This was kind of fun.“I should know because I have a belt of my own.Aplayer can see right through another player, Lucas.So I’ll have to sayflattered but no.Hunter, you’re like a brother to me.Eww.”
