“Yes, of course. Everything okay?”
“Yes. I just got word they caught the guy. Eve is shaken up. I’m going to take her home. She’ll be at the seminar in the morning.”
Her boss stands. “Of course. Yes. Take her home. I’m sure that’s a relief and stressful at the same time. Tell her we’ll see her tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” I hurry back to Eve, finding her organizing her desk. She grabs her purse. “Ready?” I ask her.
“Yes. I think so.”
I set a hand on the small of her back when she joins me and we leave without saying anything to anyone else. A few people look up, but they seem to wisely know now isn’t a great time to chat.
It’s not until we’re in the SUV and pulling away from the parking lot that Eve loses it. She tugs a pile of tissues from her purse, but they won’t be enough judging by how hard she’s crying.
I’m helpless. All I can do until we get to her apartment is grip her thigh. She’s using both hands to wipe her cheeks and dab at her eyes.
It seems like it takes ten years to get to her place and another decade to get inside from the car. I note that her stalker is not around, but then again he wouldn’t expect her to be returning from work at this hour of the day.
I also know he didn’t follow us from her office. He wasn’t lurking around the office building. And no one is capable of tailing me. I’ve got a sixth sense when it comes to being tailed.
As soon as we’re inside, I take her purse and toss it and her keys on the end table before lifting her off the floor and carrying her to her room. I head straight for her master bathroom where I carefully strip her work clothes off. Everything. It always has to be everything because she owns the sexiest bra and thong sets I’ve ever seen, and neither suits her little.
I know she needs to be in her little space right now.
“Don’t move,” I tell her and leave her there shivering while I rush back into her room and grab white panties and a pale blue T-shirt that says Spoiled Rotten on it in white letters.
She doesn’t protest or fight me as I pull the shirt over her head and help her step into the panties. When I’m done, I lead her closer to the vanity and help her remove her makeup. Mascara is running down her face. I’ve watched her remove it enough times to know which bottle to grab and where she keeps the little flat cotton circles. I douse the cotton with the remover and gently wipe the rest of the makeup off her face.
When I’m done, I take her bun down and brush out her hair. I don’t feel like taking the time to braid it or put it in pigtails right now, so I leave it long and wavy as I sweep her off her feet and cradle her.
I consider putting her to bed so she can sleep off the hysteria, but I don’t want to release her, so I carry her to the armchair we often sit in in the living room, drop down with her on my lap, and tug the throw blanket from behind me around to my front.
I tuck it all around her trembling body and hold her close, kissing the top of her head every once in a while. She cries for a long time while I say nothing. She’s been through a lot. I can’t imagine how stressful it’s been for her to keep up with her job, maintain her little, and start a new relationship with a man who knew nothing about her lifestyle two weeks ago.
When she finally wears herself out, she burrows deeper against me and falls asleep.
I feel beyond privileged to be the man she trusts enough to let me take the reins and hold her through this. The Dom. The Daddy. Whatever she needs, it’s hers. I’m helpless. All I can do is stroke her hair while she relaxes. I have nothing else to offer her. Literally.
The sun is dipping in the sky when she rouses. She startles and lifts her face, rubbing her eyes. “I fell asleep,” she murmurs.
I smile. “Yes, you did. You were exhausted. You needed it.”
“I don’t know why I got so emotional. I mean you told me the best news in the world and I cried like a baby.”
I kiss her forehead. “It’s not unusual, baby. You’ve been worried for two weeks. The relief when trauma is finally over has a letdown involved that’s not much different from the subspace you go to after a spanking.”
She nods. “That kind of makes sense.”
“Are you hungry?”
She shrugs and leans her head on my shoulder again, her arms tight around me. “You’re going to leave,” she whispers so softly I can hardly hear her.
I rub her back, my chest tightening. “Well, not today. Unless you want me to.” I stiffen, not moving.
She shakes her head. “No. Please, Daddy.”
I lick my lips. “I’m all yours for the weekend.”
“I have that seminar.”
“That’s okay. It’s only for six hours. I’ll drive you and pick you up. The rest of the weekend, you’re mine.” I don’t know what else to say. I’m as lost as she is. I can’t imagine leaving her. I’ve been here two weeks, and already her place feels more like a home to me than my own dreary apartment with very little furniture and nothing personal. All I needed when I got it was a place to sleep in between cases. I’m not home enough days a month to warrant anything fancier.
“How about we order pizza and watch a movie?”
She nods against me. “Can I pick
