by Demi Donovan
But then I would have never met Parker or Sawyer either…
“What I’m trying to say is that I am sorry and I have everything my father was trying to blackmail you with. It’s over.”
“It’s not over,” Sawyer says sharply, covering the distance between us with a couple of fast steps and grabbing me in his arms.
I’m crushed against his chest and it feels so good being embraced by him like this. There’s more here than just worry about my well-being. He missed me. He cares for me.
“I love you,” he tells me, looking me straight in the eyes.
It takes my breath away.
Parker is next to us now and Sawyer’s hold on me loosens only slightly so I can face Parker as well.
“We both love you,” he says, brushing some hair out of my face. “Regardless of what Cameron had or thought he had, we made a decision. We don’t care if it gets out to the press, we don’t care if it wrecks our name. It doesn’t matter. I’ve been around far too long to allow a good thing to get away and I won’t do it. I think Sawyer will agree with me on this one.”
Tentatively, I glance to Sawyer, and his response is to hug me tighter. He leans forward and kisses me on my lips gently, the pressure soft but coaxing. The kiss is interrupted only for a moment, when Sawyer’s lips are swapped for Parker’s and I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten to breathe for a while.
When that exchange ends, far too soon in my opinion, I hear murmurs and shocked voices behind us. I don’t dare to look behind me but Sawyer chuckles, running his hand down my back.
“Guess the cat’s out of the bag anyway,” he says.
A couple of executive assistants and at least one department head are staring at us now. The moment both Parker and Sawyer look at them, the crowd scatters like roaches. I’m so embarrassed I’m burning up, my cheeks lit with pink.
“It doesn’t matter. Let them talk. We’re adults here and for once, I’m making the decision to be happy. I’ve decided enough for this company, I can do something for myself now. For all of us,” Sawyer says.
I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding. Apparently I did remember to breathe, just not much, or enough, really.
“Are you… are you sure?” I ask, looking from one to the other.
Of all the ways I thought this day would go, this was the one I hoped for, but didn’t dare dream of.
“Damn sure,” Sawyer confirms.
We both look at Parker and he grins wide.
“I’ve never been more certain of anything. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s not always going to make all of us happy at the same time, but we can make this work. We will make this work. That’s the only way this will go.”
“Are you putting your foot down?” I laugh, feeling the kind of relief I thought I’d never feel again.
“You know it.”
I’m surrounded by their strong, broad bodies again and my head spins. I’ve fought so long against what I thought I was that I never really took the time to consider what I really wanted, or who I could be. That’s going to stop now. I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to be the best damn version of myself. It’s not just for me anymore, but for the men who love me and the family I still have.
I might have lost my father, but I have gained two Daddies and that’s all a girl could ever ask for.
Epilogue
Parker
Two months later...
Jenna’s living room seems immensely bigger now that I’m sitting in it, nervous like a schoolboy. Cassie’s next to me on the couch and Sawyer’s on the other side of her and I think he’s sweating just the same as I am.
Cassie seems frankly more amused than anything else as Jenna looks at the three of us like we’ve been smoking something. Callista has been wisely asked to stay in the kitchen while the ‘grown-ups’ have a talk.
“So let me get this straight,” Jenna starts, holding her cup of coffee like it’s a maul and she’s about to use it to crush the skull of at least one of us. “You’re here because apparently my good-for-nothing husband has been getting funded by you guys for years now and while you, Parker, took my eldest child to give her an internship six hours away from her home, you both seem to have fallen in love with her and now want to marry her.
“Am I getting all of that right?”
She takes a measured sip and the three of us on the couch share tentative glances among one another.
“That’s the gist of it, yes,” I say. “I am aware it sounds a little insane.”
“A little?” Jenna scoffs, making that crinkle-nosed face that I’ve come to tease Cassie about when she encounters something confusing or distasteful. “We’re going to have to agree here that our understanding of a ‘little’ are vastly different.”
She sighs, rubbing her eyes for a moment. For all the hubbub our shared kiss created at the office, no one ran off to blab to the press. The Tesla deal, though it caused more sleepless nights for almost everyone employed for us than I’d care to mention, went through and we’re on the cusp of doing better than ever.
After all of that work, and coming to the conclusion after more than two months of being together that despite all odds, this thing between the three of us is working out as we hoped it would, we figured that we had to start telling people. And it had to start with Cassie’s family, or what’s left of it.
Cameron’s been MIA since the last phone call we had.
“Cassie, do you have anything to say?” Jenna asks.
“I can only confirm what they said, mom. I love them. We’re together and we’re happy. I know it makes no sense to anyone outside of this, but… I feel like I’m finally becoming someone I can be proud of. Someone you can be proud of.
