A while later, he fed me bites of fruit and yogurt, and I ate every bite.
“Did I ever tell you about my grandmother?”
I shook my head, startled at the abrupt change in conversation.
“Mom died of colon cancer when I was thirteen, and my dad just fell apart. Started drinking. I was basically missing more school than I attended, and I was losing so much weight because I didn’t have food. It came to a head when I got caught shoplifting some damn bananas of all things.” He laughed but I could see the pain in his eyes. I moved and kissed his jaw, and he tightened his arms around me. “My grandparents—Dad’s parents—lived up by Nashville. We never visited much as my grandfather was a real piece of work. Gran was nice but Dad said she was a bit of a klutz, and they weren’t close. Anyway, I got shipped off to them. Grandfather was still a piece of work, but Gran wasn’t a klutz. She didn’t trip or walk into doors like she claimed, but much to my shame it took me another year until I worked it out.”
“You were a child,” I said, heart heavy.
“It made no difference. She refused to report anything. I told her the next bruise I saw I’d make sure he had a matching one, and I’ve never seen her sodistraught. She made me promise to keep her secret.” I pressed my lips together to stop any sound because this wasn’t about me, and I doubted if Walker had told this story to anyone. “About the same time that I worked out what was going on, we heard Dad had died in a car wreck. Thankfully no one else was hurt, because he was drunk. I stuck it out for another two years and I made it clear I knew what Grandfather was doing so he backed off." He held me tighter and I let him, loving being what he needed to hold on to.
"I was always going to go in the army. I’d wanted that since before Mom died and at eighteen, I got a lump sum my parents had left to me. I begged Gran to let me set her up in her own apartment, but she refused to leave him. The crazy thing is, by this time he’d started forgetting things, getting confused. First time I went home on leave, he’d been diagnosed with dementia,and I knew there was no way she’d leave him then.” He reached for his coffee.
“I kept visiting on leave and she kept getting bruises because the dementia made him more violent. I paid for a male carer to assist him full-time so she was spared some, and Grandfather died while I was on a mission. I didn’t find out until a week later when I got back to base.”
I blinked. “That’s where you know the guys from.”
“Yep, we were a good team. We all got out around seven years ago and thanks to Dion, who had a good chunk of money left to him, we bought Salvation.”
I eyed him. There was more. He’d mentioned friends who did security. He wasn't just a manager. “But that isn’t all you do, is it?”
He smiled. “Good girl,” and he rewarded me with a kiss that made my toes curl.
“What happened to your gran?” I nudged because I wanted him to get all that out.
“I moved her into a pretty bungalow in a retirement community hoping she’d make friends, but it never really worked. She was too used to secrets. Hiding her life. Never trusting anyone to know what was really happening, and she died two months ago.” His gaze rested on mine. “Remind you of anyone?”
I nodded somberly. I knew he meant his life, but it wasn’t just him. “Both of us. I was taught diabetes was a weakness. Something to be ashamed of. And eventually, that I didn’t deserve anything good.”
There was silence. Walker’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t look away. “I swore I’d never let anyone feel like my gran. Never let someone I loved think they didn’t deserve the world.” I drew in a shaky breath as his fingers traced a gentle path down my cheek. I ignored the tear that spilled over and followed the pathof his finger until he scooped it up. “Because in case you didn’t understand what I meant, I’m going to spell it out. Iloveyou. I know this is sudden but having you in my arms and in my bed is too perfect to ever give up.” My lips parted in wonder, and he kissed them again. “I’m going to make loads of mistakes, but I want to be your Daddy as well. I don’t know what that’ll look like to us, but we’ll figure it out together.”
“I love you too,” I whispered, my heart so full. “So much, Daddy,” and we were both silent for a moment after that.
Walker scooped me up like it was nothing. I didn’t even bother fighting it. My body ached everywhere, but not in a bad way. He carried me straight to the bathroom, set me down, and started running the water, easy as breathing.
He turned and stripped my shirt off, slowly, careful. The look in his eyes made my knees wobble. “You want a bath?” he checked, and it wasn’t really a question.
I nodded anyway. “Yes, please. With you.”
He grunted, pleased. “Good girl.” His hands slid under my t-shirt, palms hot against my ribs, and he peeled it up, slowly, knuckles dragging goosebumps over my skin. He never rushed. Just kept his gaze on my face, like he was waiting for me to say no. I never did.
Everything was careful. Every second. He shucked my panties, then bent and kissed the inside of my knee where a tiny bruise from yesterday was starting to show.
“You’re Daddy’s brave girl,” he murmured.
I shivered as the air hit my skin, but he didn’t let me feel exposed for long. He lifted me into his arms again. I wrapped around him, clutching his neck, and he stepped us into the warm water, holding me like I might break.
He settled me in his lap, my back to his chest, and the heat of the water made every muscle relax at once. I melted. I didn’t even try to hide it.
His arms came around me, locking me to him. He reached for a soft sponge and started dragging it over my skin in slow, lazy circles. I didn’t realize how tense I’d been until he touched me like that. I let my head fall back onto his shoulder.
“Feel good, princess?” His breath was at my ear, rough and sweet at the same time.
I nodded. Couldn’t talk. The way his hands moved on my body—it was better than anything. He soaped my arms, my shoulders, my chest. He spent forever cleaning me, never missing a spot. Every time I shivered at his arousing touch, he made a little approving noise in his throat.
When he rinsed me, the water sluiced over my skin, and I couldn’t help squirming. The ache between my legs was back, sharp and sweet. I pressed my thighs together, but he noticed instantly.
He slid his hand lower, palm wide on my stomach, and let his fingers drift down. I tensed, but not from nerves. It was need. Pure, simple, burning need.
