Darkness Returns | Darkness #2

1.

"Easton, no."

He inches even closer, that stupid smug grin on his face. I take a step back, giving him the warning glare and the pointing finger. "No."

His eyes shine dangerously. "Or what?" 

I glare at him. "Then you're on night-duty." He stops dead in his track, not wanting to stay up all night in case one of the kids has to go to the toilet. 

"I thought we stopped with that, like, three months ago," Ash remarks, not bothering to look up and save his wife from this beats's attack. I scoff. "I can always start it again."

But now Easton has cornered me in between him and the wall,  my arms above my head. "Lying to your husband, Mrs Whitlock?" he taunts, smirking like the bastard he is. 

I scoff. "No. And what do you think you're doing? I think it was an obvious no, mister can't-keep-my-hand-to-myself."

His smirk widens, but he hides it with his face in my neck. His hands let go of mine, lowering to my hips and stopping there. "I like this dress," he mumbles.

I tap his hands. It's a bit harsh, but seriously, he can't fuck me every day, every hour. I have things to do. So I untangle, much to his dismay, but I ignore his whine and step away.

Ash hands me my purse, only now looking up from his newspaper. I peck his lips. "I expect all of you at ten thirty in the coffee shop," I announce, though it's become a ritual. 

Every single day, ten thirty exactly, three black coffees, served by the manager.

Dominic pouts when I pass him. "I'm not as needy as mister Blue Balls there, but come on, I still need a kiss." We both glance at Easton, who's scowling at us. I grin and look back at Nicky. 

"You can get a kiss," I tell him. He smiles an reaches up, but I pull away. "If—" "For fuck's sake," he grumbles. I smile, play with his hair a little. "It's time you go to a hairdresser, sweet. It's gotten too long."

He whispers a mad grumble. "I had an appointment anyway, mean brat." I cock an eyebrow. "I was gonna give you your well deserved kiss, but now? Not so much." 

I turn, grab my coat and head for the door to the hallway. "Asher, my love? I love you. The other two, come deserve your love in the coffee shop. Aiden and Camilla have to be at school in seventeen minutes, so chop chop!"

Angry grumbles come from Easton and Dominic, but I ignore them and put on my coat. They think they can play a game with me? Wrong. I made the game.

I chuckle when I feel arms around me, just before I can get in my car. "I love you," Dominic whispers, and I can almost hear he's pouting. I turn to him and give him his kiss. "Ahw, I love you too, sweetheart. What's on your schedule today?"

He gives a sweet shrug. "Getting coffee with my wife. Bullying Easton. Maybe throw some knives at Michael." A grin takes over his face, showing me those lights of joy in his eyes. 

I grin, too, though I'm tempted to roll my eyes. "What did Michael do now?"

He gives me a playful scowl. "He stole my lunch! The bastard ate it and then continued to give me his awful pasta!"

I frown. "Hey! I made that pasta for him!" Dominic's eyes widen to the point they could fall out any moment now. "Oh my God, kitten, I-I had no idea—" 

"Kidding," I smile. He rolls his eyes, the panic leaving his body as he hugs me again. "Little brat," he grumbles, then closes his eyes. I kiss his head. "A little brat you love very much, might I add," I lecture.

He scoffs, but it's the truth and everyone knows it. "Now go back inside. Camilla will cry if she doesn't see you before school," I whisper and get in my car. 

God, Camilla has her daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger so tight he takes off every Friday afternoon just to spend time with her. He's completely whipped. 

Then you have Easton. Aiden is his baby, and if Asher only gets close to the small boy, Easton can smell it. It's really not okay. It's Asher's baby too, but Easton is just so possessive he doesn't see that.

I just arrive at work when I get a text of said possessive man. 

Easton: Aiden loves me. He said he loves me! Can he stay home please?

That little shit knows exactly what to do to make his daddy swoon. But he knows it doesn't work with mommy.

Me: 4 minutes until school. If he's late, you can explain your sorry ass to the teacher yourself. And you know she doesn't laugh with this kind of stuff, regardless if you threaten her. 

Seriously, it's like I have 5 toddlers at home, and not 2. But that's okay, at least Michael takes care of the other three while my sweet little babies are at school.

I open the shop, put everything ready and wait for the clients to come in. These past few years have been great financially, with three coffee shops and lots of positive comments from business people. 

And though they've almost begged me, I haven't let my husbands pay a penny. This is all paid by myself, the money I made and the money I got when Miss Elisabeth died. She'd been David's grandmother and used to be my boss, but her and I had worked together for almost ten years. 

Is that enough to inherit 10,000 dollars? I don't think so, but it was in her will and all the rest went to David. David, who now drives a newer version of Dominic's favorite car and won't ever let him live that down.

It'll get him killed one day, too. He can't drive it for the life of him.

As the bell announces the first customer of the day, I smile and turn around. Let's get this done.