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  "Boom-boom?" Eva asked, her eyes twinkling as she brought Skylar to bed with us.

  I shrugged. "Well, what do you want me to call it?"

  "Actually, I would prefer that you not talk about sex with him at all."

  "Hey, he needs to have that talk someday."

  She snorted out a laugh and started to feed Skylar, which destroyed how much my body had just calmed down. My dick came right back to life. I couldn't stop staring at her luscious huge breasts on display. I might've even whimpered a little. But damn, this was so unfair.

  Eva caught my crazy-eyed, desperate stare, and pity filled her gaze.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Hmm?" I gave her a drunk little grin as I openly kept watching. "I'm amazing," I said. "I just had the best snack of my life. Why?"

  She rolled her eyes, but slid her gaze to the hard bulge still protruding from my jeans. "You didn't get anything from it, though."

  I snorted. "The hell if I didn't. That was fucking awesome." I reached out and stroked Skylar's hair. "I don't think I have any condoms anyway, so . . . " I shrugged and grinned at her before giving my attention to Fighter while he tried to grab ahold of the tattoo on my chest.

  "I could still do something for you," she offered, which yeah, spiked my pecker's interest immediately. "After they go back to sleep . . . "

  I kissed Fighter's hair, not caring so much what happened to me. Making Eva come had been worth the pair of blue balls that followed.

  "Maybe," I told her.

  I actually meant to wait up and collect on what she'd offered, but I ended up falling asleep before she was finished with the babies. I stirred when Eva ran her fingers through my hair and kissed my cheek, but I only had enough energy to pull her into my arms and press her back into my chest as I mumbled, "Sleep."

  We had the rest of our lives to finish what we'd started. With an annulment on the horizon and Julian's adoption to start, it was a life I looked forward to.

  Chapter 23

  PICK

  I had to work late at Forbidden for the rest of the week. Any free time I saw Eva, she was either passed out asleep or had her hands full of kids.

  But whenever our gazes met across the room, the sparks arcing between us grew almost toxic. She'd smile and bite her lip and tuck her hair behind her ear before glancing away with a heated flush. Then I'd chuckle at her obvious anticipation of the next time we could be alone together, and I'd have to bite the inside of my mouth to hold in my own groan of anticipation.

  The next free evening I didn't have to work was Friday. Call me presumptuous or too hopeful for my own good, but Thursday night I stocked the drawer of my nightstand after stopping by a convenience store on the way home from Forbidden.

  When I checked the mail slot on my lunch break on Friday, the official letter I received had me even more anxious for alone time with my woman. I wanted to thank Eva for how amazing she'd been these last few months, though I already knew I'd never be able to show enough appreciation for everything she'd done for Julian and I. I still wanted to try, though, so I called Reese with my plans.

  "Hey, it's Pick," I said when she answered.

  Her return greeting sounded leery. "Hi, Pick. Everything . . . okay?" Then came the worry. "Eva? Skylar—"

  "They're fine. Doing great."

  "Oh." Reese's guarded tone returned. "Then . . . what's up?"

  "I want to take her out," I rushed the words. "You know, just out of the apartment for a night. To . . . maybe a nice dinner or something. Pay her back for how much she's helped me and Julian. I don't know what we would've done without her. The babysitting money I give her is nothing compared to what I really owe her. So I was thinking something extra . . . a night out, away from the kids, would be better than nothing. It'd be a start."

  Reese paused before responding to my big, long explanation, and I chewed on my lip rings, thinking she'd come up with a perfectly logical reason why my idea was ridiculous. But instead, she said, "That's so sweet. What a good idea."

  "Really?" Thank God. "So, you'll babysit?"

  "What?" The adoration dropped from her voice. "You mean, both babies? Together?"

  My eyebrows wrinkled. Why did she make that sound so unreasonable? "Yeah. Would that be a problem?"

  "No. Well . . . I just . . . I'm not Eva. She makes taking on two babies at once look easy. But me? One teeny tiny, kid, okay. I could swing that. I think. But two of them, so close to the same age, so young. What if I—"

  "You'll do fine. Lowe's not working tonight either, is he? Make him come along to help. And you have my cell phone number. You could call anytime."

