Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“You’re . . . you’re disappointed in me.”
“I’m not happy you lied, but it was before you were truly mine. I’d be more upset if you lied to me now. All right? So I’m glad you told me the truth. Stay in there while I get your clothes. I won’t be long.”
“Okay. T-thank you.”
She cleaned up as best she could then searched out a tampon in her handbag. It was a spare one she’d kept in her room at Jenner’s house. Luckily, she always kept some tampons in here. A knock on the door had her letting out a startled yelp.
“It’s just me,” he said. “Come out here.”
“I can’t do that. I’m half-dressed. Someone might walk in.”
“You really think I’d let that happen, girl? I locked the door.”
She walked out, her clothes bundled up.
“Here, give them to me.” He helped her clean up further by using some wet wipes that she guessed came from the glove box of the car.
“You’ve got something in? Or do you use pads?”
“Yes, I’ve got something in,” she told him.
Good Lord.
He crouched and held out her panties for her to step into. Then he put her in a clean pair of shorts. Tears were dripping down her cheeks again by the time he stood. He drew her against him, holding her tight and hugging her.
“Hey, what are these tears for?”
“I just . . . you’re so good to me. I’m sorry I lied.”
He tilted her head back. “Why did you lie?”
“I don’t know. I got into a panic. It just came out.”
“Come on, baby. Let’s get something to eat and keep going. We’ll stop early today so you can have a proper rest. You need some painkillers?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He wrapped his arm around her and led her to the car. Her clothes were under his arm. He put them in the trunk of the car before taking her into the diner to get some lunch.
She didn’t feel like eating much, and he frowned at her but didn’t say anything. He did make sure she swallowed some painkillers and drank plenty of water.
When they got back to the car, he grabbed her new blanket and tucked it around her. She already had a hold of Squish tight in her hands. He rolled up a couple of her sweaters. “You’re right. We should have gotten you a cushion or pillow. This will have to work. I want you to nap, understand?”
She sighed. She liked naps most of the time, but she felt like she’d taken far too many lately. How would she relax enough in the car to nap?
Then he pulled her pacifier from his pocket.
She blushed. “Someone might see.”
“So? Do you really care what some stranger thinks?”
She shook her head. She really didn’t. He popped the pacifier into her mouth, then fastened her seatbelt. After pressing a kiss to her forehead, he closed the door and climbed into the driver’s side of the car.
She sucked on the pacifier for a while, but didn’t really feel sleepy. Her mind was too busy thinking about everything that happened.
Regret filled her for lying to him in the first place. Even if they had just been casual with each other back then, lying was never okay.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, baby? Can’t sleep?”
“Not really. You’re being so nice to me.”
“You think I shouldn’t be nice to you?”
“Maybe not. Not when I was naughty in the first place.”
“Little girl, I will always take care of you. No matter what. Nothing you do will change that.”
“Sometimes it feels like all I ever do is bring bad luck, you know?”
“Maeve, that’s not true.”
“It feels that way. I think it follows me around like a bad smell.”
“Baby,” he murmured. “You do not bring bad luck with you. How could you when all you’ve brought to my life is sunshine and love? I haven’t had someone love me in years.”
“What? Why?”
He shrugged. “I grew up in a gang. My mom was a hanger-on. Someone they kept around to fuck and clean up after them. They kept her in booze and drugs. No one really knows who my old man is. Not that I care. It’s not like any of those assholes cared about me or my mother. The only person who looked after me, who showed me any affection, was Mama Jean.”
“Who was she?” she whispered. She couldn’t imagine Gray as a little boy growing up like that. Who wouldn’t love him?
“The leader of the gang was called Skull, and Mama Jean was his mother. Sometimes I wondered if he was my dad and that’s why she looked after me. But it doesn’t really matter. She fed me, made sure I was clean and dressed, even got me to school when it was time to go. Then, when I was twelve, a rival gang infiltrated the compound where we lived, and shot the place up. Twelve people died. One was my mother. But the only one I cared about was Mama Jean. She died in my arms.”