Touching the Heart of Ace novel Chapter 67

"There are people here."

"So what?" He kissed my neck from behind.

I giggled feeling ticklish. "I have to bake these."

"Let Windy do it." He bit my earlobe. I turned around in his hands. "No one will notice if we slipped out for a minute."

"A minute? Are you that bad Mr. Brantley?" I flirted back brushing my forefinger up and down his bicep.

He growled. "Bad... very... very bad."

"A glals of wata, pweaaaasseeeee." Lia came in running and I jumped away from his hands pretending to fold the cookie mixture while Robbie started pulling grapes from the stalks.

Windy came in running after her and bend over at my baby's words. "A glals... of water..."

Lia started giggling too. "Whaaaaa?"

Lia was all over the place. She was super excited with all the kids running around and playing. Windy was basically her chaperon but helped me with cooking too.

"I got her, Mr. Truscott." She wiped tears from her eyes still laughing. "Come on Miss. Princess. Let us get you a glals of wata!" Lia cackled and took off again and Windy ran off behind her, laughing.

"Thank God! Now, where were we?" Robbie tried to lean to me again and...

"David, more lemonade?" Sarah came in holding a big empty jug and I stifled a giggle at Robbie's annoyed face.

"There is some in the fridge but let me make some more."

"Na na. I got it. That is the least I could do." She took away the basket of filled with Lemonade supplies and went outside after taking a small knife.

Robbie again leaned to me and Melvin, Alice's boyfriend came in asking for extra pair of tongs.

Now my Big Baby really looked like he was going to blow up. He wanted some attention from me especially with Janice here, and the happy romantic couples surrounding us were putting him in very bad mood. He could not hold my hand or kiss me like every other person in our house. His last line was when Alice's brother came in with his long-time-boyfriend and his best friend who was also here with his husband and two kids.

They were always touching and holding hands. And the thought that he could not do it with me was bugging him to a point of explosion.

I put the cookie dough in the oven and giggled at his angry frown. He glared at me and I pressed my palm on my mouth; but Daddy it was so funny.

This really was getting to him and I felt bad.

Janice was still doing her makeup and I was thankful for that. Last night was an emotional roller coaster for us. Tris... Augustus came clean in front of me and then Janice arrived around 10 p.m and all the oscillations of emotions from good to bad, to good and back to bad again, tired us to the core. We had not seen much of Janice after breakfast.

When we heard, Allie- Alice's brother- come in, giggling at something his boyfriend had said before blushing and running off seeing us in the kitchen, Robbie angrily pushed away the grape bowl and stormed off to his office.

I smiled.

It showed how much he wanted to be with me and what he wanted from our relationship. If it was not for kids being present and would probably disrupt a good day for Lia, he would have just kissed me in front of all these people not caring about the havoc we would make.

I waited a few minutes before following him and saw him still angry sitting on his office chair, with eyes closed and lips thin with frustration.

"Hey, Daddy." I undid his crossed hands on his chest before straddling his lap. His eyes bore in to mine and his hand supported my butt, pulling me closer. "What got you all pouting?"

"I am not pouting." He glared.

"Then what is this?" I kissed his lips which were actually thinner.

He sighed. "Just annoying people doing annoying things."

"Like what?" I cradled his neck in my palms.

"Like things."

I shook my head. Robbie and his inability to open up. "Mmmm... don't leave me alone there. I get lonely." I pouted before licking his lips and kissing him. I wanted to kiss and hold his hands too. I just had better self-control than the big baby here. I whimpered into the kiss when his hands painfully squeezed my butt.

He knew how to lose my mind.

I quickly rubbed my pelvis onto his, just to feel that thickening marvellous rod that he hid in his shorts. His hand crawled inside my white T-shirt twisting my nipple and I moaned deepening the kiss.

"Peep... People outside, Daddy, we can't..." But I did not stop rubbing myself on him.

"I will be quick."

"But I won't." I stopped his hand before placing my head on his chest, breathless. "Lia will worry."

He was not happy with it.

"Cheer up. It is not like you are missing it too much."

"You are right. I can have you all the times I want."

"Mmm..." I agreed, cutely purring to him and he kissed me again, ravishing my lips. I was serious, we were animalistic last night and he was not that horny; just jealous that he could not be so open with me unlike all the couples here.

