10. Kane

Leaving her alone in the apartment had been hard. He didn't want to leave her. She looked so small and afraid, but she had assured him that she was fine and that she just wanted to lie down for a bit. He had stood there awkwardly, just as he had done in the bathroom until she had finally asked him if he was okay. He was. But he so badly wanted to help her in the bathroom and help her get ready for a nap. It was a feeling that naturally tugged at him when it came to her. He wanted to pull her into his lap, put a pacifier in her mouth, and rock her to sleep.

Heading back into his bedroom in the main house, he kicked off his boots and pulled out his phone to call Luke.

"Hey, buddy, how'd the drive go?"

He told him about the drive and that Haylee was lying down for a nap.

"Listen, Luke, I don't know if Ally should come over with you tomorrow. Haylee is in pretty bad shape. She had bruises everywhere, including on her face. I don't want Ally to get upset."

Luke cursed and muttered something under his breath.

"I can try to talk her out of coming, but I don't think she‘s going to let me keep her home. She is dying to see Haylee and make sure she's all right. I'll try to prepare her, though."

Kane nodded. He figured that would be the answer he got.

"Did you take her to the hospital to have her checked out?"

"I was going to, but she had a little temper tantrum about it, so I'm going to call Logan and see if he would be willing to do a house call to check her over."

"She had a temper tantrum? With you?" Luke asked, sounding fully amused.

"Yep. Sure did. If she wasn't in the situation she was in and hadn't seemed to be frightened, she'd have found herself over my knee real quick."

Luke snorted. "I told you not to scare her."

"I didn't scare her. I just told her, in the future, a tantrum would get her into trouble."

"I'm surprised she didn't pepper spray you."

Kane snorted this time. "Nah. She didn't seem too worried about my threat. I don't know for sure, but she might be a Little."

"Well, Ally would be over the moon thrilled if she was. She is dying to have someone to play with. I can only play Barbies so well. Apparently, I have terrible style when it comes to dressing them."

Kane grinned.

After hanging up with Luke, he called his friend Logan. He had met Logan when he'd served in the Marines, and they'd become fast friends. Logan served in the Navy as a doctor but was based in San Diego on the Marine base as the resident doctor, and then he brought his skills and education home with him, becoming a skilled surgeon. Lucky for Kane, Logan lived and worked in Bend, a midsized city about forty minutes from Pinebrook. They'd met for dinner a few times since he'd moved from Seattle. The best thing about their friendship was that they could go months without talking because of life being so busy, but as soon as they connected again, they were right back where they left off.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Kane Scott on the other end of my phone. What's going on, brother?"

Logan was just as much a brother to Kane as his actual brother, Damian, even though there was no shared blood. That was how it worked when you were a Marine. Well, Logan had been in the Navy, but he was stuck on a Marine base with a bunch of jarheads, so everyone had still counted him as a Marine.

"Hey, buddy, I have a problem."

"What's up?" His tone changed from warm to serious at Kane's admission of needing help.

They had each other's backs, no matter what. Always had and always would.

"Long story, but are you working tomorrow by chance?"

"Actually, I'm off tomorrow."

Kane breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Logan would help him, but if he'd been working, he would have had to drag Haylee into a doctor's office, and he really didn't want to do that, considering she seemed so fearful of them.

He explained everything to Logan in detail, noticing the long silence on the other end of the phone when he stopped talking.

"Whoa. Dude. That is a lot. And you're telling me that you let her get away with having a tantrum and you gave in to her? You're becoming soft, bro."

He knew Logan would understand. Fuck.

"Look, she is battered and bruised—I wasn't about to put her over my knee while she is in pain, and I don't even know if she has other injuries. But trust me, I thought about it."

Logan laughed. "Of course you did. But you know I'm happy to come out and check on her. But if I think she needs X-rays or anything, I'm going to make you bring her into the hospital."

"Fair enough. It doesn't seem like there's anything internal, but I'd just feel better having your opinion. And when we arrange a warrant for this asshole, it will be better that she's been seen by a real doctor… but I suppose you'll have to do for now." He grinned, knowing he was poking the bear.

