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I would, in a heartbeat.
A knock at the door had us all freezing, but it was Hayden who opened it. His gaze flickered around the room but came to rest on me, and then my daughter. He smiled softly. “How’s the little one?”
I couldn’t help but smile at him. He was the only reason I’d survived her birth; I was sure of that. While Caleb had been ready to leave me for dead, Hayden had encouraged me right up until she’d been born, brushing my hair back off my face, breathing with me, reminding me I was strong and I could do this. When it was over, and Winnie had placed my daughter in my arms, Hayden had brought in a woman who hadn’t looked happy but had stitched me up after he put a large wad of cash in her hand.
“She’s great,” I assured him.
Hayden nodded. “You pick a name for her yet?”
I shook my head. I didn’t know why I was holding off. But the right name would come to me, I was sure. “Not yet.”
He had a hoodie on today, paired with ripped jeans and loosely tied work boots. His blue eyes and cute smile did things to my insides I had no business feeling. I had to remind myself he was as much the enemy as Caleb was.
Hayden crossed to the corner of the room and checked the rickety secondhand changing table he’d brought in the day after I’d had her. He knelt and rifled through the array of diapers, baby wipes, and tiny clothes he’d filled it with. “I’ll get more diapers today.”
“You really don’t need to,” I said quickly. “There’s plenty.”
He acted like he hadn’t even heard me. “What about blankets? Do you think she’s getting cold at night? Are you sure you don’t need that baby milk powder thing? Bottles?”
I shook my head. “We’re fine.”
We weren’t. We were anything but fine, really, but in the scheme of things, we weren’t in any immediate danger. Despite his support through my labor and delivery, I didn’t want to feel like I owed this man anything.
Georgia beamed at him though, her smile bordering on flirtatious. “We’re taking care of her. Don’t you worry about that.”
He nodded. “Good. I’m glad.”
Georgia touched his arm. “Do you have kids, Hayden?”
“Me? No.”
Georgia was practically a puddle at his feet. “Oh really? I thought you must have. You knew exactly what to get for this little one.”
Hayden shrugged off her touch. “I called my brother, Liam. His partner, Mae, had a baby not long ago. He told me what to get.”
Georgia acted like this was the most fascinating information she’d ever had shared with her. “Really? So you have a niece or nephew then? That’s lovely. What about a wife? Girlfriend?”
Nova snorted softly. “Could you be any more blatant, Georgia? Jesus. Please take this painful attempt at flirting into another room where I don’t have to listen to it.”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. I kind of felt the same way, I was just not as blunt as Nova.
I didn’t quite understand why I was a bit disappointed Hayden didn’t actually answer Georgia’s question.
Of course the man had a girlfriend. Or a wife. Probably one who walked runways somewhere, because a guy like him would have a beautiful woman on his arm for sure. He screamed bad boy, plus he was tall and hot enough to model himself. I doubted his bed was ever empty for long.
A shout from somewhere within the house cut short any further discussion. All of us turned to the open doorway, and the sudden rush of big men thundering up and down it.
“Chaos! Get out here! We got ninety-nine problems, and every single one of them are the Slayers.”
Hayden swore low under his breath and stormed to the doorway. But then he glanced back over his shoulder. “Stay here. Get away from the windows. Don’t open the door unless it’s me. Got it?” His words seemed to be for all of us…and yet he was only looking at me.
The other girls squeaked out scared yesses, but he didn’t leave until I nodded.
The door locked behind him, an audible reminder that no matter how attractive he was, no matter how sweet he was in bringing me things for the baby, Hayden ‘Chaos’ Whitling was not a good guy.
All of us stared at the closed door, listening to the shouts and commands coming from beyond it.
Caleb’s voice was one of them. Barking demands. Screaming at Hayden. I cowered away from the door, wishing there was a way of holding my daughter and covering my ears at the same time.