Elias shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.
“She needs me.”
“No, I’d say you’re actually the last thing she needs.” Elias aimed a furious look at Xavier, which made Brick feel a bit smug. Until his best friend aimed that look at him.
“She shouldn’t be on her own right now. Her health is fragile. I’m her doctor as well as her friend.”
Elias raised an eyebrow. “If I think she needs medical attention, I’ll be sure to call you. In the meantime, my job is to protect her. Go calm down. Think about what the fuck you just did. Because neither of you put her first. What just happened was all about the two of you and what you want. If you’d once thought of her, then this might have ended up differently.”
The doctor looked from Elias to him. His face was filled with cold fury that made Brick straighten. But he turned and stomped out the door.
Elias waited until he’d driven off to turn to Brick. “Brick, fuck, I know what you’re thinking. That she and the doc have something going on. But you’re not thinking clearly. Linda fucked you over, but not all women are like her. Juliet certainly isn’t. That girl doesn’t have a deceitful bone in her body. She’s so sweet that she worked a job she hates to make other people feel better. When she doesn’t eat all her lunch, she boxes it up to give to that homeless guy in the park. Oh, and she slipped fifty dollars into the box when she thought I wasn’t looking.”
Brick shot Elias a look. “He’s got feelings for her.”
“Seemed that way,” Elias said.
“She might have feelings for him,” he suggested.
“Maybe she does,” Elias agreed, surprising him. “But I didn’t take you for a coward.”
“What the fuck?” He was no coward.
“What the fuck just happened?” Sterling asked, rushing in.
“You should be watching the monitors,” Brick told him.
“I made sure he was gone, and an alarm will sound on my phone if someone tries to get onto the property,” Sterling countered. “What’s happening?”
“I’m trying to talk some sense into Brick,” Elias answered, turning back to him. “Are you going to walk away? Let this guy, who hasn’t been around all week, just have her? Are you going to let him come in here and take what’s yours?”
“She’s not mine.” Except he remembered what she’d written against his hand with her finger. Had she meant it? That she was his? Or would she turn away from him?
“No?” Sterling asked. “Thought you declared her as yours in front of the whole bar last night.”
“That guy is probably a better fit. He lives here. He’s a fucking doctor. They know each other.” He had nothing more than a bankrupt business and five hundred bucks in the bank.
“What if Juliet said she wanted you? That she chose you? Would you just walk away?” Sterling asked.
“And what if she says she wants him?” he countered.
“What if she wanted you both?” Elias asked.
They both stared at him.
Elias shrugged. “Didn’t you share a girl with a friend of yours back when you first entered the marines?”
“That was a long time ago,” Brick said. “We were young.”
“But you know it’s possible. A girl with two guys. A guy with two girls. Sometimes more. There’s a whole section of romance dedicated to reverse harems.”
“Who are you?” Sterling asked, looking angrier than the conversation warranted. “You want a harem of women? That would never fucking work.”
“A reverse harem is the opposite, dickhead. And who says it wouldn’t work?”
The two of them glared at each other. Brick had often wondered if they had feelings for each other. Not that it was any of his business what they did.
Like they ever stay out of your shit?
“I wouldn’t share my woman,” Sterling declared.
Elias shrugged. “I don’t see why it would be a bad thing, especially if it was what she wanted. Think about it. Life’s so fucking busy, right? What if you had someone else that could help take care of your girl? Be there when you couldn’t? What if you weren’t good at something, like communication, but the other guy was? Way the economy is going, wouldn’t surprise me if more people ended up in relationships like this.”
“So, it should be a financial decision? That’s bullshit,” Sterling spat out.
“No. It should be what is best for them and who are we to judge? If your woman needs it, then would you really deny her?” Elias asked.
“All she should want is me.” Sterling turned and stormed away.
“Somehow, I feel like this stopped being about me,” Brick commented.
Elias sighed, running his hand over his face. “Just don’t let her go because you think she’s better off without you. If she’s worth it, you’ll fight for her. If you don’t think she’s worth it, then best to walk away before she gets hurt further. Because that girl doesn’t have any shields, Brick. So, if you don’t want her, walk away. But if you do, then march up those stairs and tell her.”
“I did tell her.”
“Then don’t fucking ruin it.”
Brick made it as far as the second-floor landing before he sat on the stairs. He leaned his head in his hands. What the fuck was he doing? Did he really want to do this all over again? Hadn’t Linda turned him off relationships? Then he went and fell for this complicated, confusing, beautiful girl who needed him.
And Brick liked to be needed.
Had she lied to him? He shook his head. He doubted it. She hadn’t mentioned Xavier before, though. But when would she have had a chance?
Had he pushed her too far too fast? Likely. He’d jumped in feet first. Claiming her like he was a caveman.
Did she have feelings for Xavier? That was the question. Maybe there had been nothing between them before, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t interested in Xavier. It would make more sense for her to be with him.
But then he remembered her curling into him. Sucking on his fingers. Her shy smiles. Those admiring glances.
Did he fucking deserve her? Likely not.
Did he want her? Fuck, yes.
