Page 55 of Melt For Us, Daddy (Big Daddy Energy #4)

Ivy

F or once when her alarm woke her in the morning, she didn’t immediately roll out of bed to begin her day, choosing to hit snooze instead and burrow back under the covers with her boy and her woman.

Jacob took up far more space in their bed than she was used to, but waking up with him sprawled between them made up for the lack of space.

Perhaps they should look into getting a bigger bed.

Their queen size was more than enough space for the two of them, but adding Jacob to the mix definitely made things more cramped.

And the thought of sending him to sleep in a separate room every night made her chest ache a bit.

Though he might want his own space, a bedroom-slash-man-cave where he could build his own identity separate from theirs.

The spare bedroom would work for now, but eventually they’d need more room in general, not just for him but for the new life they were building together. It was a good thing Cordelia had already promised her they’d get serious about looking for a house when this was all said and done.

Lifting a hand to his face, she brushed a stray lock of hair away from his forehead and her heart constricted in her chest. He looked so young , especially in sleep.

It was easy to forget when he was awake and staring at you with those eyes that had seen far too much for his twenty years.

But asleep… asleep she could see how young and innocent he really was, and it almost made her feel guilty for corrupting him.

Almost.

When her alarm went off again, Ivy sighed quietly and rolled to turn it off before slipping from bed, careful not to wake either of her lovers.

She went through her usual morning routine, and although the schedule at the safe house had been a comfort, it was nothing compared to her routine in her home.

Humming softly to herself, she made her way out to the kitchen to start the coffee and breakfast. And as she worked, her mind drifted, conjuring up images of her and her woman and their boy, living and loving in a house somewhere just outside the city.

Ice and Silver had that stunning place on the water, but that was probably way out of their price range.

There were plenty of small towns up all around Charleston, though she wouldn’t want to be too far from the club or her friends.

She was so caught up in her fantasies, she didn’t hear Cordelia until those soft, familiar arms slid around her waist, holding her tight against a body she knew as well as her own. “Good morning, my beautiful girl.”

As it sometimes did, the love she felt for her woman, her Daddy welled up inside her, so big and all-consuming she wondered how one person could feel so much. Letting her eyes close, she dropped her head back against Cordelia’s shoulder. “Morning, Daddy.”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

There was something in her voice, a catch that had the hairs on the back of Ivy’s neck standing up. “You haven’t. But we’ve had a lot on our minds.”

“I know. That’s no excuse, though.” Hands on Ivy’s hips, Cordelia turned her around and the breath caught in Ivy’s chest at the fierceness of the love on her woman’s face. “You’ve been a rock for me, babygirl, and I don’t know if I could have survived this without you.”

“You would have. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“I’m trying to be. It was easier at the safe house, when I didn't have to worry so much. The idea of you and Jacob out there, without me…”

“Hey.” Lifting her hands to Cordelia’s face, Ivy rose up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to her lips. “We aren’t alone, and we aren’t without protection. Holden would never let anything happen to us. We’re going to be okay, I promise.”

“And you’ll follow all the rules Holden gave you? No trying to sneak off or escape the guards?”

“Give me some credit for not being a complete moron, would you?” Ivy teased.

But instead of banishing the worry in her Daddy’s eyes, it only seemed to deepen. “I’m serious, Ivy. I need to know you’re going to keep yourself safe no matter what.”

“I will. I promise. I’ll do whatever Holden and his men tell me I need to do. But we both know I'm not the real target.”

“You could be. If Harlan thinks he can hurt me and Jacob at the same time by coming for you, he will.”

She hadn’t considered that. This whole time she’d thought of herself as just someone caught up in everything happening to Cordelia and Jacob, rather than part of it.

But now, seeing it through her Daddy’s eyes, fear crept up her spine, wrapped icy fingers around her heart. “You really think he might do that?”

“I do. Which is why it’s so important for you to follow Holden’s rules.”

“You won’t get any argument from me, then.” She’d already been planning to follow them, but knowing she could be an actual target…

Yeah. She’d be following every single rule, order, whatever they gave her.

“That’s my good girl.” Frowning slightly, Cordelia tapped Ivy’s chest, just below her neck. “You forgot something, blossom.”

It took a moment for her to realize, and when she did, her hand went to her throat. “Sorry. I didn’t want to wake you two and I didn’t really have time to get used to the new routine before we… Sorry,” she repeated with a shake of her head. “I’m making excuses.”

“No, baby. You’re making very valid points.

We didn’t have time to settle into the new routine and now there’s a whole other person for both of us to consider.

We’ll figure it out. For now, go get your collar and bring it to me.

I put it in its usual spot when we were getting ready for the club last night. ”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Hurrying back to their bedroom, she slipped inside, careful not to wake their sleeping boy as she lifted her necklace from its stand on Cordelia's nightstand. Already, she felt steadier as she carried it back to the kitchen to hand it off to her Daddy.

“Thank you, blossom. On your knees.”

She would have done so anyway, since that was how they’d always completed this part of their morning ritual. But hearing the words still did something to her, tapped into some deep, primal part of her psyche that had her feeling even more submissive than usual.

Sinking to the floor, she lowered her gaze to Cordelia’s bare feet, her toes painted the same bright pink she almost always chose. It was one of those little things, the consistency of it, that Ivy loved about her.

