“No, not personally. I don’t want to either. I’m scared of him. But now he’s after Eden and I owe Eden everything.” She sniffled.
Oh fuck.
Please don’t let her cry.
“I have to go back or he might hurt her.”
“He’s not going to hurt her,” he reassured her.
“He might. You don’t know.”
“I know he won’t because he’s dead.”
“He’ll find her and hurt her and it will be all my fault. I’m nothing but a curse. You should stay far away from me or my bad luck will get you too.”
“You’re not a curse and I won’t hear you call yourself that again.”
“You’re so bossy. It’s lucky you’re cute. Do you drink tea?”
“Uh, no.”
“Good. Don’t. Or someone might poison it.”
“I’m certain you understand what you’re saying, but I have no idea.”
“Poor Daddy Z, don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” She sighed. “I wish this wasn’t a dream. I wish I could tell you the truth about what I am. Then maybe you could be my Daddy. But you probably aren’t a Daddy. And even if you are a Daddy, why would you want me?”
“Why wouldn’t I want you?”
She snorted. “Silly, Daddy Z. Cause you could have anyone. Look at you. You’re gorgeous and strong and smart. I’m dumb and useless. I don’t deserve anything nice. I definitely don’t deserve you.”
“Little Thief, you’re lucky that you’re high at the moment otherwise you’d be in a world of trouble for saying those things.”
Her eyes widened. “Would you spank me?”
She probably intended to say that part quietly, but it came out at a moment when Lochlan and Webb had stopped talking. They both turned to look at them in surprise. Zander glared at them to make sure they didn’t interfere.
“Do you think you deserve a spanking?”
She sighed sadly. “Probably. I’ve done lots of bad things and they eat away at my insides.”
He felt like this was the first time he was truly seeing the real Keira. This was stuff she kept buried deep behind those shields and it might take him a long time to get her to open up like this again.
“Do you think that being spanked or punished would help with the guilt?”
“I dunno, that’s what it’s meant to do, right?” she asked.
“Yes. A punishment should wipe away the transgression and let you move forward without guilt.”
“I’ve never been spanked before. When I’ve read about it, it’s kind of intrigued me. But I think I’d have to trust someone to let them do that and I don’t trust anyone that much.”
“Eventually, you’ll trust me enough,” he told her.
She sighed. “You’re so confident of that, huh?”
“Yep. You’ve already started to trust me. You said that already.”
“Daddy Z, you’re so cute. But you need to stay far away from me.”