Expecting it All (Punishment Pit #7) - Livia Grant Page 0,21

to head into Titan Security for his Friday.

He's not going in today if I have anything to say about it.

"I'll be home late tonight. I told Lukus I'd take the early show." He had his back to her and was pouring a hot cup of coffee into his stainless steel travel mug.

"I don't want you to go in today. Come to think of it, I don't want you to go in for the next week." Her voice sounded strange, even to her. She rarely talked to her Daddy with her 'I mean business' tone of voice.

Rachel stared at his back. She wished he'd say something. Anything. She'd expected fireworks, not silence.

She upped the ante. "I already called Master Lukus and told him you wouldn't be in today."

That did it.

He swung around, ready to go to war. "Excuse me? You called me in sick without talking to me? Why the fuck would you do that?"

The second he let the 'f bomb' drop, she saw regret in his eyes as he glanced over to his sleeping son who was rocking in an infant swing. Derek had been walking on eggshells for weeks, and it seemed as though his pent-up frustration was about to explode.

Rachel had stayed up all night unable to get back to sleep, replaying the last few weeks over and over again in her head. The irony of how she had been treating her Daddy as if he were incapable of caring for his family wasn't lost on the submissive. She knew better than anyone what a diligent job he did at caring for those he loved.

She didn't have a chance to answer before she heard the security sequence being put into the back door. Her mom and youngest sister Maria barged in without even knocking, as was their new habit. Four-year-old Emily ran to the refrigerator without even saying hello, while the women came in, the two-year-old Johnny on her sister's hip.

Rachel took a deep breath, committed to her plan. She needed to take action now, before they took their coats off.

"Good morning, Mom and Maria. Thanks so much for stopping by, but you both get the day off today. Derek is staying home from work. He's gonna help me with Michael today."

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She wasn't sure who was more surprised by her authoritative pronouncement—the women or her husband.

Her mom spoke first. "I thought we were going to start our Christmas baking today? I brought all of the supplies. They're in the car."

"It's only the first week of December. It can wait until next week."

Emily had been paying attention. "I want to stay at Aunt Rachel's! Mommy lets me watch more TV when I'm at your house than at home!"

Derek stood stock-still. He'd leaned back on the counter as if he needed help propping him up. His eyes met Rachel's. She had expected to see anger, but what she found instead was uncertainty. That was ten times worse. She loved how confident her husband was. He was her hero. In that moment, she realized how much damage she'd inflicted by cutting him out of these first precious weeks of taking care of her and their son.

Her sister started to take her coat off, ignoring Rachel.

"Maria, I mean it," Rachel said. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you and Mom have done for us these first few weeks, but we're ready to go it alone for a bit."

Her mom looked conflicted. "But honey, it's your first baby. We just want to help you get settled."

"Mom, I have thirteen nieces and nephews. I babysat for years. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to screw this up. If I have questions, I'll call. But today, I want Derek to help me."

"A newborn is a bit different than adult babies. No offense, but he hasn't done anything to take care of the baby since he was born." Maria's snarky response came quickly.

Rachel saw the doubt and pain flash across Derek's face, and wanted to smack her sister. Instead, she rushed to his defense. "And I take full responsibility for that. I love that you all want to help, but I let too many people crowd around us, and it pushed the most important person in my life away from me. That ends today. Yes, Derek likes to baby me, but he's also Michael's father, and no one can take better care of us than him." Rachel's conviction grew stronger with each