26. Kane

Kane was an early riser but waking up with Haylee pressed up against him had given him the incentive to stay in bed a little longer. When he finally got out of bed, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of her with her wild hair spread across the pillow as she sucked on her pacifier and had Virgil clutched in her arm. She was absolutely perfect. He took a cold shower before making his way downstairs, leaving Haylee still snuggled up under the blankets, sleeping soundly. He was glad about that. She needed as much sleep as she could get.

Damian sat across from him at the dining table, drinking coffee.

"I like your house. Sorry I haven't been down to see it yet."

His brother was always busy with work. He buried himself in the job and rarely took any time for himself. Damian was one of the best men he knew. Kane wished that he would take a break and focus on finding himself someone special. Despite being a total control freak, he would be an amazing Daddy for someone. His need to protect was intense at times, and that's why he was so good at his job.

Kane nodded, taking a drink of his own coffee.

"You really didn't need to come down. But I'm glad you're here," he told him.

His phone rang, the caller ID showing Ian's name. Ian was also a friend of Damian's, and they did business together. Kane answered and immediately put it on speaker.

"Hey, Damian and I are both here. You're on speaker."

"Morning," Ian said, his voice cold.

He didn't like that sound. Ian wasn't a cold kind of guy.

"Another text came through this morning. He's in Pinebrook. The text said that he would find her, even if he had to burn the whole town down to get her to come out of hiding."

Both Kane and Damian began swearing angrily.

"That motherfucker is going to die," Kane growled.

A gasp from the bottom of the stairs snapped his attention to his sweet Little girl. She was white as a ghost, her eyes wide and terrified. Kane went to her while Damian picked up the phone and took it off the speaker, talking directly to Ian.

"He's here," she said in a haunted voice.

"He's not going to find you. I am going to protect you."

Her breathing became labored, and it was scaring the shit out of him. Kane picked her up and carried her to the couch. She began to fight to break free of his arms.

"He said he's going to burn down the town. He can't do that! He can't do that, Kane! I need to see him! I don't care if he hurts me, but he can't hurt everyone else here!" she screamed as she clawed free from him.

Kane felt his blood turn cold. His anger boiled to the surface, and he forced himself to breathe in and out several times before he opened his eyes to see Haylee holding on to the edge of the couch to keep herself from collapsing. He reached out and picked her up again, pulling her into his lap. She didn't fight him; instead, she went limp, and her face turned blank. Damian hung up the phone and came over to the couch, sitting across from them.

"Haylee, look at me."

She didn't move, and it worried him. She didn't even seem to be breathing. If he didn't get her to come back to him quickly, she would end up having a panic attack.

"Baby alligator, look at Daddy," he said, using his most firm Daddy voice.

The only response he got was her blinking several times. Fuck. He didn't know what to do. Maybe Logan would be able to suggest something. But he was her Daddy, and he needed to figure out how to pull her out from herself.

"I'm going to count to three, Haylee, and if you don't look at me by the time I get to three, you're going to be in trouble."

Damian scowled at him but didn't say anything. He knew better than to interrupt someone else's dynamic unless there was abuse happening, and Kane would never abuse her.

"One."

Another blink. Nothing.

"Two."

Haylee lifted her head, bringing her eyes up to meet his.

"That's my good girl. Good girl, baby. Good girl. I'm so proud of you," he crooned.

He knew he was being over-the-top with praise, but he needed her to know how proud he was of her, and he hoped it would help her respond quicker if this ever happened in the future.

Her lip trembled, and she burst into sobs. "He c-can't hurt other p-people! W-what am I g-gonna do?"

"Listen to my voice, Haylee. Tim is not getting anywhere near you. Do you understand me? You aren't going to do anything except trust me and all the people that are here to protect you."

She calmed slightly at his words. "I'm scared, Daddy."

He was scared, too, but not for the same reasons. This girl had a hold on him, and he could not lose her. He would not lose her. Even if it meant doing whatever it took to get rid of the threat.

"I know, baby. You are safe with me. But listen to me. I better not ever hear you say you don't care what happens to you again. Do you understand me? If I hear words like that coming from you again, I will put you over my knee and spank your bottom."

Her breath caught, but she nodded.

"I already texted Luke and let him know. He is having all the guys he can get to patrol in town," Damian spoke up.

Haylee gasped, realizing they weren't alone.

"Shh, it's okay. It's just my brother. I got you, baby. It's just Damian."

Damian came to where Kane was sitting with her in his lap and knelt so he was at eye level with her. She had her face partially hidden against his chest.

"It's nice to meet you, Haylee. I wish it was under better circumstances, but your Daddy is right. We will protect you."

Kane felt her nod under his chin, and Damian smiled, patting her leg before standing.

"I am going to go check in with all my guys. Let me know if either of you need anything, otherwise, I'll be around," Damian said before disappearing out to the garage.

He continued to hold Haylee until her sniffles quieted and she was breathing normally.

"I think today would be a good day for you to spend in Little space. You need to relax and get your mind off stuff. How does that sound?" he asked.

He wasn't sure she would go for it, but he had to take a chance.

"Okay," she whispered.

"I would like to show you something."

He stood, carrying her on his hip, up the stairs to the other bedroom. He wasn't sure how she would react to the nursery, but it was important that she knew how serious he was about being a Daddy and that she was safe to be as Little as she wanted to be around him. He also hoped it would help her slip into Little space a bit easier in a place that was made for someone like her.

He considered setting her down on her feet so she would walk in freely, but she clung to him, so he kept a tight hold of her and opened the door. Her head went every which way, absorbing everything in the room from the twin bed with a railing to the large rocking chair to the white dresser, the overfilled toy box, and then finally to the small stool in the corner of the room with the words "Naughty Girl Seat" hand painted on it.

"I've been searching for my own Little for a long time, Haylee. When I met Littles in the past, it never felt right, but I continued to hold out hope that one day I would meet the perfect one for me, and so when I moved here, I decided to set up a nursery in hopes that when that special someone came along, they could have a fun place to play. You are the one that is perfect for me."

He carried her to the rocking chair and sat down, settling her into his lap. Her soft blue eyes studied him, taking him in silently, and then ever so slowly, she leaned in and kissed him. It was soft at first, slowly building into an urgent need between the both of them. When she pulled back and rested her forehead on his, they were both panting.

"You think I'm perfect for you?"

"I do. I know it seems really fast, but I believe that when you know, you know, and baby, I know. I'm still going to take it slow with you. You've been through a lot, and you need time to heal those wounds and also time to trust me."

She smiled. "Kane, the crazy thing is, I trust you more than I've trusted anyone. And I know I'm an idiot for trusting anyone right now after I trusted him and he did this to me, but I just… I know I can trust you."

Kane let out a low growl that had her opening her eyes to look at him.

"Little girl, one of these days, I am going to put you over my knee and spank your bottom until it is flaming red. One of your rules is not talking bad about yourself or calling yourself names. I'm trying to ease you into being my Little, but I will only allow you so much slack before you end up getting a spanking you won't forget."