Viper Daughters

[4]

Chapter 4:

Jordan's POV:

It's so nice spending time with Poppy again, I've missed her more then I'd ever like to admit. Though I'm not her mom, I have always loved her as if she was my own, how could I not? She's the sweetest little girl.

"Jordy." Poppy says softly and gently rests her head on my back.

"Yes baby girl?" I lift my head from my face-down sun baking position.

"Daddy is taking me down to the ocean. Will you come to?"

Poppy and I have already spent hours together playing in the pool, and I'm not sure it's the best idea Grayson and I break away from the group alone, but I could never say no that little face.

"Sounds good to me, where is daddy?" I ask as I sit up.

"Here." Grayson speaks from above me.

Turning I look up at him, and it takes everything in me not to pull my bottom lip between my teeth. He's dressed in only his swim shorts, his perfectly tanned, tattooed abbs on full display, my weakness.

"Shall we go then?" I say quickly as I stand to my feet, doing my best divert my wandering eyes.

"Daddy, Jordy, come on!" Poppy yells and runs toward the water.

"Poppy what have we said about running?" Grayson calls after her. "And don't go in that water without me." He reminds.

"She's still as full of energy as ever." I laugh as Grayson and I walk side by side.

"You have no idea, I don't know where she gets it, but she's on the go from morning to night." He chuckles with a shake of his head.

Reaching the sand, we lay our towels down and sit down together. Poppy makes her way to the water's edge.

"Poppy!" Grayson calls.

"I'm not going in Daddy, I'm just looking." She calls back.

"Ace said you weren't very happy about us coming." He speaks as he watches Poppy near the water. "I'm sorry, when Ace invited us and I said yes, I just assumed you'd have known."

"It's not that I'm not happy you're here, I am happy to see you, and Poppy too. I was just a little shocked, we haven't seen each other in so long and with Christian coming as well...."

"I get it, I should have asked if you were okay with it. Poppy's the main reason I said yes. I've been working a lot and I wanted to spend time with her, but she also misses you so much, she talks about you every day, and asks when she's seeing you and I just... don't know what to say to her."

"I'd suggesting telling her the truth, but I suppose she's too little to understand."

"Yeah, I don't think telling her Daddy fucked up and that's why we don't see Jordy anymore will win me father of the year." He sighs.

"Don't say that, you're an amazing father Gray, and if anyone deserves a father of the year award it's you."

"Thanks."

"I'm serious. You've raised her for the last three years on your own, and she's always fed, bathed, and clothed, and most importantly she knows how loved she is, that's a big deal Gray.

"Thanks...again" he says sheepishly as he rubs the side of his jaw.

"She told me you've been sad."

"Poppy did?"

"Yeah, she said Daddy's been sad, and that you miss me."

"Damn, she picked up on that." He breathes out. "She's right, I do miss you, and I probably haven't been myself."