Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
He sat behind her and lifted her up so she was leaning back against his chest, his legs on either side of hers. Then he picked up the soup and brought it to his lips first to check the temperature before blowing on it gently.
“Open up, baby.”
“I’m not hungry. Tired.”
“Well, you need to eat. Come on. Daddy will make choo-choo noises. Chugga-chugga-choo-choo!”
She had to smile before opening her mouth to take the soup. Actually, it was surprisingly good. Chicken noodle.
She could only handle some of it, though. She slumped back against his chest.
“You have the rest, Daddy. Bebe tired.”
“All right, baby. You go to sleep. Daddy will take care of you.”
Corbin piled all the blankets he could over them as he hugged Bebe close, sharing his body heat.
He took her pulse, relieved to find that it was steady and strong. Okay. And her skin temperature felt much better. He was still worried about her foot and the fact that it was snowing.
But at least she no longer felt hypothermic.
Fuck. He couldn’t believe all of this. What the hell had happened?
Lindsay’s stalker had kidnapped them and tried to kill them. And it sounded like he had Lindsay trapped somewhere. As soon as they were safe, Corbin would have to send someone to find her.
But he wouldn’t be leaving his girl for a long, long while.
If ever.
He could have lost her tonight and that could never happen again.
50
Her cries woke him in the morning and he sat up, turning to her. She was still sleeping, caught in a nightmare.
“No! No! Corbin! Daddy!” she screamed.
“Bebe, I’m right there. Open your eyes, baby. Do as I tell you. Wake up, now!” He took hold of her shoulders, shaking her slightly.
She opened her eyes with a gasp and then threw herself at him, letting out a moan of pain as she obviously moved her injured foot.
“Easy, Bebe. I’m here. Don’t hurt yourself. Daddy is here. I’ll take care of you. Shh. Shhh.” He lifted her carefully onto his lap and wrapped a blanket around her front. Then he rocked her back and forth.
“It’s all right. You’re safe.”
“I killed him,” she said in a tear-filled voice.
“He deserved it. He was a bad person, and I don’t want you feeling guilty,” he told her firmly. “Do you hear me?” Reaching down, he tilted her head back. “You will not feel guilty.”
“I . . . I don’t. That’s just it. It was him or us and I chose us. So I don’t feel guilty . . . but it keeps coming back to me. Him lunging. Me firing. Him . . . dropping . . .”
“You’re right. It was him or us. And I will always choose us,” he told her fiercely. “I hate that this is upsetting you.”
“This is going to make my therapist happy,” she said.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well, he’s been talking about putting in a pool for ages, we’re probably going to make that happen with how much therapy I’ll need.”
He stared down at her for a long moment, then he smiled.
“Sorry. Too soon?” she asked.
“No, baby. Perfect timing.” She was going to be all right. He’d make sure of that.
Bebe tried to hide her grimace as she shifted around. Corbin had cooked them some more soup for breakfast. At least it was something warm in their bellies.
Unfortunately, it was still snowing outside and wasn’t showing much sign of stopping.
“We’re going to have to wait until it stops to head out of here,” he told her.
Right.
And to think she was looking forward to the snow.
She hissed out a breath.
“You okay, baby? I’m sorry, I can’t find any painkillers here.” He lifted the blanket over her feet to examine her foot. “Shit. Still swollen and bruised.”
Yeah, but it wasn’t just the pain in her ankle that was the issue.
“Um, where’s the bathroom?”
He grimaced. “Ah, baby.”
Oh no.
She didn’t like the look of that face. “What?”
“There is no toilet, darling.”
“Then . . . where do I go?” She knew the answer. Of course she did. But she didn’t want to hear it.
“Outside.”
She was shaking her head before he even finished. “No. Nope. Not happening.”
“I should have realized you’d need to pee. Come on, let’s get more clothes on you and take you out.” He’d dried her clothes in front of the fire, but she was just wearing her underwear and top. She didn’t want to put her pants and jacket on and go outside to pee.
And what about when she had to do other things?
“No. I’m staying here.” She crossed her arms over her chest so he knew she meant business.
“Baby, you cannot hold on.” He gave her a firm look. And crossed his arms over his chest.
Uh-oh.
Level four. Not good.
“I don’t need to go.” No more soup for her. Not until she was near a working toilet.