Don’t be a fucking coward.
Maybe she’d choose Xavier. But she wouldn’t pick him because Brick hadn’t fought for her. Decision made, he let out a breath.
Fuck. Fine. He was going to talk to her. Lay his cards out. And if she rejected him, then at least he’d tried.
What if she wants both of you?
Sheesh, Elias had really gotten in his head.
Climbing to her door, he knocked loudly. No answer. Crap.
“Juliet, it’s me. Open up.”
Nothing.
“I just want to talk.” Still nothing. He should wait. That would be the right thing to do. The proper thing.
Good thing he never cared much about that. He’d seen the pin number she’d used last night, and he quickly inputted it, telling himself that he had to check she was okay.
He strode through the playroom, taking it in during the daylight. There was a tea party set up at a gorgeous antique table, along with what looked to be a complete play kitchen, with everything you could imagine.
The costume area was behind the kitchen. He frowned as he remembered her trying to fly last night. What was she thinking? She could have hurt herself. Damn woman needed a keeper.
Which is what you want to be, don’t you? You want to be her Dom. Her Daddy. Her man.
Fuck, yes. He wanted it in a way that he hadn’t wanted anything for a long, long time.
There was a massive mural on one side of the room. It was an under the sea scene with mermaids and treasure and fish.
He moved into the bedroom, not seeing her. Where was she? He walked into the bathroom. Fuck. Panic started to fill him.
Heading back into the playroom, he looked around. She was tiny. Maybe she was hiding. A muffled sound reached him and he froze. There it went again.
By the couch. Swiftly, he headed that
way, coming to a stop as he found her. She was curled into a tight ball, wedged between the couch and the wall. A tremor wracked her body, and he kicked himself for taking so long to come to her.
Oh, his poor baby.
“It’s all right, Duchess,” he murmured soothingly. “You’re all right.”
Her hands were clenched into fists, and he knew she was pressing her nails into the palms of her hands.
“Duchess, look at me.”
Nothing. She didn’t even move, didn’t flinch.
Well, you could stop looming over her.
He sat down abruptly then stared at her, wondering what the hell he could do to ease her anxiety.
“I’m a dumbass, Duchess.”
Nothing. Okay then.
“How about a story?” He nearly rolled his eyes at himself. But he’d started this now. “About a guy. A guy who makes mistakes all the time. Who is blunt and grouchy and sometimes a bit mean. He thinks the worst of people. He wasn’t always that way. But life kicked him often enough that he’d come to expect it to keep on kicking him.”
Still nothing.
“And then one day, when this idiot was feeling at his lowest. When he didn’t think life could get that much fucking worse, this gorgeous, sweet, confusing woman came into it, shaking it up. And she taught him that not everyone was out to kick him when he was down. That there was still good in the world. When she smiles, he wants to smile. When she’s mad, he wants to make her happy. When she’s hurt, he wants to destroy whatever made her cry. This guy knows he doesn’t deserve her, but he wants her anyway. Even though he’s a dumbass.”
She shifted then her eyes peeked out at him. He let out a sigh. Thank God.
“There you are, Duchess. Give me your hands.” Because he couldn’t stand the idea that she was hurting herself.
She stared at him like she didn’t know what he was saying.
“Duchess. Hands.”
He held his hands out, watching her intently as she reached out towards him. Her hands shook and his insides clenched. He was such a selfish prick, thinking only of himself. Assuming the worst of her.
“That’s it. Hands in mine.”
She put her hands into his and he frowned as he noticed how cold they were. And that there were red marks along her palms. He fucking hated that.
“You’re freezing. We need to warm you up. I’m going to run you another bath, okay? But first, let’s get you out of here.”
He let her hands go, then stood and reached for her. Thankfully, she held her arms up. He breathed out a sigh of relief. As soon as he lifted her close, she wrapped her limbs around him. Her legs went around his waist, her arms around his neck, and she shook in his arms, burying her face in his neck.
“Hey, little monkey. You’re all right. You’re all right,” he soothed. She held onto him like she thought he might disappear.
He closed his eyes, chagrined. While she was stronger than most people might realize, she was also delicate in so many ways.
And he needed to remember that.
He rubbed his hand up and down her back, hugging her tight. “It’s okay. You’re all right. Did we scare you?”
Fuck. Why hadn’t he thought of that? He’d been furious with her for disobeying him.
He still was.
She was in trouble for that. He’d need to reinforce that her safety came first, and she had to obey him when he gave her orders in those situations. This wasn’t the first time she’d disobeyed him like that.
It would make his life easier if she obeyed him in all situations, but somehow, he thought he wasn’t going to get his way in that.
She didn’t reply. He huffed out a breath, wishing he knew what was going on in her head.
“Let’s get you a blanket to warm you up with.” He carried her into the bedroom and managed to get a blanket off the back of an enormous rocking chair. It looked big enough for two people to sit in it.
Deciding the bath could wait for a moment, he sat on the chair and attempted to pull her around onto his lap.
But she held on tighter.
“Come on, baby girl. I just want to move you so I can wrap this around you.”
She shook her head again.
