Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Throughout the night, he’d checked in on her. She’d wandered away from the couch to grab snacks several times and use the bathroom. When she grew tired of movies, Carina had taken a long bubble bath before returning to the living room to wait for him. He’d ignited the fireplace for her when she’d shivered in the thin robe she’d selected afterward and made a note for himself to get her something warmer. He did not wish for his Little girl to catch a cold.
Arriving home early in the morning hours, Marcus found her sleeping soundly. Her sweet face relaxed in sleep delighted his heart, while the creamy flesh revealed by her robe stirred other parts of his anatomy. Unwilling to wake her, Marcus fixed himself a drink to unwind.
When a log in the fireplace snapped loudly, Carina roused and glanced around. She smiled at him upon spotting him seated in a chair by the fireplace where he sipped a drink. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she sat up from the couch and adjusted the silky robe to cover herself.
“Daddy, I didn’t hear you come in. I must have fallen asleep after my bath. I wanted to stay awake for you. Is everything okay? Are you all right?”
Marcus placed his drink on the table next to the chair and crossed the short distance to join her on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her onto his lap. After a quick hug and kiss, he looked deeply into Carina’s eyes.
“All is perfectly fine for now, Little girl.”
“For now, Daddy? Does that mean something else is coming?”
Marcus chose to tell her the truth. “The man who tried to kidnap you and cause problems at Nightfall does not strike me as someone who can let things be. Tonight, everything was calm at the club. But my guess is Costa will return soon. I need to safeguard you from harm.”
After hugging Marcus and kissing his cheek, Carina shifted to meet his gaze directly. “You’ll always protect me, Daddy.”
“I would give my life for yours, Little girl. But Costa is watching and waiting. He has only to find one weak moment when we are not together. We can never relax our guard.” A stern tone edged into his voice. “And you can never fail to follow my directions. You mean far too much to me to take that risk. I want you safe, with me… forever.” Under his fingertips, a tingle ran up her spine as she absorbed his warning. He hoped the seriousness of his words registered permanently with her.
“I said I was sorry, Daddy. I won’t do that again,” Carina reminded him. Her pouting lip warned him she was unhappy he’d brought up her poor choice to run.
“I don’t think you would choose to disobey purposefully. But what if a friend called and needed you? Or you wrenched your ankle and couldn’t make it to our arranged meeting spot on time? A million unlucky events could happen spontaneously to put you at risk.”
“I don’t want to check over my shoulder for the rest of my life. Isn’t there something we could do? Take Costa out?”
“That is easily done. However, someone would step into his place.”
“But if you turned me, I could kick anyone’s ass,” she told him bravely. “And we could be together forever. I thought about this all night.”
“That is a solution. What did you decide, Little girl?”
“I need you to tell me the bad part again. I already know the good. I missed you a lot tonight. If I became a vampire, I’d get to spend forever with you.”
“I’m glad I’m in your positive column,” he teased her before stroking his hand down her arm to link his fingers with hers.
“You would need to give up everything in your present-day world to embrace a completely different life. You would leave behind friends, family, career, possessions.”
Carina lifted her chin defiantly. “But I’d be with you? Forever?”
Marcus held her gaze for the briefest of moments. “Yes. You would be mine for many years. I have waited to find you for eons. Letting you go would tear my heart out, but the decision must be yours. I will not end your present existence to live in my world unless it is truly what you desire.”
Carina opened her mouth to respond, but Marcus placed a finger over her lips to close them before she could utter a sound. “We don’t need to rush into anything, Little girl. Breathe. Think. Ask your questions.”
Carina did as he requested and closed her eyes to center herself. She inhaled and exhaled slowly twice before meeting his gaze again. Then she blurted, “Will it hurt?” as if that idea popped back into her head.
Marcus smiled to reassure her. “A bit, but I will do all I can to make it as painless as possible and help you through your transition. I cannot lie to you and assure you it will be totally comfortable.”