Team: Alpha (Knights of Ares)

by Honor James

  “Kid has your fucking number,” Victor grinned at him as he joined them.

  “Language,” Gareth growled at him.

  “She’s forty feet away and ignoring us,” he protested waving a gloved hand towards where she sat.

  “She’s a kid with big ears that will hear anything and everything and report it back to her mother. If Daisy finds out you’re teaching her daughter that language,” Mikhail shook his head, “I’d just shoot myself right here right now and save us all the agony.”

  “Don’t like that word anyway.” Honey called out without even lifting her head from the game. “It’s a very bad word and only people who don’t have a large enough and imaginative enough vocabulary use words like that.” Grinning she added, “Love you anyway Uncle Victor.”

  “Told you,” Gareth and Mikhail said in unison shooting Victor a look.

  “You guys suck,” Victor muttered and headed farther away from the group still mumbling under his breath.

  Chapter Eight

  Honey saw the plume of dust before the others did and jumped up and down clapping. “My mom is here!” She shouted to the men and raced from one to another giving them hugs. “I love you all like crazy, but I’ve missed my mom.” Stopping before Gareth and Mikhail she added, “And you will work on getting mom to move out here, right? You will make us a whole family?”

  “We will work on her,” Gareth promised softly with a grin. “Go and give her some love and then pull her around back here. This should be hot enough soon that you can start roasting a weenie and we’ll all get eating.”

  “Okay, sounds good.” Honey gave them an impulsive hug and then raced off so that she could meet her mother in front of the house.

  The sound of laughter filled the air, from both Honey and Daisy, as they walked around the corner of the large farmhouse. “So I have been told that a five star meal is being catered by you boys for us girls?” She asked with laughter dancing in her eyes, happiness as well.

  “Don’t know about it being five star but it’s a one star at least,” Gareth said standing up. Leaning in he kissed her cheek, “Hey D. Drinks are in the cooler next to Antonio,” he pointed. “We’re about to start grilling up the dogs so if you have any requests on the burn you want; speak now or forever hold your peace.”

  Snorting, Mikhail stood and gave her a kiss on the cheek too, “Hi,” he murmured softly.

  “You know how I like them, with a nice brown burn, not blackened though.” Linking her arm with Mikhail’s she looked up at him. “Hi. You okay?” She asked softly. “And how did you survive the Tsunami called Honey?”

  Nodding, he moved over a bit so she could sit on the cooler he’d vacated. Settling next to her he shook his head, “She doesn’t ever stop. Even when you think she’s finally passed out from exhaustion it’s only for a short time and then she’s right back up and going. I may have unfortunately added to her education,” he muttered wrinkling up his nose.

  Daisy narrowed her gaze, “How?” She asked in that ‘mom-voice’ that spoke of torture and pain if something was done to her baby that would be harmful to the child. “How could you have possibly done that Mik?” She asked this time with a smile on her face.

  “Well,” he shifted uncomfortably. “She came barreling into my room as I came out of the bathroom and, if you recall, I have this serious allergy to pajamas,” he smiled as big as he could manage and blinked his eyes.

  Daisy laughed, “Oh God.” She bumped her shoulder to Mik’s and grinned, “Door locks, just remember that for next time. You might want to pass it around too.” She teased him. Patting his knee she added, “I bet you were far more embarrassed than she was fascinated. I would guess she did something like ‘oh, eww!’ or something like that, right?”

  “I was very definitely embarrassed, but it was more because she asked if Victor had one like mine,” he said under his breath. “My cock Daisy, not anything else,” he told her looking at her in the eye. “You may want to have a chat with that kid. She’s got a bug in her brain about him.”

  “Oh lord.” Daisy rubbed her temples. “He’s such a gentle giant.” And she meant that. The man was freaky huge! “And he’s so good with her, but yes, I will have a talk to her about it. I will make sure that she understands that she can’t go after one of your men because they are all, in essence, her uncles and far, far too old for her.”

  Chuckling he nodded, “So glad you agree that you’ll be talking to her about it.” Turning he whistled, “G, she’s agreed it’s all on her,” he called out and got two thumbs up with a grin from Gareth. “We are so very glad that you will take that on,” Mik told her hugging her to his side.

  “She knows about the birds and the bees, she’s just never seen male genitalia. Don’t worry. I’m her mom. I will discuss it with her. However, on the off chance that there is ever a son involved in your lives, you have to talk to him.”

  Snorting he shrugged, “It’ll all be on Gareth for that one too,” he said with a grin. “Did you want a hot dog?” he asked her as Victor pulled out a dozen on the killer skewer they’d created earlier in the day.

  “Yes please. Dark but not so burnt that all I can taste is the fire okay?” Leaning against Mikhail’s shoulder Daisy looked up at him and sighed. “Are you okay? Really. I know that you are not very happy with everything that’s happening, but are you going to be okay with having Honey, and well, me, in your life again?”