All right then. He settled back as well as he could and started to rock them. He didn’t say anything, figuring they could both use a bit of time. Gradually, she began to relax in his arms.
“I’m sorry if we scared you. I didn’t know who he was for a start. I thought he was a threat.”
She nodded her head.
“You feeling okay? You need anything?”
She ran her finger over his chest. N.O.
Okay.
“I’m going to get your whiteboard. We can’t have this talk without it.”
She let out a noise of protest.
“Duchess,” he warned. “We need to talk. I know you’re upset. I know you were frightened. But we have to talk about who Xavier is to you. And me. About what I am to you.”
* * *
Nervousness flooded her.
Along with shame. Fear. A whole raft of emotions.
She’d been so sure that Brick was going to shut her out. That he’d go back to being the cold man who was just doing a job. And she wouldn’t see those minuscule smiles, wouldn’t get those heated looks or the small acts of kindness that he hid from most people.
But she’d seen that her secret stash of chocolate downstairs had been refilled. And that the pool had been cleaned of leaves when it wasn’t the gardener’s day to work. When she’d gone into the garage the other day to check on something, she’d noticed that her bike was shining and that the tires were pumped up.
She knew it was him. He never spoke about it, never tried to lay claim to what he’d done. Never looked for a thanks.
His ex was a fool for letting a man like this go. A man who took care of her in ways she didn’t know she needed.
She didn’t want to lose him. It would hurt. Badly.
And what about Xavier?
What sort of person wanted two men at the same time? What the hell did that make her?
“Duchess, I’m not good at talking about my feelings and shit. It’s gonna be even harder if I’m doing all the talking. So, let’s get your whiteboard, all right?”
She shook her head. She either trusted him or she didn’t. And if she didn’t, then they couldn’t do this, because she had to trust someone to open up, to be vulnerable.
But God, it was hard.
“Juliet, I know this is difficult. It’s fucking near impossible for me to sit here and wonder if you’re gonna tell me to get lost. That you don’t want me. But you have to tell me. Because hiding isn’t an option right now? Got me?”
It welled inside her. She knew that she had to let it free.
“I know I acted like a dick downstairs. I . . . fuck . . . you know about Linda, what she did. For a moment, I was wondering if you had this thing going on with Xavier and I was just someone you were stringing along. But only for a moment. I’ve got fucking trust issues and I know I have to work on them. Just give me time.”
She opened her mouth. It was coming.
“I know I don’t fucking deserve you. You’d be better off with him. He’s got a good job. Obviously makes good money. Knows you. Lives here. Fuck, there’s no reason you should choose me. I get it.”
Shoot. What made him so talkative all of a sudden?
She tried again.
“But give me a chance and I’ll treat you like a fucking queen. Maybe I can’t give you material stuff now, but I’ll get there. I’ll take care of you, protect you, I’ll work every day to make sure you never regret being with me.”
He was killing her. Killing her.
“Brick,” she whispered in that broken, tiny voice of hers. The one that had made her feel so much shame and embarrassment. The reason she never spoke to someone she didn’t fully trust.
He froze. He stared down at her, eyes wide, the pain in his eyes so clear that she wanted to ho
ld him tight and tell him everything would be all right.
“I want you.” She hoped it was enough. Because the lump in her throat wouldn’t let anything else pass. The pain in her heart didn’t lessen, but she knew it was the right thing to say. How could she feel so happy and so devastated at the same time?
Then he cupped her face, pulling her back so he could stare down at her fiercely. “You want me?”
She nodded, tears streaming down her face.
“Thank fuck. Because I don’t think I could let you go.” He sucked in a breath. “I wondered what you would say if you ever spoke. Fucking glad those are the first words you’ve ever said to me. Best words I’ve ever heard.” Relief filled his face, that quickly turned to concern. He wiped at her tears. “Baby, don’t cry. Why does that make you sad?”
She shook her head. There was no way to explain it.
“Tell me what’s wrong. I’ll fix it.”
He didn’t understand. Nothing was wrong. Well, there was plenty wrong. But that wasn’t why she was crying. She’d managed to speak to him. It was cathartic. He’d seen parts of her that she usually hid from people. The only ones who knew about her Little side were Kiesha, Xavier, and Reuben.
“Stop crying,” he pleaded. “I hate seeing you upset.”
She let out a deep breath. Fuck. For a long moment, she closed her eyes and tried to pull the pieces of herself back together. He took her face between his hands and kissed her forehead. And all of those fractured pieces started to reform. They might not be perfect, might not be what they once were.
But they could be stronger.
When he drew back, his forehead rested on hers. “Are you crying over him?”
She opened her mouth. Closed it. How did she explain how she felt about Xavier? How could she explain when she didn’t know what was going on inside her head? She cared about him, she’d fantasized about him for so long, but that was all he was. A fantasy. She wanted someone real.
“I have to know if you’d rather be with him. Because if you would—”
She slammed her hand over his mouth, frowning at him fiercely. “No.”
He let out a deep breath. “Thank God, because I’m not letting you go. Ever.”
Her Daddies’ Saving Grace Page 18