Page 33

Dante

It was a long night, and while I was grateful to have Danika in my arms again, I was so freaking tired. To make matters worse, Danny wasn’t making things easier as he grumbled and muttered most of the night about a particular interfering therapist that he firmly believed overstepped the doctor-patient boundary.

“All I’m saying is you could have been nicer to her,” I reasoned, holding Danika securely in my arms as we walked down the stairs. “She did protect and care for our daughter.”

“She did more than that,” he muttered under his breath as I rolled my eyes.

“I happen to like Missy. I think she’s a beautiful person, and she clearly loves our daughter.”

“A little too much, if you ask me,” he grumbled.

Rounding on him, I snapped, “I didn’t ask you, but I am telling you to get over it. You are not innocent in this either. So, stop throwing stones.”

Doing an about-face, I headed for the kitchen, knowing damn well Danny was right on my heels.

“Good morning, boys.” Haizley smiled as we walked in. “And how was your first night with Danika?”

Danny huffed, plopping his ass in a seat, while I smiled back. “It was wonderful.”

“She asked for cookies all night.”

Sighing, I placed Danika in a chair, ignoring the brooding man. “And what would my pretty little girl like for breakfast today?”

“Cakes!”

“Here we go again,” the peanut gallery muttered.

“Uh, baby, how about some fruit and eggs? That’s what Papa and I are having.”

“Speak for yourself. I’m having biscuits and gravy and lots of bacon.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Cakes!”

Getting up from his chair, Danny walked over and kneeled before our little girl. “Come on, gorgeous, let’s go get some bacon.”

“Cakes!”

“Danny, just let her have cake.”

“She can’t have fucking cake for breakfast. She wouldn’t go to bed without eating cookies, and now she wants cake. What the hell has she been feeding her?”

“She’s talking. I don’t fucking care what she eats.”

Right then, Missy and Ghost walked into the kitchen. Danika took one look at the woman and whined, “Mama, cakes.”

Melissa smiled, walked right over to Danika, and picked her up. “Shh, baby. It’s ok. You can have cakes.”

“Dr. Jefferson—” Danny growled, his fist tightening.

“Danny, I think at this point you can call me by my name.”

“Melissa.” He sighed. “She can’t have cake for breakfast.”

Melissa’s smile was tight when she replied, “She isn’t asking for cake. She is asking for pancakes. They’re her favorite.”

Placing Danika back in her seat, I watched as the woman grabbed a plate and placed some eggs, a little bit of fruit, and one pancake on the plate. Grabbing a knife and fork, she walked back over to Danika and placed the plate before her, cutting up the pancake into small bite-sized pieces. Sitting in the chair next to her, she handed Danika a fork and said, “Eggs first.”

“No,” my stubborn daughter said as she tried to stab a piece of pancake.

“One bite, then eggs.”

“No.”

“Danika,” Danny firmly said, taking a step forward as Haizley jumped from her seat and stepped in.

“Danny, we talked about this.”

“She’s my daughter,” he argued.

“And she has been with Melissa for two months. You need to be patient with the transition for Dani. The three of you will need to sit down and talk about everything that has happened. You all have things to share with each other.”

I sat on the other side of Danika, trying to coax her into eating her eggs. When she shoved my hand away, Missy smiled.

“Missy, why are you smiling?” I asked.

“Because Dani is on the verge of a temper tantrum. She has been learning how to push her boundaries. And this is a huge step for her. And for you both.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused about how this could be a good thing.

“Dani hasn’t said no often. She pushes her boundaries with actions, not words. When she wants to get down, she squirms. When she doesn’t want to eat, she pushes the plate away. But today she said no. Dani has her fathers home. She is comfortable and secure with you both, despite the time apart. So, she will push back more with you both here.”

“How does being comfortable with us make her push back more?” Danny asked.

“She knows, she’s safe. Children inherently know who they can push back against.” Standing up, she added, “Children who are afraid of their parents are quiet in their presence. They don’t draw attention to themselves. Whereas children who live in homes where they know they can push back without fear will do so often as they learn the differences between right and wrong. Excuse me.”

“What the fuck did you say to her?” a gruff voice snarled behind me, and I quickly turned to see Ghost standing there with two plates in his hands.

“Ghost, it wasn’t Danny,” Haizley quickly interjected.

