“Daddy.”
He smiled. “Good girl. What’s my other name?”
“Ink.”
“And what’s your name?”
“Elizabeth Victoria McClain.”
Elizabeth Victoria? Very queenly.
“And where are you?” He needed to ground her.
So to speak.
“I’m at Fringe.”
“Where at Fringe?”
Her eyes moved around the room. He watched as she registered where she was and that everyone was staring at her.
“Oh no.” Her eyes met his. “What did I do?”
“It’s all right, button. Nobody is mad at you.”
She took a deep breath in, then another. She stared over at Zac then to Lara. “You weren’t going to hurt her. I knew that. I did. I just…” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Oh no, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I did that. I’m so sorry.”
Ink drew her close and she buried her face into his chest. He could feel her shaking. Picking her up, he gave Zac a small nod. The other Dom looked down at Betsy in worry. Lara moved up to his side and he wrapped his arm around her.
He carried her into the quiet room. Luckily, it was empty. He snagged one of the blankets that sat on top of a chest and walked to the rocking chair, where Littles who enjoyed bottles were often fed.
Sitting, he settled her on his lap and tucked the blanket around her.
“Soft.” She grabbed a piece of the blanket and rubbed it against her cheek. Liked soft things, did she?
He started rocking, just holding her tight, letting her feel the safety of his arms. Gradually, her shaking stopped. He wanted to press her for answers. To discover why she’d reacted the way she had but he forced himself to hold back.
Damn, it was difficult, though.
“I’m so sorry, Daddy.”
“I know, button. It’s all right.”
“I interfered. Isn’t that naughty?”
He paused, thinking that through. Under normal circumstances, possibly. But it had been clear Betsy hadn’t really been in the room with them. Something else was going on.
“Generally, yes. But I get the feeling that it wasn’t really Lara and Zac you were seeing. You know he wouldn’t really hurt her, right?”
“I know. I do. I just, when I heard him talk to her that way, I flashed back to a memory…”
Fuck. Fuck.
“Tell me.”
“Mama, she had a number of gentleman callers. Her words. But many of them weren’t gentlemen. And one of them, he…he hurt her. I saw the bruises, but I didn’t understand, not until I woke up one night to yelling. I walked down to the living room to see him standing over her, his arm raised. I ran forward, tried to get between them. He hit me. I don’t know if he meant to or whether I just got in the way. I slammed against the wall. I remember my mother screaming at him. And then the police turned up. I think the neighbors must have called them. He never came back.”
“Button, I’m so sorry.”