Page 14 of Gideon

If this afternoon was an example of what might happen when she was out of my sight, then that shit had to stop.I contemplated installing a military-grade tracker on her. I needed eyes on her at all times. I met Max’s gaze in the mirror.

“How’s she doing?” he murmured.

I looked down at her closed eyes. Her long, fair lashes fanned over her cheek, but not enough to keep me from seeing the dark shadows under them. She needed a lot of care, and one good night wouldn’t make up for her exhaustion. She’d clearly run herself ragged and that would stop as well.

“I shouldn’t have taken her out so soon.”

Maddox shrugged. “You couldn’t have known.”

But I should have.What sort of Daddy was I that I didn’t know what was best for my baby girl?

Max’s cell beeped and he glanced at the screen on the dash. “Doc got your message. He’ll meet us there.”

We reached my house and I’d barely had time to slip a sleepy girl into one of my shirts and tuck her in bed when the knock on the bedroom door heralded Doc Atkins. We’d met during my first tour, and when he retired and got discharged, he soon realized he didn’t like retirement and became our employees’ doc for all the clubs and businesses. It had never occurred to me to call him first like I would with one of us until Max pointed out the problems with an ER, because I wantedgentlenot Army gruff, but the man surprised me.

Abby woke up a little and flushed as she gave a halfhearted explanation of her low blood pressure. Good thing he already had the medical file I’d sent because she was barely saying jack.

But the doc was patient and kind with her, and she was soon smiling. I walked him out when he finished.

“I take it with her being here she isn’t just an employee?” Doc Atkins paused as he was writing something and looked over his wire-rimmed glasses at me.

I just returned his stare. He hummed but I could see a smile teasing the corner of his mouth. “About time.”

“Well?” I interrupted, wanting to get back upstairs.

“I’ll go over her medical records properly and see what the blood tests show. But rest, good food, small, frequent meals and plenty of water, and above all no stress would be my recommendation.”

I nodded and managed to get in a thank you before Max snorted and told me to get my ass back upstairs. I didn’t to be told twice.

Abigail

I doubted my low blood pressure would ever kill me, but right that moment I was convinced I was about to die of embarrassment, and I couldn’t hold in the whine when Gideon walked back into the bedroom. I shrank under the covers when he sat down and barely restrained the flinch when he cupped my cheek, which made him hesitate, and knowing that wasn’t fair when he treated me so well, I rushed out words before I’d thought through what I was going to say. “I’m not frightened of you, but you need someone that looks good in high-heels.”

Gideon’s smile made my heart go all thumpy, but not in a bad way. “I actually prefer white Tinkerbell sneakers.”

“No, you don’t.” I shook my head for emphasis.

“Baby girl, I bought you those sneakers. If I’d wanted you in high-heels don’t you think I would have gotten you some of those instead?”

“But you’re a Dom with twenty years’ experience,” I repeated solemnly.

His eyebrows rose. “Very true. Who told you that?”

I squirmed and suddenly found the comforter very interesting.

“Because I know,” he continued mildly, “that Mistress Rachel, for example, as a Dom of over ten years’ experience herself, would never dream of saying such a thing.”

My lips parted and I let out a squeaky surprised noise. “She’s a… I wiggled my fingers. “One of you?”

“Yes, Abby,” he confirmed. “We’re close because I mentored her for a long time, but sexually we aren’t attracted to each other.”

“Oh,” I said, completely stunned, but that still didn’t alter what skank one and skank two had said.

“I asked you a question, Abigail,” he repeated sternly.

Oops.Sunday name, as one of my social workers used to say. “You did?” I hedged and squirmed some more. “I don’t remember.” I left it to Gideon to decide whether I was saying I didn’t remember the question or I didn’t remember who’d said it.

He didn’t repeat it or clarify, just waited patiently. As a torture technique it was very effective, and I caved. “I don’t know who they were,” I whispered, “but that doesn’t make them wrong.” I sat up and crossed my arms. If I hadn’t been in bed, I might have stamped my foot. He nodded and my heart took a dive. “So, I’ll leave.” I didn’t want to, even if I knew I would have to go home tomorrow. I badly wanted a cuddle, which was a mistake. One of my foster mothers had always said I was too clingy.

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