Page 144 of Her Daddies' Everything

It was a low blow. He knew that. But all was fair in war and winning Immy.

The prize was worth whatever low blow tactics he had to engage in.

“That was a misunderstanding and it won’t be happening anymore. I won’t tell Alejandro about this, but you aren’t to sneak back into her room. Understand me?”

“Sure. I understand.” Didn’t mean he agreed. But Jenner didn’t seem to see the difference or the fact he hadn’t given his word.

The other man wasn’t a fool. But he did look exhausted. Tobias guessed he’d been taking care of Immy since she got ill.

Something that he should be doing.

“You look tired,” Tobias told him. “You should get some sleep.”

“I’ll sleep when she’s better.”

“You’re pretty worried considering it’s just a flu. Not usually something you’d get a doctor in for.”

Jenner startled, then looked at him. “Shit. I don’t know why I thought you would know. She wouldn’t tell you. Immy hates talking about her health.”

Yeah. Tobias really didn’t like that he didn’t know what was going on. Someone should have told him. Immy had just brushed it off as vitamins.

He was beginning to see that Immy lied sometimes.

“I don’t think I should say too much,” Jenner added.

“Yeah? And what if she gets sick when I’m the only one around?”

“Then call someone.” Jenner sighed. “Look, she has a poor immune system. Likely that way from birth but it didn’t help that she missed a number of vaccinations growing up because the Deity didn’t believe in the Devil’s medicine. So now, she gets sick easily and when she does, she can getreallyill. It doesn’t take much for a cold to turn into pneumonia and for her to end up in the hospital. I know it might seem like we’re all overprotective of her, always pushing her to rest and take her medication . . . but for years we’ve watched her suffer. She’s been in the hospital a number of times and it’s fucking scary. So we try our best to keep her healthy.”

“Got it,” Tobias said. Weak immune system? “So should she be going to things like concerts with you? To places like hotels? Supermarkets?”

Dirty bars that looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in years and whose inhabitants didn’t look much better?

“Likely not,” Jenner replied with a small smile as he glanced through the door to where Immy slept. “But try telling her that.”

Oh, he would tell her. But it wouldn’t be phrased as a request or question. She’d simply do as she was told.

“I once tried to put my foot down. I told her that she wasn’t needed at my concerts anymore. She got so mad at me. Said if she couldn’t do the things she enjoyed, then what was the point of living anymore. That scared me. Because I can’t imagine a life without Immy in it. If I could control every aspect of her life, I would. But we lived with someone like that for years. So webalance keeping her safe with letting her live. I know we don’t always get it right. We’ve always protected Immy. Taken care of her. She’s always seen the bright side of life, even at the cult. I don’t know how she did it. You don’t know how it feels to have one person have complete control over you.”

Hmm. That was debatable.

Jenner smiled. “Things could be terrible and Immy would smile or make a joke or give us a compliment and it was like the world became lighter. Like it lit up. Just being around her made everything feel better.”

Fuck. Tobias didn’t want to feel sorry for him or understand him.

Or fucking like him.

But it seemed like it was too late. He already felt all of those things.

26

“Immy! What are you doing up?”

Unicorn poop.

She’d thought everyone was out of the house. Turning, she saw Jenner standing by the kitchen island.

“I woke up and I was thirsty.”

---