Brylee shook her head. “No, she wasn’t. No one tried to adopt us because we are retarded.”
“You know I hate that word, Brylee,” Darian told her in a firm voice.
Brylee immediately lowered her eyes to her lap. “I’m sorry.”
“Gage, can you pick her up?” Darian asked. “We need to clean the wounds and put Band-Aids on them.”
Brylee’s eyes widened in fear. “No, it will hurt. Look, the bleeding has stopped. I’m okay. Really.”
Gage scooped her up into his arms and smiled when she screeched at the abrupt move.
“I’ll be there with you, and I know Darian will be very careful.”
With her arms around his neck, Brylee looked up at Gage as the group walked into the kitchen.
“Ella, will you grab the first-aid kit for us?” Darian asked.
“Oh, no. Poor girl,” Ella said as she rushed into the pantry.
Gage sat in one of the kitchen chairs, set her sideways in his lap, and hugged Brylee to his body. He pressed her head against his chest when she whimpered.
Darian carefully wiped away the dirt and blood from her scraped knees. “Do you want Barbie bandages or princess ones?” he asked.
“Barbie,” Brylee mumbled against Gage’s chest.
Gage looked down at the face pressed to his chest and smiled. Her eyes were scrunched shut, but there were no tears.
Darian looked at Larkin, bouncing off to the side. He could feel her fear and agitation without seeing the look on her face. “All done,” Darian told both girls. He finally pulled his attention to Larkin and held out a hand.
Larkin immediately went to him and sat on his lap. She sighed when his arms came around her to cuddle her to him, giving her the affection she needed at that moment.
“She’s just fine, baby girl. No need to worry.”
Larkin nodded and tilted her head back, asking for the kisses she knew would make her feel better.
Darian ate hungrily at her lips before lifting his head. He groaned at the fuck-me-now look on her face. He stood with her in his arms. “Gage, can you bring Brylee into the office?”
“Yeah. We’ll be right behind you.”
Darian waited until the door was closed and the guys were seated with the women in their laps. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
****
Larkin and Brylee glanced at each other and stiffened.
“Larkin, right now.”
Her shoulders fell at the steel in Darian’s tone, and she sighed. “We were running.”
“Around the pool?
” Darian asked in a gruff tone.
“Yes, sir,” she said, unable to look him in the eyes.
“Is there a rule about running around the pool, baby girl?”
“Yes,” she whispered.