"So he just went away?"

Dominic pouts at Daisy, unable to answer her question. "Like I've said, I don't know! He disappeared when I was asleep!"

My poor wife is worried about Easton and Aiden, who have gone away but not returned. She's worried a lot, these days, and I'm not very fond of it. 

I never comment on it, because I don't want a bomb exploding right into my face, but she does need a break. Dominic's situation is getting better, slowly but steadily, and Father is getting weaker and weaker.

One day, not too long from now, we'll kill him. For real, this time. I know she worries about that day, too, but it's in the future and not in the present. There's no need for it be a concern already.

I wrap an arm around her waist, kiss down her jaw until I'm leaving bite marks in her neck. That makes her laugh and her shoulders relax. "Ash! I'm trying to talk to Dom!"

"Yeah," I murmur against her skin. "And I'm saving him."

She gasps, mockingly indignant, and turns around to meet my eyes. I give her a smile, wanting to see hers again. It's been way too since she's laughed without being forced to, without exhaustion lining her face. 

"I think you need me to bring you some peace," I wink, bringing our tangled hands up so she twirls around once. She cocks her head to the side. "And how would you do that?"

I shrug. "I have my ways." 

Yet, not here with the kids. They don't want to see what I can do to their mother.

"Sebastian, Camilla, come here," I nudge them. Scrambling off the bed, they listen to what I said. Sebastian is the first to reach me, so he's the lucky one who gets my hugs. 

I know this isn't the home situation we wanted to give him, or the one he deserves, and that pains me. He went from one traumatizing place to another, and half of it is our fault. I don't think I can forgive myself for that. 

Though he feels comfortable around us, I sometimes catch him staring at the door, wondering how badly he could get hurt if he decided to take a sprint. He never does, another lingering trauma of his dad, but I would never punish him if he did. All I would be, is worried. 

Because if he wants to run away from us, what are we doing wrong? Or is the hospital he doesn't want to be near? 

Camilla joins us, so I wrap my other arm around her waist. I'm bending through my knees, so I can be on the same eye level as my babies. "Well, hello, there."

"Hello!" Camilla grins widely, looking joyous. Naps always make her happy, and if they're combined with Dominic, her mood can't get any better. Seb is shyer, but he gives me a hesitant smile as a way of greeting. 

"What do you say we go to the indoor playground? I heard there is a new slide!" My daughter's face morphs into pure delight, already clapping her hands and running away to tell Dominic and Daisy. My son's face is slightly frowning, as if doubting he's invited too. 

"Is that scary?" he whispers. "I never go to the playground, dad says it's dangerous. And uncle said it was for losers."

I'm tempted to throw something at the wall as I hear him calling that fucker dad still. It's not because I'm jealous or hurt he doesn't call any of us his parents, because I know it's way too soon for that. If that never happens, I'm okay with that too. It's just that that disgrace doesn't deserve to be called a dad, because he never was.

I had the same problem. I so desperately wanted a dad, a real father figure, I started to ignore the bad. Until it got so awful I couldn't excuse him anymore. My father wasn't a dad, he was just the man who gave me life. I hope Sebastian will realize that too, eventually.

"It's not for losers," I tell him. My tone stays gentle and low, because he gets scared easily. "I like the playground. Am I a loser now?"

He blushes and nods. "Yes!"

So damn cute. I gasp, about to place my hand on my heart in mock hurt when he flinches as soon as I move my arm. "Oh! Sorry!"

No. Fuck.

"No, not sorry," I shake my head. He opens his eyes again, the tension leaving his small body when he sees I have no intention of hurting him. It'll take long for him to realize none of us would ever hurt him, but I'm here for him as long as he has trouble seeing that.

"Am I a loser?" I ask again. His eyes scan my face cautiously before nodding once. I open my mouth, faking it falling open. "How dare you!"

I start to poke his sides, not harshly, but in a teasing and tickling way. He starts laughing, a shriek leaving his mouth every three seconds or so. I smile at the sound of his uncontrollable laughter, something I haven't heard yet. 

Daisy and Dominic are watching and listening too, I can see them from the corner of my eye. Not for long, because Camilla starts whining for attention the second she doesn't have theirs anymore.

"Am I a loser?" I try again. He shrieks, "No!" still kicking his legs around. I stop tickling him, but pick him up with an arm around his neck and his legs, and turn him upside down. "Ah! No, Ashie!"

Ashie.

My heart melts at that nickname. I turn him back around, steadying him while he's still dizzy. The smile on his face is enormous, and my now life mission. Make this boy laugh as much as possible, to make up for all the times he couldn't when he was little.

"I'm taking them to the playground," Dominic says. I look up, an am surprised to see him already in a wheelchair. He won't be permanently, but while he's recovering, it's better if he doesn't move by foot yet. 

Camilla jumps on his lap, making his eyes widen. She missed his hurt side, but it was close. He looks at Seb and reaches out his hand. "Will you be a big boy and open the doors for me?"

Sebastian nods, still smiling as he accepts Dominic's hand. He looks at Daisy and me. "Are you coming too?"

Daisy will be coming, but not in that way.

"Later," I nod. He's pleased with that answer and opens the door of the room. Dominic skillfully steers his wheelchair out of the room, and then Seb's gone too. 

Daisy walks to me and buries herself in my chest, my arms wrapped around her in a securing way. I kiss the top of her head. "You okay?"

A sigh leaves her mouth. "I'm just so tired."

Picking her up, I lead us to the side of the room. I place her against the wall, giving her another wink before parting her thighs with mine. "I'll make you feel good."

She gasps, wide eyes looking up at me as they slowly fill with equal parts love and lust. "Asher, the door."

Shit. Maybe it's indeed better if I lock it.

After I've made sure no one can walk in on us, I rest my hand on Daisy's stomach. Since her pregnancy, there are stretch marks on them. She's had it difficult with coming to terms with that, but I think they're beautiful. It's a reminder of the sweet children she's gifted us. 

"I think it's time you stop worrying so much," I whisper in her ear, thoughtfully making my breath hit skin. She squirms in my hold, desperate for me to make my words true.

The skirt she's wearing has been driving me crazy all day, especially when she was sitting in the car. It rode up to show me her smooth thighs, and I'd never been more persuaded to just throw her in the backseat and devour her until then. 

I didn't. I'm a gentleman.

Her underwear is easy to slide to the side, and then my fingers are on her bare pussy. She's wet, and while I teasingly let my fingers follow her slit, I think how it's been way too long. Damn.

My dicks swells up in my own pants, but today's about Daisy and helping her relieve her stress. Her head falls back and hits the wall with a thud. Her eyes are closed, but I can still read her like an open book. 

I bring one finger in, slowly, and her lips immediately part. The tension in her shoulders lessens enough for me to be able to wrap her arms around my neck easily. 

"Ash," she moans, sealing our lips with a kiss. I smile against hers while I bring a second finger in. Her hips buck. She really needed this. 

"More," she breathes, heavily, relenting into the perfectness of this moment, this feeling. I'm enchanted by the beauty of her bliss, the gorgeous expression on her face. 

I'm about to give her exactly what she wants, what she deserves, when someone knocks on the damn door. I ignore it, enjoying this moment with my wife, and put my head against hers. She muffles her cry in my cheek. 

A curse sounds from outside. I recognize it to be Easton. "Who even locks these fucking doors? Everyone is downstairs!"

I know, by the sound of his curse, that Aiden is downstairs with the others, too. That's why my horniness gets the best of me and an idea pops into my head. I make eye contact with my love. 

"What do you say about letting Easton in, hm?"