There were no other listening devices on us. Rayna and Tinley just had their location devices around their necks. Kyler and Josh had the keys for the small little locks that attachedthem. They never took them off. I would have to figure that out once we decided to take off.
Rayna washed her hands; a strange expression came across her face as she watched me in the mirror. Once she dried her hands, she automatically stepped between Tinley and me. She had sharp instincts. The playfulness was gone. Must be all that ninja training.
“What’s going on, Kylie?” She took Tinley’s hand.
“Before we go back, I just wanted to talk to you both for a minute.” I stepped forward.
“About what?” Rayna backed up.
“I just want you both to know if you need someone to talk to. If you feel you need a break from. . .” I waved my hands in the area, “all of this. You can talk to me. I won’t tell your daddies. If you ever feel like being here is too much, I can get you out.”
“The Sphere is wonderful. I love it.” Tinley shrugged. She was still inEmerald Citybliss. I doubt she was even listening. But Rayna was.
“What do you mean?” Rayna stepped around me with Tinley in tow.
“Listen, I am a little, too,” I admitted. “And I know sometimes it can be overwhelming, that's all.” I bent down to catch Tinley’s eye. “Living in a place with no freedom and always having to do what you're told. . . You don’t have to live like that. You can go?—”
Tinley's head tilted. “Oh my God! We knew you were a little. That’s so great. You have to come and play with us sometime.” Clearly, Tinley wasn’t listening.
“I would love that, but I just want to make sure you two are okay.”
Tinley’s face fell into a frown. It broke my heart stealing her joy, but it was a coping mechanism, right? Her joy couldn’t begenuine. No one lived like them and enjoyed it all the time. Did they?
“Of course we’re okay.” She turned to Rayna. “What does she mean, okay?”
“I think she just wants to make sure that, as littles, we’re protecting ourselves.” Rayna patted Tinley's hand. “She’s just looking out for us like she was hired to do. But we are good, right? We’re living our best life.”
“Damn right.” Tinley slapped her hand over her mouth and giggled.
“Yeah, and we are little,” she stepped toward me. Her voice sounded more adult than I had ever heard it . “And we are here with our Daddies because we choose to be here. We choose this.” She leaned toward me and growled. But then she straightened up and smiled. “Being with our Daddies is the freest we've ever been in life.”
The room fell silent.
Tinley spoke up first. “Is something wrong?” she asked Rayna.
“No, Sweet T, nothing’s wrong.” She glared in my direction and took Tinley’s hand. Adult Rayna was scary. “It’s nice we have someone like Kylie looking out for us and making it safe so we can go out with our daddies and not have to look over our shoulders. We have all the freedom we need now.”
“Oh, yeah, everything tonight went perfectly.” Tinley started out the door. “I worried for nothing. Let’s get back. I want a souvenir.”
They headed back down the length of the bathroom. I scrambled to catch up with them. That didn’t go the way I thought it would. And now Rayna knew my intentions. No doubt she’d run straight to her daddy and tell him, and I would be done.
I shoved my earpiece back into my ear before emerging from the bathroom. Josh and Kyler were just outside waiting. They both avoided eye contact with me. Tinley jumped right into Josh’s arms.
“Daddy, can I get a souvenir?”
“Of course, baby girl.” He hugged her close and kissed her cheek.“Anything for my little one.” He whisked her off toward the merchandise area.
Rayna wrapped her arm around Kyler. His expression tightened as he looked down and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and hugged him tighter.
They followed Josh and Tinley. My gaze scanned the crowd and found Patrick standing near the pillar where I had found Tinley. He wasn’t avoiding eye contact with me. He didn’t move or say a word. With legs wide and arms crossed over his chest, his stance was solid. His face was void of expression. A look that would have been devastatingly sexy, if waves of fury weren’t rolling off him. Anger directed at me.
“Kylie? Copy,” said Martin in my earbud.
Saved by duty.
“Go for Kylie.”
“Patrick wants you to give us a hand getting these rascals into the bus,” said Martin. “You can ride back with us.”
