Broken Souls (11 page)

The phone rang and Daniel looked at the number. “It’s Seth.” He hit send.

“Danny.”

The small tone in his brother’s voice
and the name he called Daniel by, made his insides jolt. “What’s up?” Daniel fought for cool, his heart racing.

“I’m just…I’m not feeling too hot.”

“Are you sick?”

“Nah. I just…
hey you heard the news?”

“What news.”

“Aw it’s all over man. They found Uncle Joe. Yeah he was dead.”

Daniel’s blood froze. “What?”

“Stabbed to death. Over a hundred times.”

Daniel’s stomach knot
ted up at the bragging tone in his voice. “Excuse me baby,” he whispered to Sofia at seeing her concerned face. “Give me a minute.” He got out the car and walked to the rear. “So what are they saying?”

“
They have a few hunches.”

“And?” Daniel wanted to cuss at his brother’s lack of
details.

“None we need to worry about. So, you coming home?”

“Wait, who do you think did it?”

“
I have no clue. It didn’t happen the night we went though.”

“
How do you know?”

“Cause
the wounds were fresh when they found him.”

Daniel was momentarily speechless with…numbness.
“Wow. I sure as hell can’t say I’m sorry about it.”

“You and me both brother.”

The term of endearment reminded Daniel of his good news. “I got some amazing news for you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I’m cooking a family dinner tonight, so when we get off the phone, let Dora know, we’re eating in the formal dining room.”

“Ohhh, fancy news.”

“Very fancy news.”

“It’s a deal brother. Anything I can do?”

“No, just take care of letting the ladies know.”

“Dara and I’ll help her mother get ready. She needs to dress up sometimes.
That’s a good woman.”

“Yes, she is.” Daniel grinned, glad Seth liked her as much as he did. Who
wouldn’t? “We’ll be home in about an hour.”

Chapter Ten

The uncle’s death remained an odd numb in Daniel. No remorse whatsoever. And he surely had no problems with putting it right out of his mind and immerse himself into his new world with Sofia. The only guilt he felt was superficial and it had something to do with him being consciously aware that his response to such things was not normal. But then neither was he, and given that, it was perfectly normal.

Once in
the superstore, Daniel headed straight for the baby department. “Holy shit,” he whispered. “Can you believe we’re
shopping
in this department?”

Sofia was already lost at the clothes. “Oh my God, baby look at this!”

He snatched the blue preemie outfit from her and gasped. “I can’t believe it’s going to be that
little.
Look at it!
”
Daniel turned and lifted her in his embrace and kissed her cheek, not caring who saw. This woman had given him the world and so much more, he couldn’t help it. 

Daniel set her down and put the outfit in the basket.

“We don’t know if it’s a boy or girl,” Sofia whispered before giggling and holding up a pink version.

“You’re right.” He snatched
that one too, gasped at it, and put it in the basket too. “We’ll get both and keep the others for the next one.”

“Next one?” She leaned and looked at him. “How many does the doc want to have?”

He sheepishly suggested, “Four? Or is that too much? Two is enough if--”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed tight. “Four is perfect.”

Daniel was ecstatic just with the
idea
of having four kids and them all being sweet like Sofia. He didn’t mind them inheriting his strengths, just not the weaknesses. But even if they did, she was right, they could nurture them properly and they’d be healthy.

Sofia let go and went to another rack. “Oh my
God
look at this tiny princess dress!”

“Wow, you’re making me want a girl now.”

“Awww, look!” She held up a little sailor outfit.

“Okay, back to wanting a boy.”

She laughed and they both took turns showing each other all the tiny clothes before piling it in the basket. They finally made it to the serious stuff, the hardware, like bottles and pacifiers. She’d nurse though. He looked at her and decided he’d better ask. “You plan to nurse?”

It was unthinkable that she’d say no.

“What? Are you kidding, haven’t you noticed I don’t have any boobs? Our kid would
starve!
”

“Baby, no, it doesn’t work that way. You’ll make plenty of milk, your boobs will grow, I promise.”

Her eyes widened. “They will? Like how much?”

He grinned at how she
favored the idea of bigger boobs, but really he was downright addicted to her breasts just like they were. “Like maybe three times their size.”

She balked and her eyes went huge. “
Three?
” She glanced around than whispered, “Do they stay like this?”

“For as long as you nurse, yes.”
Daniel was a little surprised she didn’t know about that but made sure not to show it, he wanted her free to ask him whatever she needed and not feel ashamed. Although with little miss outspoken, he didn’t see that as a problem.

“Wow, big boobs. You’ll no doubt love that.”

Daniel frowned. “No, I won’t, I happen to love, to the utmost and extreme psychotic degree, your breasts, they are perfection,” he whispered.

Sofia beamed like a teenager a
t the compliment and it got Daniel hard and made him want to aggressively demonstrate how much she meant to him.

“Oh look.”
She flew to opposite side of the aisle and browsed the diapers before picking up a newborn pack and dancing it through the air with a huge grin.

Daniel took it and opened it to her
protest and pulled one out. At seeing the tiny thing, she forgot all about store etiquette and went
oh my God
over it with him. Daniel was amazed, he knew babies were tiny but didn’t realize they were
that
tiny.

“First baby?”
a little voice said behind them.

Daniel and Sofia turned
to see a short woman with a five by five build and sparkly brown eyes under curly brown hair.

