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“I’m good, Daddy.”
“Let me see if I can find someone else to keep you company.”
She shook her head sharply. “No. I’m good.”
He didn’t look convinced so she shut her eyes. She’d pretend to fall asleep. She didn’t think she actually would. As tired as she was, she was also completely wired.
Sleep was always a bit difficult. And she didn’t want to have a nightmare.
But then Beck rubbed her back.
And she didn’t have a hope in hell of staying awake.
Hux stood in the doorway, watching as she drifted off to sleep. His hands tightened into fists against the urge to go to her. To take her into his arms.
Fuck.
He wanted to be with her. At the same time . . . he knew he couldn’t be. As she drifted off, Beck stood. Then he glanced over at the doorway to Hux.
Hux moved out into the hallway.
“Why are you standing out here? Why didn’t you come in?” Beck asked him as he walked out to join him.
“I didn’t want to.”
“Bullshit. Hux, fuck, whatever is going on in your head, you have to stop listening to it. Stop letting your old man have a hold on you.”
“If I needed psycho-analyzing, I’d see an actual psychiatrist.”
“Fuck, man, all four of us could use some counseling. Although I don’t think anyone could help Owen.”
“He doesn’t want help,” Hux said.
Beck sighed. “I’m just worried about you. And her.”
Hux raised his gaze up to Beck. “Her? Why? What’s wrong with her?”
“She thinks she did something wrong and that’s why you don’t want to be around her.”
Fuck. Shit.
“Didn’t you set her right?”
“I didn’t want to tell her too much. It’s your story to tell. But I did tell her that it had everything to do with you and your feelings of failing her. Nothing to do with her. But damn it, Hux, don’t let this come between you both. Talk to her.”
“It’s better that I stay away. I don’t deserve her.”
“Fuck, man, that’s not true.”
It was.
Beck huffed out a sigh. “Look, just don’t hurt her while you’re sorting your head out, yeah? She doesn’t deserve it. And while she’s tight-lipped about her life and Lord Fothersam, it’s easy to see that things aren’t right with her. At least for now, she’s safe and cared for.”
Hux glanced over at him. “What? Do you think His Lordship is hurting her?”
He’d kill the motherfucker. He clenched his hands into fists. Bastard.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I haven’t seen any sign of physical abuse. And, like I said, she’s not talking. What I do know is that she watches him very carefully. She’s extremely loyal, but at the same time, worried about his reactions. You saw how she was when she realized you were back. She nearly ran out of here in her onesie.”
“So she’s dedicated to her job. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“I don’t know . . . there’s other shit going on. She’s thin.”
Shit. That seemed a rude thing to comment on. And someone’s weight wasn’t usually something that Beck would ever talk about.
Unless . . .
“You think she’s not eating?” he asked.
Beck just looked pensive. “She eats. But not much. We need to watch her. All of us.”
Hux shook his head. “I don’t know . . .”
“Fuck, Hux. What happened wasn’t your fault. It could have been any of us looking after her when you were surrounded by that mob. I don’t get why the fuck you’re being so hard on yourself. I know that shit with Vivi’s uncle got to you . . . but you were knocked out, man.”
“I didn’t see it coming. I should have. I should have been able to get Chloe safely away the other day. Instead, she was knocked around . . . and Judd had to help me.”
“So? We’re brothers, man. That’s what we do. We help each other. Just . . . think about what you want. And think about that girl. Because she needs you even if you can’t see it. She needs all of us.”
Hux stood and stared at the sleeping girl for a long time. This playroom was something he had helped set up. Well, he’d bought most of the toys. Judd had designed it and he and Beck had put everything together. Owen hadn’t paid much attention.
A whimper came from Chloe and he stepped forward, staring down at her frowning face.
She moved her hand out as though searching for something.
Fuck.
He wanted to soothe her, but he wasn’t quite there yet. However, he knew one thing that might help.
36
Chloe woke up feeling more rested than she had in a long time.
She stretched and realized that her hands and feet were trapped. Panic started to unfurl until she moved her hand in front of her face.
The onesie.
She was wearing a onesie. She wasn’t trapped. And she was in the playroom. She sat up. Drat. She had to pee. Then she noticed something lying beside her.
