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“Look at me, babygirl.”

She wanted to obey the voice. It was so insistent. But she couldn’t take her eyes off the mansion drawing closer. Cold and imposing, it reminded her of all the magisterial buildings the General had dragged her to as a child. Their massive size and cold formality had terrified her, not that she could say that.

Fear equaled weakness to her father, or the General as he’d insisted his family call him. The General did not tolerate weakness.

“Fuck!” Worry laced the faraway voice.

She should offer it comfort. But that would mean letting her guard down, and she needed her guard up to face the great and ominous Midnight.

“Dutch, lower all the windows.”

Frosty wind smacked her face, causing her lungs to draw in sweet, clean air. It blew apart the vision of encroaching doom. The emotion sweeping through her threatened to overwhelm her control.

She sat in the back of the car, now cradled on her Daddy lap. He cupped her face so gently it shredded her control, and she burst into sobs.

“Talk to me, Tildi. What’s wrong? What is going on in that incredible mind of yours? Tell me so I can fix it.” Boone ran his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away her tears.

He was too far away. She threw herself against his chest. He smelled of salt and sandalwood and strength.

Tildi leaned against him and allowed his steady heartbeat to calm her. This was her Daddy. She could overcome any fear as long as he was with her. Especially silly, imaginary fears. Who couldn’t overcome things like that?

“Are you ready to tell me what has you so upset you had a panic attack? Is it being near Sevin? I’d never put you in danger, Tildi. If I thought Sevin was anything like his father, we wouldn’t come within a hundred miles of this place.”

She planted her forehead against his chest and nodded. He would. She had no idea why, but he was always there for her. And how was she repaying him? By acting like a total idiot.

She needed to be better. To be worthy of his love and attention. She needed to do whatever it took to earn her place by his side. That included not embarrassing him in front of his friend, Sevin.

“Nothing, Daddy. I just got in my own head for a minute, but I’m better now. I’m sorry to make a scene.”

His arms held her tighter. “You didn’t make a scene, little one. You had a panic attack. And we are not leaving this car until you tell me what caused it.”

She had him so worried. See? Selfish.

Daddies like Boone didn’t deserve selfish Littles. They deserved perfect Littles. She could be perfect if she tried hard enough. “It was nothing, Daddy. Promise. I was being silly, but now I stopped.”

He sat her up straight on his lap, leaving a vacuum where the warmth of his chest had been. She swallowed hard and tried not to see it as rejection.

“That isn’t how this works, little girl. I asked you a question, and we will sit in the car until you give me an answer. I don’t care if it takes all night.”

Stubborn Daddy.

Huffing out an aggrieved sigh, she attempted to come up with a reason that would satisfy him without giving too much away. “I just… I didn’t think about exactly what Sevin’s house and everything would look like. That’s all. See, it was stupid to panic just because of a tall thick fence and armed guards. Sheesh! What did I think it was going to be like, right? I mean, it’s not like I haven’t seen the same thing a dozen times in the past year. I shouldn’t have let it bother me. I won’t cause a scene again. I promise.”

Boone's hands gripped her hips so hard she feared she might have bruises. She must have really screwed up. Even more than she thought.

A muffled, “Fuck me,” came from the front seat. Looking up, she watched Dutch rub a hand across his face.

She’d forgotten Grif and Dutch were there.

Way to go, Tildi. She should have known she’d give too much away. She wasn’t very good at secrets.

“I’m sorry, bluebell. I should have realized Sev’s place would remind you of all the compounds you’ve been held at for the past year. We don’t have to stay here. I’ll phone him and tell him we’ll meet over the phone. Grif, let’s get out of here.”

“No!” She couldn’t let him change all his plans just for her. He needed to explain what had happened on their trip. “I’m okay now. Promise. I don’t want to cause any trouble. We can go in, and I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not putting you through staying somewhere that gives you flashbacks of everything you’ve dealt with, babygirl. You aren’t causing trouble. This is on me.”

Grif pulled underneath the porte cochere and slowed to a stop just as a tall man in a suit stepped out of the front door with several equally large men following behind. They prowled down the steps like a coalition of male lions. Every single one of them reminded her of the men who had held her captive.