After coming back from the bathroom, they went straight to bed again, both too exhausted to say a word.
When Cassidy finally opened her eyes, the sun was already slipping through the curtains. She reached out, half-asleep, but the space next to her was empty.
Her whole body ached, every muscle still sore from last night. She let out a soft groan, pressing her hand against her thigh as she pushed herself up.
"God..." she whispered, wincing as the dull pain reminded her of what they had done.
Cassidy sat at the edge of the bed, slowly massaging her sore arms and legs when the door suddenly opened. Zeke walked in, already dressed, while she was still completely naked.
Startled, Cassidy grabbed the blanket and pulled it over her body. Zeke chuckled at the sight.
"Baby, why are you still shy?" he asked, genuinely confused.
Cassidy herself didn’t know why. It was pure reflex. Even after all the tis they had been together, she still felt embarrassed like this.
Zeke ca closer and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Still sore? Do you want to put so ointnt on you?"
Cassidy shook her head quickly. "No." Then she glanced up at him. "Have you been awake for long? What ti is it? Is Claire already up?"
Zeke nodded. "Yeah, for a while. It’s already ten. And Claire’s awake," he said, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
Cassidy let out a small groan. "My whole body hurts. This is your fault." She shot him a look, blaming him for pushing too much last night. She had begged him to stop, but Zeke had kept looking at her with that pleading face of his, insisting two rounds weren’t enough.
Zeke’s smile faded into concern. "Are you sure you don’t want to put so ointnt on you?" he asked softly.
Cassidy shook her head firmly. "No need. What’s Claire doing now? She must be wondering why I haven’t gotten up yet."
"She’s playing in her playroom," Zeke replied. "I told her you were still asleep because you were tired."
Cassidy let out a sigh. "I’m going to take a shower," she said, pushing the blanket aside. She tried to shake off the embarrassnt of being exposed in front of him, telling herself she had to get used to it.
Zeke’s lips curved into a satisfied smile as his eyes traced the marks he had left on her skin. His gaze lingered on her body a little too long before he said, "Want to help you shower, baby?"
The question earned him a sharp glare from Cassidy.
Zeke chuckled under his breath and lifted his hands in surrender when Cassidy shot him that glare. He watched her disappear into the bathroom before turning back to the bed. With a quiet sigh, he stripped off the sheets and gathered them up. Carrying the bundle, he walked to the laundry room and tossed everything into the machine.
After that, he stepped outside. A few of the bodyguards were standing on patrol around Cassidy’s house, their eyes alert.
Zeke approached them and handed over his credit card. "Go get so breakfast for us," he instructed. "Sothing for Cassidy, Claire, and . And don’t forget to get sothing for yourselves too."
The n nodded without question. Zeke had already arranged for them to rotate shifts, keeping watch day and night. At his orders, they had even set up a small camp with tents in the yard, a place to sleep during the days they would be staying in Switzerland.
Zeke walked back into the house after giving instructions to the bodyguards outside. He went straight to the playroom.
"Daddy, was Mommy awake already?" she asked curiously. She rembered he had gone to check earlier.
"Mommy was awake and taking a shower, princess," Zeke replied with a small smile as he lowered himself to sit on the floor beside her.
Claire tilted her head, then frowned in thought. "I hadn’t showered either. Daddy, can you help ?"
The question caught him off guard. For a mont, Zeke just stared at her, unsure what to say. He had never bathed Claire before. It was always Cassidy or Clara who handled that. The one ti he had offered, Cassidy had turned him down, saying Claire was more comfortable with them.
Now Claire was looking at him with wide, expectant eyes, clearly waiting for his answer.
Zeke had wanted to say yes right away, but he stopped himself. He rembered how Cassidy had refused before, and he didn’t want to overstep.
"You wait here, princess. Daddy will ask Mommy first," he told Claire.
She nodded without complaint, and Zeke got up, heading back to the bedroom.
When he pushed the door open, he thought Cassidy was still in the shower. Instead, she was already out, sitting at her vanity in a robe, brushing through her damp hair. She looked fresh, but a little tired.