  “Partially singed for the lady,” he called to Victor before looking down at her. “Daisy, I may not be happy with a great many things but it is not you or Honey in any way shape or form. Am I still shell shocked at finding you practically living on my doorstep? Uh, hell yeah. Am I still reeling that you have a daughter? Uh, hell yeah. But never, ever think that I don’t want you or the poppet in my life. I know I’m an emotional iceberg most days, I can’t help that,” he murmured. “But I know I want and need you both in my life, in my heart, and in my home. I’d also really like you in my bed again but one thing at a time,” he shot her a crooked grin.

  Well that surprised the hell out of Daisy. She sat there and just looked at him for several minutes and finally, after a big gulp of air, said, “Well. Okay.” She wanted that too, damn but she wanted that so badly that she could all but taste it. She was desperate for him, for feeling him inside of her again, his hands on her body. “So you guys are going to be gone for a while. Do you need to have me come out and check on things while you are gone?” She offered.

  “If you want to, you don’t have to,” he said softly. “I can get Mills up the road to swing by and water the roses each day I’m sure. He likes the cases of Vodka I can get him,” he grinned. “But if it’s not a bother, which given your schedule and Honey’s, it could be so don’t feel obligated. They were just planted yesterday, so they’ll need a little extra care for a few days.”

  “How about if I come out and stay the weekends with Honey? She loves this place. It’s clear from the way that she acts here. If you don’t mind having us in your home, I can come on the weekends so that Mills doesn’t have to worry about coming the entire time that you are gone.”

  Smiling he nodded, “Sounds like a plan,” he said pressing a kiss to her temple. “Remind me later and I’ll grab you a key and the code for the alarm. Oh, food,” he leaned back as Victor passed her only a slightly darkened dog in a bun buried under all the fixings. “Shit, sorry, should have warned you he’s a little liberal with everything so if there’s anything there you don’t want, ditch it. Oh,” he leaned to the side, “I hear rumor you have a rather ripe sailors mouth on you.”

  “Well ya know.” Daisy blushed and took the dog. “This is good. As long as it’s not a charcoal briquette, I’m totally good with it. Anyway, who told you that I have a rather vicious mouth on me? Our daughter?”

  “She and the guys have been comparing notes on swear words,” he said rolling his eyes. “I think they may have taught her a few, and you have my deepest apologies. Unfortunately though, she taug
ht them a few as well. I came in on the tail end of that conversation last night; otherwise I’d have stopped it. So I feel for you, and god help everyone else.”

  Daisy shook her head and snickered, “They are creative ones. Did she tell you about fudge nuggets? Or Bass runners?” She didn’t cuss so much in front of Honey as she did, catch herself and make up her own cuss words on the fly.

  “She mentioned them and gave us translations,” he grinned. “She was very, very informative of her mother’s language skills. It was actually fairly amusing this morning as we hauled out a root ball to hear a bunch of guys all using the fudge nuggets and a few others she’d given them. She was killing herself laughing, and I’m sure gave herself a stitch in her side.”

  Daisy snickered at that, “Oh I’m sure. She’s already got them all dancing to her merry little tune.” She watched her daughter flit from man to man; all of them doing whatever they could in order to make her happy. “She’s wrapped you all so tightly around her little fingers it’s not even funny.”

  “You have no fucking idea,” he muttered and then smiled when Honey came over to him. Lifting her onto his knee he cocked a brow, “You have the peasants in line do you?” he asked her curiously just to see what she’d say.

  Honey grinned, “Yep, they are all doing what they should be doing and now I get to sit here and talk to you and mommy.” She reached out and took her mom’s hand in hers and whispered, “Sometimes boys just need a little direction mommy. Remember that with the dads, okay?”

  Daisy couldn’t help but giggle, “I love you kiddo. And you’re right. I will keep that little nugget of information tucked away for when I need it.”

  “Good.” Honey looked up at Mik sweetly and smiled, “And you are doing what you should; holding me and talking to mom?”

  “Uh-huh,” he looked at her and shook his head. “And what is with giving your mother advice on men sladkaya? I’m pretty sure she’s got tricks up her sleeves that would even stun and amaze you completely.”

  Honey rolled her eyes, “That’s for boys that she really doesn’t care about. This is for people that she loves.” She rolled her eyes. “I love you daddy and so does mommy but you have to get her to admit it.” She heard her mom choking and laughed, “See, she does. So get on it daddy.”

  “If she feels it she will say so when she is ready. You can’t force someone to say something they are not ready to say Honey. It’s a form of bullying, and we had that talk. Remember?” he said quietly. “If your mom has feelings she wants to share, she will, but only in her own time and when she’s comfortable enough to say what they are. We’re not mind readers poppet.”

  “Honey how about you go and help your daddy Gareth? I want to talk to daddy Mikhail alone for a bit okay?” When the child jumped down and raced away Daisy looked up at Mikhail, “I do you know. Still love you. I really do but god you two tore my heart out when you left. I want to see if there is still an us; slowly?”

  “We’re not going to rush you D, you know that. Your daughter on the other hand has a schedule that we’re apparently not keeping in line with,” he murmured. “She’s very insistent that we get you living here so she can live here and have her happily ever after. I’ve been working on her to try and ease up and let things develop how they will. About a third of the time she seems to remember the concept and sit back.”

