Snow scoffed. “Yeah, and how’s that nanny search going?”
“About how you’d expect,” Andrei said with his usual smirk. While there were some dark circles under his eyes, there was a happy glow surrounding the former fighter. Andrei seemed to always have a secret happiness about him, but now he was in heaven. Married to the man who captured his heart, dream job, and now his child, Jude could see clearly that he counted himself a very lucky man, even if he was a bit tired.
“It’s going just fine,” Lucas growled from the staircase.
A second later a squeal came from Daciana that sounded sort of like a laugh.
Andrei chuckled and carefully took the baby from Snow. “She thinks her father’s scary serious voice is funny.” He then turned his attention to the little girl and cooed. “Don’t you, my baby girl? You think your serious dad is funny. He’s just a funny, silly man.”
Jude and Snow laughed, and Lucas shook his head as he continued to descend the stairs. While not the tallest man in the room, Lucas was easily the most imposing. The self-made billionaire had spent a lifetime pursuing exactly what he wanted, whether it was happiness for his friends or a piece of property upon which to expand his empire. Lucas was used to getting what he wanted and doing whatever it took to get it. Jude smiled at his friend. In the end, what Lucas wanted was a sexy Romanian bodyguard and an adorable little girl.
“I’m not going to let just anyone look after our angel while we’re at work,” Lucas said a bit primly as he entered the living room.
“Of course not,” Andrei said. He’d claimed one of the seats and was currently feeding Daciana her dinner.
Jude could easily imagine the detailed background checks and interviewing process the nanny applicants were going through. The search for a surrogate had been pretty damn intense, so this would certainly be no different.
As he crossed the room, Lucas paused behind Andrei’s chair. He pressed a kiss to the top of Andrei’s head before he so very gently placed his large hand against the back of Daciana’s head, caressing her as if she were the most precious thing in his life. Lucas was normally one to tightly control his emotions, favoring haughty disdain and irritation over anything else. But when he looked at his little girl and husband, love shone from him as bright as a lighthouse beacon. They were his joy.
With one last kiss to his husband and daughter, Lucas continued over to Snow, and he hugged his oldest friend. He then grabbed Jude and pulled him in for a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry about your brother,” Lucas murmured. “If you need anything, anything, do not hesitate to reach out to us. Andrei and I are always here for you and your family.”
And Jude believed him just liked he believed Rowe. This might have been a tough, elite club to join, but once you were considered a part of their family, there was nothing these men wouldn’t do to help each other out. Jude felt the same way. They had become his family just like Jordan and Carrick were.
“Thank you,” Jude said, forcing those choked two words past the lump in his throat.
“Oh! Lucas! Show them the gift that the security agents sent over,” Andrei said as Lucas stepped away.
Lucas walked over to a side table and picked up a box that he held out for both of them to see into. There were a pair of miniature red MMA sparring gloves and a little T-shirt that said, “My Daddy Taught Me How to Use Duct Tape.” There was also a tiny Ward Security emblem on it.
Snow snickered. “You are so screwed.”
“Not at all,” Lucas said with a proud smile. “With all her overprotective uncles, Daciana is going to kick ass and take this world by storm.”
“That she is,” Jude agreed.
And with a little sigh, Jude let go some of the worry and anger that had been plaguing him. He settled on the couch next to Snow and watched while Daciana drank her dinner and slowly drifted off to sleep in her father’s arms. When she was off to dreamland, Andrei carefully placed her into Jude’s arms, helping to ease his internal aches just a little bit more.
He’d held his baby cousins and even delivered a few babies while working as a paramedic, but Daciana was different. She was the child of a peer, a reminder of something that he could possibly have in his life one day. Maybe. Well, maybe not.
But he could also be content being the awesome uncle. Daciana was very likely to end up with a brother or sister one day. Ian was undoubtedly going to have a brood with Hollis. Rowe and Noah…er…probably not. They were more likely to run off and raise ostriches or llamas than to have children, but they could still surprise everyone.