“Eyes on me, baby.”

Another step of the ritual, another bit of comfort. And when her Daddy clasped the necklace around her neck, Ivy nearly sighed with happiness.

“Much better,” Cordelia murmured, cupping Ivy’s face in her hand. “I love you, Ivy Mae. So fucking much.”

“I love you, too. May I get up and finish making breakfast?”

“Yes, baby.”

Rocking back on her heels, she pushed up to her feet, once again humming happily to herself as she made her Daddy’s coffee and breakfast. When she finally settled at the table with her own tea and plate of food, she watched as Cordelia scooped up a forkful of eggs.

“Should we get Jacob a collar?”

Pausing with the fork halfway to her mouth, Cordelia lifted her gaze, one eyebrow arching upward. “I suppose that depends on what he wants.”

“He wants us. He told us so.”

“I know. I just… don’t want him to feel trapped. Collaring someone isn’t a commitment I take lightly.”

Ivy raised her hand to her own throat, letting her fingertips brush over the rainbow-colored stones that resided there. “I know what it means to wear your collar, Cordelia.”

“You do. Which is why you should understand it’s not something we can just spring on him.”

“You didn’t ask me before you bought me this.”

With a hum of agreement, Cordelia lifted one shoulder. “That was different. I knew from the first time I spanked you that you were meant to be mine. And you weren’t as… innocent as he is.”

A smile tugged at Ivy’s lips. “He’s not nearly as innocent as he was a month ago.”

“You know what I mean, Ivy Mae.”

“I do. But just like you knew I was meant to be yours, I know he’s meant to be ours. I can feel it in my bones, Dee.”

Leaning back in her chair with a sigh, Cordelia shook her head. “I can’t even think about this with everything else hanging over our heads. Once his father is behind bars where he belongs, we can revisit the issue. Okay?”

“What if they never arrest him? Shit happens all the time in cases like this, Cordelia. We can’t put our entire lives on hold for something that may or may not happen.”

Cordelia tilted her head to the side, and Ivy had to fight the urge to squirm under her steely gaze. “Why is it so important to you that we do this now?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even realize how strongly I felt about it until you said no.

But I guess… I was just thinking this morning, about how we’re going to need more space if he’s going to be part of our lives.

And I could see us, all three of us, making a home together.

Building a life together. And it just felt so right , you know? ”

“I do.” Tapping her fingers against the battered wood of the kitchen table they’d brought with them from their old apartment more out of sentimentality than anything else, Cordelia nodded slowly.

“I’m not saying no. I am saying I need some time to really think about it, and for us to discuss what it means with Jacob. ”

“That’s fair.” And it was. Because as ready as Ivy was to jump into the next phase of their lives together feet first, it really was a big decision. One they all needed to feel comfortable with before taking that leap. “I do have one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?”

Unsure of how what she needed to say would be received, she hesitated, searching for the right words. “If you wanted to, you know… let Jacob touch you, I wouldn’t be upset.”

Across from her, Cordelia froze, her expression going carefully blank the way it often did when she was feeling too much and didn’t know quite how to process it. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that. Or if I’ll ever be ready for that.”

“I know. I just want you to know that when and if you are ready, you don't have to worry about me getting jealous or anything. With how I acted about your relationship with him in the beginning, I wanted to make that clear. Just in case.”

Lifting her hand, Cordelia crooked a finger, beckoning Ivy to her. And Ivy went, settling on her Daddy’s lap, letting herself be held close. “How did I get so lucky to have such a sweet, thoughtful woman in my life?”

“You’re a good person, Dee. You deserve the world.”

“I already have the world, baby. I have you.”

“And Jacob.”

Some emotion Ivy couldn’t name flickered in her woman’s eyes. “Yes. And Jacob. But even if he decides we’re not what he wants long term, I’ll still have everything I could possibly ask for because I have you.”

Love welled inside her, so huge she wondered how it didn’t simply burst out of her. “Same. I know I’m being pushy about the Jacob stuff, and I’ll be sad if we lose him, but I also know how lucky I am to have you. I don’t take that for granted.”

“I know you don’t, baby.” Wrapping a hand around Ivy’s neck, Cordelia drew her down for a long, slow kiss. One that started sweet, a confirmation of the love they shared, but soon heated to something more. Something hot and demanding.

And when Ivy whimpered into the kiss, Cordelia pulled back with a chuckle. “Shh, babygirl. You don’t want to wake our boy, do you?”

“Depends.”

“On?”

“If I wake him, are you gonna punish me?”

“Oh, absolutely. And when I’m through with you, I’ll let him have his fun.”

Throwing her head back, Ivy shouted at the top of her lungs. “Jacob! Time to wake up!”

Cordelia’s laughter echoed around the room and a moment later Ivy found herself face-down over her woman’s lap. “Naughty, naughty girl. Now Daddy’s going to have to spank you.”

And she did, thoroughly enough to leave Ivy warm and tingly and aching.

So that when Jacob did emerge from their bedroom a little while later, she was perfectly primed for being bent over the kitchen table at her Daddy’s command, their boy’s thick cock fucking her relentlessly until they both shattered.

Sore and satiated, she made Jacob a fresh plate of eggs and sausage before finally sitting down to finish her own cold breakfast.

If this was the new routine, she had absolutely no complaints.