“I dislike the word allow.”
He grinned. “Noted.”
***
Laken pulled her sweater over her head, feeling it catch on something. She tugged harder. She really wanted a long shower and then to roll into bed. She yanked the sweater up, feeling something give and then the sweater was over her head and lying on the bed. Attached to it was her collar.
“Shit.” She on the side of the bed and detached the necklace, checking the clasp. A little loose. “Double shit.”
“Laken? You okay, honey?”
Glancing up, she saw Duncan leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at her in concern.
“Yeah, just tired.”
He frowned at the necklace in her hand. “You took your collar off.”
It had become a ritual of sorts. Duncan would take it off before bed, Laken couldn’t stand to sleep with anything around her neck, and he’d place it on her in the morning after her shower.
“It slipped off with my sweater,” she told him. She’d try and fix the clasp tomorrow.
“Why don’t you get ready for bed? We’ll have an early night.”
She placed the collar on the bedside table.
“What’s the point, it’s not like I’ll sleep,” she told him.
He brushed his hand over her head.
“We have to do something,” she half-begged. “I wish I could be braver, but I can’t. I’m scared shitless.”
Duncan tugged her up into his arms, rocking her. “I know. Me too.”
“Really?” Duncan wasn’t the type to scare easily.
“Yeah. I’m worried I’ll fuck up somehow and you’ll get hurt. There is no way I want history to repeat itself.”
“If something does go wrong, if he takes me—”
“He won’t.” He squeezed her so tight that she let out a squeak of protest. He eased up a little.
“But if he does, you’ll come for me, won’t you?”
“Oh God, baby. I would turn the fucking world over to find you. If anything happens to you—which it damn well better not—I will always, always come for you. I won’t ever stop.”
She sagged against him.
“Come on, you can shower while I cook dinner.”
She nodded and forced herself into the shower. Fifteen minutes later she stepped out back into the bedroom to find her favorite pair of fleecy pajamas lying on the bed, along with her fluffy pink socks.
Normally, she didn’t wear anything to bed when she was sleeping with Duncan but he must have realized how desperately she needed something familiar and comfortable. She pulled on the old pajamas and then padded out in her socks to find Duncan in the kitchen.
He turned and picking up a cup of tea, handed it to her. “Here you go, sugar. Go sit on the couch and I’ll bring your dinner in.”
She walked into the living room, sitting on the plush couch with a sigh. Had she ever been so exhausted? She wrapped her hands around the cup of tea and took a sip. Perfect.
Duncan placed a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches in front of her. Leaning forward he grabbed a piece and took a bite. “Perfect.” He held it up to her lips. She opened her mouth and took a bite. He fed them both until she turned away.