Daddy's Little Princess (Daddy 2)

She nodded and stood when he did. Then she followed him down a long hallway and into a nondescript room in the same dull tones as the rest of the place.

“There’s a bathroom through here.” Gage indicated the room with his arm. “There is soap and shampoo in the shower and toothpaste and a new toothbrush in one of the drawers. I’ll go get you something to wear tonight. All right?”

Brylee nodded.

Gage grinned when he got back. She hadn’t moved an inch. “Here you go. Have a shower and some rest. We’ll have breakfast in the morning, and I’ll answer any questions you have.”

Brylee reached for the shirt and held it tightly against her chest. “Okay. Thank you, and good night.”

Gage smiled gently and stepped up to her. He cupped her face with both hands and tilted it up. “Everything’s going to be fine, princess.” He bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before he took a step back. “Good night,” he said before he walked out and closed the door behind him.

Brylee exhaled. The whole night had been weird. Her boss at the strip joint had been on her since she arrived at work. He touched her more than any other night before and made more and disturbing sexually suggestive comments to her.

Her roommates had also been in rare form. She could usually ignore them, but they had made one insult after the other. She wished once again she had talked to Larkin about it sooner. It made it worse that they were so sweet toward Larkin when she was at Brylee’s apartment, but after her friend left, they tore into her.

She knew Larkin worried about her, so she was determined not to make it worse by telling her all the problems she’d been having with them. Now it seemed she was without a job she hated, roommates who hated her and having a sleepover with a man she’d known for a day.

Brylee didn’t know if she should feel happy about the recent events or terrified.

She walked into the bathroom and stopped when the light came on. Although the same gray colors were in the room, it was brighter and had a beautiful bathtub she wanted to soak in for hours. She never had a chance at a bath growing up because it took too much water. Later, her apartments never had a tub, so she had to shower. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to sit in a bubble bath except the one at Larkin’s the night before.

If she felt more comfortable with Gage, she’d be in the tub at that moment.

Brylee sighed and decided to take another shower and try to get some sleep. She hoped in the morning, she wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed and could ask some intelligent questions and make plans for her future.

Once she’d undressed, she stepped into the shower and washed quickly, taking care not to get her braid to wet.

After her

shower, she looked into the mirror and grinned at herself as she rolled up the sleeves to the shirt Gage had given her to wear for the night. She looked like a small child dressed in her father’s shirt. It hung on her small frame, and the bottom went past her knees. Then she brushed her teeth. She left the light on in the bathroom and partially closed the door, so the bedroom wasn’t completely dark, and climbed into bed.

She snuggled down into the mattress and pulled the blanket up to her chin. The bed was the most comfortable one she’d ever slept in, although she liked the one at Larkin’s house as well.

She closed her eyes, sighed, and prayed for sleep.

Chapter Six

A few hours later, she sighed and pushed back the covers. Even as tired as she was, she knew sleep wouldn’t come for a while, and the worst thing she could do was lie there and stew. She opened her bedroom door and listened for any sound. Then she crept down the hallway when she determined Gage was asleep.

Brylee moved over to the windows, wrapped her arms around her waist, and stared out at the city. She knew it had to be two or three o’clock in the morning, but she still saw several cars on the roads, making her feel not so alone.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Brylee gasped and spun around to see Gage standing across the room in a pair of long silky pants.

“I … I just couldn’t sleep.”

He moved farther into the room. “Why?”

“I have trouble falling asleep, especially in strange places. In fact, the only place I sleep well is at Darian’s.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Because I feel safe, I guess.”

“And you don’t feel safe here with me?”

“I…,” she stammered.