  "Oh, good idea. I hadn't thought of dragging Mason along. Okay, then. What time?"

  Whew. Mission accomplished. Mind switching gears, I said, "Uh . . . I get off work at the garage at five. So . . . maybe five-thirty? That'd give me a minute to clean up."

  "Pff. You boys and your minute clean-up jobs. It's just not fair. Takes us women a good hour to prepare for a special evening out."

  I grinned. "Yeah, but we guys don't look nearly as nice as you ladies do after all the preparation you put in, so I'm saying it's time well spent."

  "Mm-hmm. No wonder E.'s so sweet on you. You do have a way with the compliments. But anyway, I'll bring something nice for her to wear. She'd be pissed if she knew I was in on her surprise date, and I let her go out with old rags on."

  "It's not a date," I was quick to correct. "No, just dinner—"

  "And dancing," Reese cut in. "And maybe a moon-lit stroll on the beach. A little messing around over the clothes and—"

  "Okay, smart ass. Enough." I rolled my eyes. "But we're not going to call it that. Unless she wants to."

  "Whatever you say, boss. I'll arrive for babysitting duty at seventeen hundred hours, sharp. Affirmative?"

  I hung up, shaking my head. Lowe definitely had his hands full with that one.

  EVA

  I seriously dug being Nanny Mercer. I was proud of the routine I finally had down, because it hadn't been easy to perfect.

  Typically, I was up at seven with Skylar, the morning bird. About the time she went down for her early morning nap, Julian would finally open his bleary little eyes. He'd help me around the apartment; there was always something for us to clean or fix. By the time lunch rolled around, Skylar was awake again. Feeding both of them took some serious energy. One of them would always get cranky if I placed too much attention on the other. But then they gave me a break when they took their afternoon nap together. And that's when I'd nap, too, or squeeze in a quick shower.

  It was about time for them both to wake from their afternoon siesta when a knock came on Pick's front door. I had answered the phone for him over the past few weeks, fielding off telemarketers, but no one had come knocking before.

  I checked the peephole, except whoever stood on the other side was too close and I could only make out the top side of a gray head of hair. Wondering if it was some relative of Pick's, momentarily forgetting he'd been in foster care because he had no relatives, I unbolted all the locks and eased open the door.

  I had it cracked about a foot when the caller finally turned and smiled pleasantly at me. "Hello, Eva."

  I gasped. "Oh my God." When I tried to slam the door shut, he jutted out his foot and wedged a glossy black loafer into the jamb.

  "Now, sweetheart. That's no way to greet your father."

  "You're not my fucking father." When he just smiled his evil smile, I whimpered. Breathing hard, I tried to concentrate, calm myself so I could rationalize my way out of this. "What do you want?"

  "I want you to open the door and let me come inside like a big, grown-up girl before we garner the attention of all your neighbors."

  "How about you just leave me the hell alone instead?"

  He made a tsking sound with his tongue and shook his head. "You owe me more than that."

  My jaw fell open. "Like hell."

  His eyes hardened, but his smile remained calm and pleasant, which
always meant I needed to be on my guard the most. "You're still on our insurance plan, you know. How do you think you paid for that hospital bill of yours?"

  Oh, God. I hadn't even thought of that. I was such a stupid, stupid girl. I'd been so sure I'd severed all ties with Bradshaw and Madeline Mercer. But I'd missed one of the biggest cords.

  "Or were you planning on reimbursing me?" Shaw went on. "With your babysitting salary? Three weeks in NICU's not cheap, you know."

  Giving up the pressure I was applying to the door, I regretfully stepped back and let him enter Pick's apartment. He passed over the threshold, looking ridiculously out of place in his slick, Gucci suit. After sending a dismissive glance over the front room, he smoothed his hand over his blazer and turned to me.

  I folded my arms over my chest and glared. "Do you accept payments?"

