Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Stone held out his hand and she reached out gingerly to shake it. Then she took it back quickly, holding onto Brody’s shirt once more.
Ever since the Fox disappeared on them, she’d felt more clingy toward Brody. She hated that she was doing it. But it was like her Little was worried he’d leave her too.
Everyone left her.
Brody kept reassuring her that the Fox hadn’t left. And she knew that, logically. But that needy part of her, the part that said she wasn’t good enough for him kept rearing its ugly head.
It told her that she hadn’t been a good girl and he’d left.
“I put the fire out, but there’s some damage.” She sniffled. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey, it’s fine. It was an accident,” Brody soothed.
“I d-did something wrong. Don’t leave me.”
Brody saw Stone stiffen at her words and he shot the other man a warning look. Damn the Fox, anyway. When Brody saw him next, he might just give him a wicked computer virus.
“No one is leaving you, Autumn. I’m here to stay.” He glanced up at Stone. “Thanks for bringing me, but we’ll be fine.”
“You want me to go?” Stone asked.
“I shouldn’t keep you from work any longer. Can you tell Ink I won’t be back today? Maybe not tomorrow either.”
Stone studied Autumn who had her face buried in Brody’s chest.
“Brody, if the two of you need some help . . .”
Brody knew what he was offering. Stone was a good guy, but he wasn’t their Dom.
Nope, even if their actual Dom was absent, they couldn’t go to anyone else. Sure, he’d thought of it, but he knew it would never work.
“We’re fine.”
“Autumn, can I help you up?” Stone asked, holding out a hand.
She glanced at Brody and he gave her a reassuring nod. As she reached up a hand, her sleeve fell back, exposing the scars on her wrists.
Stone sucked in a sharp breath.
Brody shot him a fierce glare, daring him to say anything. It was telling that Autumn didn’t even notice. She’d gotten a lot better around him and the Fox, but with anyone else she still kept her scars hidden behind long sleeves and wristbands.
Stone nodded and helped her up. As soon as Brody stood, she turned into him. He wrapped himself around her protectively. He loved that while he wasn’t the biggest guy or the toughest, she still saw him as her safety.
“I’ll see you when you get back to work,” Stone said. “Call me if you need anything.”
Brody waited until he left, looking up at the house. “Tutu, ready to go inside?”
She glanced at him, then over to the house. She nodded. His brave girl.
He walked into the kitchen. It wasn’t so bad. A part of the kitchen bench looked scorched. And it was a bit smokey. Everything needed a good cleaning, but she’d obviously managed to get it out before it had gone too far.
A sudden thought occurred. “Where’s Freddy Fox?”
She drew him out of her pocket, holding him tight against her chest.
“Oh, good.”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“Listen to me.” He cupped her face between his hands. “We’re both safe and so is Freddy Fox. That’s all that matters. Got me?”
She nodded, but still looked ashamed.
“How about we have a campout in the living room? We’ll order some pizza and pull the mattress off the bed and sleep on the floor.”
“Okay.”
“It will all be okay. Let’s get you on the sofa with some cartoons to watch while I clean up.”
“I can help.”
He wanted to say no, but maybe she needed something to do. They got to work and then he moved the mattress out to the living room while she gathered up pillows and blankets.
“Have you . . . have you heard from him at all?” she asked as they arranged the blankets over the mattress.
“No, sweetie. But he’ll be back.”
She nodded. “Do you think he’s all right?”
Fuck. He better be. Or Brody would kill him himself.
“He’s the Fox. Of course he is.”
His stomach gurgled.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“Kind of. I also ate a bean burrito for lunch. It hasn’t been a pleasant afternoon.” He rubbed his tummy.
Autumn giggled.
He winked at her, glad he could get her to smile.
The doorbell rang. Autumn jumped, then climbed him. Like he was a tree. One moment she was beside him, and next thing, she was in his arms with her face buried in his neck. He had to take a step back, leaning against the wall to keep his balance.
“It’s just the doorbell. Everything is fine.”
It wasn’t.
It was all falling apart.
“Let me put you down. It will just be the pizza.”
She shook her head.
“Okay, I’ll carry you out there.”
He headed to the door. Shit. She felt so light. He checked the screen, spotting a guy holding a pizza box. If the pizza guy thought it was strange he was holding Autumn, he didn’t say anything.