Page 16 of Daddy's Damaged Little Girl

She nodded. “Yes. We’re both busy people, and we don’t really work in the same department.”

His face darkened, and she could tell he was getting mad. She started to rub her forehead, where a headache pounded against her skull.

“You have a headache, Sweetheart?” he asked.

She nodded. She opened her eyes when she felt the heat of his body. She gritted her teeth and stayed still when he bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Call me if you need anything.”

She smiled. “I will. Thank you, and I’m sorry about … everything.”

He turned and frowned when he got to the door. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m glad I was there and you weren’t alone.”

She smiled and nodded. She had to get him out of her apartment because she could feel the emotions bubbling to the surface, and she wouldn’t be able to hold them back.

“I’ll see you at the office.”

He nodded but looked reluctant to leave. “Call me.”

“I will.”

She gritted her teeth as the door closed behind him. She made sure all four locks were set and then pulled the cans on a string out of the closet where she kept them every day. She made it into a tower that could crash and make a big sound if someone tried to break in. It would give her the extra time to grab all the weapons she could and hide in the back of the closet, where she made a false wall to hide behind on her own. Lacey didn’t even know about it.

She had looked up how to make it on YouTube and was impressed with the job she’d done. Someone would have to get on the floor and press their face to the carpet to be able to see a slight space between the fake wall and the carpet.

She had a few flashlights in the cubby but wouldn’t turn them on until she knew whoever broke in were gone.

Sage quickly stripped and jumped into the shower. The sound of anguish burst from her mouth, and the pain she felt grew worse with every minute that passed.

God, she was so embarrassed. She practically threw herself at him, and he had to pry her off. For just a moment, she’d forgotten she wasn’t normal and would never be again. She was tainted, dirty, and ruined for any man. She’d forgotten for a moment, and now she wanted to avoid him because she was ashamed of herself and had put him in a bad position.

She was angry at herself because he would have been a nice friend to have, but she ruined it, and now it would never be the same.

She sank to the floor and cried until she had no more energy or tears to continue before she washed in the quickly cooling water and turned off the shower. After drying off with a towel, she dried her hair, pulled on a nightgown, and brushed her teeth before sliding into bed.

She thought she’d have trouble going to sleep as usual, but with the emotional roller coaster she’d been on in the last few hours and her headache, she was wiped out.

Before she knew it, the morning sun was shining on her face, waking her from a deep sleep.

Sage dragged herself from the bed and dressed before making a cup of coffee. She stood at the large window across from the kitchen, staring down at the street and all the people as she sipped the bitter brew.

Glancing at the time, she brushed her hair and teeth. At her door, she put the cans back in the box in the closet before opening the door. She peeked out before she hurried to the elevator.

The doors were about closed when she heard Sebastian call out to hold the elevator, but she just pressed herself against the side, hiding herself from him, praying they’d close in time to prevent him from coming in with her. Her breath whooshed from her lungs in relief as the elevator started moving down.

She hurried into Lacey’s office, shut the door, and leaned against it. Her friend looked up and instantly frowned.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I messed up last night with Sebastian, and now I’m so damn embarrassed I can’t face him yet.”

She jumped and about screamed when someone knocked at the door. “If it’s him, I’m not here,” she mouthed before moving back so she’d stay hidden from whoever it was.

“Come in,” Lacey called out.

Sage knew right away it was Sebastian from the look on her friend’s face.

“Hey, Lace. Have you seen Sage this morning? She’s not in her office.”

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