Chapter 11
Eleven
Blade
I need to explain myself to June, but there’s too much going on. It will have to wait. Mace shows up as soon as she finishes eating.
“How are you feeling, June?” he asks as he sets a brand-new computer and phone on the island.
“I wish I could say I felt better, but that would be a lie,” she says. “Apparently I’m supposed to feel worse a few days after being assaulted.”
Mace winces. “Yeah. That’s true. I wish I didn’t know that firsthand, but I’ve had my ass kicked a few times. I always felt worse on the second day. Plus, that broken arm—it’s got to be throbbing.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who could say they’ve been in numerous fights. Should I be scared?” She’s half joking.
Mace chuckles. “Nope. Not you. Plus, I assume you’re not planning to join the Army soon.”
She cringes. “Not a chance.”
“Sticky situations sometimes call for hand-to-hand combat in war zones.” He glances at me.
I know what he’s thinking. Sometimes, Seattle becomes a war zone in our line of work. But she doesn’t need to know that.
She turns to me. “How many fights have you been in?”
I won’t lie to her. “More than I can count, Little one. Always in the name of good over evil, though. Not because I’m a dick or lost my temper with someone who didn’t deserve it. You’ll never see that side of me unless your ex or anyone else tries to harm you while I’m in the vicinity.”
I’m hoping that doesn’t happen. I intend to verify Pete was behind the break-in at her apartment, track that fucker down, and put an end to his harassment. Permanently. I won’t have my Little girl living in fear.
I pick up the new phone and grab hers from the island.
It takes me a minute to transfer several numbers that she might need, and then I hand it to her.
“If there are other contacts you want to move to this phone, I just ask that you’re selective so your ex doesn’t catch on.
I’ll monitor the old one and let you know if anything comes up. Okay?”
“Yes. Thank you for doing this for me.” She takes it. “Yikes. This is high-tech. It will take me two days to learn how to use it. A simple burner would be sufficient.”
Mace laughs. “I think Blade would slap me upside the head if I brought you anything basic, June.” He opens the laptop next and spins it to face her. “I got you all set up here. You can add your own password. I used your name for now, June period Brien, but you should change it.”
“Thank you.” She fingers the keys. “This is more high-tech than the phone. I’m scared to touch it.”
I step closer to her on her other side, stroke her hair, and tip her head back. “Don’t fret over this, Little one. It’s just a computer. We don’t keep things around the office that aren’t top-of-the-line.”
“But…”
“No buts.”
She sighs. “Fine.”
I bend down and kiss her, not giving a single fuck that Mace is watching. “Sassy girl.”
She leans into me.
Mace clears his throat. “I’ll head back downstairs. I think Cannon is coming up soon.”
“I figured.” I keep a hand on June and meet her gaze. “How about we get you moved over to the table so you can familiarize yourself with the computer before your class starts.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re still afraid I’ll fall off this stool, aren’t you?”
I lift her off said stool and set her on her feet. “Definitely, Miss Sassy.” I give her bottom a gentle swat and nod toward the table before carrying the laptop and phone over for her.
After pulling out the chair and pushing it in for her when she sits, I tip her head back again. “I’m going to walk Mace to the elevator. Stay put, naughty girl.”
Another eye roll. “So bossy.”
Mace laughs as he looks at me. “She has no idea.”
“Ha ha.” I join Mace and follow him out of the apartment, closing the door behind me so we can talk on the landing.
“How’s she doing?” Mace asks.
“As good as can be expected.”
“Cannon filled me in. I assume we’ll be hunting down the giant dickhead soon.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve already started my search. He wasn’t hard to find. I have an address.”
“Good. I figured that might be the case. I’d rather not ask June where they were living. The less she knows, the better. It’s possible he’s still in the same house, but he could have moved. It’s been three years since she escaped his abuse.”
Mace nods. “I’ll get more details and see if he hired someone to toss her apartment. Cannon hasn’t pulled any prints that aren’t yours or hers so far. Hers were obvious.”
“Didn’t figure he would. All the more likely that her ex wasn’t the one who broke in. Probably hired someone to either take her or scare the fuck out of her. I’m just damn glad she wasn’t home at the time.”
“Smart girl.” Mace gives my shoulder a squeeze before he steps into the elevator. “So happy for you.”
I smile. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. It’s a new feeling. Happiness.
I wouldn’t have described myself as unhappy before. I was living. I have a good life. I love my job. Business is booming. I have a great team that’s constantly growing as our clients increase. But was I truly happy? No. I realize that now. One glance at June and my world came into focus.
When I step back into the apartment, I find June focused on the computer. She’s trying to maneuver the mouse with her broken arm. Her brow is furrowed. It tugs at my heartstrings.
I hurry over and pull up a chair next to her. “Honey, that has to hurt.”