"Listen, fucker, now I'm only coming for her benefit, not yours. Maybe I'll just load her up and bring her home with me and nurse the sweetheart back to health."

Okay, now Logan was poking the bear, and the bear didn't like being poked.

He growled, feeling his possessiveness over her already.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. Shit. I should have known better. I can tell by the way you talk about her that you already like her and feel protective of her. I was just teasing."

Kane knew that. He didn't just completely overreact and get all jealous and possessive over a girl he'd just met. Not at all.

"Thanks, Logan. I owe you one. Will noon work for you?"

"Roger that. See you tomorrow, bro."

Kane hung up and looked up at the clock. It was nearly dinnertime, and he hadn't fed Haylee anything since lunch. He typed out a text and sent it.

I'm making grilled cheese for dinner. It will be ready in fifteen minutes. Would you like me to bring it to you or do you want to come in here to eat?

Going into the kitchen, he gathered the supplies that he needed to make the sandwiches. Grilled cheese and quesadillas were the most gourmet meals he could cook. His phone vibrated.

Not hungry. Just tired.

He frowned down at his phone. He didn't care if she was hungry or not; she was definitely underweight and needed to eat. Finishing up the sandwiches, he cut hers into triangles and resisted the urge to put them on a plastic princess plate. Carrying both plates up the stairs to the apartment, he knocked lightly and waited. After what felt like an eternity, she slowly opened the door, peering out at him.

She looked paler than she had earlier in the day, and she had dark circles under her eyes that met the bruise on her cheek. Poor thing was exhausted. What he wouldn't give to get her ready for bed and rock her to sleep.

"I brought dinner. You need to eat something."

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

Okay. So, she wanted to challenge him. Maybe he should start keeping count now.

"You need to eat, Haylee. It will help you get better, and it will also help you sleep better. Come on, be good for me and eat a little."

Something flickered in her eyes before she slowly opened the door wider to let him inside. Kane set the plates down on the small table and sat in one of the chairs. Haylee followed and sat down in the other chair, which practically swallowed her tiny body.

"Thank you," she said quietly, eyeing the sandwiches.

Kane nodded and began eating, hoping she would follow suit. As much as he tried not to, he couldn't help staring at her knee-length pink pajama shirt that had tiny hearts printed all over it. She looked adorable, and he wondered where Ally's mind had been when she'd shopped for her friend. Seemed like she might have been in Little space. Haylee's hair was still damp from taking a shower, hanging loosely around her shoulders in tangles. Thoughts of sitting her down on the floor in front of him and brushing her hair ran through his mind. She deserved to be cared for like a princess.

Haylee nibbled on one of the quarters of her sandwich quietly. When she looked up to meet his eyes, she froze and set the sandwich back on the plate.

"No, baby girl, eat it all. I want you to eat at least three triangles before you go to bed."

She frowned as she looked down at her plate. "Two triangles."

Apparently, she wanted to play "let's make a deal." Only he didn't play that.

"Three triangles, final decision. No arguing."

She stared at him for a moment in disbelief, her mouth hanging open slightly, bringing his attention to her plump pink lips.

"You aren't the boss," she finally answered, although it sounded more like a question than a statement.

Kane grinned, picked up one of her triangles of sandwich, and held it up to her mouth.

"Oh, sweet girl, I am the boss. I am in charge here, and don't you ever forget it. Bite."

Her bottom lip stuck out in a slight pout before she reached out to take the triangle from his hands. He quickly pulled his hand back and shook his head before moving the sandwich up to her lips again. She obediently opened and took a small bite, keeping her blue eyes locked on him as she did.

"That's a good girl. Another one."

She took another bite and several more after that. After he fed her two and a half triangles, she sat back from the table.

"Please can I be done? I'm not used to eating that much. Especially bread. My tummy is so full."

Kane studied her for a moment before deciding she was being honest and nodded his head, setting the sandwich down on the plate.

"Thank you for eating. Did you nap?"

