Page 108 of Broken Daddy

“H-hayes.” Thank God.

“That’s right. Shh. You need to calm down, baby.”

“C-can’t. Want you. Want you p-protect me.” But it wasn’t up to Hayes to protect her. “Need Coco.”

“Who’s that?” he asked.

“Squirrel. Toy. Need her.”

“I’ll get her for you, baby. Is she in your bedroom in the trailer?”

“Yes. Hidden. So Derick doesn’t find her. Where is he?”

“Who? Derick?”

Another sob filled the room and his warm hands cupped her face. Then his hand slid around to the back of her neck and he squeezed firmly.

It was a dominant hold and if anyone else had done it, she figured she would be terrified.

But she trusted him. Devi knew that Hayes would protect her.

So that gesture felt comforting. But it also felt like he was in charge and he was letting her know that.

Devi really needed him to take control. Everything was just too overwhelming.

Things could be worse.

Could they, though? Devi liked to be positive, to think the best about everything.

But could things be any worse?

“Don’t want to think. Don’t want to remember. Want Coco. Need her.”

“Your toy?”

“Need her. Need her.”

“It’s all right, baby girl.”

Baby girl?

Did he know what she was? He did give off Daddy vibes. But she thought she might have imagined them.

“I’m here. Do you need me to take control?”

Another smaller sob. His words had been so quiet that she’d barely heard them. Had she imagined them in her desperation for some help?

“If you need me to take over, just say the word. Kent and Mac are here. They’re at the other end of the room, though. They can’t hear us. And there’s a nurse. But he’s by the doorway.”

She shuddered. “Don’t want him near me.” Devi knew that she was being silly. He was a nurse. And he was only trying to help her. She was in the hospital and she had to let nurses near her.

But in that moment, she was terrified of any man she didn’t know.

“No one comes near you that you don’t want.” The words were said low and firm.

As though he meant every word. As though he would never break a promise to her.

Devi wasn’t sure that she believed him. But those words and that tone helped cut through her panic. They helped her breathe.