  Daisy shrugged, “Well you guys will have time away so I will talk to her. I will make sure that she knows that she can’t push like she’s doing. I will see that she backs off okay?” She asked softly. “I know that you won’t rush me and I’m thankful for that. Very much so. I just want us all to take our time, to learn the people that we are now okay?”

  “Whatever you want and need Daisy,” Mikhail assured her. Leaning in he pressed a kiss to her neck, “But I rather like you as you are now.” Smiling he brushed his lips to her ear, “I’d love it more if you were naked and screaming my name, but we’ll go at your pace D.”

  Daisy bit her lower lip, gulped and nodded. “Right. Uh.” Good lord she couldn’t think. All she could think about was her Russian stripping her naked and his hands, his mouth, and his cock. Hell his cock. “Good lord. Where were we?”

  “You’re finishing off your hotdog,” he said with a knowing grin. Chuckling he leaned over and picked up his beer to take a long drink as he watched her. “Problem Daisy?” he asked holding out the bottle to her.

  “Uh, yeah I seem to forget everything when I think of you naked. I think of how you touch, and lord how you feel.” She closed her eyes. “I never stopped loving you and thinking of you. I’ve not had a lover since you, and good god, just thinking of it now makes me ache.” Damn-it all to hell and back again.

  “Hey,” he leaned in with a frown. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable Daisy,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry if I did,” he murmured pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “We would never blame you if you did take another lover D, not like we were around anyway. But I will admit, at least to you, I’m really glad you didn’t.”

  “I could only take a lover if my heart were involved and the two of you took that with you. You didn’t make me uncomfortable, just reminded me of how amazing that the two of you are. How amazing you are.” She loved Gareth, with her very last breath but there was something about Mikhail, it was like his soul and hers were one.

  “Not all that amazing really, just me,” he said with a crooked smile that slid away too soon. “Eat up Daisy and I’ll try and keep my sexual innuendos to a minimum; at least until you finish your food. I’m not exactly up on my CPR of late and would hate to make you my guinea pig.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t choke.” She promised him and then decided to turn the tables on him, “When you taught me how to suck your cock I didn’t choke, too much, now did I?” She had only wanted to please him, give him as much joy and pleasure as she received.

  “Once you learned to relax and breathe through your nose, nope,” he shook his head. “That was hot by the way,” he murmured. “The way you’d slide me in, swallow around the head and rub your tongue all around me, fucking hot.”

  “I can’t wait to do it again,” Daisy admitted. “I loved the look on your face, or when you would reach out and grab my hair and rock on me. God I loved that.” She was so sunk and she knew it. She loved this man. Good lord she loved him and wanted him back. Damn-it.

  “Well I’d say anytime you want, but your daughter is about five feet away and getting closer with a look on her face. She may have overheard a little more of that than is good for a girl her age,” he murmured tipping his bottle back to finish the last of the beer. “Either that or she’s got another idea in her head.”

  “Oh lord that’s the ‘hey mom can we’ look.” Daisy groaned and turned to Honey. Grinning she said, “Hey baby, what’s happening?”

  “Mom, do we have to leave tonight? They have to leave tomorrow, and I wanna spend every second I can with my two dads, please?”

  “You have school tomorrow Honey. No. I’m sorry. I would like to spend more time with them as well, but no baby. And do not ask again or we will leave earlier.”

  “Okay.” Honey kicked the dirt with her toe and sighed. “I’m going back to daddy Gareth, they are about to start to tell ghost stories.” She said and skipped away happily.

  Daisy smiled, “She’s happy. I’m very glad that she asked Penny to find you, and I’m glad she found you guys. I just wish she would have been around ten years ago.”

  “We can’t undo the past D, we can only move forward knowing the mistakes made and ensuring we don’t make the same ones again. Or at least without doing them up a hell of a lot better,” he said with a grin. “I wish you guys were staying tonight too. I’m going to miss tucking her in. She’s a little wheeler and dealer at bedtime.”

  “Oh that child could talk a Dalmatian out of his spots, do not doubt that for one moment. She’s so used to getting her way that when she’s told the word ‘no’ it shocks her for a moment. But she
doesn’t throw a fit. She steps back, reevaluates, and comes back with an alternate request. It’s really scary how her mind works sometimes.”

  Chuckling he nodded, “I’ve seen that in action. She’s tried to get around me a time or two over the weekend. Apparently I’m the hard ass out here. The rest of these buggers just give her whatever the hell she wants. Hell, Victor and Antonio have been assisting her in figuring ways around me all weekend. It’s hard enough having one working on me, but I was feeling seriously outnumbered at times.”

  She snickered and shook her head, “Don’t worry Mik, I will always have your back.” Daisy assured him. “If they get out of hand I will have a personal and up close conversation with the men. Right before I have a come to Jesus moment with our daughter.”

  “She’s a good kid, but definitely testing the boundaries with me,” he chuckled. “Don’t worry about it D, if she pushes too far I’ll set her straight. She’s learning my limits pretty quick, and hasn’t pushed too far amazingly enough. But you may want to talk to Gareth. I refuse to be the ogre in this relationship while he’s the kiss ass.”