I joined our hands. "Come on. We are the hosts, remember?"

"I could not careless about..."

"But, I do. So suck it up."

"I would rather suck..."

"Robbie!" I squeaked and jumped away from his hand that was creeping down to my pants. "Bad Robbie... Bad!" I slapped his palm twice. "Bad!"

He growled and pulled me back to his lap. "What did I tell you about treating me like a dog?" He lewdly thrusted his pelvis to my butt.

I blinked, fake pouting. "That you will chain my neck and hook me to your bed and..." My hand climbed up his thigh. "... show me how a dog does it and... punish me?" I bit the tip of my forefinger of the other hand.

God, I was so good at scrambling his sanity.

He gulped, his pupils wide like he was high, his eyes figuratively ravishing me. "Ye... Yeah! Maybe... now? Now? How about now?"

"Baby boy is so scared, Daddy." His head swiped to me so fast and the vein popped on his forehead.

Oh, fuck! Bad move, Ace. Very bad move.

His harder than steel appendage was already drilling a hole on my back. I squealed at his change and jumped away before he could bend me over his desk.

Ace, keep it together. There are guests and kids... but God! What he could do to me was making me want to drop my...

I twisted my body away just in time so his hand could not trap me again.

"Ace! Stop running."

"NO! You... You will do it!"

"Do what, baby? I will not do anything. Come here."

I turned left when he turned to the right but that man knew me like back of his hand and he caught me around my waist making me giggle.

"Gotcha! You, imp."

"You said you will do nothing."

He pressed me to the edge of desk before spreading my legs and making me sit with him between my thighs.

"Oh, I will do nothing. I will just see what my baby has underneath and may be kiss it, if it is pretty." His hand cupped me and he gave me a squeeze before rolling his wrist.

I did not mean to moan, so wantonly. He kissed my cheek and it made everything a ten thousand times hotter.

"Why don't you lie down on my desk?" He asked, his voice husky.

I wanted that... wanted it so much.

"Later... we have guests and kids."

He tried to push me down and I held his hand gently. I really wanted him to stop, and ironically gentle touches made him listen. "Big Baby... please."

I gave him kisses.

Kiss. "You can have me..."

Kiss. "... later."

Kiss. "I won't..."

Kiss. "let you go..."

Kiss. "... for a long time if..."

Kiss. "...we do it now."

Kiss. "So later, Big Baby, please."

He growled, a bit smug and satisfied. We kissed some more to calm our erratic nerves.

"When we do, I want to do something." He held my hand and we walked to the door.

I had an idea what he wanted to do.

He and his dirty mind! But I was the one who put that in his head, so... Whatever! It was his fault, anyways.

I cutely curled to his body, still walking. "Anything..." I leaned up to his lips and gave another kiss. "... Daddy!"

He groaned before adjusting himself.

Awwww... Poor baby.

When we reached the door I took my hand away and his eyes lost its brightness.

"Robbie..." I pressed my palm on his cheek. "I am here baby. We are together and we will be together. We can do this."

"But..."

"You know I am yours and I know you are mine. They don't matter. So, come with me, Mr. Brantley. You have guests."

I pushed Robbie to the kids and I saw Sarah repeatedly sighing and mumbling while chopping veggies for salad.

"Need help?" I had put automatic switch-off on oven, so cookies were safe. I had some time to spare, before starting to cook.

"No..."

"What is wrong?"

"What is not wrong?" She pointed her chin to the beach lounge and my eyes bugged out its socket.

What the hell!

"David, I am all about women wearing what they want, but... that is just too much. There are kids here." Sarah was right.

Janice was wearing the most exposing bikini in the history of bikini. It was size too small for her altered butt and boobs; they were practically out of them.

I blinked my eyes rapidly.

Jesus!

"What is she even doing?" The disgust in Sarah's voice made me sigh. Janice was stretching her legs in the most awkward pose ever while rubbing sunscreen.

Straight men fell for that? Ewww!

"Just ignore her."

"Really David? Those... those... plastic trash bags are right in our face."

One.

Two.

Three.

I snorted and laughed.

"What?" She chuckled and soon started laughing with me.

"You are a meanie, Sarah."

"You laughed. You are the bigger meanie." She slapped my shoulder and we took all the chopped vegetables to the kitchen.