She blows out a breath. “Yes, but I tried the other hand, and my brain wouldn’t communicate with my left hand. Let’s face it. I’m not ambidextrous. This is going to be a pain in the ass.”
I slide my hand up her back and rub her neck. “I’ll help you. Every step of the way. Okay?”
She sighs and leans into me. “I don’t like being helpless. I keep thinking if I were at home, I would still be sitting on my bed, probably needing to pee and having had nothing to eat or drink because it’s too much work.”
I kiss the top of her head. “I’m so fucking glad you came to me. For a million reasons. You’re here now. I’m going to do everything I can to make your life easier while you heal and afterward. Don’t fight me on this, Little one.”
She nods and lowers her head to my chest but says nothing. She’s barely breathing. I suspect she’s holding back tears.
I lower her broken arm to her lap and take the mouse. “Tell me what you need me to pull up to get you logged in for your class.”
I hold her close while she pulls herself together, letting her catch her breath and sniffle for a few minutes. I get it. No one likes to be needy. It will take her some time to accept my hovering and need to help. She’s strong and has been independent for three years.
What June doesn’t know is that I want to be the sort of man who takes care of her the way I’m doing now, even after her arm is healed and her body stops hurting. I hope we will develop a new normal for her that doesn’t end just because she’s back to full health.
I want my girl to be capable of taking care of herself so that she feels empowered, but at the same time, I want her to turn her care over to me because she finds she enjoys my type of dominance and the power exchange that comes with it.
Finally, she directs me to the site she needs. I help her open her email and type a few outgoing messages to her clients. She’d be henpecking for an hour to do this. It takes me minutes.
She glances at the time. “I should comb my hair and…” She inhales. “I guess makeup is out of the question.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think to grab that kind of thing from your bathroom. It wasn’t on my radar. I did snag your shower items, though. At least you won’t have to smell like me next time I give you a bath.”
She shudders. “I can’t believe you did that. It’s surreal. The thought of you doing it again is just…”
I tip her chin back. “It’s going to happen, Little one. Every day.”
She inhales deeply. “Weird…”
I chuckle. She’ll come around. I’m certain of it. I just hope she can handle what I’m going to tell her later tonight after her class.
I stand. “Sit tight. I’ll grab a brush and smooth out your hair. Do you want me to pull it back in a ponytail or braid it?”
She stares at me. “You’re joking, right?”
“Nope. It’s been a while since I styled hair, but surely it’s like riding a bike.” I wink at her.
“I don’t even know how to process that. So many questions.”
I grin and leave her wondering while I go get her brush.
When I return, I stand behind her and gently brush out her hair, loving how she keeps her eyes closed and softly purrs the entire time. She likes it when I brush her hair. I’m glad. I enjoy it, too.
“How’s that?” The screen on the laptop has gone black, which turns it into a mirror. I point at it.
She smiles. “Thank you, Blade.”
“Anything else? Even if I had grabbed makeup for you, I draw the line at putting mascara on a woman,” I tease. “And after seeing how pitiful you are with your left hand, I wouldn’t let you go near a mascara wand. You’d probably end up in the emergency room with a scratched cornea.”
“Aren’t you witty?”
“That’s not witty. I’m being serious.” I lean over and kiss her temple. “Besides, you don’t need makeup. You’re gorgeous without it.”
“You’ve never seen me with it. I wasn’t even wearing any when I was attacked. Thank goodness. I can’t imagine having had to wash it off.”
“Well, see? I fell hard for you when you weren’t wearing any. That means you don’t need any.”
She laughs. “Maybe I’m a bombshell when I’m all fixed up.”
“You’re a bombshell all the time, honey.” I leave her with that compliment to return her brush to the bathroom.
When I get back, she’s using one finger to work the pad on the laptop. That should be easier for her than maneuvering the mouse.
“Do you want anything to eat or drink before your session, Little one?”
“No. I’m good. I’m usually famished afterward, though. I get intense when I teach.”
“I’ll have something ready for you then. What would you like?”
She taps her lips. “Could we get pizza?”
“Of course.”
“I have cash in my purse.” She points toward the counter where her purse still sits from this morning.
My brows lift. We’ll need to have a little chat about who pays for things in this relationship. “I’ve got it, June. What toppings do you like on it?”
She scrunches up her face. “Cheese.”
“No problem. Any particular chain you prefer? There’s a great place a few blocks from here I sometimes order from. It’s not a chain.”
“I’m not picky about where it’s from.”
“Okay, I’ll place the order about half an hour before your class ends.”
“Thank you.” She stares at me, smiling.
I hope she’s happy. I want her to be happy. I want to see her smile every single day for the rest of my life. A genuine happiness that reaches her soul.
Her life has been difficult for six years. That’s over. I never want her to struggle and fear again.
I just hope she’s open-minded enough to hear me out when I explain my preferred kink. It might take a while for her to realize it, but June is Little. She just doesn’t know it. She might balk, but I’ll get her to see I’m right.