“I got into MIT. I’m starting in the fall. I’m going to pay for it by working at SCP.”
The last announcement comes out as a gush of air more than structured sentences. In a moment, Jenna’s up, tears in her eyes, hugging her daughter. Sawyer and I feel like third wheels, but in a good way.
“Cassie, baby, I’m so proud of you,” Jenna says when they’ve both calmed down a little. “But… how?”
“I got in months ago. I just didn’t want to tell anyone because I knew we couldn’t afford it.”
A shadow flits over Jenna’s features and I get the feeling we’re thinking the same thing. Had Cameron treated the money I paid him as something other than a personal slush fund, they could have easily paid for Cassie’s education themselves.
“Okay,” Jenna says finally, giving Sawyer and I stern looks. “I have known both of you for longer than Cassie’s been alive. As much as I hate to admit it, I trust you, but you need to understand that I’m trusting you with one of my greatest treasures – my daughter. Hurt her and you will have hell to pay. Understand?”
“Understood,” Sawyer answers immediately.
He’s far better at this acting under pressure thing. Annoying.
“I hear you,” I confirm.
Jenna cracks a slight smile and the tension leaves the room.
“Good. I think you need to tell Callista the good news then, honey.”
The rest of the Saturday afternoon at the Davis house goes past fast. We laugh and share stories and generally have a good time. Callista’s the bright, energetic and kind kid Cassie painted her to be and I’m constantly amazed at how well-adjusted they all are despite the jackass of a man that took up real estate in their lives for decades.
I frankly hope that Cameron never dares show his face again in any of their lives. He, too, would have hell to pay.
Before we leave, Jenna stops me at the door while the others walk out, chatting.
“I’m going to tell only you this and I’m going to need you to keep it close to your chest for now. I know things about Cameron he wishes I didn’t. I always suspected he was hiding more from me than he let on. Cassie might get news about him soon that she will find hard to deal with and I need you to be there for her when that happens. Do you unde
rstand me?”
“I do, Jenna,” I confirm, nodding. “I promise, nothing will happen to your little girl under my watch.”
We share a hug and I leave Prestview a man with a lighter heart, ready to face a lifetime with the woman I love and my best friend. And I’m going to keep my promise to Jenna. Cassie will always be safe with me.
Sawyer
Eight months later...
I wait patiently for my name to be called and as I walk into the stark, gray-walled room, I feel my chest constricting a little. There’s a line of tables there, some already filled by people chatting with their loved ones, each table with a person or two in civilian clothing and one with the same orange prison jumper.
I’m shown to my seat and told to wait and I do, sitting back, relaxed.
At first, it was going to be me, Cassie and Parker, all coming together. It’s been a month since sentencing and frankly, my curiosity got the best of me. I talked Parker and Cassie out of it – she doesn’t need to see her father, let alone talk to him – and unlike me, Parker’s been in contact with this piece of scum for years, getting led on. My qualms with him are far in the past, and the recent ones are resolved, in my opinion.
We won. He lost.
Cameron is shown in after a while and when he sees me, sitting alone, his eyes light up with hatred.
I can’t help but grin my schmuckiest smile. My shoulders relaxed, I track him with my eyes as he’s shown to his seat and Cameron’s clearly gritting his teeth as the guard leaves.
“The fuck are you doing here. Where’s Cassie?”
“We decided it’s best if she didn’t come,” I say with a shrug. “I figured I’d pay my respects, make sure you’re actually behind bars again. Having fun?”
I know he isn’t but I can’t help myself. When Jenna warned Parker about knowing things, she wasn’t kidding. She exposed all of his illicit fuckery over the last fifteen years to the police and it didn’t take them long to throw him behind bars for embezzlement, petty theft and a dozen other things that Jenna could give them clues about.
She didn’t know the specifics of anything but the information she gave led the police to tying Cameron to a number of crimes. I think it served him right.
“We? Who the fuck is we?”
“Her Daddies,” I say with a wide grin.
Cameron looks at me, dumbfounded, before the realization sinks in. When he lunges at me from across the table, I’m fast enough to dodge, sending him sprawling on the ground. The guards are on him in a second and without throwing a single punch, I’ve made his life that much worse.
He gets what he deserves.
“Shouldn’t have treated your family that way, Cameron,” I call after him as he’s carted out, satisfying my curiosity and sating my need to face this wretch of a human being. “Karma’s a bitch.
“Fuck you, Layton,” he hisses over his shoulder.
“Yeah? Who do you think fucked you over the last time?” I yell.
The expression on his face is priceless.
