Page 19 of Bash

“I’m sorry,” I said, sheepishly. I hadn’t meant to use that title. I’d just been so excited to see him.

“I’m not. That’s a wonderful way to wake up, Allybaby.”

“Is silly,” I said, fearful of his rejection.

“What’s silly?”

“That I called you Daddy. I’m sorry, we haven’t even talked about it.”

He chuckled. “We have talked about it several times, baby.”

“But we didn’t talk about it like normal. Like…” I trailed off as I struggled to find my words.

Bash chuckled again before pulling me even tighter in his arms. “Hey, Allybaby?”

“Yeah?”

“Life isn’t normal. It’s crazy and weird, and beautiful. I’ve wanted you to be my Little girl from the second you walked into the shop. You are beautiful, funny, and so damn sweet. Every piece of me lit up the second I laid eyes on you. I’ve becomeattached to you like a drug and my skin physically itches when you’re not around. I wanted to swoop you up into my arms and keep you safe for the rest of my life, but I didn’t because I knew I wouldn’t be good enough for you. I am a good Daddy, but I’m not a good man.”

Jerking away from him, I struggled to sit up.“Youarea good man,” I protested, refusing to hear any differently. He’d been so caring and gentle with me, and extremely patient. He hadn’t asked for anything in return. How could he be a bad man?

He sat up too and took my hands in his. “You don’t know everything about me, Little one, but I’m ready to share with you if you think you’re up to hearing it.”

I nodded. “Yes, Sir.” Leaning toward him, I worked to stay very still, hoping to convey that he had my full attention. Placing my hand on his leg, I urged him to continue.

“When I was fourteen, my mom was killed in a hit and run. The man that hit her thought she was his ex and he took her life.”

Reaching out I took his hand and held it gently, trying to comfort him.

“He had some very powerful people in his life and they tried to protect him from the ramifications of his actions. His uncle was a deputy sheriff and he covered up part of his crimes. I, like you, was sent to foster care because I had no other family. That’s where I met Uncle Blade. His dad was a piece of shit who beat him so badly that the state took him away. He and I spent lots of nights talking about how we wanted to take matters into our own hands and get justice on the people who’d done these things. Years and years of built-up anger and bad choices led us to someone who made righting wrongs his mission. He worked with us to help us kill the man who murdered my mother. Blade’s dad was dead by then, he’d drunk himself into an early grave, but had he been alive, we would have killed him too. I’ve spent nine years of my life ending the lives of others who don’tdeserve to even breathe the same air as their victims. Working these jobs is what paid for the majority of this house and has given me the step up in life I have, but I would have done it all for free. I get satisfaction in knowing I can rid the world of some evil. I know that’s a hard thing to hear, baby. I know it’s probably scary, and I understand if that means you want to keep things from going any farther. I hope you won’t be fearful of me, though, because I willneverdoanythingto hurt you. I do want you to know if you do decide you want me as a Daddy, I’m willing to leave it all behind for you. The choice is yours, baby, and there’s no rush to make it.” Bash’s expression shifted and for the first time he looked almost unsure of himself.

I sat frozen for only a second before I launched myself into his broad body and wrapped my arms around him. I didn’t realize I was sobbing until I felt the tears rolling down my face.

“Thank you, thank you,” I cried, struggling with all of the words I wanted to say. The world was dark and scary and knowing he did what he could to make it a little safer for us brought me so much hope.

His arms wrapped around me and it felt so damn much like the security I’d always longed for.

“You’re the reason Eloise is safe from her ex, aren’t you?” I asked, refusing to lift my head from his shoulder. Trying to wrap my arms all the way around him wasn’t working, so I locked my fingers behind his head.

“We are,” he answered. His own voice was thick with emotion.

Finally pulling back from him, I took his face in my hands. “Youarea good man. You do hard things to protect people, people you might not even know, from even worse things. Yes. Yes,” I said, nodding, “I would be honored to have you as my Daddy. You don’t have to stop. Please don’t stop. Please keep being a superhero.”

He chuckled, it was thick with tears, but he smiled. “A superhero, huh?”

“Yes. That’s what you are, Daddy. You’remysuperhero.”

He took my chin in his hand and lifted my head up so he could look in my eyes. “And you are my Little girl,” he said before lowering his mouth to mine. His tenderness took my breath away and my stomach filled with hundreds of butterflies as he pulled away and rested his head against mine. “You’re mine, Allybaby.”

Chapter Seven

Bash

“That one, Daddy!” Allyson screeched in excitement. She sat up on my lap and grabbed the iPad from my hands. “Is sooo pretty!”

Delighting in her excitement, I pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “Okay, a mermaid nursery it is,” I said, adding the comforter set to the cart. I was glad she’d started to feel better. Two days had passed since I’d shared my secret and shegot a bit better each day. She’d been fever-free for almost twenty hours and I was ecstatic.

“We can print this and we will take it to the hardware store for a paint match. Do you think you want your walls purple like this part, or turquoise like this part?” I pointed to different parts of the bedding as I asked.

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