Page 27 of Babydoll

“Daddy’s got you, baby. Daddy’s got you.”

And Jesus fucking Christ if he doesn’t sound sincere.

How did my little joke turn into this?

And how did it suddenly become something I need as badly as air?

When we get to the door, another security guard, Bale, holds it open, and Jeff carries me over the threshold like a fucking bride. I want to shove out of his arms, be back on my own two feet, embarrassed at the way he carries me in front of the other guy, but when I try to move, I realize I don’t have the strength.

“I can walk,” I say instead, but thankfully, Jeff shakes his head.

“Not risking you collapsing.”

“Want me to take her?” Bale offers and Jeff shoots him a hard possessive look.

My brows knit. Possessive? I must be delusional from the cold and trauma. This sexy-as-hell man could have any woman he wanted, I’m just the trash he needs to clean up for work. No man is possessive of his trash.

But when Bale lowers his head and nods as if he’s crossed some line in the guy code, I’m even more confused.

“We need an ambulance?” he asks, shoving the door to the infirmary open for us. It bangs loudly against the wall as Jeff kicks it open wider. I wince, realizing my head is pounding.

“No hospital,” I croak and both men look at me.

“I’ll assess her first,” Jeff says, ignoring me as he sets me onto the infirmary bed. “They might be watching the hospitals for her anyway. Go watch the monitors.”

Bale nods and leaves us. Jeff takes my chin in his hand and examines my eyes as I shiver uncontrollably.

“Why are they after you?” he asks as he opens the supply cupboard and pulls out every blanket in there.

“After me?” I repeat through chattering teeth trying to come up with an answer he’ll accept.

“Satan’s Ransom. What do they want with you?” he asks, draping me in the blankets and rubbing my arms and legs for friction. I’m shivering, and tears threaten at every small kindness he gives. I don’t deserve it and that causes more battering against my resolve not to cry.

“I’ve gotta call this in. Tell them I’ve found you. And call off the search.”

How many people did he have searching for me? Did he call in the guards that were off?

“Technically you didn’t find me,” I say, and it sounds both watery and saucy through my chattering teeth. One of his brows cocks in the most Daddy-like way and I can’t help but give him a small sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“My guys have been scouring the city, Lu. I’ve been so damn worried.”

“Why?” There’s no sarcasm in my question this time.

“Because you’re important.” He pauses, dragging his bottom lip between his straight teeth, searching my eyes. “To me.”

I swallow hard. “How can that be?” I choke on the words.

He fusses with the blanket, tucking it tighter around me. “I don’t know,” he whispers and touches a hand to my cheek. “But those guys are dangerous. Do you know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”

I swallow hard, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from spilling my guts to this man.

“If you don’t start to warm up…” He glances at the shower stall in the corner, and I follow his line of sight.

“Not sure I could shower with all this shivering,” I say, pulling my hands out from underneath the blanket to stare at them. They’re bright red and shaking as badly as a junkie in withdrawal.

“We need to get you out of those pants at least. They’re soaked.”

“I knew you were trying to get me out of my pants,” I say with a shivery chuckle, trying to ease the tension.

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