“Yeah.”
Blade holds me closer again. “Thank you for sharing that, Little one. I know it wasn’t easy. You barely know me, but I want you to know that you’re safe now. He won’t get to you. I promise.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” I murmur.
“I guarantee it, honey.”
“He could be waiting outside my apartment building right now,” I point out.
“And you won’t be going back there, so he can wait.”
I flinch. “I don’t have anywhere else to go, Blade.”
“Of course you do. You’ll stay with me. I shouldn’t have left you there last night. It didn’t sit right. I hated leaving you alone. You can’t even tie your shoes, Little one.” He looks down at the tennis shoes I managed to put on. I’d quickly abandoned the idea of tying them and tucked the strings inside instead. “Besides needing protection, you need help getting back on your feet.”
I stare at him. I can’t go home with him. Can I? A million thoughts run through my head. “I have to work. I’ve already taken two days off. I need to be online tonight. I need my computer and my notes and?—”
He covers my lips with one finger. “We’ll make that happen, June. If it’s important to you, I’ll ensure it happens, okay?”
I can’t move. He’s serious. I open my mouth to protest.
“If you mention money one more time, June…”
“You’ll spank me?” The words leave my mouth so fast I can’t stop them. I purse my lips a second later as I realize I’m about to moan. Maybe he doesn’t notice the way I immediately clench my thighs tighter.
He slowly smiles. “Eventually, perhaps, but only because you’re intrigued by the idea. Let me be clear on that subject, though. I would never spank you without negotiating such a thing, nor would I spank you while you’re injured. Plus, now that I know you’ve been abused and witnessed it growing up, I’m hesitant to think spanking will ever be something you’d enjoy. If it interests you, though, we’ll discuss it later down the line. In the meantime, if you feel like you need to be disciplined, we’ll come up with other methods.”
He leans forward and stands me on my feet.
My head is spinning. What does he mean? Why would I want to be disciplined? Why would I need to be disciplined? It’s like he’s speaking a language I don’t understand.
He holds my hips to steady me before leaning forward to rub his nose against mine.
My breath hitches. For a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. Madness. But I lick my lips as he pulls back a few inches.
His gaze lowers to my mouth and hovers before jerking back to my eyes. “Let’s get you settled upstairs. You need sleep, Little one. I suspect you need food and a bath even more than rest. We’ll take care of those things first. While you rest, I’ll go to your apartment and get everything you need. Okay?”
I almost laugh when he tacks that last word on. Is it an afterthought? He’s so bossy, listing everything he intends for me to do, and then he asks if it’s okay?
He smirks. “I need to work on my presentation, don’t I? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a Little… Since I’ve dated or spent much time with a woman. Forgive me if I fumble a bit while I work out the cobwebs.”
What was he going to say after little? A little what? That’s hardly as important as the rest of his speech, though. “You haven’t dated anyone lately?”
He scrunches up his nose. “No. I’ve been busy with my business and haven’t met anyone I felt connected to.”
My heart is racing. Surely, he doesn’t mean to imply he wants to date me or feels anything toward me at all. But he has held me on his lap for the last hour, and he was overly attentive yesterday when I needed him.
We just met, though. I’m nobody to him. If I didn’t know better, I would think he was taking advantage of me, but he just said he hasn’t dated for a while. So why me? I can’t be his usual type. Besides my current battered state, I have very little money, and he’s way out of my league.
Blade could date anyone he wants. He’s rich and unbelievably attractive. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. His beard is sexy as fuck. I want to run my fingers through the thickness. I want him to rub it between my legs.
What?
Maybe I have a concussion from my attack, or maybe I’m dreaming. No one has ever rubbed their face between my thighs. Why would such a thought even come to mind?
Because I’ve never met anyone I would consider that with. I shudder at the thought of my ex ever going down on me. Gross.
He stands. “Ready? I’ll introduce you to a few of the guys before we go upstairs.”
