Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
“I know what that feels like. I feel like I’ve been lost most of my life. At least until I met Jack and Ian. And you,” she said shyly, ducking her head down.
He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her face back. “I want you to know how much I care about you, precious girl. I know I haven’t really shown you that as much as I should. I was trying to ignore my feelings for you. I was scared. But I don’t want to be that person anymore. I want to be someone worthy of you.”
“Jameson, you are.” Didn’t he know that? “No matter what happened in the past, you’re worthy. You’re amazing. Smart and kind and gorgeous.”
“Thank you for saying that. But I think I still have a way to go. Would you consider spending time with me?”
“Yes. I’d love that.”
“Maggie!” Ian’s voice roared at her. Then she heard his footsteps as he thundered down the stairs.
“Uh-oh,” she muttered as he stormed into the dining area. He paused as he took them in.
Okay, she should probably hop off Jameson’s lap. But the doctor just tightened his hold on her hips as she went to move.
“Oh,” Ian said, deflating. “Sorry. I went into your bedroom and saw you gone. And you hadn’t called for one of us.” He frowned at Jameson. “You got her out of bed and carried her down here? Why?”
“Um, he didn’t,” she confessed. “I came down here by myself.”
“You did what? Maggie! You can’t be doing that.” Ian took a step toward her, only to have an arm slip around Ian’s neck from behind and drag him back, pushing him against the wall.
Her heart pounded and she tried to get off Jameson’s lap again.
Jack had Ian pinned to the wall. He might hurt him!
“Let me go!” she cried.
“No, it’s not safe,” Jameson told her. “You need to stay here.”
“Let me go!” she demanded.
“Let her go,” Jack snarled. “Now!”
“I’m safe with him,” she told Jameson. “Jack would never hurt me.”
Jameson groaned. “If you get hurt, I’m gonna spank your ass.”
Yikes.
Her body kind of liked that idea.
She was in trouble.
“Who drugged me? Someone fucking must have!” Jack growled.
Maggie gave Jameson a wide-eyed look.
He grimaced and nodded. “That was me.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you!” Jack snarled.
Uh-oh. She needed to calm him down.
This time, as Maggie climbed off Jameson’s lap, he let her. She slowly approached Jack. Much like you might a dangerous animal.
“Jack? Jackie? Sir Daddy?”
He took in a deep breath.
“Come here. Come to me,” she crooned.
Jack shook his head. “Have to stay on guard. Protect you.”
She put her hand on his back. He wasn’t choking Ian. And surprisingly, Ian was staying still and not fighting back. Maybe because they all knew how close to the edge of losing control Jack was.
“Jack, you’ve done a great job of protecting me. But now, we need to take care of you.”
He shook his head. “Still have to watch you. All the time. Jameson drugged me!”
“You needed sleep,” Jameson said. “You can’t take care of Maggie if you’re sleep-deprived.”
“I can’t fall asleep!” Jack yelled.
“Let go of Ian, Jack. I’m here. I’m fine.” Her heart wept for him. Her poor Jack.
He let Ian go and spun toward her, lifting her into his arms. “Got to watch you. Keep you safe. Day and night.”
A thought occurred to her. “Do you watch me at night? Do you watch me sleep, Jack?” Because she’d been having those weird feelings of being watched again.
“Yes.”
“Even before I was taken?” she asked, leaning back to peer up at him.
“I was keeping you safe.”
God, he looked terrible. And any desire to scold him dried on her tongue. She laid her head on his chest. I’m always safe with you, Jack. It wasn’t your fault I was taken.”
“Have to watch you. Keep you safe.”
Shit. He wasn’t thinking clearly.
“Jack, you need to sleep. Please. Come nap with me. I need you.”
“You need me?”
“I need you. Take me upstairs. I want to nap. With you.”
She wrapped her legs around his waist as she rested in his arms. Her thumb moved into her mouth as she sighed in contentment. He held her against him with one hand. The other hand lightly patted her bottom.
She loved that feeling.
“Shh. Shh. Shh,” he murmured to her. “You’re here with me. Sorry about that, Ian.”
“No apology needed. Go take care of our girl.”
Jack carried her up the stairs and into her room. “Do you need to go potty?”
“Urgh, do we have to call it a potty?”
“Yes.”
“Then yes, I gots to go. I don’t need you to stay with me, though,” she told him firmly.
“I’m staying with you. I can’t leave you alone.”
“Jack, no one is going to take me. You are keeping me safe.”
“Got cameras everywhere, but they aren’t enough. I have to be with you.”