Chapter 29 #2
In another lifetime, with a different upbringing, she might have pursued Cash. Have chosen him as her Daddy.
But not this lifetime.
“Why do you look so sad? I take care of the things that belong to me.”
Hmm. That was enough of that. She narrowed her gaze at him as she typed on his phone.
“I do not belong to you.”
“I think I’ve already explained that you do. While you’re here, you to belong to me. And I’m going to take care of you. Get used to it.”
Get used to it? Could he hear himself right now?
“You’re an arrogant man, Cash Savage.”
He smirked at her. “I appreciate the compliment.”
Grr.
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
“Sure it was.” He bopped her on the nose. Again.
What was with all the nose bopping? The man was losing his mind!
He stood and held out his hand.
“This conversation isn’t over,” she told him.
“I should think not. We haven’t talked about the rules you’ll need to follow and the consequences that will occur if you break them.”
This wasn’t happening.
Was he having some sort of strange stroke? Where he thought that he was someone else?
Someone that she had to listen to and obey?
Um. She really didn’t think so. He must have gotten sick of waiting for her to stand, because he picked her up, holding her against his chest like a . . . like a baby.
Oh God.
A rush of happiness made her go slightly lightheaded and she buried her face into his chest. She should protest, but there was no way that she could type right now. And it wasn’t like she could fight her way free.
He had a hundred pounds on her and a lot more muscle.
At least that’s what she told herself, anyway. She could have attempted to free herself.
But why bother?
The man obviously wanted to hold her. He carried her into the house as though she weighed nothing.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “See what happens when you obey me? When you let me make the decisions? It feels good, doesn’t it?”
God. She should really protest that. Did he seriously think that having him make decisions made her feel good? That obeying him made her go all soft and gooey?
Because if he did think that then he’d be very, very right.
And she was in very big trouble.
“First rule,” he told her. “No going outside the house without permission.”
Permission? Right. That was going too far! She leaned back to look up at him, giving him a stern look.
He was grinning. So he was joking.
Of course that wasn’t a rule. This whole thing was probably a joke to him.
And that should make her feel relieved, not sad.
Was she a joke? She hated to think so. She wanted to think better of him.
But sometimes she felt like she was the biggest joke of all.
His grin faded and he started to frown as he stared down at her. His mouth opened as though he was going to say something.
“Addie?” Dotty said suddenly and Cash’s mouth snapped shut.
She stiffened. Shoot. Why hadn’t she considered the fact that other people might be awake?
What was her sister going to think of her being carried around by Cash?
“What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself? Are you ill?” Dotty asked.
Ah, so that’s what she thought had happened, not that she and Cash were intimately embracing or something.
That would just be stupid, right?
“She was outside in the cold,” Cash said. “Figured that wouldn’t be good for her throat. Plus, she shouldn’t be out there on her own.”
“No, she shouldn’t,” Dotty said. “What were you doing out there, Addie? What if someone saw you?”
Cash put her down on the sofa, and Addie hunched her shoulders.
It had been really stupid. And she shouldn’t be causing her sisters any more worry than they already had.
“Addie, you have to be more careful,” Dotty said. “No one knew you were out there. What if something had happened? And Cash is right about your throat. Is it still hurting?”
“I’ve already had a talk with her about going outside on her own,” Cash said firmly. “She doesn’t need to be scolded anymore.”
Addie stared up at him in amazement. She didn’t need him to stand up to her sister for her, but it made her feel good inside that he had.
Dotty gaped at him. She wasn’t used to anyone talking back like that.
“Right,” Dotty said. “Of course. Shoot. Sorry, Addie. I didn’t mean to come at you.” She glanced over at Butch who was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee.
Addie wasn’t used to her sister apologizing like that. And for a moment, she just stared at her.
“All good. I shouldn’t have gone out,” she rasped.
“Stop talking.” Cash pointed at her sternly. “Another rule, no talking until your throat stops hurting.”
Her mouth dropped open. Was he insane?
She thought the rules were just a joke, and now he was saying them in front of other people? Was he trying to embarrass her or something?
Humiliate her?
“Rules?” Dotty asked. “What rules?”
“To keep you safe,” Butch said, as he stared firmly at her older sister. “You didn’t think that there would be no rules, right?”
Oh. These were rules for all of them? That made her feel better.
Dotty huffed. “Well, of course there are rules to keep us safe. We’re not idiots. We will follow those.”
“Good to hear,” Butch said dryly. “Because there’s always consequences if you break the rules.” He and Dotty glared at one another.
Why did it feel like they’d been arguing before she and Cash had come in?
“Everything all right between you two?” Cash asked.
“Yes,” Dotty snapped, right as Butch said, “No.”
There was definitely something going on between the two of them. They were probably butting heads. Not everyone understood Dotty.
“I’m going to go have a shower and then try to get some work done. I need to explain to the partners in my law firm why I’m not back. Why I’m stuck here in a house in Billings, Montana!” Dotty grumbled.
“I’m so sorry, Dotty,” Monroe said, stepping into the room. She had a blanket wrapped around her and came to sit by Addie on the sofa. “This is all my fault. Maybe the two of you could go home. You should be safe. It’s just me they want, right?”
Dotty looked stricken for a moment, and Butch’s eyes narrowed before his face cleared of expression.
“None of this is your fault,” Dotty reassured her. “It’s all due to that asshole man you married.”
“Yeah, but I was the one that married a perfect stranger. And I insisted on coming here to find him.” Monroe looked miserable.
“And we’re not leaving you,” Addie told her, reaching out to wrap her arm around Monroe’s shoulders.
“Stop talking,” Cash said. “Last warning or you’ll find yourself in trouble, little girl.”
“Last warning?” Monroe asked. “What does that mean?”
Dotty put her hands on her hips. “Yes. What does that mean? What kind of trouble? And why are you calling her ‘little girl’?”
Her sisters knew she was a Little. And they might even realize that he was threatening to punish her. Ralen, who had just stepped into the room, gave her a knowing look so she knew he got it.
Why had Cash said that? To embarrass her? They all knew he didn’t want her that way.
Feeling embarrassed and uncertain of her emotions, Addie rushed into the bedroom, ignoring them calling out to her as she shut the door behind her.