Chapter 4
TOBIAS
“Thanks,” I say as I grab the bag and head out of the station.
I already know this is going to be a long trip. Mila is arguing with every little thing I say, but I don’t blame her. After hearing from Aiden that she’s been on her own for over fifteen years, she has a certain way that she does things and I’m encroaching in her space.
But she’s going to have to get over it. I’m here now and there is no way I’m ever going to let her be on her own again.
The first time I saw her sitting at the table in the coffee shop, my protective instincts roared to life. She wasn’t paying attention to any of her surroundings, and let’s not forget that she didn’t even try to get me to leave her alone when I called her name.
I stop by her door and just stare at her sleeping form. I was wondering when she was going to fall asleep. Didn’t think it would be now, but happiness swirls inside of me.
“Good,” I mumble and gently open the door, placing the snacks and drinks in the backseat.
I finish pumping the gas quickly before getting in, looking over at her once again. She looks so peaceful clutching her stuffed animal to her chest as she sleeps.
“Don’t worry,” I gently say. “Daddy is here to take care of you now.”
I pull out of the gas station and head toward the hotel. In no time, I’m flagging down one of the workers before handing them my key.
“Can you get my bag from upstairs, room two hundred and two? It’s already packed and there’s nothing else,” I say. “I don’t want to leave her alone in the car.”
The worker nods and walks into the hotel. I pull up Aiden’s phone number as I wait patiently.
“Hello?” Aiden answers. “Is something wrong?”
“No, just letting you know that we’re heading your way. I’ll stop in five hours to get dinner and find a hotel to stay at for the night. Mila is sleeping right now.”
“She’s sleeping?” Aiden asks in disbelief. “Are you sure she is?”
“Yes, she hasn’t moved an inch, her breathing is very even, and she looks very relaxed,” I reply. “Why? What’s wrong with her sleeping? She desperately needs it from what I can see.”
“She just never sleeps in the car. Any time we’ve been driving a long distance, she never sleeps in the car. No matter how exhausted she is,” he whispers. “Take care of her, please. She must trust you a lot and feel comfortable if she’s sleeping in the car.”
I look over at Mila and just watch her for several minutes. Something inside of me swells hearing that she must feel comfortable around me.
“Don’t worry, she’s with me now,” I reply. “I’ll take good care of her.”
I open the trunk of the car as the employee comes out with my bag. “Thank you,” I say and hand him twenty dollars.
Placing my phone in the holder, I pull out of the parking lot.
“Is she giving you a hard time?” he asks.
“Not much. She tried to get me to take my flight tomorrow, but I told her no. She also didn’t want to bring Billie, but I managed to get her to grab her before we left her apartment. Which, by the way, was a mess. She hasn’t done laundry in probably a month,” I explain.
Aiden sighs. “I didn’t know it was this bad.”
“When was the last time you saw her?”
I glance over at her sleeping form before focusing on the road. I’m talking at my normal volume and she hasn’t stirred a bit. How exhausted was she?
“Five years ago I flew to see her and everything seemed fine. She had food in her fridge, which I thought was weird, but her apartment was clean. Nothing was wrong,” he says.
“She’s never been good at taking care of herself.
I call her at least once a week to check in on her, and we FaceTime so I can see her apartment. ”
“You never noticed all the clothes on the ground when she showed you around?” I ask.
How did he miss that? They were everywhere, and some of them didn’t smell good at all.
“There weren’t any on the ground, or at least where she showed me. Everything was clean, and each time it was a different place. I didn’t think she would lie to me,” Aiden says in an exasperated voice. “How could I be so dumb?”
“Does she not know anyone in town who could help her?”
“No, she kept to herself. She told me she didn’t even talk to her coworkers because she didn’t want to bother them with anything or get on their nerves,” he replies.
“I’ll keep an eye on that,” I mutter to myself.
“What was that?” Aiden asks.
“I was talking to myself. I’ll keep an eye on her not wanting to bother me while we are on this trip. Don’t want her to suffer when she needs something and doesn’t ask for it.”
“Good.” He sighs. “I’m hoping I can get her to quit her job and live here with everyone. She doesn’t need the stress of her job. She doesn’t need to—”
“Doesn’t need to what?” I ask when he doesn’t finish his sentence.
“It’s not my place to share, but let’s say something happened, and that’s why she’s getting time off.
Mila needs the rest and to be away from the stress,” Aiden replies.
“She needs to relax for the next three weeks at least. Honestly, if she could relax for the rest of her life it would be amazing. She needs a lifestyle change. That’s what the doctor recommended anyway. ”
My eyebrows bunch together. “Doctor?”
“Don’t tell her I said anything about it. She would be pissed off at me if I gave away information,” Aiden groans. “I don’t need her mad at me, not with everything going on.”
