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He cupped her face between his hands. “This is not your fault. You hear me? You cannot take this on. I refuse to allow it. But, yeah, he used to tell me . . . he’d tell me all the things that he planned to do when he got hold of you.

And, baby, fuck, they were messed up. They were sick.

And sometimes, I’d get mad and try to attack him.

That never ended well for me. Other times, I’d throw up.

Again, it never ended well for me. He was a fucking evil bastard who psychologically and physically tortured me. And he used you to do it.”

“I’m surprised you don’t hate me.”

“Could never hate you, Immy. Ever. But it made me protective of you. So protective. And I put you up on this pedestal in my mind. Don’t get me wrong, you deserve to be there.

But in my mind, you were so far above me that I could never dare to touch you.

To deserve you. And I have that evil bastard’s blood in my veins.

I don’t know that I fully trust myself. What if .

. . what if there is more of him inside me than even I know? What if I hurt you?”

“Jenner, you could never hurt me.” She grasped hold of his hand with her good hand. “Ever.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do know that. You’re a good man. All you have ever done is protect and take care of me, often at the expense of yourself.”

He shook his head, giving her a fierce look. “I will always take care of you, Immy. You come first. That’s something Tobias and I agree on.”

“We do,” Tobias agreed in a low rumble.

“I think that’s another reason I find it easier to accept sharing you. Because if I ever started to act like him, I know that Tobias would put me on my ass. That he’d take me out before I could harm you. That gives me a lot of peace of mind.”

“Tobias doesn’t need to do anything to you, because you would never harm me,” Immy told him.

“I wouldn’t allow him to,” Tobias growled.

She glared at him. He was not being helpful.

“Having Tobias in the relationship helps. So does therapy. I decided that I no longer wanted my father to control me. That’s what he was doing.

He was still controlling me from the grave.

And it was making me miserable. Worse, it was hurting you.

I didn’t think I deserved you, Immy. And when I thought about touching you, kissing you, making love to you, it would bring up memories of what he’d said to me. ”

“Oh no.” Would he ever be able to touch her like that?

“But the therapist has helped me a lot. He’s shown me different ways to cope when the memories try to overcome me. I have coping mechanisms and I’m able to separate my Immy from what he said. From that Immy, who never actually existed. Does that make sense?”

“It does.”

“The therapist is also helping me to see that I don’t have to take everything on my shoulders.

All the responsibility of taking care of everyone.

That part is surprisingly hard. I’m ready to make you mine, but I’m not so sure I’m ready to let go of feeling responsible for everyone.

However, I also don’t want to be this workaholic.

So I’m trying to sort my head out. And my therapist is helping. ”

“I’m so glad. I don’t want you to feel that you have to work yourself to death for us and I hate that when you looked at me, you saw whatever your father said about me.”

“It was bad. Really bad,” he said. “I’d wake up in nightmares. That was also the reason I’d sneak into your room at the cult. I was scared that he was going to follow through and actually do some of the things he’d said he would do.”

God. She couldn’t even imagine what he’d gone through.

“I thought it would be better after we left the cult and for a while, it was. Until my feelings for you started to change and develop and every time I got attracted to you . . . I felt like the worst bastard in the world. As though I was scum.”

“Jenner, no,” she whispered.

“Never thought I’d get the chance to be the man you deserve, but you take this chance on me and I will never hurt you again.

I fucking hate that I ever hurt you. I will be the man you need.

I know I should probably walk away. That might be the best thing for you .

. . but God, I’d be fucking miserable for the rest of my life. ”

“And so would I,” she told him fiercely. “Because I love you as much as you love me. And I need you in my life. Please, please don’t leave me.” A sob escaped her.

“I won’t, baby. I won’t. I’ll love you the way you deserve. Forever.”

He hugged her lightly and tears dripped down her face. Then he drew back and wiped her tears away from her cheeks.

“Yuck, I’m all snotty.”

“I don’t care.” Jenner grabbed some tissues to clean her up. “Not sure what my therapist will say about the sort of relationship we’re proposing, but I don’t care what other people think. All I care about is what you want.”

