Chapter 28
TINLEY
“Why don’t you start with the stuff in the drawer and as soon as I’m finished, I’ll help you with your stuff.”
I blinked and my eyes came into focus.
“Wh-where are y-you going?” I whimpered.
“Pittsburgh, of course.” He closed his suitcase and zipped it up. “You want to pack your slippers or wear them?”
I looked down at my feet. They never ceased to make me smile.
“You’ll look funny walking around the train station like that, but if you don’t mind…”
“You’re coming with me?”
Josh sat on the bed.
“Of course.” He pulled me in between his legs.
“You’re not getting rid of me?” I felt the tears coming down my cheeks.
“Oh. Sweet T, why are you crying?” He wiped the tears from beneath my eyes. “Of course I’m coming with you. I can’t very well keep my promise if I’m not by your side.”
A swell of emotions overtook me. I grabbed onto Josh to avoid falling to the ground. He scooped me up into his arms and sat me on his lap.
“Please don’t ever leave me,” I whispered and held him tight.
“You’re stuck with me until you tell me to leave.” Josh nuzzled my neck. His arms squeezed me against him.
We held each other until our hearts calmed and our breaths synced. I leaned back and looked into his eyes.
“I don’t want to go back to Pittsburgh.” I played with the collar of his shirt. “I mean, maybe someday. I guess I have to deal with some stuff there, but not now. And not with her.”
Josh blinked away his own tears and instead of speaking, pulled me close to him.
“You want me to tell her.” He ran a hand down my spine. It sent a chill through my body and woke up all my senses. He cupped my bottom and tapped it. Reminding me of the spanking from last night and more to come in my future.
“No, Daddy.” I blinked. “Daddy. I called you Daddy. It just sort of came out.” I peeked up at him. “Is that okay?”
“It’s more than okay.” He grinned and kissed me.
A squeak came from the direction of the door.
We both turned to find Rayna stooping down, the top of her head and eyes peeking around the corner.
“Rayna,” Josh called her, and she squeaked again. “Get in here.”
She sighed and stood up.
“Hey.” She walked in as if she hadn’t been caught snooping. She had tears in her eyes. “What’s up?” she asked. Her eyes grew wide.
“What are you doing?” I slid off Josh’s lap.
“You’re not going to Pittsburgh with her, are you?” Rayna bit her lip. “I mean, if you must, okay, but I hope you don’t because I have to show you around Vegas. It’s my city and I have to show you the ropes.”
“Rayna.” Josh rubbed his chin. “You’ve been to Vegas once.”
“But I’ve been doing my research, and someone has to show Tinley around.” Rayna winked at me.
“No, I’m not going with her.”
“Yea!” Rayna yelled and jumped up and down.
“You really are not good at this ninja stuff.” Josh chuckled.
“Daddddy.” I tapped him on the chest. “She’s just a little Ninja. What do you expect?”
We all giggled.
“Rayna!” Kyler came stomping down the hall. “I sent you upstairs. How did you get down here?”
Rayna’s eyes dropped to the floor.
“I told you the secret passage was only for emergencies.” He stood with his hands on his hips.
“This was an emergency, Daddy.” Rayna stood in front of him. “I had to make sure Tinley wasn’t leaving us.”
I expected him to reprimand her or protest, but he turned his attention to me instead.
“Well?” He growled.
“Uhm.” I shrank back into Josh’s arms. “I’m staying.”
A smile crept up the side of his mouth. I spotted it for a second, but it disappeared quickly.
“Now that it’s all settled” —he picked Rayna up— “I think this one here needs a nap. I want to be wheels up to Vegas by seven p.m.” He didn’t wait for an answer.
They disappeared the same way Rayna had come from.
“I’m going to talk to Charlotte and then I think I might need a nap with my Daddy, too.”
Josh kissed the side of my neck and then pushed me forward with a smack on my bottom.
“Hey.” I rubbed the sting away. “Will you come with me?” I held my hand out. He took it and followed me into the living room.
Charlotte stood near the fireplace, studying the photos.
“You packed?”
“Charlotte.” I sat on the couch and patted the seat next to me. “I’m going to stay with Josh.”
She shifted to the side.
I looked over at Josh. He gave me a reassuring nod.
“It’s really important for me to be in a space where I feel safe and for me right now it’s with him.” I grabbed her arm, but she pulled it away.
“You don’t even know these people.” Her lips curled up in a snarl. “You have to come back to Pittsburgh. Everyone wants to see you and make sure you’re okay. I planned—”
“Planned what?” I asked.
“Uhm.” She shrugged. “Just everyone wants to make sure you’re okay and you’re back. The news is anxious for your story and a few podcasts have reached out to get you to share your ordeal.” She made quotation marks with her fingers.
I was taken aback. I blinked and sat back.
“Podcast.” I smirked. “I’m not going on any podcast.”
“Or I thought we could start one ourselves.” Charlotte grabbed my arms, but I pulled away. “There’s so much money in it and your story is like the hottest topic.”
“Charlotte.” I stood. “I think you need to leave.” I walked over to Josh. I sat on his knee and shook my head.
“But we need to talk about this more.” She stood. “You have no idea what I’ve been through these last years. You need to help me out. I have lost my sister because of you.” She stood in front of me. “You owe me.”
That sounded more like the Charlotte I remembered.
“That’s enough.” Josh stood between us. “Charlotte. Get out of my house before I have you removed.” Josh added a Kyler-style growl for emphasis.
It was super sexy.
Charlotte opened her mouth but closed it when she looked up at Josh.
“Fine.” She grabbed her coat and headed toward the door. “This isn’t over. You have to come home sometime.” She looked back once and then left.
The door slammed behind her. I fell into Josh’s arms.
“Baby, I’m so sorry.” I shrugged.
“Don’t be.” I grabbed his hand. “Come on.”
I headed toward the bedroom. Josh wouldn’t budge.
“Where are we going?”
I turned back to him and gave him my sultry grin. “It’s nap time.”
“Oh, I’m so glad my little girl is so fond of nap time.” He chuckled.
“It’s my favorite.” I giggled.
“Oh really?” Josh scooped me up in his arms and carried me into the room.
“Yep.” He set me down on the bed and I pulled him down with me. “As long as I get to nap time with Daddy” —he interrupted me with a kiss— “it’s my favorite.”
“I love you, Tinley.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”