  Here came the evil, calculating smile I was so used to. "Why, yes, I do. But not in monetary form."

  When his gaze settled over my milk-laden breasts I couldn't keep completely hidden under my arms, I snorted. "You're still a disgusting old lecher, aren't you?"

  With a sigh, he shook his head sadly, clearly disappointed in me. "And here I'd come to thank you for the gift you sent me."

  "Gift?" I frowned, instantly suspicious.

  "What? Don't you remember sending Patricia Garrison my way a couple months back?"

  Oh, shit. My eyes flew open wide. I had no idea the rapist of Mason would actually follow my advice and approach my father. This was not good. Two evil people like that, teaming up—

  "I very much appreciated the toy, sweetheart. But I'm afraid I may have broken her."

  "You . . . ?" Dear God almighty, what had he done to Mrs. Garrison? Wait. I didn't care. If she was broken—whatever that meant—hopefully she was out of the way forever.

  "Some ladies just can't take a little rough treatment. They certainly don't make women as hearty as you and your mother every day. Eventually, the others always give up the fight and let me have my way. But not you. Never you. I still remember the way you'd glare up at me with all that fire and spirit in your eyes and your chin held high after I bent you over—"

  "Please don't tell me you're here just to reminisce because I'd rather vomit all over your pretty new shoes." In fact, I just might anyway. But hell, if I'd known being defiant when he'd molested me had only turned him on more, I would've curled up into a ball and cowered like I'd always wanted to.

  My skin was cold and my nerves were strung out. I didn't know what I'd do if one of the babies woke up. I did not want this monster anywhere near Skylar or Julian.

  "What the hell do you want from me?"

  "I want you to come home, of course."

  I snorted. "You're delusional. I'm never stepping foot in that place again."

  He spread his arms and laughed. "You'd rather stay here? With the metal-faced, tattooed idiot? Really, Eva? I don't buy that."

  It made my stomach churn all the harder to realize he knew who Pick was. He probably knew every secret Pick had and how to hurt him. Oh, God. What had I gotten my sweet, innocent, metal-faced, tattooed boy into?

  Lifting my chin, I sneered, "Pick Ryan is a hundred times the man you could ever be."

  My statement only amused him. Then it struck me how he liked it when I was bold and defiant. I instantly stepped back, scowling.

  "Why do you even want me? You kicked me out remember? Because of Skylar? And what about her? Or are you still planning on trying to make me get rid of her?"

  Good luck with that, old man.

  He merely shrugged. "Your mother and I decided you can keep the child. At least it comes from good Worthington stock. But it turns out having a missing daughter is much more unseemly than one who gives birth young and out of wedlock. So, you're allowed to return. We'll just set you up in the room over the garage where Reese stayed, so the crying won't bother us."

  "So gracious of you," I sneered. "But I respectfully decline your offer. Thank you." Then I nodded my chin toward the exit. "You may go now."

  His chuckle was still amused. "Come now, darling. You can't tell me you don't miss your old lifestyle."

  I shook my head. "Not even a little."

  "I'll raise your allowance. Double it, even."

  "Fuck. You."

  "God, I've missed your dirty mouth." When he reached for me, I squeaked and jumped back.

  "What're you doing? Get out!"

  He prowled after me, his eyes crazed with arousal. "No one fights back like you do, Eva. I crave the way you claw and bite."

  Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. I was so sure I'd escaped him for good, that I'd never have to endure another one of his visits again.

  That it was happening here—in the place where I'd laughed, and loved, and felt more at home than I'd ever felt anywhere—was even more traumatic.

  "You'll have to hump my cold dead body before you ever touch me again. Because I will fight you until one of us is dead."

  "Great." His eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure. "That's just the way I like it. It's no wonder I can never control my urges around you."

  When he lunged, I skipped to the side, and then took off running. As I entered the hall, I realized I was leading him straight to the babies. I'd hoped to reach a room and slam the door in his face, hole myself up and lock him out until Pick came home. But it was too risky, so I veered into the kitchen instead.

  I was going to have to give him what he wanted. I was going to have to fight.

