“Breathe, brown eyes.” His hand went down to the base of her throat, resting there. Maybe with someone else it would have felt threatening. But it grounded her.
Her body continued to shake. Adrenaline overload.
“Betsy, you’re safe. You’re with me.”
“I know. I know.”
There was a knock on the door and she startled, clinging onto him.
“Shh, it’s likely the doctor.”
“Don’t let go!”
“I won’t let you go,” he promised.
“I don’t want the doctor. I’m fine. I’m not injured.”
“I’m glad to hear that. But the doctor will make sure.”
“No.” She shook her head, twisting her hands in his shirt. “No, doctor.”
“Brown eyes,” he said, a stern note leaking into his voice as he stood and moved towards the door. She was still wrapped around him like a spider monkey. Clinging to him tightly. “You’re covered in bruises and scrapes. You need to be checked over.”
“No. Don’t wanna.” The words came from her Lit
tle. It felt safer to let her Little take over right now. She didn’t stress about adult things. All she had to worry about was doing what Daddy told her to.
Ink paused then brushed his lips against her ears. “Does my button need Daddy right now?”
She nodded, burying her face into his chest in embarrassment.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You’ve been through so much, if letting your Little side take over makes you feel safer, then I’m all for that. I am more than ready to take charge. Fact is, I might need your Little more than you do.”
She didn’t see how that was possible.
He tapped a code into the small pin pad by the door. The door swung open, but she didn’t look over. She’d always hated going to the doctor. Mama had forced her to go for a physical once a year and the elderly doctor had always poked and prodded at her with cold, hard hands.
“Hey, Hack.”
“Ink,” a warm voice replied.
Nope, she wasn’t looking. If she didn’t look then she didn’t have to acknowledge him.
And if she didn’t acknowledge him then he didn’t exist.
It was perfectly reasonable logic. And she wouldn’t hear anyone tell her differently.
“Hear you’ve got a patient for me. Didn’t realize she was a monkey,” Hack said, amusement clear in his voice.
She didn’t care what he thought. She wasn’t letting go of Ink.
Ink placed a hand under her ass to steady her as he ran his hand up and down her back. “She’s had a tough night. Hell, she’s had a tough few years. And apparently, she doesn’t have much love for doctors.”
“We get a bad rep,” Hack said, clearly not offended. “Tell me what happened.”
Ink went briefly through how he’d found her and what she’d told him about her escape although he didn’t go into any detail about why she’d been running through the forest.
“All right. Betsy, I’m Hack. I promise I’m not going to hurt you. Do you think you can let go of Ink long enough to let me look at you?”