Trinity
Trinity wasn’t sure to make of her sister’s ex. He was hot as hell, and the bad boy biker wrapped up in dress clothes, really did it for her. She was hoping to get to know her niece’s father a little better, to help put her mind at ease about leaving her with him as she did, but what she was finding out was so much more than she bargained for. He wasn’t the guy she found in that biker bar when she dropped off Arabella—he was smart, funny, and even though he tried to give her the brush off—sweet. She saw kindness in his eyes when he talked about his daughter and she found that so sexy.
“So, what’s this visit all about, Trinity?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the road.
“Exactly what I said earlier,” she breathed. “I wanted to check in on Arabella to see how she’s doing.” She left out the part where she was checking in on him to make sure that he was a fit father and that she hadn’t made a giant mistake by just handing the baby over to him.
Ace chuckled and shook his head, “All right,” he said. “I can see that we’re going to do things the hard way. What do you need to know about me to help you figure out that I’m not a bad guy, Trinity?” he asked.
“I’m sorry,” she breathed. “I don’t understand what you mean.” She was having no problem keeping up with him but playing naive was her go-to move. It was a trick she had learned in law school and it usually served her well in the courtroom.
“Oh come off it,” he almost shouted. “You know exactly what I’m asking. You’re a slippery one, aren’t you?”
“Well, that doesn’t sound very flattering,” Trinity grumbled. “You really know how to make a girl feel good about herself.”
“Not how I meant it, and you know it,” he challenged.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s just it, Ace. I don’t know you at all. I can’t tell if you’re being serious or teasing. I don’t know what you mean when you say things and that’s what I’m trying to change. I want to get to know my niece and the man who’s caring for her.”
“The man who is caring for her?” he questioned. “Her father is taking care of her,” he breathed. “I’m Arabella’s father, Trinity.”
“I never said that you aren’t, Ace. What I’m asking for here is a chance to get to know you and Arabella. My sister and I used to be close. It was the two of us against the world. When our parents failed us both, she was all I had left. Charity made me promises that she didn’t keep and that broke my heart. I went on to make something of myself, deciding that I didn’t need her in my life to become who I was supposed to be. But then, she showed up with Arabella and begged me to bring her to you. She was just as much of a mess as the last time I saw her—drunk out of her mind and probably strung out on something. She wasn’t fit to be Bella’s mom, and as soon as I saw my niece’s sweet little face, I knew I had to get her away from my sister. I agreed to bring your daughter to you, but I can’t get the little bug out of my head. I think about her all day long, wondering if she’s doing well or if she’s happy. I can’t explain it, but as I said before—the kid kind of grew on me.”
“Yeah—she’s pretty damn awesome. My daughter has a way of making people fall in love with her. She certainly has me wrapped around her little finger,” he admitted. Ace pulled into a parking lot and found a space close to the school’s front door. “How about you come on in with me and I’ll introduce you to Arabella’s teacher. That way, if you ever want to stop by and check in on her, they’ll know to let you in.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded. “I’d like that,” she whispered. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Ace said. “Stay put,” he ordered. She watched him as he rounded his SUV and opened her door for her, helping her out of his car.
“Thank you,” she squeaked. Well, he was just full of surprises.
“I agree that you should get to know Arabella and me, Trinity,” he leaned in to breathe into her ear. She shivered and he smiled. “She needs a strong female figure in her life and I have a feeling that you’re going to be that for her. You overcame your shitty past to become a lawyer and make something of your life. In my book that makes you one kick-ass aunt and Arabella will be lucky to have you around.”
“I appreciate that, Ace,” she breathed. Trinity felt tongue-tied and that wasn’t who she was at all. She usually knew just what to say and how to say it, but Ace really threw her off her game.
He placed his hand on the small of her back, holding the front door of the daycare open for her, and ushering her in. She didn’t miss the way the teachers, and even some of the moms who were there to pick-up their kids, all smiled their best smiles, flipped their hair to the side, and looked at Ace like he was their next meal.
“Miss Ashley,” he said, calling Arabella’s teacher away from the pack of hungry lionesses. The perky blond sauntered over to him, holding little Arabella’s car seat in one hand and the diaper bag in the other.
“Yes Mr. Wild,” she breathed, looking up at him through her lashes. She looked to be all of twenty years old and apparently got the memo that Ace was a newly single father.
“This is Arabella’s aunt—Trinity. I wanted to introduce you to her and give permission for her to come to visit my daughter whenever she’d like,” he said. Poor Miss Ashley pouted a little and it took all of Trinity’s willpower not to giggle at her theatrics.
“So, you’re giving her permission to be an emergency contact and have access to Arabella?” Miss Ashley asked.
Ace looked Trinity over and smiled, “I am,” he agreed. “She’s a part of my daughter’s life—well, both of our lives, really,” he quickly added. Miss Ashley pouted again and nodded. “Do I need to fill out some paperwork or something?” he asked.
“Yes. I will email it to you this evening and you can fill it out and electronically sign it,” she said. “Oh, and I won’t charge you this time, but if you’re late again, it’s a twenty-five dollar charge for every fifteen minutes you’re late,” Miss Ashley warned. Trinity wondered if she would have threatened Ace with late fees if she wasn’t with him tonight. It seemed as if Ashley’s claws came out when she saw Trinity as a threat.
“Noted,” Ace said. “Thank you, Ashley. I’ll try not to make a habit of being late. I like to spend as much time as possible with Arabella before she goes to bed at night.”
“Aww,” Ashley and about half of the other women in the room sighed collectively.
“See you in the morning,” Ace said, taking his daughter and diaper bag from Ashley. She nodded and leaned into his body when he took Arabella from her. Trinity stifled her giggle again and waved over her shoulder to the women watching them leave.
Ace got the baby settled into the back seat and Trinity loved the way he cooed and talked to Arabella. He seemed like a really good dad and she felt foolish for worrying about him with Arabella over the past week. He slid into the car and she couldn’t help but smile at him.
“What?” he asked. He turned on the SUV and started out of the parking lot.