Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“Yeah, and anything you need we’ll provide for you,” Slade told her.
“You guys can’t do that,” she said.
“Why not?” Spencer asked. “It’s the very least we can do.”
Ahh. They were doing it out of guilt. That made sense.
“I never wanted your money. I’ve only ever wanted you guys. I mean . . . as friends.”
Wow. Awkward, much?
“If you could have anything you wanted right now, what would it be?” Slade asked.
“To stop worrying,” she said immediately, without thought. “That’s impossible, though, right? There’s no way to stop worrying. To stop everything going over and over in my head until it makes me feel ill. Thinking about Billy and whether he’s still out there looking for me, worrying about Button and if she or he is all right and growing properly and that they’re not being affected by all the stress I’ve been under. Thinking about the future and where I’ll live and how I’ll afford anything. And . . . ” she trailed off.
Okay. She really needed to stop talking because the guys looked like they might snap at any moment.
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Slade told her. “We will take away all of your worries.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Is it?” Slade replied. “I bet you wouldn’t worry about any of those things if you were in Little headspace.”
And now she was bright red.
Holy. Heck.
Where was the freaking numb when she needed it, huh? It had deserted her. Leaving her wide open to embarrassment.
“What makes you think I’m a Little?”
“Lots of things,” Spencer said. “But mostly because you are.”
Right. Made total sense.
“We all saw the longing and interest on your face when Maggie used to visit the Littles room. How you’d peek in. And we’ve seen glimpses of your Little,” Slade told her.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Spencer added.
No. She wasn’t ashamed. Maybe slightly concerned she hadn’t hidden her desires as well as she’d thought.
But could she trust them with her Little? What if they hurt her? She bit her lip.
“It’s all right if you’re not ready.” Spencer told her. “Just know when you’re ready, we’re here for you.”
“And anything you need we’ll get you,” Slade added firmly. “Including moving into a new place if this one makes you uncomfortable.”
“Please don’t. I think moving would be more stress than I need right now.”
They all nodded.
Surprise filled her at their easy agreement.
“But you will let us provide what you need,” Slade told her.
Part of her wanted to agree because she really wasn’t sure how to do it all on her own. But another part didn’t want to rely on them that much.
“Stop worrying. We just want to look after our girl,” Slade told her.
Their girl.
That was something she wished she was, but knew she never truly would be.
Not in the way she wanted anyway.
32
Slade looked around the café with a frown.
How the fuck had he let her talk him into this?
He glanced over at Rock who was staring at everyone suspiciously. As though he thought one of them was going to get up and attack their girl.
Yeah. They should never have agreed to this. But Slade was struggling to deny Indie anything at the moment. She could have asked him for his share in their businesses and his car and he’d have handed both over without a word.
But he had to temper his need to make her smile with her health and safety.
Which is why they wouldn’t be staying long. Just long enough for her to tell her boss in person that she wouldn’t be back and then they were leaving.
She should still be in bed. She was pale and moving slowly. And she looked even tinier than usual in Spencer’s coat with the scarf Quaid had bought her wrapped around her neck.
When they’d discovered that she didn’t actually have a winter coat, he’d nearly lost it. The only coat she’d owned had been destroyed by Billy.
Quaid and Shepherd needed to hurry the fuck up and find that bastard. Slade didn’t want him breathing the same air as their girl.
They needed to get her a whole new wardrobe. That’s what Spencer was doing back at the penthouse. They should have realized she’d be worried about money and how she was going to pay for everything for the baby. And they’d have to sort out a nursery.
And a playroom for their girl.
Slade understood that she couldn’t trust them with her Little yet. They had her in their home and under their protection. Safe from Billy.
That was the most important thing.
Everything else would come eventually.
He just had to be patient. Something he wasn’t very good at.
“Indie!” A good-looking guy stepped out of the kitchens and walked toward their girl with his arms spread wide.
Without a noise, Rock stepped between the two of them, protecting their girl.
Satisfaction filled Slade. When he was younger, he never would have contemplated sharing a girl with his friends. He’d have been too jealous.