"I laid down but didn't fall asleep, so I got up and took a shower and have been texting with Ally ever since."

"Did you tell Ally how mean I am?"

She smiled. "Actually, I asked her if she's ever watched you wrestle an alligator."

He let out a bark of laughter.

"Alligator wrestling? Really?"

Haylee giggled and nodded her head. He loved that sound.

"You look like you might win."

"Oh, I would win. So, you just keep that in mind when you try to disobey me," he said, winking at her.

She blushed and looked away from him.

"Maybe you and Ally can come to watch my next alligator-wrestling match."

She giggled again and nodded. "Poor, poor alligators."

He felt a warmth spread through him. Little by little, he would show her that she was completely safe with him.

"Are you going to be okay out here? You can always stay in the main house if it would make you feel more comfortable. I should have set you up in there in the first place."

She hesitated before answering, which he didn't like. If he had it his way, he would move all her belongings into the main house immediately. He'd be able to look out for her better there.

"I'm fine. It's really nice in here. I like it," she answered, though her words didn't match her eyes.

He wondered if he should push her to come to stay in the house, but he didn't want to start demanding things of her and potentially push her away. He just nodded.

"Luke and Ally will be here around ten tomorrow morning, and my friend Logan—he's a doctor—he's coming at noon to check on you."

Haylee slumped her shoulders. "Ugh, I hate doctors. I'm fine, really."

"Logan is very nice, and it's not up for debate. I didn't take you to the emergency room, but I told you that you were still going to get checked out."

"Fiiine. It's just that… going to the doctors and hospitals scares me. I hate it."

"I understand, and I will be right here with you the entire time."

She peeked up at him under her dark lashes. "Promise?"

Hell yeah, he would promise. He wasn't going to leave her side if she was scared. Plus, he didn't want her alone with his better-looking, smooth-talking friend anyway.

"I promise."

Her features relaxed, and she let out a deep breath. Kane wanted to do a happy dance knowing she wanted him there with her when Logan came. It meant she was feeling somewhat safe with him, and that meant the world to him. He stood and grabbed the ibuprofen bottle off the counter.

"Have you taken any of this since this morning?"

She shook her head, making an ick face. Too bad she was going to have to take it again until he could get the orange kind. He opened the bottle, measured it out into the tiny cup, and set it in front of her on the table.

"No, thank you," she said, shaking her head.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You need to take it. It will help you feel better so you can sleep. Doesn't your body and head ache? And before you answer, remember what we talked about earlier about being honest."

Haylee snapped her head toward him and glared. Kane just smiled and lifted the cup to her lips.

Pulling her head back from the cup, she looked up at him. "It's sooo icky. I don't want it."

"Icky, huh. Okay, well, I have another option for you."

Her eyes lit up instantly. "Okay, I want the other option."

Oh, she does, does she?

"The other option is pain-relief suppositories that go in your bottom."

Her face fell before she quickly leaned forward and started drinking the medicine, making a disgusted face until it was gone.

"So gross," she whined.

Kane grabbed a glass from a cupboard and filled it with water, setting it in front of her. She quickly drank it.

"Thank you for taking it. It's getting late, and you need to crawl into bed and try to sleep."

She looked disappointed, and he didn't know if it was because he was leaving or because he'd told her to go to bed. If he were honest with himself, he really didn't want to leave her either. But she needed her sleep, and he couldn't exactly crawl into bed with her, as much as he would have liked to.

"Okay," she answered quietly.

Reaching his hand out, he used his finger to lift her chin so her eyes met his.

"You are welcome to come into the house at any time if you decide you don't want to be out here alone. I'll leave a bedroom door open for you that you can use if you feel like it."

She nodded. "I'm fine out here."

Well, he wasn't really fine with her being so far away from him. But he couldn't force her. Not yet anyway.

"Okay. Sweet dreams, Haylee. See ya later, baby alligator."

The purest, sweet smile crossed her lips, and it took every ounce of strength not to kiss her.

"In a while, crocodile," she said before closing the door.