Page 30 of Gideon

Dion sighed. “I mean she’s so thin she could be anorexic. I don’t know her and there could be a million reasons why, but I’m worried.”

“We weren’t expecting him to show up with a Little.” A sub, sure. But a Little put a whole new spin on things. “You think that she’s at risk.” It was a statement not a question.

“Let them in, but I want you to stay.” And of course it had to be the one day I brought Abby.

Dion laughed, but there was no humor in it. “As if I would be anywhere else.” I knew he felt the same suspicion I did.The same feeling in my gut that had gotten me out of more than one sticky situation. There were just too many coincidences. Oak Investments was Paul and Jonathan Rice’s. They leased apartments in Kirkman’s properties. Old Man Kirkman had been at school with Rice Senior. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all.

Chapter fifteen

Abigail

I really liked my new friend Roxy. Her Mommy was called Meghan, and she was an ER nurse, and when we were all jumped out, both Daddy and Roxy’s Mommy got us seated at a cute table to color and put juice and snacks down. There had been another Little called David, but he’d elected to stay bouncing when another Little joined him.

Roxy worked from home and built fancy websites for people. She was just doing the site for the new club Daddy was opening called Kingdom, and I sighed heavily. What would I do for a job? We were down to a week left of our trial.

“I worked at a daycare, but it was just bought out and I had tobe let go.”

Roxy tipped her head to the side as she sucked her juice. “Sorry? Not sorry?”

“I loved the kids, but…” How did I explain? “There were so many rules,” I finished, realizing the ache in my heart wasn’t because of the job. “I miss Poppy.”

“One of the kids?”

I shook my head and told her all about my rescues and how much I missed Poppy. “And Daddy hasn’t taken you to see her?” Roxy asked.

“I—” But I didn’t answer. I hadn’t asked him. I shot a look to the sofas and met Daddy’s gaze, and knew he’d heard every word I’d said. Did that mean I was in trouble? And just as he stood to come over to me the door opened, and a man walked in clutching a woman’s hand. I saw Daddy’s head whip around to them and his jaw harden. What was wrong? I switched my attention back to them.

The man was maybe the same age as Daddy or a little younger. Hard to tell because while Daddy was yummy, he’d lived harder being in the military. This man just looked soft. I didn’t like the way he gripped the woman so tightly either. He bent and whispered something to her, and she nodded obediently even though she looked terrified, and toed her sneakers off. He didn’t bend and untie them for her like Daddy did mine, his gaze searching the room while she did as she was told.

I doubted if the woman was even twenty-one, even though I imagined she had to be in order to be in here. I didn’t honestly know as there was no alcohol in here anyway. She had long blond hair with highlights tied up in a messy bun, and a simple white dress on. It wasn’t especiallyLittleexactly and it made me wonder. No diaper room, butmaybe she was older in her Little space. Daddy had said I might even be younger once I got comfortable.

And I wondered about that. I had to learn to balance what Daddy needed with what I needed, and I thought about my list again. Daddy ticked all the boxes except the first one, because I still didn’t know if he was going to keep me or if the two weeks were all I got.

Roxy met my gaze and looked worried. The atmosphere must be affecting her as well because she didn’t jump up and rush over like she had done with me. And just like that my heart clenched in sympathy. The Little looked terrified, whoever she was. I stood and held my hand out for Roxy, and she stood and took it. We walked over to where the Little was hovering, abandoned by her Daddy who had gone to talk to some other Daddy I didn’t know. I waved a hand as we drew close. “Hi, I’m Abby, and this is Roxy.” The Little shrank back and looked nervously at her Daddy, but he wasn’t taking any notice. I doubted if my Daddy had taken his eyes off me for one second since we arrived, and I felt bad for her.

“We’re coloring,” Roxy said.

“And if you pick red, we might need to find a dragon,” I added. If I’d thought about it, my words sounded odd, but of course all the best dragons were red.

And she smiled. “I like dragons.”

Roxy clearly decided all was well, and she took her hand and practically dragged her to the table. “You can have puppies as well but not red ones,” Roxy confided.

And soon we were doing our best pictures.

“What’s your name?” Roxy asked.

“Samantha,” she whispered then paused. “You said you’re called Roxy?”

Roxy beamed. “And this is Abby,”

She looked at me rather nervously. “Is Abby short for something?”

I nodded. “Helena always called me Abigail.” I wrinkled my nose.

“Helena?” she asked.

One of my group home managers but she’d had her favorites. “Her favorite was Peter. She always liked boys better.” I caught the look of confusion and realized I’d skipped over her details and opened my mouth to work back, when Roxy’s Mommy came over.

---