  PICK

  Reese must've been looking forward to this evening just as much as I was. She was already at my place, waiting outside the front of the building with Mason when I made it home from work.

  "You're early," I said as I approached, breathless and antsy.

  She bounced forward with a smile and a gray garment bag folded over her arm. "Hey, I was a good girl and stayed out here until you got home so I couldn't ruin the surprise. But seriously, E. may want to primp. This is the first night she's been out since Skylar was born. I have three outfits for her to choose from, and a couple pairs of shoes."

  I shook my head and glanced at Mason whose arms were piled down with shoe boxes. "Chicks."

  He sent me a dry look over the top of them. "Oh, you don't have to tell me."

  Reese sniffed as she followed me into the lobby. "I'm going to ignore your masculine comments because I'm awesome like that," Then she bumped her hip into mine. "So, where're you taking her? You know her favorite is Italian, right?"

  I smiled, because I did know. "I was thinking of Luigi's down on the Plaza."

  Reese clapped and sent me an approving grin. "Perfect. She'll love that." She chattered all the way up the steps to the third floor, telling me how she wanted to do Eva's hair and how she'd downloaded the perfect song onto her iPhone to dance to with Julian.

  "I can't wait until Skylar's old enough for me to play with her hair. I am going to buy her so many bows and barrettes."

  I paused to unlock my front door, only to frown when I found it already unlocked. "Huh. That's strange." I pushed it open. The first thing I heard was both Fighter and Skylar crying down the hall in our room.

  A chill raced down my spine. I hadn't come home to a crying baby since the day Tristy had taken off and abandoned Julian. Jesus. Eva wouldn't have left and deserted my babies.

  Would she?

  I started for the hallway when I heard her scream.

  "Pic—" The shriek was cut short before something clanged to the floor in the kitchen and the sounds of struggling followed.

  "Eva." I bolted in that direction and skidded to the opening.

  The sight before me was what nightmares were made of. Some dead bastard—because I was going to kill him—wearing a fucking three-piece suit was struggling with her and fighting for possession of a chopping knife as he pinned her against the refrigerator. Tears streaked down her face, where one side was bruised and swelling from her forehead down to her cheek. The neckline of her shirt was torn and claw marks had been r
aked across her neck.

  Launching myself forward, I grabbed the old fucker's wrist and wrenched it, satisfied when I heard a snap and he cried out. As the blade dropped from his broken hand, I hauled him off Eva and spun him away, shoving him into the cabinets and making the back of his head crack against wood.

  While he was still dazed from that blow, I landed another into his face and then one into his gut, only to realize he'd undone his belt and the top button of his pants.

  "Oh, fucker. You are dead."

  After another punch, his blood flew, but hands and arms wrapped around me and yanked me back. Mason and Eva's voices buzzed in my ears. I resisted, but when a sobbing Eva wormed her way between me and the guy I was trying to kill, plastering herself to my front, it was impossible to fight around her without hurting her.

  Mason backed me against the far wall, but I could still see the bastard as he shook his head, then cupped his face and wiped blood from his nose. I recognized him. The rich douche from the shop who'd come in with a flat tire on his Bentley. For some reason, that pissed me off even more. Made me think he'd targeted Eva specifically.

  So I tried to surge forward to get back at him, but Eva was desperate to keep me away.

  "Please," she begged. "No, Pick, no. You can't. You have no idea what he's capable of. He could destroy you. Please." She buried her face in my neck, her tears wetting my skin.

  Shock made me suck in a breath. I couldn't believe she actually knew this creep. "Who the fuck is he?"

  "Her father," Reese answered me from the kitchen doorway where she stood pale-faced and frozen, gaping at her uncle from a pile of spilled shoe boxes littering the floor around her feet and the garment bag she clutched to her chest.

  Chapter 24

  PICK

  At the sound of his niece's voice, the Bentley prick spun toward Reese.

  Her gaze dipped to his open belt. "Uncle Shaw?" With a sob, she dropped the garment bag and covered her mouth with both hands as she backed up a step.