"Could I help Claire with her bath?" Zeke asked, leaning against the doorfra. "She asked earlier if I could, and I told her I had to check with you first."
Cassidy paused, the brush stopping mid-stroke as she glanced at him through the mirror.
Cassidy hesitated, her hand stilling in her hair. For a mont, she looked unsure, almost ready to refuse like she always did. But then she let out a soft sigh.
"...Alright," she said quietly. "You can help her. Just be careful and gentle. She likes bathing in the bathtub the most. You have to fill it with warm water, let her soak for five to ten minutes, and then you can help her shower."
Zeke nodded, listening closely. "Got it, baby. I’ll do it just like you said."
Cassidy still looked a little uneasy, but she gave him a small nod to show she trusted him this ti.
Zeke walked back to the playroom and told Claire that her mommy had agreed.
"Let’s take you to the bath," Zeke said with a small smile.
They headed to the bathroom next to Claire’s room. Just as Cassidy had told him, Zeke filled the bathtub with warm water, checking the temperature carefully with his hand. Once it was ready, he helped Claire out of her clothes and gently lifted her into the tub.
Zeke watched her settle in, his expression soft. "You like soaking in the tub, huh?" he asked.
Claire nodded eagerly, then pointed to the corner. "Daddy, can you get my toys? The duck and the boats?"
Zeke turned his head, following Claire’s finger, and spotted a basket in the corner of the bathroom. He got up and walked over, checking inside. There were a few plastic pouches filled with soaps and bath things, along with Claire’s toys.
He picked out the pouch with her toys, unzipped it, and pulled them out. One by one, he placed the floating toys on the water—starting with the little duck, then the tiny boats.
Claire squealed happily and splashed a little. "Thank you, Daddy!"
Zeke smiled and reached out to rub Claire’s head, his touch gentle. Then he leaned back a little, watching over her as she splashed in the tub. From ti to ti, they talked while she played with her floating toys.
Claire told him about her friends in Switzerland, her voice full of excitent. "I have a friend nad Nico. He’s Grandpa Henri’s grandson."
"Do you like playing with Nico, princess?"
Claire nodded. "Yes. We always played tag in front of the house. It was fun."
Zeke chuckled softly. "And what else did you usually do back in Switzerland, princess?"
Claire tilted her head, thinking. "Mostly I stayed at ho. I played inside a lot. But Uncle Xavier often ca to visit . He played with so I wasn’t lonely."
The na made Zeke pause. Xavier. It had been a long ti since he’d heard it spoken aloud. After Cassidy had turned Xavier down, the man had stopped appearing so often in Claire’s life.
Part of Zeke was relieved about that—he didn’t like the thought of another man being so close to Cassidy and Claire. But another part of him carried a trace of guilt.
After a while, Zeke reminded Claire that it was ti to finish her bath. She pouted a little but nodded, letting him help her out of the tub. He wrapped her in a soft towel, drying her hair and skin carefully before guiding her toward the shower to rinse off quickly.
When they were done, Zeke carried her into her bedroom. He set her down on the rug near her bed and pulled open the drawer where Cassidy had neatly arranged Claire’s clothes.
"Which one do you want to wear today, princess?" he asked, holding up two options—a pair of soft leggings with a hoodie, or a simple t-shirt with jeans.
She pointed at the leggings and hoodie. "That one. It’s comfy."
Zeke chuckled. "Good choice."
He helped her into the clothes, making sure the hoodie was zipped up and her leggings weren’t twisted. Claire lifted her arms happily as he adjusted the fit and smoothed it down.
Not long after, Cassidy stepped into Claire’s room. "You’re done with your bath, sweetheart?"
"Yes, Mommy," Claire replied proudly. "Daddy helped with the bath and clothes."
Cassidy’s gaze shifted toward Zeke. For a second, she simply looked at him, taking in the sight of her daughter clean, comfortable, and clearly happy. Then her lips curved. "You did well," she said quietly.
***
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