She glanced over at Tobias who was watching her steadily. “To have two of you . . . that would be amazing. A miracle. And way more than I could ever deserve.”

“That’s not fucking true,” Tobias told her fiercely. “You deserve to be happy every minute of every day for the rest of your life.”

“What he said.” Jenner winked at her and she smiled tremulously.

“So we’re really going to do this?” she asked. “Tobias? Are you sure this is what you want? That you can handle it?”

“I can handle it,” he said. “Not gonna lie and say I won’t get jealous because I don’t know what the future will bring.

But I’ll do my best to work it out myself.

Or with Jenner. We need to figure out how we’ll do this.

A partnership. Where we both take care of our girl.

I had thought to get rid of him. I was making plans to extract him from your life. ”

“Nice to hear,” Jenner said dryly.

“Just the truth. We’re gonna do this, figure honesty and communication are going to be key.”

“Where did you read that? On the back of a cornflakes box?” Jenner asked.

“Something like that.” Tobias grinned briefly. “But then I had some sort of epiphany or something.”

“An epiphany? About what?” she asked.

“That more than wanting my own happiness, I wanted you to be happy. He makes you happy. I make you happy. Guess you’ll be fucking ecstatic if you have both of us.”

“But will you be happy?” she asked worriedly. Because he didn’t sound like he thought he would.

“Babe, you in my life, in my bed, mine, there’s no way I couldn’t be happy.”

She sniffled.

“Shit. Why is she crying now?” he asked Jenner.

“Happy tears again,” Jenner replied.

“Jesus. You have to be kidding me. I need some sort of guide to tears. When they’re happy or when they’re sad.”

“There’s also angry tears,” Jenner told him.

“Now you’re just fucking with me,” Tobias said.

She giggled and Jenner cleaned her up. Again.

“Baby, you keep crying and you’re going to need another IV,” Jenner told her.

She knew that he was joking, but she actually did have a dull headache and she felt drained.

“We’re really doing this,” she whispered.

“We are.” Jenner glanced over at Tobias.

“Yep,” Tobias said.

“There’s something else I’ve been doing besides going to a therapist,’ Jenner said.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’ve been going to classes at the club. The BDSM club that I belong to. I haven’t gone in a while because I thought someone would find out. But I talked to the owner and he’s been letting me sneak in and out. Everyone in the class has to sign a NDA anyway.”

“What kind of classes?” she asked curiously.

“The kind that teach you how to be a good Daddy Dom. Figure if I’m going to be your Daddy, I want to be the best that I can be. I haven’t really had any experience with Littles. And I don’t want to fuck anything else up.”

Tobias scoffed. “You’ve been Daddying her since the moment I met you. You have plenty of experience with being her Daddy.”

“You could be right,” Jenner said.

“I always am,” Tobias said arrogantly.

“You . . . you went to classes on being a Daddy Dom?” Immy asked Jenner. He’d done that for her?

“Yep. I know you have trouble letting go of your adult side and embracing your Little. And I know that Tobias has been helping you with that. But I wanted you to know that I am here for you as well. In fact, I have an idea of what we could do . . . if you both agree.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I thought we could go away to the cabin for a few weeks. Just the three of us. We could spend time getting to know each other better, getting used to this relationship without other people watching. And you could completely let go and let your Little free because there would be no one else there other than your Daddies.”

Immy could feel a bit of panic rising, but she didn’t know why. This was Tobias and Jenner.

They loved her.

Tobias had already shown that he would take good care of her in Little headspace. That he would protect her Little just as fiercely as he protected Big Immy. And she trusted Jenner. Heck, he’d been going to classes for this. And if what Tobias said was right, he had been her Daddy for a long time.

Time to be brave, Immy.

You can’t expect everyone else to put in the work. And what work would it actually be? In fact, it kind of sounds like your greatest wish. As if Jenner has reached into your head to give you exactly what you want.

“You’re not doing this just for me?” she asked. “Because you think I want it? I don’t want you to force anything.”

“I’m not, baby,” Jenner reassured her. “I promise you. I’ve learned that I’ve always been a Daddy Dom.”

