She sighed. “We’ve been over this.”
“I know and it changes nothing. I need to actually be a father to my daughter.” I crossed my arms. “The whole point oftraveling with her was so I could spend time with her. Not so I could listen to her crying through the walls.”
“Your job is to race, Griffin.” She lifted Hazel out of the water, wrapping her in a towel. “My job is to make sure you can.”
“No. My job is to be Hazel’s father. Racing comes second.”
Violet finally glanced up at me, her brows climbing and a look of absolute incredulity claiming her features.
“Have you told my father that?”
I winced. “No.”
“Right.” She dried Hazel’s arms with sharp movements.
“But Hazel’s still sleeping in my room.” I crossed my arms. “She might wake me up. Multiple times. I’ll be knackered for training. I know all of that, and I don’t care.”
Violet’s jaw worked.
“And if you’re that worried about me messing up, you could always sleep in my room tonight.”
Her gaze snapped to mine, incredulous. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I shrugged.
“That’s not appropriate.”
“Neither is keeping my daughter away from me, but here we are.”
Violet’s expression hardened. “Fine. She can sleep in your room. But I won’t be joining you.”
“Your loss.”
Before she could change her mind, I headed to her room and grabbed the travel cot, hoisting it under one arm along with Hazel’s overnight bag. When I got back to my room, Violet was already dressing Hazel in fresh pajamas.
I set up the cot while she finished. The baby cooed happily, reaching for Violet’s face.
“Anything else?” Violet asked, her tone clipped.
“No.”
She handed Hazel over. Our fingers touched during the transfer—just for a second—and something flickered in her expression before she locked it down.
Stay. Please. I don’t sleep well without you. I clamped my jaw shut on the words. I’d already begged once tonight. I wasn’t doing it again.
She reached for the door handle.
Just ask her. Tell her you need her here. Tell her the bed’s too cold without her.
Fuck that. Begging made you weak. I was already disposable enough.
“Good night.”
She nodded and walked out, closing the door behind her.
I looked down at Hazel, who wrapped her tiny fist around my finger and yawned.
“Just us tonight, kid.”
