Page 153 of Double Daddies
“For what, little bit?” he asks.
“You couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry I kept you from that.”
“It’s not your fault, don’t even think about it.” He gives me a serious look. “Now, Papa is going to get you fed and then both of you are going to go to bed.”
“But… but.”
“No buts. You need your rest. Before you came here, were you getting enough sleep? Were you sleeping eight hours a night and giving yourself a break when you needed one?”
I open and close my mouth. While my job wasn’t stressful or demanding, I did tend to work too hard and make sure everything was running well. I would help other people around the office if they needed it.
“That’s what I thought. So, while you are here, we are going to make sure you get enough sleep. If we think you need a nap, you’ll have one,” Elijah says. “No arguments. Understood?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Yes, Daddy, or yes, Sir.”
“Yes, Sir.”
I’m not ready to call him Daddy out loud yet. I don’t know if I ever will be ready. It is a big step, and I know if I called him Daddy then Brix would want me to call him Papa.
“Soon,” Da—Elijah whispers, kissing my nose.
Chapter Six
Nora
Last night, I had the best sleep ever. Brix managed to hold me the whole night, and this morning, I was sleeping on top of his chest. It was the most comfortable I have ever been. I want to do it again.
“I’ve got to go to work. Don’t be too hard on Daddy.” Brix looks me in the eye. “He is going to need to sleep some since he’s been up for hours. Be a good girl and do as he says.”
He kisses my nose before standing to his full height. I’m currently sitting on the ground with Tiggy as I color. They’d looked at my feet this morning when Elijah got back from work, deeming I needed to still take it easy, but they were healing nicely.
Elijah pulled the coloring book from his bag when he walked into the cabin, kissing me on the head before he took a shower. It was clear how exhausted he was as he looked at me for a couple of seconds. He’d been up for twenty-four hours.
“Understand?” Brix gripped my chin.
“Yes, Sir,” I whisper.
“When I get home, we are going to talk about why you think this is wrong and why we can’t do it,” Brix says. “I’m giving you a heads-up, it is happening. You can’t get out of it.”
I nod again, not trusting my voice. How am I going to get out of it? Will I be able to? I need to start thinking now. I can’t hurt myself to avoid this, that’s wrong, but what else can I do?
“Be a good girl, and I’ll see you later.” He presses his lips to my forehead this time before leaving.
I stare at his retreating form, my eyes staying on the door even after it closes. Part of my heart aches as he leaves.
I’m growing too attached to them. What am I going to do when I leave the lodge and go back to normal life? I’m going to be so heartbroken. I don’t know what to do. Will I be able to function after?
“You okay, little bit?” Elijah asks as he walks into the room.
My eyes move to him, taking in his freshly showered body. He looks less tired, but I can see in his face that he is absolutely exhausted.
“Nora?” he asks. “Are you okay?”
I nod, but look back at the door. I don’t know why it’s hitting me so much harder that Brix has left for his shift. Will he be okay? Is the Whiskey River Mountain Lodge a safe place? Is there any crime here?
Warm hands cup my face, pulling my eyes away from the door. “Brix is going to be just fine,” Elijah gently says. “He knows how to take care of himself. Nothing is going to happen to him.”
