My head dipped forward, and for a second, I let myself be held up by his strength. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re not,” he said, firm like steel. “You’re not a burden. When are you going to get that through your head?” His voice was almost fierce, but not rough. It made warmth shiver through me. “You don’t owe me anything, Lottie. Not now, not ever.”
I wanted to believe him. More than anything, I wanted to believe it was true.
But fear was a hard habit to break. “People always say that. But then I’m too much. Too needy, too sick, too…everything. They get tired.”
He shook his head, dark gaze unwavering. “I have never quit on anything in my life. You think I’m going to start with you?” His lips curved in a small, wry smile. “Not much chance of that, sweetheart.”
Something in my chest cracked. I reached up, fingers barely brushing his, and he caught my hand in his, squeezing gently. “Can you just…sit with me for a minute?” I whispered.
He didn’t hesitate.
Chapter ten
Walker
“Let’s approach this in steps. First, let's get your things and make sure you're safe."
Lottie hesitated, then nodded, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Okay."
"Good girl," I said without thinking.
Her eyes widened slightly, a flush spreading across her cheeks. Instead of bristling at the praise, she seemed to melt into it, her posture softening.
"Do you need a nap before we go?" I asked, noticing the slight shadows under her eyes. "There's no rush, and your body is still resetting."
"Maybe," she admitted, stifling a yawn.
I stood, holding out my hand to her. "Come on. You can nap for a bit, and then we'll head out."
She slipped her small hand into mine without hesitation, letting me guide her back upstairs to the bedroom. “Do you need the bathroom?” She shook her head, and I pulled back the covers for her, and she climbed in with a soft sigh.
"Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?" I asked, remembering how my touch had calmed her that first night.
She nodded, clutching the blanket to her chest. "Would that be okay?"
"Of course." I settled into the chair beside the bed, watching as her eyelids grew heavy. "Just rest. I'll be right here."
"You promise?" Her voice was small, already slurring with approaching sleep.
"I promise, sweetheart." The endearment fell naturally from my lips. "Daddy's not going anywhere."
I froze, every muscle locking up, hardly daring to breathe. Daddy? But Lottie just smiled drowsily, her eyes drifting closed as she snuggled deeper into the pillows.
"'Kay," she murmured, and within minutes her breathing had deepened into sleep.
I studied her sleeping face, the way her blonde curls spread across the pillow, the slight part of her lips as she breathed deeply. Even bruised and exhausted, she was beautiful in a way that made my chest ache. Not just with lust—though she certainly pushed all my buttons—but with an overwhelming desire to care for her, to make her world safe and orderly and filled with the things that brought her joy.
Her abandoned teddy bear lay at the edge of the bed, and I carefully moved it closer to her. In her sleep, she reached for it automatically, tucking it under her chin with a small, contented sigh.
"What am I going to do with you, little one?" I whispered, more to myself than to her. And what was I going to do with myself?
I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to bundle her up in soft clothes and feed her healthy meals and make sure she took her medication on time. I wanted to teach her that accepting help didn't make her weak, that needing care didn't make her a burden. I wanted to show her what it felt like to be cherished instead of tolerated.
But those weren't things you could force on someone. They had to be freely given, freely accepted. Especially in a dynamic as intimate as the one I was suddenly craving.
And me? Suddenly Daddy was a title I was starting to crave.
