Page 54 of Iron Hearts

I almost fooled myself into thinking I smelled roses as I shifted to go back out of the small chamber.

Almost.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

Striker…

You awake?

I pulled my phone off my chest and read the message. It was late. Likereally fucking late.

Yeah, baby girl. What’s wrong?I asked.

Bad dream,she texted back.

Talk to me.

It wasn’t like her to be so openly vulnerable. I sat up on the couch and leaned my elbows on top of my knees, my phone held between my hands.

I guess I just miss my dad…finally is what she’d texted back and I had to think. It’d taken an awfully long fuckin’ time to arrive at just those seven little words.

I’m sorry, baby. As much as I’d like to be your daddy it certainly isn’t like that!I tried levity. I didn’t honestly know what to say.

I got nothing back for a lot of minutes. I worried that I’d said the wrong thing there… and then…

I’ll be honest. I’ve never actually met anyone into the whole sugar daddy thing – is that what you’re talking about?

I chuckled.

No, baby girl. The sugar daddy thing is similar but vastly different at the same time. One, most of those guys are lonely and rich; and there isn’t always a sexual dynamic to it. Most of the time it’s just a bored old rich guy looking to have some conversation and spoil a girl. What I want is… different.

Again, a long, long silence for just so few words in return.

What do you want?she asked.

A relationship.I sent simply. I thought about it,hard,for a full minute. Literally sitting there watching the digital clock in the top corner of my phone. Staring at the last number, until it changed, and staring at it some more… knowing that if we went down this rabbit hole, I could scare her off pretty quick, and I wasn’t at all surprised to feel an almost real physical pang of pain in the center of my chest at the thought.

Granted, I didn’t know Rarity super well, we’d only hung out the once or twice, butshit fire motherfucker,had she grown on me in such a short amount of time. She was so beautiful and selfless… fierce and plucky.

But like, one where she calls you daddy?

I chuckled at that.

That’s oversimplifying it.

She sent a laughing so hard it was crying emoji and said,You’re the one that opened up this line of conversation! Now I want to understand.

I cocked my head and texted back, hating how all nuance was lost when texting…

Why?I asked.

She gave me the right answer.

Because it seems important to you, and I like you, and I would like to understand and extend the same patience and understanding that you’ve extended to me.

I thought about that, and swallowed hard.

You sure? I feel like we can’t un-ring this bell once it’s been rung.

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