To her shock, she’d come to enjoy the feel of the diaper while she was sleeping. At least, sometimes.
But she wasn’t sure she’d ever use it. Or want it all the time. However, between the diaper and the pacifier and the fact that for the last few days the guys had been doing everything for her . . . yeah, she was feeling younger.
Ever since they’d dragged her down for dinner, they had been constantly there. Dressing her, feeding her, giving her bottles of water and a meal replacement shake. Putting her down for naps.
Trying to get her to play and talk.
Physically, she felt better. Stronger.
But, emotionally, she was still having issues.
“You’re awake,Malyshka,” Alexei murmured.
She was holding onto Atlas, and she still had the pacifier in her mouth.
Alexei slid it out of her mouth. She’d noticed that none of them had tried to kiss her since she’d returned. There had been nothing sexual in their touches. Which she understood to some extent.
She’d been like a zombie, no one could be attracted to that. But did they still want her like that?
Or were they completely turned off?
“What are you thinking?” he demanded. “I don’t like that look on her face. Salem, she looks funny.”
To her shock, Roman suddenly stood up. Where had he appeared from? Had he been lying on the floor?
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Is she all right? Do I need to call the therapist?”
Three days after they’d brought her back here, they’d gotten a therapist to visit her. But she’d refused to talk to her.
She couldn’t.
How could she tell her that her father had been one of the world’s leading criminals and that she’d done his dirty work?
The panic on their faces floored her.
For some reason, she could now feel their emotions. She knew that sounded weird. But it was like she’d been hidden behind a wall. Everything had felt muffled and distorted.
But their fear . . . their worry . . . it was like a breathing thing wrapping itself around her throat.
Could she breathe?
She gasped.
“Shit! Fuck!” Alexei sat her up and started whacking her back. “She’s choking! She can’t breathe.”
“Put her on her back! Give her mouth to mouth!” Roman yelled.
What was wrong with them?
They didn’t panic like this.
Salem appeared on his knees in front of her. She knew he would be the voice of reason. But the fear she could see in his eyes, the whiteness of his face . . . it slammed into her with the force of a train.
They all cared, didn’t they?
They really did love her.
Because no one could act like this if they didn’t.