Page 56 of Pucking Daddy

“Yes?” she prompts.

“Have you thought about it more?”

“I have. And there are a few things I want to clarify first. You mentioned financial compensation. What exactly would that entail?”

“The arrangement would be generous,” I say, my voice steady again. Controlled. “We’d define a timeline. Once things settle, we’d end it cleanly. No complications.”

“If we do this—and I’m not saying we are—there would also need to be rules. Boundaries. We can’t just…” She gestures vaguely between us, like the words won’t come out right if she actually says them.

Right.

“Boundaries,” I repeat. “Of course.”

My gaze betrays me and drops to her mouth, just for a second.

Fuck.

Because the second I look, I remember.

The taste of her. The little sounds she made. Her lean body wrapped around me.

I drag my focus back up to her eyes, forcing my expression into something controlled. Neutral. Like I didn’t just think about pinning her against the nearest wall.

“Rules make sense,” I add, my voice steadier now. “This only works if we’re clear about what it is—and what it isn’t.”

Even as I say it, I’m not entirely sure I believe that line myself.

“The only reason we’re doing this is Lily,” Zara says quietly. “So we have to make sure she doesn’t get hurt in the long run. What I want is to still be part of her life when all of this is over. Give her real consistency. Not just short-term, but long-term.”

For a second, I just look at her.

Because she says it like it’s a condition. Like she’s asking for permission.

And that doesn’t sit right with me at all. She’d be the one doing me a favor.

“I really appreciate you saying that,” I say. “And that’s what I want for her, too. The compensation would include an arrangement for after the divorce—for you to still be present in our lives.”

Her brows draw together slightly. “Jax, that isn’t necess—”

“It is absolutely necessary,” I cut in, my voice steady. “This has to be worth your time and effort. I’ll make sure it is.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Thank you,” she says finally, a little reluctantly. “Then what about Lily? How much do we tell her?”

I exhale slowly. I’ve thought about that a lot.

“Enough to make it feel real,” I say. “Not enough to confuse her.”

Zara nods slowly.

“She’s smart,” she says. “She’ll pick up on things.”

“I know.”

“And I won’t lie to her,” she adds.

“Neither will I.”

“What about my nanny duties? I’d want to keep taking care of Lily, of course.”