Wrapped Around Her Finger ✓

Bonus Chapter - Standards

Paxton

"Ok Greyson, now say Dada."

"Mama."

"Say Dada."

My son looks up at me with his wide green eyes and giggles. "Mama."

"Lina," I whine.

Lina laughs as she comes into the living room. She sits down on the rug next to me, taking Greyson from my lap and plopping him onto hers. "He's a baby Pax, give him time." She claims my ego is too big to accept the fact that Greyson's first word wasn't dada. I'm just concerned with teaching our son more words, alright? If his second word happens to be dada, so be it.

We hear soft footsteps coming down the hall behind us.

"Hi Daddy, hi Lina, I'm back."

"Hi Abby," I turn around and my heart stops.

Close behind her is a...

Boy.

A kid with messy black hair carrying a neon orange skateboard.

"Oh hello," Lina smiles at him.

"This is my friend Joe!" She slightly tilts her head towards him.

"Hi, nice to meet you," he says politely to us.

"Hi," I mumble through gritted teeth.

"Can he stay for dinner?" She gives us her wide puppy dog eyes. Someday I'll be able to consistently say no to that face. That day still hasn't come, unfortunately.

"Of course he can," Lina nods.

-----

"I've been dreading this day for years," I groan, chopping a carrot with a bit too much force.

Lina just chuckles as she peels and passes me another carrot. "Come on Pax, she's almost fourteen. Let her enjoy being a teenager."

Abigail is my precious little girl. The thought of her dating makes me shudder. At least I don't have any more daughters to worry about, I'd have a heart attack. "Boys are trouble. I would know, I was a fourteen year old boy before."

Lina rolls her eyes and nudges me playfully. "He seems like a nice boy Paxton." She nods towards the kitchen's doors and I take a peek outside. The two of them are in the backyard, playing with Greyson. It looks like he's being very gentle with him. "Abigail is absolutely smart enough to pick out the nice ones."

I raise an eyebrow. "Was that a jab at me?"

She giggles and shrugs, taking the fish out of the oven. "Give him a chance."

"I'll just have a little talk with him after dinner."

Lina crosses her arms. "I grew up with two over protective brothers. I know a talk is never just a talk Paxton."

"Ok, ok fine. I promise I'll have a polite chat with him later."

-----

I nudge Lina with my knee under the table for the tenth time and subtly nod towards Abby. Now? She rolls her eyes but obliges. "Abby could you help me with dessert?"

"Sure," she nods and follows Lina into the kitchen.

It falls silent once the two of them are gone. Joe looks at me nervously. "Sports, am I right?"

I stare at him blankly. "What?"

His face turns red. "S-sorry. I guess I'm just a bit nervous. I just think Abs is super cool and I thought she'd like it if her parents like me."

At least he doesn't seem cocky or arrogant.

"She said you probably wouldn't like me."

"Well she was right."

His eyes widen. "I-I uh-"

"That was a joke," I quickly say. The poor kid looked like he was about to shit his pants. "Why did she say that?"

"Something about you having unreachable standards."

Hmph. I disagree. "Is that so?"

"H-her words, not mine," he quickly adds.

I sigh and rub my palm against my jaw. "My daughter means the world to me, Joe. I don't want her to get hurt," I say as I absentmindedly swirl the whiskey in my glass. "I also have powerful connections all over the country, I can easily have you tracked down if you ever break her heart."

His face turns pale.

"That was a joke," I grumble.

"O-oh sorry," he mumbles. "I get it though, you're a CEO right? Makes sense that you want things to be really good. I would too."

Not the most...eloquent way to word it, but I guess I understand what he's trying to say. "Yeah."

"I think it's really cool that you're a CEO Mr. Hayle," he says, sounding slightly less nervous. "I want to study business and work my way up to the top too! I was student body president this year, and I just got elected for next year too."

"That's quite impressive Joe." Almost as impressive as how I was doing by that age.

"I hope you were nice," Lina whispers sternly to me as she and Abby come back to the dining room carrying slices of homemade apple pie.

I can't help but notice the way his stiff posture relaxes and a warm smile tugs at the corners of his lips when Abby sits back down next to him. Abby glances at him every once in a while too, when he isn't looking at her. She has this sweet and endearing smile every time. I internally groan when I realize how similar it is to the way people have described how Lina and I look at each other.

-----

"Well they're adorable," Lina smiles as we finish loading the dishwasher.

"I still don't like the idea of her and boys," I scowl. Though I will begrudgingly admit, he seems... acceptable.

Lina gives me a sympathetic smile and leans against my chest, looking up at me with bright, slightly amused eyes. "She has to grow up someday Pax," she says softly.

"I know, I know," I sigh, kissing her forehead. "Has he left yet?"

She furrows her eyebrows. "I think Abby said she was walking him out to the gates a little while ago."

We look at the security camera feed on the panel built into the wall. I scroll through the different cameras till I find the one for the front gate.

I feel my stomach sink and my heart palpitates. They're there alright.

Kissing.

"Oh fucking hell," I growl, quickly heading for the toolshed to find the proper...equipment to deal with this situation.

"Pax, no!" Lina calls as she chases after me.

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A/N:

I had been missing Lina and Pax and wanted to write more! Had fun picturing how Paxton would handle Abigail growing up 😂