“Yes, it is,” Sofia said.

“Well, you’re in for quite a treat.”

“Yes,” Daniel and Sofia said together.

“
Round the clock feedings, sleepless nights, colic.” She raised her brows looking at Sofia’s body. “And with a tiny frame like you have, whooooweee that’s gonna hurt.”

“She’ll be fine,” Daniel said. “Excuse us.” Daniel put himself exactly
between Sofia and the bad news woman just as Sofia turned her fear etched gaze up to his. Daniel took her face between his hands and kissed her softly, hoping if his rude backside didn’t get rid of the lady, being intimate in the aisles would.

“What is she talking about, is my body too small for kids?”

“No, of course not, you have the perfect shaped hips for babies.”

She didn’t seem convinced. “I’m good with a lot of things, but pain isn’t one.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get an epidural, you won’t feel a thing.”

She searched his gaze, hope returning. “I’ve heard of those and how amazing they are.”

“Yes, exactly. They are, I promise, I know.”

“Is it true they have to stick a huge needle in your spine for that?” Back to terrified.

“Noooo, it’s not a
huge
needle, it’s the standard size for the procedure, nearly every woman has one now and every woman who has a Cesarean Section has one.”

“Is that the C section thing?”

“Yes. And we’ll get books and I’ll read to you and you’ll know so much before it’s over with, you’ll probably be able to deliver your own child.” He grinned at her terrified frown. “I’m joking baby.”

“Wow, I just realized how little I actually know about having babies. I mean I’ve heard stuff but never really questioned any of it.”

“Well, that’s nothing to feel foolish over, you’re too young to be thinking of all that anyway.” Daniel turned to the hygiene section. “What sort of baby wash should we use, I hear Aveno is a good organic brand.” He picked up a bottle of lavender scented bath wash and opened the cap and put it to her nose.

“Mmmm, smells so good!”

Daniel sniffed then smiled before tossing it in their basket. “Pick some wipes. And powder.”

“I don’t know what to pick, you pick
. You seem to know a lot more about this than I do.”

“Are you sure?
”

“Yes, please, I love watching you buy stuff for our baby.”

Daniel couldn’t bring himself to argue because honestly he wanted to pick every single thing. But he made sure to get Sofia’s approval before putting it in the basket.

After getting the groceries, they waited to be checked out with their mountain buggy.
“We’ll go to a baby department store for the big stuff. This Saturday. We’ll get breakfast at your favorite restaurant, we’ll shop, then we’ll do lunch, shop some more, then do dinner, then come home and take a long hot bath together.”

She turned and wrapped her arms around him.
“Oh
God
that sounds amazing. Yes, schedule it doc.” She pulled away and looked up, brows furrowed. “What about…sex,” she whispered.

“What about it
?”

“Can we…still…”

“Absolutely. And God, I’m in for a treat too.”

“Why?” She smiled.

“Because you’ll want it all the time.”

Her eyes widened and she snickered before whispering, “I already do now.”

He slid his hands up and down over her arms. “Well, it’ll be the same but maybe you’ll be more…aggressive?”

Her eyes widened with excitement. “I like that.
Does that mean you’ll let me be the master?”

“
Hell yes.” He pushed hair behind her cute ear. “And I will gladly be your slave.”

“You may not say that when I’m being really mean to you.”

Daniel’s cock jumped at the idea of being subject to her adorable attempts. “Maybe not. Sofia. But I’ll be glad nonetheless.” He lowered his mouth to her ear. “Now I want to eat you just to taste your body while it carries our baby.”

She hooked her thumbs in the waist band of his jeans.
“Mmm, I wonder if yours tastes different too.”

“
Uh, no.”

She shrugged. “Good, cause I love the way you taste now.”

His fingers tensed along her spine. It was so past time to fuck her, it’d been nearly four hours. Felt like forever.

“I’m thinking the same thing,” she whispered, looking at him.

“What, that we should get a room before going home so I don’t have to worry about who hears you scream my name?”

The shot of desire that hit Sofia’s blood stream was palpable to
Daniel on every level. The look on her face said
please yes make me scream your name.
Daniel couldn’t say no if he wanted to.

Chapter Eleven

“Just a quickie,” Sofia gasped, climbing Daniel’s waist the second he turned from locking the hotel room door. “We have groceries.” She stroked his tongue with a hunger that made Daniel groan.

He set her down and began stripping out of his clothes and Sofia did the same, finishing
before him. She dropped to her knees and pulled his underwear down and eagerly kissed along his hard length before flicking the head with her tongue, moaning at the salty taste before filling her mouth to the back of her throat with him.

His
sharp gasp made her so horny, made her want to drive him crazy with pleasure. She gave several more aggressive sucks before standing and kissing him. “On the bad,” she commanded. “Face down. Legs wide open.”

He pulled her hair with a
deep groan and she gasped.

He did as she said and Sofia shuddered with all she wanted to do to him. He didn’t know it but she’d brought a
few souvenirs from his little pleasure chamber. A blindfold and the skinny weeny strap on. He’d loved it when she’d used it and she couldn’t wait to do it again. But she also knew this position was an issue and wanted to help heal him of his fears.

Sofia grabbed her purse and got the blindfold and climbed on the bed. “Close your eyes,” she whispered.

He turned his head as though to look then shut his eyes. “Yes Sofia.”

She slipped the blindfold on him and he gasped. “You naughty girl.”