Page 197 of Guardian Daddy

“Just stick close by.”

“Sure thing. Your girl okay?”

Cate tensed. She knew that she should turn around and greet the man standing there. It should embarrass her to be held like a child against Ethan’s chest in front of him. But she just couldn’t move.

“Thanks, Butch. She’ll be okay soon. Is Polly okay?”

“I’m gonna check on her now. You want to call the cops?”

“I’ll talk to Cate about that.”

The police?

She heard the door shut before Ethan walked back over to the bed and sat with her on his lap. Then he drew her back so he could stare down at her face.

“That fucking bitch. Did she slap you?”

She raised her hand to where her cheek felt warm and tender. “Yes. But it’s not that bad.”

“I’m going to get you an ice pack.” He attempted to stand but she whimpered, holding on tight.

“No, please don’t leave me.”

“I’ll be right back, baby.”

“No. There’s a first aid kit in my bathroom. It has one of those ice packs that you activate by snapping. Can’t we get that?”

“Okay.” He carried her into the bathroom with him and got the dry ice pack. He also checked her wrists before kissing them both gently.

“I’m going to kill that bitch,” he said darkly.

She stared up at him in shock. He sounded . . . he sounded murderous.

“You sound like you really mean that.”

“Baby, I do.”

Wow.

“Are you sure you don’t want the closet?” he asked.

She did. But she also didn’t want to move off his lap. Did he have to go and deal with all of this?

But she didn’t want him to leave her.

“All right, baby. It’s okay. Daddy has you.” Standing, he carried to the closet and walked inside.

She whimpered, wrapping herself tight around him. “Don’t let go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Somehow, he managed to sit on the cushion without letting go of her. Then he drew her blanket over her.

She felt so . . . so needy.

“I keep ending up in here.” She bit back her apology, but she couldn’t help but feel high-maintenance.

“And that’s a problem? Because I don’t see it as one. You know you need a safe place when the world gets to be too much. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

There wasn’t?

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