"Why are you guys laughing?" Vin, Sarah's husband asked.

"Taking out trash bags, Hubby." She snorted and there we went laughing again.

"It is not nice. Stop it." I chastised her.

"You stop it. You started it. You laughed first."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Not."

"Too."

Vin shook his head and pecked his wife's lips. "Okay, goofballs. I do not want to know. Kiddo is napping in the playroom. Thanks David."

I waved his gratitude away. Robbie and I had arranged Lia's playroom downstairs as a nap and time-out zone. We had so many kids running around and they needed an occasional cool off time.

Surprisingly, the idea came from Robbie. He was a big softie for kids, who knew!

I adjusted the cams in that room and gave them a tab, so they could check on their kid occasionally without hindering their fun time.

Windy joined us after sometime and we were off to cook up a storm.

"Guys..." Janice came in, jiggling all her assets and her sickly sweet voice. "My guests are coming in an hour. Please be quicker. I want scrambled eggs, oh, some spaghetti because Kevin loves it, sauce must be from the scratch, and if we don't have enough white wine please go to the store and get some... What else? Oh, you there, what is your name again?" She pointed to Windy. "Cut my sandwiches in the shapes of stars, alright?" Janice giggled. "I love the star shaped sandwiches. Sarah, you don't have to cook. You are a guest."

She waited a few minutes and when she noticed we were not particularly gawking at her oh-so-awesome body; she went away to 'touch up'.

Make up looked good on her. She had done it flawlessly, so all the unnatural contours in her face were not popping. Her swellings near the nose had gone down and it did help her with the appearance; but it was still... a bit unique.

Because honestly when seeing Janice 'beautiful' would not be the word that would come to mind.

Unique.

With makeup of course. Without them she was nowhere close to flawless.

Janice used to be really beautiful. Her angular face, pouty but small lips, cute button nose, her slim body were so perfectly aligned. When she smiled, there were times when her ex-boyfriend in high school- the football star- used to thumb his chest. That was what he did the first time I met him; Aunt Marie asked him to look after me in school- with him being her daughter's boyfriend. Janice smiled seeing him come for us and he went all gooey and melty.

That Janice was not anymore.

"We now know what we are not cooking." Windy announced before taking the star shaped cutters out of the drawer and hid them somewhere. "Oh, so sorry, Miss Random McBitchy, we could not find the star cutters."

Sarah and I did not mean to laugh. It was just, she was so cute nodding her head and doing the exact opposite of what Janice had told her to do.

Janice did notice that there was nothing on our lunch table according to her 'requests'.

Boy! Did she make a scene?

Yes.

Did anyone care?

No.

I thought her friends will but everyone was busy with all the conversation they were having with their close friends and the kids did not care about anything, including what adults were feeding them. They were so busy running around the table and stopped only to open their baby mouths.

Lia was no different except she did not come near Janice.

So, 'where is my star sandwich' remained unanswered. Kevin did not even notice there was no spaghetti as he scarfed down BBQ chicken thighs.

I thought this was not how Janice expected 'her' beach party would turn out. This was just a family brunch slash get-together. Even men were all conservatively dressed in shorts and T-shirts, including Robbie. No one tried to be sexy except of course the lady of the day. She was wearing a see-through kaftan over her bikini during the lunch. I wore a white calf length pants with white undershirt and a Blue Hawaiian shirt which I did not bother to button up.

Ladies were more fashionable. Sarah wore a sundress, Alice was in a peach crepe crop top with grey shorts, Windy was in floral knee length frock, others too; as fashionable as they were, they knew to be mindful about growing young minds.

We obviously had a good time, until Janice decided to change her outfit.

Sarah said Janice hated not having all the attention on her. I did not want to believe it but she came back wearing a nude bikini with heavy beads border, it was so... sheen and her nipples were pointing through the material, and the lips of... of... THAT were as well be out because the colour of the bikini was only one shade up than her skin complexion.

Everyone was looking.

And I was having a second hand embarrassment. This was worse than the first one. It was a size too small but the material covered everything but this... This was atrocious.

I saw Alice swatting her boyfriend's hand hard to stop him from looking. It was not his fault. Allie - her brother and I could not get any gayer because we could not stand female body parts, yet we were staring too.

In our defence, we were staring out of pure astonishment of her decision to wear this to a family event.