“Bullshit. Don’t think that because I kept my mouth shut, I didn’t hear the way you questioned how she cared for your daughter. That woman loves that little girl like she was her own. She gave up everything to keep her safe. She’s fucking happy you are both here and alive. But she’s also fucking devastated that she’s gonna lose her.”

“Why would she lose her?” I asked, looking from Ghost to Danny as he sighed.

“Haizley is right. We have some things to discuss.”

With that, Ghost stormed out the door with Haizley hot on his heels.

Shaking my head, I glared up at Danny. “You done pissing everyone off yet?”

“I was only speaking the truth. We need to talk about things.”

“No, we don’t. Our daughter loves Missy. I like Missy a lot. You are the only one who seems to have a problem.”

“And what problem is that, Dante?”

“Sharing,” I snarked as he plopped his ass down in a chair. “I get you like things your way, but we have a daughter now, Danny, and she needs to come first. You can’t control everything.”

“I can try.”

“No, you can’t. This morning is the perfect example. Neither one of us knew what Danika wanted. We assumed she wanted cake. It was Melissa who knew exactly what our girl wanted and gave it to her. She didn’t do it smugly or maliciously. She even explained why Danika was being so resistant. You owe that woman an apology and a thank you for taking care of Danika.”

My words hung in the air, heavy with truth, as Danny’s jaw ticked while he processed my words, his eyes never leaving our little girl who was happily munching on her pancake.

“I know I can be controlling,” he finally said, his voice low and laced with a hint of shame. “But I can’t help but feel like I’ve lost so much time with her. I just want to be her father, to give her the life she deserves.” He paused, his eyes flicking up to meet mine. “I’m trying, okay? I’ll try to do better.”

My expression softened as I reached out and placed a hand on Danny’s arm. “I know you are, and we’ll figure this out together. We’re a family now, and we’ll navigate this new dynamic as a team. We owe it to Danika to be united, to give her a stable and loving home.” I squeezed Danny’s arm gently before letting go and turning back to our daughter. “Now, let’s enjoy this precious time with her while we can. Who knows what kind of mischief she’ll get up to once she’s finished with her breakfast?”

As if on cue, Danika pushed her plate away, a satisfied smile on her face, and held out her arms to Danny.

“Mama!” she demanded, her big brown eyes pleading. I saw the second Danny relented as he swept her up into a tight embrace, pressing a kiss to her soft curls.

“Alright, baby girl,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion as he walked out of the kitchen.

Groaning, I banged my head on the table a few times when I heard. “Do that a few more times, Intern, and you’ll give yourself a concussion.”

Looking up, I spotted Bane standing near the coffeepot, drinking a cup of coffee. “He’s impossible sometimes.”

“You married him,” Bane snarked just as Amber walked into the kitchen.

“Hi, Bane. Hi, Pippen.” The pretty woman smiled warmly as she walked over to the broody man.

“Hi, beautiful,” Bane greeted, grabbing the coffeepot and pouring the hot brew into her waiting cup.

“So, how did last night go?” she asked, before taking a sip.

“Good,” I muttered. “After Danika ate two cookies.”

Amber chuckled as she walked over to the table and took a seat across from me. “Yeah, should have told you about that. Love your little girl to death. She’s sweet as candy.”

“I’ve missed so much.”

Reaching across the table, Amber took my hand and smiled. “You are here for her now. That’s all that counts. You are staying, right?”

“I don’t know. Haven’t talked to Danny about it, but I don’t like the idea of taking Danika away from Melissa. She’s grown really attached to Danika, and my little girl loves her. I can clearly see it, and even if he won’t admit it, Danny sees it, too.”

“You do what’s best for the kid,” Bane piped up. “Fuck everything else.”

“Bane’s right, Dante,” Amber whispered. “I didn’t have the best father. Danika is lucky. She’s got two dads that love her.”

“I know, and I want to do right by her,” I replied, rubbing my temples. “But it’s not just about Danika. There’s also Melissa to consider. She’s been like a mother to my daughter, and they have a strong bond.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the decision on my shoulders. “I can’t bear the thought of tearing them apart.”

Bane set down his cup and crossed his arms, his expression softening. “You’ll figure it out, Intern. You’re a good dad and you want what’s best for your family. Trust your instincts.”

I nodded, grateful for his words of encouragement. “Thanks, Bane. I just hope I can make the right choice.”

As I sat there, lost in thought, Amber squeezed my hand gently. “Whatever you decide, we’re here for you. Family sticks together, no matter what.”