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Leaning in, he stared down at her with those sharp blue eyes. “I didn’t want you to go.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“You’re not supposed to go anywhere without me.”
“I know, Zander. But I thought I would be safe. I’m sorry.” She could feel herself shaking. A delayed reaction, maybe? She’d felt dazed the entire time she’d been talking to the sheriff about what happened.
He stared at her for a long moment, then he abruptly pulled away, walking to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he leaned his elbows on his thighs. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Oh no.
She couldn’t have him thinking that. Moving forward, she kneeled between his legs, placing her hands on his thighs.
“You didn’t scare me. I think I’m still in a bit of shock. Zander, I know I scared you.”
“That doesn’t even come close to what I felt. When I was told that you were missing . . .” He shook his head. “Baby girl. I lost years of my life.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Would it help if I promised to never do anything again without you?”
“Oh, you definitely won’t be doing anything without me again. Ever.” His eyes were stormy, a dark promise. But she also knew that he would always protect her. “Nothing can happen to you, Keira. Nothing.”
“I know. I had no idea that he would . . . all this time I never thought he would come for me, let alone that he would track me down and kidnap me.” She’d told the sheriff, along with Zander and Kent, what Carl had told her. About how he’d tracked her using Squeaks. Another tremble ran through her.
He’s dead.
It should feel like a relief, but she was still so on edge.
“Fuck. Here I am, concerned about how I feel, and I’m not taking care of you. Come here.” He sat up and patted his lap.
“Actually, can I . . . can I just kneel here for a moment?”
He stared down at her, brushing her hair back from her face. Then he glanced down at his finger. “Let me wash my hands.”
She let out a shuddering sigh. He always understood her. Never made her feel stupid. When he returned, he held out his hand. She was puzzled, but reached up to take it. He led her back into the main living area and grabbed a cushion from the sofa. He sat at the table, opening his laptop before placing the sofa on the floor between his feet.
He pointed at the cushion. Silently, she kneeled between his legs. He gave her his fingers, and she sucked them into her mouth.
She wasn’t sure what he was doing, but it didn’t matter. At one stage, he talked to someone quietly on the phone, but she didn’t understand what was being said. She was finding her happy place. Her peaceful place.
She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she was ready to move. She shifted back, and he drew his chair away from the table, reaching down to pick her up. He settled her on his lap, holding her tight.
“Better?” he asked.
“Thank you, Daddy. You always give me whatever I need.”
He drew her back, pulling the ice pack from her face to study her cheek.
“Wish I could kill that bastard all over again.”
“You can’t and he’s gone now, Daddy. He won’t hurt me ever again.”
“No one will ever hurt you again,” he promised. “No one.”
She turned her head toward his laptop screen.
There was a black background with fifteen blank boxes outlined in white.
“I put the pen drive into the laptop, but it’s got a security pin.” Zander pointed at something in the corner. “Says you’re allowed five tries before the information is destroyed. And four of those times have been used up. I called Miles to see if there’s something he can do, but he said the best idea is to work out the correct pin. I’m guessing Carl used up the four other tries trying to get into it.”