It was not about nudity either; it was her decision to be blatantly seductive without considering about kids and she was not related to any of the kids except Lia.

Kids should not see nudity of non-family members. Period!

True, it did not start as a family event, maybe she wanted an adult beach party with sexy humans all swimming in the sea but her friends decided to bring kids... so now was the time to chuck her sexy outfits under the drawer and wear something less sultry.

Kevin, the 'friend' Janice was talking about was, salivating and his date looked irked by that. The ladies did try to point out that her dress was inappropriate around kids. Janice remained thick and 'did not' catch on the hints.

Of all the people, we gay men thought would finally snap and ask her to change her clothes, Alice was not even in our option.

Alice seemed like a mindless follower to Janice. She looked like Janice was the cool cheerleader kid who was way out of her league to be friends with. Sarah knew about all of Janice's B.S stating she used to be a bartender, so she was good at reading people.

"For Christ's sake, please cover yourself up. We have kids here." Alice jumped up and shouted.

Oops.

I could get behind that feeling. Allie's best friend's kid was definitely straight. The poor baby had his mouth open and he stared and stared at her big boobs with jutting out nipples. The kid had two dads, and I could already imagine him asking why did they did not have balloons on their chests.

Alice was protective towards her brother's best friend too. So, she lashed out. But the whole conversation was heating up.

Robbie, Sarah and I excitedly squealed, before picking up all the kids and we herded them to the beach.

We had contacted a company and two gates were temporarily established on the beach, so the kids would not wander off too far without adults knowing. We set up a lounge for the adults and I had to send Robbie to fetch some men who were ogling and enjoying the cat fight.

Everyone gathered around after an hour of heated discussion, seemingly cooled off though Alice and Janice avoided each other like plague.

Kids had a lot of fun. I had to literally run after several trouble makers, so I could slather them up in sunscreen. Lia made her new little friends run away when she saw me coming with the bottle.

But it was fun.

I was playing with them too, and they seemed to like my company. Windy and I took turns bringing up the refreshments, so we were their favourite.

When some couples showed their affection by holding hands and pecking their loved ones' lips, my Robbie settled with a brush of his hand on my hand and a wink. He trapped me in the bathroom and got his kiss once when he could not hold it in.

When the evening came, half of the guests left thanking Robbie for the good time. The other half had decided to stay with us until dinner. Mostly because they wanted their kids to have some more fun and Lia kind of begged them to stay.

Who can deny my adorable little devil?

Someone claimed to be bored and I pulled up a deck of cards when they insisted on karaoke. I was bad at singing... bad!

After a standard 'pick a card, any card... not that card' joke, we were on full swing. I gotta send a thank you card for Frankie. He taught me well.

"Did you get a diamond of four? Allie."

"Ah! I did! I did! How did you..."

"Magic!"

Everyone laughed except Janice. She really was in foul mood. She had to change the clothes and she was not getting enough ogling as she had expected.

"Davey... Theesty."

I poured a few glasses of juices and lemonade in small zippy cups and gave it to her and her friends. Windy had gone home; her girlfriend taking her on a movie date.

Everyone wanted to see another magic trick and this time I pulled a more complicated one. I asked five of them to pick the cards they liked and dramatically huffed and thought.

"Leon, you got 8 of spades." I told Allie's best friend.

"No way. No way in he... earth"

"Is it true or not?" I laughed and he nodded before dramatically throwing the card on the table.

"I shuffle this time." Leon narrowed his eyes and did everything he could but I did my trick, more dramatically this time.

"Katherine got 7 of clubs. Alice got either 5 of spades or 9 of clubs. I am going to go with 5. Janice got 2 of diamond. Am I right or am I right?"

"That is so cool. Baby, did you see what he did? Did you?" Leon climbed up his husband's lap and waved his card on his face.

"I saw it, Lolly."

They kissed.

Leon was an artist and his husband Alec was a cop. They were so in love and they portrayed the life I wanted with Robbie. They were a gay boy's dream. A happy life with a loving husband and adorable trouble makers as kids.

I sighed wistfully before looking at my man and saw him already looking at me with pride, love and absolute adoration.

When would I stop blushing around him?

I ducked my head before my heart eyes gave away my love for him.