“I won’t mention anything,” I promise. “I know you don’t want to say anything, but is there anything that I should look out for while we are traveling?”
Worry rushes through me as I look over at her still sleeping peacefully. What happened to make him worry about her this much?
“Is she sick?” I ask. “Does she need any medication or need to go to the hospital?”
Every protective instinct inside me roars to life. The need to make sure that she is alright threatens to come out.
“She isn’t sick and doesn’t need to go to the hospital or take medication.
The doctor just told her to try to live a stress-free life right now or get it down a lot.
It’s not good for her health, and if she continues to allow it, then things are going to get bad,” he explains.
“I would just look out for how tired she is. Make sure she is eating, snacking, and drinking enough fluids regularly.”
“I can do that,” I reply. “I already bought snacks and some water.”
“Good luck with getting her to drink water. She only likes soda and tea.” Aiden chuckles.
“I already found that out,” I grumble.
She will be drinking water, or else there will be consequences.
“Please take care of her on this trip. I don’t want anything to happen to her. She’s like an older sister to me,” he whispers toward the end. “I don’t want to lose her. She doesn’t care if she dies since she doesn’t have any family left, but I wouldn’t be able to survive without her.”
“Like a sister?” My eyebrows bunch up. “You don’t like her?”
Aiden chuckles. “Oh no. Neither of us could ever like each other. She’s like an older sister to me, and she treats me like a younger, annoying brother. It’s been this way our whole lives and nothing has changed. We both agreed that it would feel weird and be too awkward if we liked each other.”
I hum in response, my mind occupied.
He doesn’t like her like that.
Perfect.
“Tobias?” he calls my name. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m claiming her,” I say before I can stop myself.
“Wh-what?” he stutters out. “What did you just say?”
“I’m claiming her. She’s going to be mine. I’ll take care of her and look after her.”
There is no going back now. Not when he’s already heard what I’ve said. I didn’t plan on confessing that until much later and when we had gotten to know each other more. But ever since the first time I saw her, I knew she was mine and there would be no one else in my life.
“Are you sure?” Aiden asks. “You don’t even know her. What if she tells you no?”
“Didn’t think about that.” I shrug. “She won’t say no to me though. The fact that she already trusts me and is falling asleep in the car means something. I’m going to go for it whether you like it or not.”
“I won’t stop you. I actually think that both of you will be perfect for each other, but if she says no and you don’t respect her wishes, then we will have problems. We might be great friends, but she will always come first,” he threatens.
“And I agree with you. If I don’t respect her wishes, then I want you to step in. I never want to make her feel uncomfortable,” I reply.
“Good. I’m glad we are on the same page. I’ve got to go now, but text me when you get to the hotel,” he says before hanging up.
I give her one small glance before relaxing in my seat and focusing on the road.
“Mila,” I gently call her name. “We’re here.”
But she doesn’t move. Worry fills me. I quickly place my finger under her nose, my body tense as I wait to feel her breathing.
“Come on,” I whisper, then relax.
She’s breathing.
“Mila.” I place my hand on her shoulder. “It’s time to wake up for a couple of minutes to get to the hotel room. Can you wake up for me?”
“No,” she groans, keeping her eyes shut.
“Come on, sweet girl. I need you to wake up for me.”
“Carry,” she mumbles.
Sighing, I get out of the car and walk over to her side. Will she regret this in the morning?
“I’m here,” I whisper as I unbuckle her. “You’re okay.”
Carefully, I pick her up, and she immediately wraps her legs around my waist, burying her face in my neck. My arms rest underneath her bottom as I shut the door with my leg and walk into the hotel.
“I need—” I stop myself.
One or two rooms? I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable with only one room, but I also don’t want her to wake up and feel like she has been abandoned in a room if she doesn’t remember any of this.
“Do you have a room with two beds in it?” I ask the receptionist.
“We have one left. How long would you like to stay with us?”
“Just for tonight,” I reply.
She tells me the total, then I pay before grabbing the card and walking to the elevator.
“Do you want to wake up to brush your teeth, or do you want to just sleep?” I ask as I step into the elevator.
Mila groans and snuggles in closer to me.
“Mila,” I gently call her name as I pat her back. “Can you wake up for a second?”
“Don’t wanna.”
“Come on, Little One,” I whisper. “Just for a minute.”
“Dadddyyyy,” she whines. “Wanna sleep.”
My whole body freezes as she calls me daddy. Does she realize what she is saying? But I can’t help but like the sound of her calling me daddy and desperately want to hear it come from her mouth more.
“Mila,” I call her name again.
“Daddy, just wanna sleep,” she mumbles.
“Okay, Little One.” I walk off the elevator and toward the room.
Hopefully this won’t cause anything tomorrow when she wakes up. I don’t want it to be awkward between us.
“Let’s get you into bed,” I say as I walk into the room.