Page 161 of Baby Girl
With my free arm, I cover us with the blankets and smooth her hair before applying a kiss to the back of her head. “Sleep.”
“You aren’t the boss of me,” she mutters, but it’s punctuated by a yawn.
I don’t bother arguing with her; her body will do that for me.
Instead, I bask in the knowledge that I finally have what I want.
My baby girl, here, asleep in my arms, in my bed, in my house.
Everything is going to be okay.
Chapter 84
Emery
The bed shifts behind me, cool air flooding my skin, before the blankets are put back. As I start to turn in Derek’s direction, a hand touches my head, gently stroking, and there is the brush of stubble by my ear.
“Shhh, I’ll be right back.”
Not ready to open my eyes, anyway, I settle back into my pillow and let my mind float in that space where I’m vaguely aware that things are going on around me—doors opening and closing, someone moving around the room—but then everything is quiet again.
My hand is pulled free of the blankets, and this time I do open my eyes, watching as Derek straps something soft around my wrist. “Hey.”
He glances up and smiles at me. “Hey, baby. Sleep okay?”
There is a clicking noise as I nod, and then, like my brain can’t comprehend what’s happening, I watch as a not-so-thin chain is padlocked to a very thick metal ring hanging from the headboard.
A weight sinks down into my stomach as I raise my arm, and the chain moves with it, a tiny padlock securing it to the padded leather cuff now wrapped around my wrist. “What?”
Derek rests a sweats-covered knee against the bed and leans forward to drop a quick kiss onto my lips but pulls back just as quick. “This is only for now. We need to talk, and I have a feeling the moment I leave this room, you are going to try and disappear on me. I’ve waited too long to have this conversation with you.”
“Are you seriously holding me prisoner?” I sputter, giving the chain a hard yank, testing its strength, indignation burning in my chest. “You can’t do this.”
“As always, you can use your safe word. I will never make you do anything you do not truly want to do.” Derek brings over a tray that has cute little fold-out legs. “I had the carbonara delivered from Lizzottes with garlic bread and a Coke. Unfortunately, I cannot provide you with a dessert tonight.”
“Derek, seriously? You can’t keep me here like this.” Anxiety is starting to brew beneath my lungs.
He then goes to the dresser and brings over an armful of things.
An iPad.
Teddy.
My sketch pads and graphite.
“The code to unlock the iPad is your birthday. There are several streaming services available for you to use, and I have even taken the liberty of downloading a few games. You are more than welcome to add other apps.”
The way he ignores me is not helping my spiraling thoughts. “What if I promise not to leave?”
Derek pauses and looks up from where he is arranging everything at the foot of the bed. “Would you keep your promise?”
When I don’t answer, he nods and returns to fixing things the way he wants them.
With a huff, I flop back onto the bed, but then a thought occurs to me, and I jerk up to sitting, the blankets pooling around my waist, leaving my tits exposed to the room. “Wait, why aren’t you staying with me?”
“The guys will be arriving in the next few minutes for our weekly poker game. Once I was no longer distracted by your arrival, it was too late to cancel on them.” Derek straightens and stuffs his hands into his pockets, not a single ounce of regret over what he is doing to me on his face. “If you need me, send me a message, and as soon as I’m able, I’ll come to you. But unless you want all of them knowing you’re here before you’re ready to have a conversation with them, I suggest you keep the requests to a minimum.”
“When are you going to let me go?” I quietly ask, dropping my gaze to the dark blue duvet, picking at the fabric. Emotion is clogging my throat, and I have no idea how I feel.