"I got the Heart of Ace." Robbie announced proudly without taking his eyes off me and the words were not lost on me. His card was not Heart of Ace. It was a heart card but not that. Might be 10, King or Queen.

"I am pretty sure it is Ace of Hearts." Kevin corrected.

"Well that is true too." He did not bat an eye and I blushed all over. This man and his flirting.

But I almost gasped in surprise when he threw the Heart of Ace... shoot... Ace of Hearts to the table. His eyes were twinkling in mischief.

That bastard cracked my trick. How?

"How did you do it? TELL ME!!!" Alice screamed to my ear and I jumped.

I giggled. "I am just good at maths."

"Maths is magic?" Katherine was not buying it.

"More like witch craft. Please don't remind me of maths. Gives me nightmares." Kevin groaned before flopping down.

I shook my head chuckling. "Yes. Not all magic is supported by magic but science in general and a heavy dose of psychology. I am good at maths and I have a good photographic memory. I remember the patterns that changes fast. And then there is of course, practise."

"Wow! You must be really good in maths."

"I am. Maths and physics are the reasons that pushed me to engineering. Then my unhealthy obsession with computers gradually turned me to what I am today."

Silence met my words and I got a bit embarrassed. "What?"

"You are an engineer?"

"Yes, I am. My masters is in mechatronics though."

"We thought you were a nanny."

Oh.

"Umm..."

"Janice told us you were the nanny? Why are you a nanny then?"

"I am not a nanny." What was I supposed to say?

"But you are a high school dropout and Janice was... oooh..." Lord bless Alice's pretty dense heart.

"He got his bachelor's from M.I.T. I am pretty sure he did not drop out of high school." Robbie bit out, offended.

Everyone stared at Janice and she stormed off to house. Then everyone was bombarding me with questions. I told them about my coding, Jason and Liz. My bachelor's project that was run by NASA and my master's project that I was not willing to sell because I plan to start my own.

Robbie boasted and boasted and boasted until I kicked his shin. "What! They thought you were a clueless idiot!"

He was more offended than I was. It was okay. What could we do?

Lesser people try to shame you by spreading lies.

Kids slowly wore themselves out during dinner and they lie down in every places they could find. One on floor, one under the couch, one was hugging his dad's leg and snoring, Lia climbed on my lap and slept on my shoulder and her new friend Kaya, on her mom Katherine's back.

Kids were so carefree.

We brought the adults drinks out and I strictly warned Robbie not to drink because we had guests and I would pour him his drink when we were alone.

It was a wholesome refreshing night, though I could not get over the fact that Janice had been telling everyone that I was Lia's nanny. Robbie knew I was only holding up because we were with company but he did hug me when I went to bring ice cubes.

"You are not a nanny."

"People are waiting." I did not want to discuss this.

"You are my baby, love. And please don't tell me that you think Lia think of you as a nanny."

"I don't. But..." I let that sentence hung. I was just sad.

He hugged me and I took in his citrusy male scent. He took my hand in his and kissed the back of it. "I can't wait." He kissed my chest and I melted. He knew how to make me feel all wanted and appreciated.

I smiled.

"Is that a smile, love? Mmmm? Mmm? Let me see." I pushed on his chest, ducking my head but he leaned down and looked up playfully. "Kitten."

I quickly pecked his lips and escaped before he could make me all shy.

"Did you see Melvin? Alice asked me when I brought her a mock tail.

"No. Not in the kitchen."

"Oh, he went with Vin to the bathroom. There is Vin." Sarah went to his husband. "Hey, honey. Where is Melvin?"

"Headache. Looking for medicines."

Alice groaned. "Please tell me medicine is not liquor. He is a bad drunk. I am going inside. We need to go."

"Hey, let us all go inside. It is late anyways. I will call cabs if they are wasted." I told them before picking my girl who was knocked out next to Kaya where I had laid them together.

"Good idea. I am getting so tired." Sarah groaned and she along with her husband started collecting stuff despite my protests.

I noticed other people who did not acknowledge my presence were suddenly cordial to me. Did they avoid me thinking I was a nanny? A colle... no... a high school drop out? They did not mind me and I had returned the favour. Now they were helping me with the stuff and I was at loss how to behave. So I called down Robbie to handle those people and their kids.

How shallow could they be?

But I had nothing against the kids and when Tommy decided my knee was comfortable for him to clutch on, I ignored the parents whose names I did not even know about and let him be.

