“I don’t know, Fran Bran. Let’s ask Mia.” His gaze shifted to me, and he asked slowly, deliberately, “Do you have guys lining up to take you on a date tonight, Mia?”
My heart beat faster, and I licked my lips before answering him. “Not really your business, Mr. Knight.”
He hummed and rocked on his heels before saying, “I think you should come to movie night, Mia. We’dlovefor you to be there. Nowhere else.”
Crap. I’d need a break from that hungry, protective gaze if I stood a chance at not getting my heart broken when the time came for him to let me go. He hadn’t said we were exclusively dating or anything of the sort. Instead, I had started contemplating if he’d make me leave, if I would be ready to by the end of the summer, and if he would care. I didn’t get promises other than his kiss in front of other Diamonds, and I wasn’t sure what that was … Didn’t want to ask either. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Franny tsked. “Of course it is. Maybe we can dress up too. We’ll watch a princess movie. We can dress up as princesses. Daddy, you’ll be a prince?”
“Or a knight,” he said, his gaze not leaving mine, reminding me of the night before and how I’d told him I needed even a knight, not a prince to dance with.
“Perfect!” Franny bounced up and down. “Maybe Daddy will let us put make up on. Oh, and we can bejewel things too! It will be a bedazzled party.”
“Well, I …” Glancing at Jameson, I realized he would be of no help. That smirk on his face was practically diabolical. “I really do have plans.”
I didn’t.
“Cancel them then,” Jameson pushed, no remorse in his eyes. Instead, those blue eyes shined bright as the sun with mirth, making me wish we could spend every moment out in the daylight.
“Sometimes canceling plans is rude.” I glared at him.
“Saying no to a seven-year-old is ruder,” he shot back.
“I can watch a little of the movie … I guess.”
“Thatta girl,” he murmured, and then he patted my ass as Franny ran past us to go invite everyone else.
He may have ordered hits on men and led the syndicate with a ruthless power that wasn’t always met with forgiveness or understanding, but when it came to movie night with his daughter, he turned into a teddy bear that had me melting like the butter on popcorn.
It had only been a couple hours when Franny came to my room to ask, “Do you have any princess dresses?”
Compared to the one she was wearing, absolutely not. She’d forgone her normal attire for a dark-purple tulle that puffed out every which way. And the sparkles of the straps were intense. “Rosy and I made this months ago. She glued all the jewels on.” Then she whipped her hands out from behind her. “And I just made these.”
She was holding black shoes and a black belt. “I bedazzled them.”
Yes, they were black … but with red and purple jewels lining the wingtips and the belt buckle.
“Franny,” I gasped.
Her face fell almost immediately. “What? They don’t look good?” She eyed me with scrutiny, and I knew right then I wasn’t going to be the one to make her unhappy over a few male accessories.
Granted, I wasn’t sure how much his belt or shoes cost.
“They look fantastic, was all I was going to say.”
Her eyes widened in delight. “Oh good. I was nervous to show you this, but I think he’ll like it too.” Then she pulled a watch from the little side pocket of her dress.
“Oh. Oh my.” That was for sure a Rolex.
I glanced at Archer, who’d escorted Franny to my room, and he was silently cracking up. “Archer, why don’t you give these shoes and belt to Jameson. We can give him the watch together, right, Franny?”
“Good idea! Then, he’ll be all dressed and ready right at seven.”
And he was going to be really happy with the jewels decorating the band of it. “It looks magnificent. Like the best. Want to decorate my dress next?” I asked her.
My dresses were made to be destroyed anyway. I hadn’t spent a ton on them, and they were all way too boring for a princess party.
Franny bounced over to my closet and chose the blackest one. It was short and loose and the perfect material to bedazzle. We spent a half an hour on that before she ran off to eat dinner and then came back to make sure I was all dressed. I followed her to the media room as she tried to contain her excitement.
