Page 22 of Daddy's Little Patient

She wanted to correct him and say they were his guests, not hers, but she could tell she’d already made him angry.

Chapter Nine

Alex studied Raina as they sat at the table eating. He could tell she was struggling to chew and having a problem eating the one piece he’d put on her plate.

“Do you want any more?” he asked the girls.

“No, thank you.”

He took the boxes to the counter, and Rafael brought the dishes.

“Is it okay if we go back into the littles’ room?” Mara asked.

Alex frowned. “Oh, I don’t know. Raina’s getting tired.”

Raina shook her head. “No. It’s okay. Just for a little bit.”

His eyebrows rose, but he nodded. “That’s fine, but for only a few minutes.”

“Now, what’s that about?” Rafael asked. He scowled at the door the women had just gone through.

“I’m not sure, but we’re about to find out. Let’s go into my office.

Rafael chuckled. “Hell, I forgot you had a few cameras set up.”

“When Darian suggests something, I usually follow it.”

“Mara doesn’t have a room, just the stable, so it makes it hard for me to surveil her, but I always have a guy there with her, and they do a great job of keeping track of her. I also have what I call her aunt and uncle, Tony and Betty from her hometown, to help me. Hell, I need all the help I can get.”

“I agree with that. We all do when it comes to the littles.” He grabbed the remote on his desk and turned on the huge TV he had on the wall by his desk—six different views of the littles’ room.

Raina pulled Mara as far into the room as she could for privacy.

“I need help,” Raina said.

“With what?”

“You have to promise me you won’t tell anyone. Not even your daddy.”

Mara held her hand out and stuck her pinky out.

Rafael rolled his eyes. “The littles always pinkie-promise.”

The two did the pinkie thing, and then Raina looked toward the doorway again.

“I need a place to go.”

Alex’s eyebrows rose as he watched.

“Why?” Mara asked.

“Alex has to get back to work, and he’s worried about me. I’ve done enough to upset his life. I won’t do any more.”

“Of course, he’s going to worry. Alex is a good man. He’d never make you leave.”

“I know. That’s why I have to leave on my own,” Raina said.

“Oh, hello. From the look on your face, your little girl is going to get her butt spanked,” Rafael said.

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