I’m shown out of the compound a couple of minutes later and I go without a fuss. I feel a hundred tons lighter. I guess I didn’t realize for all those years that I was hanging onto some guilt about sending Cameron to prison the first time, but now, I’ve well and truly let go of it.
I can be thankful that at least he won’t be able to ruin the lives of his family anymore. And as much as I despise him, he’s also given me my most valuable asset – my Cassie.
I didn’t think an old dog like me could learn new tricks, but she’s making me disprove that every day.
I love her and I’m a better man for it. I don’t think it’ll ever change. At least I don’t intend to let it, not without a fight.
Cassie
Three years later...
The graduation gown I’m wearing as I rush to meet Sawyer and Parker and my mom and sis flattens against my body, rounding over my baby bump. I’m wearing the widest grin of my life as I’m met by the warm embraces of the men I love and then my family.
I’ve done it. I’ve really done it. I’ve completed my undergraduate degree and I’m ready to go back for more. I’m going to be an engineer and a damn good one at that.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” Parker whispers in my ear as he hugs me.
“Thank you, Daddy,” I whisper back, biting my lower lip a little.
He hands me over to Sawyer and his hands roam my body a little too greedily, though he manages to behave himself.
“You’re going to get a reward for being such a good girl today,” he teases in an equally low voice.
“Thank you, Daddy,” I repeat, giggling.
The men share a look between them and I swear I get weak at the knees at just that.
It’s been four years now and nothing’s changed, at least not for the worse. I love them, with all my heart, and they love me. Sawyer and Parker both gave up their homes and we bought one together, one big enough for the three of us and the family we’re going to have.
I’m carrying twins. We haven’t done the paternity test yet but I have a feeling that I’m getting one of each – just like it should be. One from Daddy Sawyer and one from Daddy Parker.
Though we can’t get married, I still wear a ring on my finger that they picked out together. The fact that we are all together is something of a public secret at this point and no one seems to make too much of a fuss of it. The worst I’ve heard is that ‘billionaires are eccentric’. I might be an eccentricity in the eyes of these people, but I know that what we have is real.
It’s true love.
I never thought we’d end up like this – that a simple crush on two men could lead to something so beautiful, but it has. We’re happy, healthy and allow no toxicity in our lives.
I’m hugging my mom as I hear someone clearing his voice behind me. When I spin around, I do a double take. It’s Mark, but not the Mark I remember, not one in a leather jacket and with caked-on guyliner.
This is a new, far more put-together Mark. He’s wearing a navy suit and a loud, yellow tie and his hair is slicked back and fashionable. The guyliner is still there, but applied with a careful hand now. He’s holding a giant bouquet of roses and throwing wary glances at Sawyer and Parker.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey! What are you… what are you doing here?” I ask, dumbfounded.
“Callista told me about the graduation. I just wanted to come and say how proud I am of you,” he tells me, handing me the bouquet. “You’ve done something great here. I sort of… well, you guys changed my life. After that bullshit at the parking lot and talking to you that night, I went back home and cleaned up my act. I’m married now.”
He holds up his hand and there’s a thin gold band on his ring finger. I clutch the flowers, my heart filling with joy for him.
“And I run a PR business now. Figured if I can clean up my act, I can clean up everybody else’s too. My husband’s right there,” he says, pointing at a big, burly guy in a nice suit standing at the edge of the crowd.
He waves at us tentatively.
“Brutus. Well, Bruce, but you know how I am with nicknames.”
“Mark… I’m so happy for you,” I gush, and we hug in earnest.
We don’t let go for a long moment and when we do, Parker offers Mark his hand. They shake and Sawyer does the same after.
“Thank you for what you did all those years ago,” Sawyer says.
“And sorry for punching you,” Parker adds with a hint of amusement.
“Hey, I deserved it,” Mark laughs, holding his hands up.
“I’m starving,” Callista adds, taking the roses from me in her efforts to carry all the flowers I’ve gotten so far.
“We should go eat,” Parker announces, clapping Mark on the shoulder. “You two should join us.”
And they do.
It took more than twenty years but my life is finally right on track. I’ve made amends and I’ve moved on. I’ll be a far better parent to my kids t
han my father ever was to me and I know I’ll be safe and happy because I have my Daddies. Sometimes dreams really do come true.
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Daddy’s Girl
Teach Me Daddy
About Demi
Demi Donovan is a writer on a mission. A mission to bring bad boys, dark love and filthy dreams to every page she writes, that is.
A lifelong reader, writing is something she always wanted to do. The fact that she can write about all the dark, twisted things going through her head only makes it that much better.
Demi lives in a small town with big dogs, even bigger aspirations and a man who isn't a bad boy, but definitely plenty filthy.
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