case we had clients who needed to hide for a while. It’s completely secure. I own the entire building.”
She was safe. She was with Ink.
“The boys?” she asked suddenly. “Are they okay? Did your friend get them out?”
“They’re fine, brown eyes. Matthieu got them out and they’re on their way here.”
“Oh thank God.” Tears flooded her eyes. “All these months I’ve lived with the threat of him hurting them. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, brown eyes. I told you, I will always look after you. That also means the people you love.”
She hugged him tight.
“Babe, have you got the pen drive?”
“Y-yes.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pen drive. “Here. I don’t know what’s on it.” God, she hoped it was enough for her to be safe. For Ink to be safe.
She couldn’t believe it. She was out safely.
“W-what happens now?”
“Now, I get Brody to look this over while I make sure you’re okay. You might have to stay here a few days, but hopefully there’s something on here to buy us some leverage.”
Her breath sawed in and out of her chest as everything rushed through her.
“Ink…I can’t breathe.”
“Easy. Easy, baby. Big, slow deep breaths. Come on, breathe for me.” He sat up with her straddling him. He attempted to draw her back away from him, but she clung to him with a loud cry.
“Don’t let me go.”
“I won’t, brown eyes. I won’t.”
“Promise!”
“I promise.”
He managed to get some space between them, and tilted her chin up, studying her face. “Just breathe.”
“I can’t…I don’t think I can cope…I need…”
“It’s all right, brown eyes. Just let it go. You don’t need to worry about anything right now. I’m here. I’ll take over.”
“I should…I should be stronger…I just…” She’d reached her limit. Everything was piling on top of her.
She couldn’t breathe.
“Breathe, brown eyes.” His hand went down to the base of her throat, resting there. Maybe with someone else it would have felt threatening. But it grounded her.
Her body continued to shake. Adrenaline overload.
“Betsy, you’re safe. You’re with me.”
“I know. I know.”
There was a knock on the door and she startled, clinging onto him.
“Shh, it’s likely the doctor.”
“Don’t let go!”
“I won’t let you go,” he promised.
“I don’t want the doctor. I’m fine. I’m not injured.”
“I’m glad to hear that. But the doctor will make sure.”
“No.” She shook her head, twisting her hands in his shirt. “No, doctor.”
“Brown eyes,” he said, a stern note leaking into his voice as he stood and moved towards the door. She was still wrapped around him like a spider monkey. Clinging to him tightly. “You’re covered in bruises and scrapes. You need to be checked over.”
“No. Don’t wanna.” The words came from her Little. It felt safer to let her Little take over right now. She didn’t stress about adult things. All she had to worry about was doing what Daddy told her to.
Ink paused then brushed his lips against her ears. “Does my button need Daddy right now?”
She nodded, burying her face into his chest in embarrassment.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You’ve been through so much, if letting your Little side take over makes you feel safer, then I’m all for that. I am more than ready to take charge. Fact is, I might need your Little more than you do.”
She didn’t see how that was possible.
He tapped a code into the small pin pad by the door. The door swung open, but she didn’t look over. She’d always hated going to the doctor. Mama had forced her to go for a physical once a year and the elderly doctor had always poked and prodded at her with cold, hard hands.
“Hey, Hack.”
“Ink,” a warm voice replied.
Nope, she wasn’t looking. If she didn’t look then she didn’t have to acknowledge him.
And if she didn’t acknowledge him then he didn’t exist.
It was perfectly reasonable logic. And she wouldn’t hear anyone tell her differently.
“Hear you’ve got a patient for me. Didn’t realize she was a monkey,” Hack said, amusement clear in his voice.
She didn’t care what he thought. She wasn’t letting go of Ink.
Ink placed a hand under her ass to steady her as he ran his hand up and down her back. “She’s had a tough night. Hell, she’s had a tough few years. And apparently, she doesn’t have much love for doctors.”
“We get a bad rep,” Hack said, clearly not offended. “Tell me what happened.”
Ink went briefly through how he’d found her and what she’d told him about her escape although he didn’t go into any detail about why