Chapter 14
Cash spat the coffee out into the sink. “Christ, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted worse coffee in my life.”
Addie let out a small giggle, which surprised him. Turning, he gazed down at her. She looked so small on the sofa.
They’d found a blanket to wrap around her, and she had her backpack sitting on her lap.
He knew that her toy was inside her backpack, but she didn’t seem inclined to get him out.
Cash guessed that he couldn’t blame her.
There was no way for her to know that no one here would blink twice at her cuddling a stuffed toy.
Should he mention that to her? Should he tell her about Livvy? And about his own sister, Greer, and how they were both Littles with Daddies of their own? That a lot of the people working at Callahan Security were Daddies and wouldn’t say a thing?
That he was a Daddy?
Perhaps this wasn’t quite the right time. She looked like she was about to keel over, and he had to find a way to get her to sleep.
“Can I try?” she asked in a small whisper.
He couldn’t help but feel satisfied that she spoke when it was just the two of them. That had to mean she felt more at ease with him than anyone else. Well, maybe Ralen.
She’d completely given up talking while in the meeting room with the others, using the tablet instead. But he guessed her stress and anxiety were high.
“Nope,” he told her. “That stuff will take your stomach lining off. Besides, you don’t need caffeine, Stowaway. You need sleep.”
There were dark marks under her eyes, and her cheeks looked even more sunken, as though she’d lost weight in just the few hours since he’d met her.
“Can’t sleep. Sisters.” Her voice was so low that it was almost a struggle to hear her.
Walking over, he sat on the sofa next to her. They’d grabbed a pillow out of the safe room for her to use, and he had also picked up the paper and pens.
She’d written a few things about this guy but she didn’t have much. Hopefully Brody found some camera footage. Then there was Monroe’s husband. She’d given them a name and that was about all she knew.
What kind of asshole married someone and then just ditched them the next morning, disappearing into thin air?
Bizarre.
“Is there anything I can do to help you sleep, Stowaway?” he asked.
She shrugged, looking slightly bewildered. Moving on instinct, he slid back into the corner of the sofa and lifted her into his lap, holding her tight.
“How about if I get your toy out and hold you like this, do you think you’ll sleep then?” he asked.
She shook her head, but he wasn’t so sure. Her eyes looked very heavy, and she seemed awfully sleepy.
“Why don’t we give it a try?” he suggested. “You know, you haven’t told me the name of your tiger.”
“Snaggles,” she said. “But I don’t need him.”
Hmm. She was definitely lying to him and he had to resist the urge to tell her that she should never do that.
“Because you’re worried about what someone might think of you? I wouldn’t worry. My sister, Greer, has a toy worm called Wally. I made it for her when we were kids. You give it your worries and it eats them.”
She stared up at him with wide eyes. “You made it?”
“Yeah. I’m surprised it hasn’t fallen apart by now. You don’t have to worry about people judging you here for your needs. I wouldn’t allow it for a start. No one will harm you while I’m around.”
Was that too much? The look on her face was dazed and he thought he’d probably gone too far. He cleared his throat. “You just do what you need to do to take care of yourself.”
Slowly, she nodded. Cash grabbed her backpack, pulling Snaggles out. He handed the toy over to her, and she hugged him tight, a look of relief filling her face.
“Good girl. Now just lie there and relax. Okay? Close your eyes. I’m going to tell you a story my mom used to tell me when I was having trouble getting to sleep. It’s called Lullaby Hill. Once there was a boy who couldn’t sleep, and so his mom took him to Lullaby Hill.”
He continued to tell the story in a quiet voice as he placed the blanket around her and rocked her back and forth.
Very soon, she had drifted off to sleep, and he stilled. Shifting her slightly, he managed to get his phone from his back pocket and sent a message to Ink to let him know that she was asleep in the staff room.
Cash stared down at her. He should put her down, distance himself a bit. There was just something about her that tugged at his Daddy instincts. The more he took care of her, the more settled and in control he felt.
As long as he remembered that she wasn’t his.