Alice and Sarah carried all the dishes, Robbie and Kevin carrying folded furniture, Vin clearing the trash and others just biding good byes.

We all went in, I holding Lia in my arms, her tiny head resting on my shoulder as she slept, Leon held his son, Bryan... and I thanked to heavens that my baby girl was asleep and facing away.

Sarah saw it first and her hand clutched my elbow. That made me wish I had not looked to the side and saw what I saw.

Melvin, Alice's boyfriend was pounding Janice to the wall.

I was frozen with... too many emotions.

"Hey, mov..." Alice came in next and she heard the exact dialogue that would rip a lover's heart to pieces.

"Do I feel better than Alice? Yesss? OOOH MY GOD. Better?"

"Definitely... oooh, definitely better than Alice. FUCK YEAH!"

Janice saw us standing there with the shocked expressions on our face. Her long nails were in his hair and she looped her thigh on his bucking hip, begging for more and to fuck her harder.

"You are so sexy in that little bik, girl... Such a shame to cover it all up."

Alice was not breathing and the dishes fell from her hands shattering.

Then the hell broke loose. I saw Leon trying to cover his son's face but he definitely saw something that was not supposed to see at this age.

Robbie came running thinking Lia and I were in danger. Thank God because we were. Alice threw the dish shards at them and screamed. Sarah got her shit together and asked us to take the kids away.

Robbie went ballistic.

"Angel... Angel..."

"I... I..."

I heard screaming and Allie's boyfriend was punching Melvin, Janice was naked as she was born but trying to be a victim. I saw Sarah slapping Janice right across her face. Leon's husband, Alec, who was a cop was trying very hard to keep his cool but his son was crying and his younger daughter was standing there scared, clutching Leon.

Robbie pulled me to the stairs.

"Go to Lia's room and lock the door."

"Robbie... I..."

"Stay in there."

"Daddy..."

"I got you. Go. Go. Go."

Lia whimpered in her sleep. "Dav..."

I pushed her head back to my shoulder and climbed up the steep stairs speedily. I looked down and noticed Robbie looking at us with determination.

I ran to her room, locking the door behind us.

"Davey???"

"H... Hey... baby... had a nap?"

I saw her eyes tearing up because her sleep got disrupted. "Oooh, Sweet Baby, it is okay. Davey is here. Daddy is here. Daddy is here, it is okay. He makes everything okay."

I was talking to myself and I went to the bathroom to clean up Lia. Lia did not care I was not interested in playing in water with her. She was sniffling in her little stool as I quickly washed myself and put on the emergency clothes I had stashed away in her bathroom cabinet.

With little kids, you would never know.

Lia rubbed her eyes hard and whimpered. I heard a loud crash downstairs and Lia jumped.

"Wha da?"

"Nothing, sweetheart. Daddy is trying to move chairs downstairs."

Please, please, please, Robbie come here and stay with us.

I read Lia bedroom stories far louder than needed because of occasional swear words that crept from living room to upstairs. My baby was tired and she slowly floated to the dream land that was away from the real nightmare.

I could not believe they did that with these many kids surrounding us. What if a kid went in for a cookie or a sip of water and what if they already had? My mind went haywire as I tried to remember the time Lia was not with me.

How could they be reckless? Why did they do it that way? Melvin and Alice had been in a relationship for four years. They were planning a wedding after being engaged to over a year. I could not believe Melvin did that.

I was shaking so bad.

I pulled my baby closer to my chest and sighed in relief seeing her peacefully sleeping.

Where was Daddy?

A firm knock followed by a stern 'Angel' had me running towards the door.

I jumped to his arms feeling so vulnerable and scared. "What were the noises?" My eyes watered seeing a purple bruise on the side of his head. "What is going on, Robbie?"

"Shhh... It is okay, Angel. Now listen to me. Pack a bag for Lia. Essentials for two weeks." His eyes were cold and I felt that coldness in my heart. He kissed me deeply on my lips and then on my forehead before prompting me to go.

"Please tell me what is going on."

He weighed his options but finally relented. "Paparazzi. Someone thought it would be nice to stream everything live."

What? Who? One of our guests? Was it in Facebook?

"Baby... love... I got everything in control. Now. Pack a bag. Can you do that for me?"