“I think going away for a while is the best fucking idea I’ve heard in a long time,” Tobias said. “Make it happen.”

“Immy?” Jenner queried.

“Let’s do this.”

Jenner’s phone rang and he glanced at it. “It’s Sampson.”

Oh no.

How had she forgotten about Isaiah?

“Wait, I’ll put you on speaker,” Jenner said. “Say that again.”

“We still can’t get hold of Isaiah,” Sampson said. “So I decided to check in his room, see if there was any clue about where he’s gone . . . or if anyone took him. I found a note.”

“What did it say?” she asked, worry filling her.

Where was Isaiah? Why would he leave a note and disappear?

“It says that he has a possible lead on the copycat Deity and that he’s going to chase it down. But it’s safer if he does it alone,” Sampson replied.

“What the fuck?” Jenner said. “Why the fuck would he do that? We’re a family, we don’t go off on our own.”

“I know,” Sampson said grimly. “I don’t like this at all, but it’s Isaiah. How the fuck are we gonna find him if he doesn’t want to be found?”

Isaiah knew how to become a ghost because he was so good at tracking other people.

Immy swallowed heavily. “I’m scared.”

“Don’t be scared, baby,” Jenner said immediately. “If Isaiah doesn’t want to be found, no one will find him. Not us or the wannabe Deity. But I thought the FBI had him?”

“Alejandro and Cat are going to get in contact with Cat’s FBI agent,” Sampson replied. “Could be he was some sort of decoy. Someone who was used to put us all at ease.”

“Fuck. Shit.” Jenner got off the hospital bed and started pacing. “I wanted to take Immy and Tobias to the cabin. Do you think it’s safe to do that?”

“Immy and Tobias?” Abe said through the phone as well.

“Yeah, both of them. We’re gonna try a polyamorous relationship. Is that what you call it? Or is it a menage relationship? Reverse harem?”

She gaped at Jenner.

“What?” he asked. “I might have read a few of those books you’re always reading.”

“You did? Why?” she asked.

He was blushing slightly as he shrugged. “I wanted to show interest in the things you like.”

“That’s so incredibly sweet,” she told him.

“Yeah, sickening,” Sampson said dryly through the phone.

“It is not sickening,” she told Sampson with a frown.

“We’ll have to make the cabin safe,” Tobias said. “Is there a security system? Does anyone know about it?”

“No one but family,” Sampson said. “It’s actually under Isaiah’s name. We figured that was best for privacy. He put in all of the security. So it’s good. Part of me wants you here, where I can watch over Immy. But this guy with the gun worries me. He likely knows where we live.”

“Then you guys aren’t safe,” she said frantically.

“So far, he’s targeting you girls,” Abe said. “I think the cabin is the safest place for you. Maybe Isaiah really does have a lead on him and he’ll track him down shortly.”

“Are you staying with Immy tonight?” Sampson asked. “Want us to bring some of your stuff?”

“Yeah, we are,” Jenner said. “Tonight and every other night.”

Lord. She liked that.

Immy watched as Tobias moved closer to her. To her surprise, he climbed onto the bed with her, lying on his side.

“Tobias? Are you all right?” she asked as he gently wrapped an arm over her middle.

Jenner had gone downstairs to meet Abe and Sampson and grab their stuff, living her alone with Tobias.

She wished she could touch him, but he was lying close to her good side and it hurt to raise her sprained wrist.

A shudder ran through him, worrying her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I just . . . Christ, Immy,” he whispered. “I could have fucking lost you.”

Immy closed her eyes, regret filling her. Why had she run off like she had? It seemed so stupid now.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

He opened his eyes and leaned up on one elbow to stare down at her firmly.

“Don’t ever do that again. I know we were assholes, we said some stupid, dumb things and upset you.

For that, I apologize. But don’t ever just run off like that again.

We had no idea where you were or if you were safe.

Fuck, we didn’t even know if your phone was with you or we were wasting our time following it. ”

There was sheer agony in his face and it floored her.

“I won’t. I’m so sorry,” she replied. “I won’t run off again.”

He hugged her carefully to him. “I love you, sweetness. So fucking much.”

“I love you too.”