And he’d wait. He was patient.
He’d never slept holding a woman before. But this, this felt so right that he couldn’t bear to let her go.
She was his. Theirs.
Perfect.
23
Evil laughter. A hood over her head. Gasping for breath.
She couldn’t breathe. She was going to suffocate. It was so dark. So dark.
Help me!
You’ll do what you’re told or the people you love with suffer.
No. No. Aleki! Caleb! Wolfe!
She had to protect them! She couldn’t risk them!
“Baby! Baby, wake up!”
“Nooo,” she cried out. “Leave them alone. Don’t hurt them! Please, don’t hurt them!”
She fought the arms that surrounded her, knowing they would harm her. They’d take her back to him. The scary man.
“No, please!”
“Jelly bean, it’s me. Open your eyes. It’s Caleb.”
She started to jerk, trying to get breath into her lungs. She couldn’t breathe.
“You’re trapped in a nightmare. Jelly bean, stop fighting me. You’re going to hurt yourself.” Hands were wrapped around her wrists, making her cry out in fear as she attempted to fight back.
Too strong.
He would hurt her.
“What’s going on?” Aleki asked.
“Fuck, Vivi. Open your eyes and look at me!” Caleb demanded.
“Why was she screaming?” Wolfe asked.
“She was having a nightmare, now she’s having a panic attack!”
She’d never heard Caleb sound like that. So scared. Because of her?
“Wolfe, go into the playroom and get a blanket to wrap her. Vivi, please, please breathe.”
She needed to get away. She wrenched her body right and left.
Then Aleki started singing. It was their song.
She stopped fighting. But her heart was still racing in fear. Her breaths came in huge pants. As though she was having a panic attack.
Was she having a panic attack?
“It’s okay, jelly bean. Just breathe. I’m here. Aleki is here. Wolfe is here. Nothing will happen to you with us around.”
Aleki kept singing in the background. She managed to open her eyes, looking up into Caleb’s worried blue ones.
“That’s it, jelly bean. I’m here.”
“C-C-Caleb. I f-f-feel…” like she couldn’t catch a breath. Like her heart was going to race out of her chest.
“Easy, jelly bean. We’re gonna try swaddling you, okay? If you don’t like it, say boo and I’ll take you straight out.”
He laid her down on her back on the bed then wrapped something tight around her, trapping her arms. For a moment, her panic increased.
He paused, checked on her. “Okay?”
She nodded her head.
“Good girl. Remember, if you don’t like it, say boo and I’ll take you out.”
She nodded again. Surprisingly, she started to feel calmer as he wrapped over the other side. Or maybe it was Aleki’s singing.
Or perhaps it was simply being around them.
She closed her eyes then felt herself being lifted and carried in Caleb’s arms.
“C-Caleb?”
“You’re okay, jelly bean. Daddy has you. I’m taking you to the playroom.”
Playroom? Oh, right, he’d talked about that before. She hadn’t seen it though. This was surprisingly nice. It seemed weird. She thought she would panic more. Except, she knew where she was. She was with the guys. They wouldn’t hurt her.
And if she was held tightly in the swaddle then she didn’t have choices. She didn’t have to think.
Just be.
Caleb walked into a room. Moonlight shone in, giving her a slight glimpse of what the room held. A bed with a thick canopy above it, hanging down. A desk with a chair.
But she didn’t see much more as Caleb headed straight to a rocking chair in the corner. He sat with her on his lap.
Had she ever felt so cared for in her life? So coddled and cherished?
If she had, she’d been too young to remember. With a sigh, she relaxed against him. He started rocking the chair. Aleki sat on the floor next to them, still singing. Her heartbeat slowed.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“Hush, don’t talk,” Caleb said gently. But there was a definite firmness in his tone. “We’re here. You’re not alone. You don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to protect us. Just rest your head and be.”
Her eyes started to close. “Wolfe. Where’s Wolfe?”
“He’s coming. He’s getting you something to drink. Just rest. Don’t think. Rest.”
“Here, I made her a hot chocolate.”
Had he remembered hot chocolate was her favorite? Or had he just thought she’d want one to help her sleep? She peered at the bottle he handed Caleb with confusion. Why had he put the hot chocolate in a bottle?
Maybe because you can’t exactly drink out of a mug.
Even if she wasn’t swaddled up like a babe, she didn’t think she’d be able to stop shaking enough to hold a hot drink in her hands.
Then she got a good look at the bottle. With the big nipple on the end.
Oh no.
Really?
“That’s a baby’s bottle.”
“It’s for a big Little girl,” Wolfe said matter-of-factly. “I bought some things and had them delivered from a shop in the city in case your Little was that young.”
“She’s not. Or I don’t think she is. Maybe. I don’t really know.”
“Easy, jelly bean,” Caleb said soothingly. He continued to rock her back and forth. “Don’t overthink it tonight. Just let us take care of you. We can reset in the morning. But for now, just be.”
Just be.
She wanted that so much. She slumped against him and nodded. “All right.”
“That’s my good girl,” he murmured to her. Then to her shock, he put the nipple of the bottle in his mouth, tipped his head back, and took a sip. He must have sensed her surprise. “Just checking the temperature.”
“As if I’d hand over something that might burn her,” Wolfe growled, obviously insulted.
“You’re right. Sorry, man. Open, jelly bean.”
He placed the nipple of the bottle in her mouth. She took a pull. For a moment it was weird. But as she continued to suck and warm, sweet hot chocolate filled her mouth, she felt herself growing sleepy.
It was kind of nice.
And for the first time in years. She felt well and truly safe.
24
Lying on the bed, she stared up at the ceiling.
For the past three days, she’d done nothing but rest and eat. Every time she’d tried to bring up something about her father or anything to do with her relationship with them, the guys had changed the subject.
She chewed her lower lip.
Maybe they’re regretting bringing you here?
She rubbed at her temples, feeling a headache starting to develop. She forced herself to relax her jaw. She knew they were trying to keep her from worrying about anything. But the not knowing was worse. Wondering what her father was doing. If he was looking for her. If anyone was looking for her. What would everyone think when she wasn’t at the funeral? Not for the first time, she wondered if she should contact her uncle.