I nodded. I had never encountered paparazzi.

"I am here." Robbie assured me.

Robbie. He was here. I had nothing to worry about. He would never put me or Lia danger.

I frantically moved my feet, pulling clothes out of Lia's closet, picking up her favourite toys and plushies, her emergency medical kit... anything else? Anything else?

Robbie had said two weeks. So, it should be fine.

Robbie came in with my bag and his suitcase. He then dropped my laptop, my phone and chargers, credit cards and a roll of money inside a back pack and gave me.

Nick came in just a few minutes later and picked up our luggage efficiently.

"Five minutes max, Boss." Nick announced.

This was not easy as Robbie made it seem, right? Nick seemed so stressed.

I plucked my sleeping baby from bed to my shoulder and she did not make a peep.

"Ready?" Robbie extended his hand to me and my hand shook. I thought I would be doubtful, I thought I would not hold his hand with risk of paparazzi filming us but I slipped into his comfort effortlessly and I saw my demon smile.

This was my family. I did not care who saw us together. Everyone who mattered in my life knew, so did Robbie's.

Uncle Fred did not approve of Robbie. He said I could get someone above Robbie and Robbie better not show his face in home. And I had told him that I loved my Robbie and he was all I ever need.

Then Lia came in screaming 'Gampa', the old man forgot to be angry.

Uncle Jack said Uncle Fred did not approve Robbie because he was hiding his sexuality in his marriage and he would come around.

So, who was I hiding from?

I stood on my toes and pecked my man's nose. We smiled at each other before Robbie went all demon mode.

He covered me and Lia in his jacket and placed an oversized sunglass on my face before ushering us to a tinted car. My heart was beating out of my chest. There were flashes after flashes from the darkness, there were helicopters flying in the sky with their spot light thingy.

The journey from the front of the door to the car only lasted seconds but it felt like an eternity. I clung to Robbie even in the car and his kisses on the top of my head was doing its best at keeping me calm.

Nick was rapidly mumbling to the headphone and we twisted and turned so many times before he parked us in front of Hotel Palazzo.

Nick talked to someone before opening our door and a lean man was waiting for us.

"Mr. Brantley, Levi Hawthorne at your service. Mr. Bianchi has personally appointed me, given the circumstances. Mr. Truscott, I hoped we would meet in better situation but honestly it is a pleasure." The man was already walking in front of us briskly while he got the pleasantries off the way. "Welcome to Palazzo, gentlemen. This way."

He tapped on his tab, taking several barcoded tags out. "Personal elevator. No one will have access to it, not even the hotel staff. Please keep this with you all the time."

I could only dig deeper and deeper into Robbie's chest. What was this beautiful man's name again?

"Levi, Sir."

Crap!

Did I ask it loud? Way to go Ace!

"Please don't sweat it. You are stressed out and it is completely fine. You did not ask my name. You were searching for my name tag."

I nodded. I wanted to speak but my tongue was frozen.

"He is a bit more talkative but..." Robbie's hand was still clutching on mine along with my sanity.

Levi nodded understandingly. "Mr. Bianchi has informed me, Sir. We would do everything that is humanly possible to make your stay safe and comfortable."

"I know."

No one talked after that. Nick and Levi went first to an unnumbered room. Nick nodded to Robbie before leaving to another elevator.

Then Robbie and I went in to a very luxurious abode. "We have three bedrooms according to your request, Mr. Brantley. If this is not up to your expectations, please tell me right away. The windows are tinted and bulletproof. They are one way mirrors, so helicopters would not be an issue."

I whimpered clutching my baby harder. There were people after my family.

Breathe Ace, breathe.

"Shhh... We will discuss it later, Levi. My Angel is bit shaken up."

"How insensitive of me! I apologize, Mr. Truscott."

I nodded. "I... have never... before."

"Let me help you settle your baby first, Mr. Truscott. We have a very beautiful kiddy room." He dramatically showed me a room and it was indeed beautiful and a kid's heaven. There were lots of toys, an aquarium, plushies and a unicorn kid-ride. It was like this room was set up just for Lia.

"Dominic has told me all about her favourites. This is all I could come up with, in such a short time. Please ask me anything to make her stay peaceful, Mr. Truscott."

"Call me David, Levi. Everything is perfect." Except my life.

