“Me too,” she whispered. “I didn’t always get on with Mama. Most of the time she was a hard person to care about. But I did love her. I didn’t want anyone to hurt her.”
“Of course you didn’t. You were a brave girl, standing up for her.”
The door to the room opened and she tensed as Zac and Lara walked in.
Betsy sat up and he reluctantly let her. “I’m so sorry Master Zac, Lara, I don’t know why that set me off. I think because I think of Lara as my friend and I don’t have many of those. I just reacted without thinking. I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.”
Ink stiffened. They better not fucking reject her.
He need not have worried. Lara raced forward and practically threw herself onto Betsy’s lap so Ink had two Littles on his lap.
Betsy let out a small oomph then laughed as Lara peppered her face with kisses.
“Love you, boo,” Lara told her. “And I’ll always be your friend.”
Betsy glanced over at Zac who still stood back by the door. “Master Zac?”
He gave her a gentle smile. “It’s okay, Betsy. I’m glad Lara has such a good friend. But I wish you had a bit more faith in me.”
It was just a gentle scolding. Ink still wasn’t sure he liked it and he sent the other man a warning look.
“If it’s any consolation, it wasn’t you I was seeing. I promise.”
Zac nodded then held out his hand. Lara rushed towards him. “Bye Betsy, see you next week.”
“Bye, Lara.” There was a sad note to Betsy’s voice that he didn’t like.
He ran his hand up and down her back and she snuggled into his chest. “What would you like to do now, button?”
“Can we….could we stay just like this for a while?”
“For as long as you need,” he promised. He started rocking again and she relaxed against him. “I have you. Daddy has you.”
And he didn’t want to let her go.
The mask was back on.
She’d changed outfits, keeping the one he’d given her at the club in her locker. She climbed in the back of the Lincoln town car.
Instantly, she realized her mistake.
She’d become complacent or maybe it was just that she was a freaking emotional mess tonight and that was interfering with her instincts.
Whatever it was, she should have been on alert the instant she opened that door. She’d been lucky this past month. He’d been away on business. He hadn’t been paying her as much attention.
Well, that was all changing.
“Hello, Betsy.”
The cloying scent of Old Spice filled the air, nearly choking her. Or maybe that was her fear. Her loathing.
“What? No greeting? That’s rude. Don’t you think that’s rude, Kit? Maybe you need a lesson on manners.”
The voice was like oil, coating her skin, blocking her senses. All she could hear was the beating of her heart. And it was going too fast. Sweat drenched her. Her breath came in pants.
Rein it in, Betsy. You can’t let him see your fear.
No, her fear just fed his depravity.