She drifted off to sleep with his heart beat reassuringly steady under her ear.
And neither of them had nightmares.
19
“Button, I have some business to take care of,” Ink told Betsy the next morning. He’d managed to get several bites of scrambled eggs and toast into her which he was counting as a win, even if it was less than a toddler would eat.
Maybe he needed to speak to Hack about some supplements.
“Okay, Daddy,” she said worriedly.
She was looking far better than she had yesterday, but he’d noticed the slow way she was moving around and knew she had to be stiff and sore. She was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt with a picture of Dumbo on the front as well as a pair of fuzzy, striped socks. All stuff he’d bought for her. He liked providing for her.
He’d just finished brushing her hair and she looked freaking adorable.
Man, you got to stop using that word.
“Do I come with you?” Her hands moved together nervously.
“I’d rather you stayed here until we’re certain that you’re safe. I know it’s not easy to stay in here, but I promise we’ll work as fast as we can.”
She shook her head. “It’s fine. I mostly stayed in my room at Forrest’s house. I wasn’t able to go anywhere. I haven’t had my hair cut in months.” She fingered the long strands.
He hated to do anything that might remind her of her time with that asshole.
“It won’t be forever, I promise. And I have a way to make the time go a bit faster.”
“How?”
“I’ve asked Duke and Sunny to come over. Do you remember Duke from the hotel room?” He winced at bringing up the memory.
“Yes,” she said quietly. “He’s a member of the Iron Shadows, right?”
“Yeah, he’s like a brother to me. Reyes, the other guy, he’s the President.”
“And who is Sunny?”
“Sunny is his woman. And his Little. She’s going to stay in here with you while Duke helps me.”
“Oh.”
“You don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with,” he told her hastily. “But Brody has been studying what was on the pen drive and I need to go see what’s going on. I thought some company might help. The two of you can just sit and watch television if that’s what you want.”
“All right,” she said quietly. “They don’t have to be at work?”
“Duke owns a tattoo parlor and Sunny works for him. The shop doesn’t open until later on this afternoon. If it helps, Sunny is looking forward to meeting you.”
“She knows about how we met?”
“She does. She was there after I found the note. She was the one who thought you might be in trouble and needed help. She also knows about how Forrest threatened to hurt your sons. Sunny is a sweetheart. She’s very kind. I think you’ll like each other.”
“What did you find?” he barked at Brody as he entered the tech guy’s office. Duke shut the door after he entered to give them some privacy.
They’d introduced the girls and left them playing with the bracelet-making set that Sunny had brought over. He didn’t like being apart from Betsy. It grated at him, even when he was still in the same building as her. It was over-the-top and he figured it was because he’d nearly lost her.
Although he had a feeling he’d always need to keep her close.
Reyes’ plans to keep any woman of his in a bunker, safe and secured from the world, suddenly didn’t seem so insane.