Levi unpacked our bags and Daddy had to pry Lia out of my hands to lay her down on the bed. Then he tried to show me all the cool stuff in our hotel room but I was so out of it.

I just kept on hugging him. I did not get why paparazzi was after us. Mom had some of them but it was fine, some occasional photos here and there. Mostly on her dresses and I had a few in high school, until I went to M.I.T.

This was a first.

Levi came in but Robbie did not take his arms around me and I did not push away. He asked me to call him at any time, day or night and went away after bidding good bye.

"Love." Robbie's hand slowly rubbed up and down my back. "Don't go out, just yet, yeah baby?"

"I am not going anywhere without you."

His hand covered my butt and he jokingly pulled me to his pelvis, making me gasp. His eyes held mischief but soon it turned all serious. "Listen... I know there is nothing I can do if you decide to but... can you please, my Pretty Angel, stay away from internet for a few days?"

"Why?"

"Not everyone is precious as you."

I sighed.

"Paparazzi... they don't just take photos dear, they... throw speculations, which might be far from the truth but, they validate their lies with one portion of a segment of the pic they could snatch up. You are not up for it. So stay with Princess in here for a few days."

I nodded. Wait...

"What do you mean stay here? You are not staying?"

"Bab..."

"No, you are staying. Say, you are staying."

"Baby... please..."

"No! You are staying. There are people out there. What really happened at home? Tell me."

"Angel."

"Tell me the truth. Please. Robbie..."

He clutched me to his heart. "Nothing really happened."

"You have a bruise here." I pointed accusingly to the side of his head. "You say that is nothing?"

He kissed the tip of my finger. "Don't you want a life with me?"

I froze. I forgot to breath.

"That is all I ever truly wanted."

His eyes showed no emotions. His face calm and relaxed before he swooped me up and kissed all the worries out of me.

"Janice fucked Melvin. Alice threw a piece of ceramic at him hurting his hand bad. Janice stood in the way and Melvin kicked her stomach to get to Alice. That made Alec call the cops, seeing the violence escalate. Then that son of a bitch Kevin was going live on Facebook, so I punched him and he hit me with a pan. That is this bruise. But... hey hey... you should see that guy... I am fine, Angel. But now, we have some dirty media on my back... And I want you to stay here... with Baby Angel... hey, what is with the face, Love. Look at me... Please..."

"You need to be here with us. Why are you going back to them? They hunt you. Stay here."

"Those people need to be shut up. I have to control the damage. More time I remain silent; the stories will reach the levels we don't even think about. I have to face them before they 'hunt' me down."

"I don't like it."

"I know."

We hugged tight, I trying to get inside his chest and he whispered sweet words to my ear and I calmed down slowly.

Robbie knew how to handle this. He was my demon and they were nothing but street dogs. He had everything under control.

"Now, ask me to go." Robbie pecked my cheek. "Come on sweetheart, you know I can't leave you when you are all cute and cuddly." He joked and I pinched him.

I tightened my hug and cuddled closer.

"Baby... Be strong for me, please. I can only face them if I know you and Lia are safe."

He was right. He had to do this for the life I wanted.

"I can't wait to get that divorce. I want to take that..." He had no words to describe Janice. "... you, Lia and me. Just us. I am taking this as a 'reason enough to divorce' to my lawyer. I can't wait. To be with you. To hold your hands. I want our family to be ours only. You want that too, right?"

"Yes. Just us. Our home."

We kissed for a long time. Then with the courage I did not know I had, I asked him to go.

"Go, Robert Brantley. I am waiting for you. So is Lia. So you better come back fast. I need you, with me... all the time."

I rubbed my hands all over his torso, feeling all the contours and muscles. I had given him everything I was made up of and I wanted to give him more.

But when Robbie left after pecking my lips as a short good bye, I ran to my baby, hugged her to my chest and cried.

Please come back, Daddy.

Please.

Ding.

You are all I have. You are all I need. Sleep tight, Angel.

My demon should stay out of my head.

No, not really.

Let him be in my head and my heart and my body; wherever he loved to be.

When I come back I am going to do something that will only make you worried about your ass. *wink*

I giggled. You are a pervert, Mr. Brantley.

I already miss you, my Angel. Now sleep. Dream about me.

I miss you too Daddy. There is no other love in my dreams or in my life. Come back safely to me. GN.