I’m drawn out of my thoughts by Piper stirring in her sleep. She’s a beautiful little girl with vibrant eyes like her momma’s with the same color hair. Gently, without waking Parker up, I slide off the bed and step over to the playpen and look at the little girl as she opens her eyes sleepily.
“Hey, babygirl,” I whisper quietly. I’m blessed with getting a sweet smile from her as she slides her thumb from inside her mouth with her stuff giraffe still clutched in her hand. “Are you hungry?” I ask. Piper rolls over and stands to her feet then holds her hands out for me to pick her up.
Grinning, I lift her into my arms and immediately regret not making sure she wasn’t wet first.
Fuck. This is not what I expected to deal with first thing.
“Alright, babygirl, let’s get you cleaned up,” I mutter and head for the bathroom. Piper needs to be cleaned up and I’m not ready to wake Parker up yet. She needs some more sleep. I’ll get this little one cleaned up, then go get her some breakfast. After that I’ll wake Parker up so her and I can talk.
Piper giggles as I divert my gaze away from her as I quickly undress her and place her in the tub. I’ve never changed a kid or done anything else with one before in my life. I don’t know what I’m doing but I’m gonna do it regardless for Parker.
I’ll show her she’s not alone and when I say the two of them are mine it means they are mine. I know I’ll have a fight on my hands making her understand and to submit to the knowledge but in the end Parker will. I’m not one to give up a fight easily.
Evidently, Piper’s potty trained which is pretty awesome for her to be only two. Then again, I don’t know shit about kids. All I know is Stoney’s kids were in diapers until they were nearly three.
Doing my best, I give Piper a bath. I really hope that bathwater isn’t too hot or cold.
Fuck me, I suck ass at this shit. There’s so much shit to having a kid and if it wasn’t for the fact, I knew without a doubt I wanted Parker, I wouldn’t do this. I know with her being a single mom she’s a package deal. I had enough time to think on if I could be a dad to someone. I struggled with the thought for a long time, but after seeing how Stoney took on being a dad to both Luca and Corinne, I knew I could do it as well.
Now it’s a matter of Piper getting to know me same as her momma.
“Hungee,” Piper says, giving me a look like are you going to feed me or what.
“Let me finish getting you cleaned up first, sweetheart,” I state, running the washcloth gently over her skin wanting to make sure she was clean.
“Otay,” she huffs.
Lord save me. I can already see she’s got an attitude and I’m willing to bet she gets it from her momma. I’m fuckin’ screwed when it comes to these two.
I finish getting her cleaned up and grab a towel. I wrap the towel around her small body and lift her up into my arms. Piper begins to giggle as I tickle her belly through the soft material of the towel while I step into the bedroom.
“What are you doing?” I lift my head up to find Parker sitting up eyes wide as she takes in me holding her daughter.
“Well, she woke up soakin’ wet, so I gave her a bath.” I shrug.
“Mommy,” Piper squeals and tries to wiggle out of my arms.
“Easy, babygirl, I don’t want you fallin’, and you don’t have any clothes on,” I state firmly not wanting to drop her by accident.
“You should have woken me up. I could have done that,” Parker mutters, climbing off the bed and stalks to where I’m standing. She then reaches out and takes Piper out of my hold.
“I know you could have, lil mama, I simply wanted you to get a little more sleep. You’ve had a rough night and needed a little more rest,” I say tenderly, not wanting to upset her.
“As much as I appreciate it, I’m her mother,” Parker snaps.
“Know that, baby, and you’re a great mom, wasn’t trying to overstep.” If I don’t handle this situation in the right way, I could blow it all together. “Look, Parker, I meant what I said before we went to bed. You and Piper, you’re mine and I’ll do whatever I have to in order to take care of you both. If that means givin’ this little girl a bath so you can get a few more minutes of sleep then that’s what I’ll do. You’ve been on your own takin’ care of her for long enough. Now you have help and you’re gonna accept it. Got me?”
I’m not about to let her not accept the help I’m trying to give her. Not just as the man who wants his cock inside her pussy but rather as a man who wants to be in her life. When it comes to these two Parker needs to understand I refuse to back down and I’ll be in their life.
It’ll just be easier if she submits herself to the truth of it all.
Chapter Seven
Parker
Cane has to be lying. There’s no way he’d want to be in our lives. I mean seriously what man in his right mind would want a woman who has as much baggage as I do. I don’t see my daughter as such but I’m sure he does. Put that on top of who I’m related to, it’s too much for anyone to take on.
I wouldn’t ask Cane to take us on. I couldn’t.
Cane might think he wants us but is just too bullheaded to see past what his dick wants.
That’s all it comes down to.
He wants in my pants and in thinking something as ridiculous as that, he’s convinced himself that I would be worth anything for a night in the sack. If it weren’t for the fact I have my daughter to think of, I might go there for a night with Cane. Other than the one experience I had with Piper’s father, the night he raped me, I haven’t had sex. I’d been a virgin up until that night and then thanks to my brother ordering his man to rape me as punishment for not listening to him, I ended up pregnant. At the time I thought about abortion but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Then I thought I’d do adoption. When it came down to it, I couldn’t give my daughter to anyone.
Piper became my lifeline.
My reason for living.
“Come on, lil mama, let’s get some clothes on Piper and some food in you both.” My stomach chooses this moment to growl at the mention of food. “When was the last time you had anything to eat, Parker?” Cane asks, furrowing his brow in question.
“Um.” I lick my lips unsure I want to answer him. “I don’t remember honestly. I mainly survive on protein powder shakes that are used as meal replacements due to not having the money for enough food. What I do buy is for Piper. Her food, clothes, and everything else are priority to me.”
“Babe, seriously, it’s good you put Piper first but you gotta take care of yourself as well,” Cane mutters, he moves to stand directly in front of me and wraps his arms around my shoulders enclosing Piper and myself in his arms. “From now on you don’t drink protein shakes or any other meal replacement bullshit. I’ll make sure you and this little one will have all the food you need.”
Crap.
Did I say aloud what I did for meals?
Damn it all to hell and back.
“Now since we don’t have clothes here right now for Piper, I’m gonna give her one of my shirts to swallow her up in for the time being. It won’t be long before she has plenty of clothes here. You and her both.”