Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Brock winced. Once again, his father was right. Suzette needed to be armed with every possible defensive tactic available to her. He rose to his feet and grabbed the monitor. “So, we’ll do the ceremony in the morning.”
“I think that’s the best plan, Brock.”
“Thank you. Will you let her parents know?”
“I will. I’ll arrange it for ten o’clock.”
Chapter Eight
Maybe it was a result of the stress of the day. Maybe it was simply how all newly mated Alphas felt. It didn’t matter the reasons, Brock felt fidgety without his mate in his arms.
He was also concerned for her safety, and there was no way he could leave her alone in her nursery all night. He would never be able to sleep.
Without hesitation, he strode back to her room, set the monitor on the top of the dresser, and lowered the side of the crib. For several moments, he simply stared at his sweet Little doll. She was resting peacefully. Her arms were relaxed alongside her head. Her knees were bent so that her legs could rest wide open to accommodate the diaper. She was suckling the nipple rhythmically.
Brock lifted a hand to brush a lock of hair from her forehead. Her beautiful, dark hair was spread out around her like a halo. She was so fucking precious. He’d watched her sleep for fourteen nights and somehow managed to keep his hands to himself for every excruciating one.
He’d inhaled her scent until it had become part of him. He’d even stood over her and breathed her air in directly, daringly. If she’d ever woken up, she would have freaked out and probably screamed loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood.
It had occurred to him several times that she would have mistaken him for the peeping tom she was being protected from. But he’d been careful, and he’d also been obsessed. Unable to back off. Unwilling to.
Yeah, there was no way in hell he was leaving her in this crib all night. Not a chance. For one thing, he’d be in a constant state of panic. For another, he needed her in his arms.
Trying not to disturb her too much, he slid his arms under her and gently lifted her.
The adorable whimper she made as he cradled her against him made his cock hard. The way she curled against him made his heart flip over. But the way she wrapped her small arm around his chest made his knees nearly give out.
Brock picked up her doll, tucked her into Suzette’s arms, carried his precious bundle to his room, and deposited her gently in the middle of his bed. After flipping off all the lights, he stripped off his clothes, grabbed a pair of loose shorts, and pulled them over his straining erection.
When he climbed into bed, he hauled her into his embrace, spooning her from behind. She was like a little heater, but he didn’t care if he caught on fire. He needed to snuggle her.
“Daddy?” she asked softly. She must have pulled her pacifier out of her mouth.
“Shhh, Little doll. Daddy’s got you. Sleep.”
He heard the gentle pop of her paci as she put it back in and then the rhythmic sucking noise. It soothed him because she was life affirming. He could get used to having her in his bed with that pacifier every night of his life.
For a long time, he simply lay next to her, stroking the soft skin on her arm with his fingers, breathing in the lavender scent of her hair, lulled by the sweet sounds she made in her sleep and the suckling.
Suddenly, she stilled and stiffened.
Brock did, too, panic seizing him. What was wrong?
A moment later, she started flailing around, and then she screamed, “No. Let me go! Put me down!” She flung her arms out wildly and kicked with her feet at nothing.
Brock sat up and rolled her to her back. He grabbed her flailing arms to avoid getting struck—not that she could hurt him with her slight frame. “Suzette, Little doll, wake up.”
She kept fighting him, squirming, yanking on her wrists. “No. No no no.” Her head rolled back and forth.
“Suzette,” he called out, louder this time. “Daddy’s here. You’re safe.” His heart hurt for her.
Her eyes flew open. For a moment she stared at him without seeing, and then they widened. “Daddy?”
“Yes, Little doll. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I had a bad dream.”
He kissed her forehead. “I know. It’s over now. I’ve got you.”
“That man… He grabbed me so fast. I tried to stop him, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t fast enough. I wasn’t strong enough. He put something over my face, and I blacked out.” She started crying, sobbing.
Brock rolled to his back to reach over and turn on the light on the nightstand before scooting back to sit against the headboard. He gathered his Little girl in his arms and hauled her onto his lap. He brushed the long hair off her face and tipped her head back. “I’m so sorry, Little one. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop him.”