My Baby's Daddy

Chapter 66

The downpour didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon. Looking over at the man on the couch, Anastasia offered, “I’ll get you an umbrella right away.”

However, Elliot eyed her in mild amusement as he said matter-of-fačtly, “I’m staying here for the night.”

Stunned, she blinked at him for a moment and asked, “Why?”

“Because Jared needs me.” As if to make a point, Elliot stroked Jared’s head with his large palm like he was some kind of guardian deity, and the little one looked up at him with an imploring expression and begged, “Mr. Presgrave, Mommy and I are terrified of lightning and thunder, so can you please stay with us and keep us safe for the night?”

Anastasia immediately interjected, “Absolutely not, Jared. I’m more than capable of keeping you safe during the storm.”

“But you’re terrified of thunder too, Mommy!” Jared argued, mercilessly calling her bluff.

“I am not. I’m just—” She was about to make her case when the universe, determined to prove her wrong, called upon yet another bout of lightning that slithered past the sky and tore through the night. As always, this was followed by another violent clap of thunder.

She shuddered, flinching as she clasped her hands to her ears quickly.

not miss the amusement glittering in his eyes. Flushing, she mumbled through gritted teeth, “Bottom line is that you can’t stay here. It isn’t the

as the thunder stops,”

the sight of how tightly Jared was clinging onto Elliot, Anastasia nodded and said in resignation, “Fine, then. You can’t go back to your

had retrieved earlier, she was

relentless, and the storm outside the window raged on. There was even a weather alert that urged everyone

for the whole night? If everyone finds out that we spent the night together at my

she didn’t have an extra room to put Elliot in, and the only beds here were

was dragged into the bathroom by his mother so that he could wash up for bed. A while later,

new message. Jared immediately grabbed her phone and keyed in the pin before reading the text. “It’s

narrowed his eyes as he bent to read Nigel’s message, which was clearly penned out of concern as it read, ‘Anastasia, are you and Jared alright? Do

no idea how to reply to a text, so he set the phone down and busied himself with his Legos once more. Elliot reached for the pink phone, and with his

not deter Nigel from his enthusiastic efforts. ‘You know I’m just worried about you

suitable for you to drop by right

your place plenty of

as he thought, Which

reply, yet another text came from Nigel. ‘Anastasia, all you need to do is say yes and I’d be more than happy to take care of you and Jared for life. I’d stand guard over the both of you, and my embrace will be the safest