He was already walking toward them from the other side of the cafeteria, his calm and commanding presence cutting through the chaos like a blade. When his eyes met Sadie’s she immediately straightened and nudged Sydney.
“That’s my cue. Come on then,” she whispered.
Sydney stood, tucking Banana tighter under her arm, and followed obediently.
“Ladies,” Master Derek said, with a nod. “Sydney, could you please come with me to my office? We need to talk through a few things, alright?”
The weight dropped back into her chest instantly.
Sadie offered a reassuring smile and a soft squeeze of her hand, and gave her a big hug before moving into her Daddy and letting him kiss her before patting her on her bum and sending her on her way to get dressed for class with a warning that her hide would be tanned if she was late again.
Master Derek and Sydney made their way through the halls in silence. His office was warm, comfortable and inviting. Sydney immediately sunk into the soft couch.
Master Derek sat behind the desk, and folded his hands. “We’ve tried to reach Greg.”
Sydney’s heart stopped.
“He answered once. When we told him who we were, and that you were here with us, he got... aggressive. Angry. Told us to mind our business and let you go back to the airport. Then hehung up. We tried again, and the line was already disconnected. We haven’t been able to get through since.”
Sydney’s throat went dry. She didn’t try to speak. Couldn’t.
“It would be an understatement to say that we’re worried about this,” Master Derek continued gently. “And I imagine you are too. So I’d like to call someone in who I think might be able to help you stay grounded while we work through all of this.”
Sydney looked up, startled.
“Levi,” he said simply.
Her stomach flipped. “O-oh. Um... okay,” she whispered, cheeks blooming crimson. Sydney barely had time to prepare before Levi entered, tall and broad and steady as ever. His eyes landed on her first, and when he saw her expression, he crossed the room without hesitation and knelt in front of the couch.
“Hey,” he said softly, voice low and warm. “You alright, little miss?”
The tears started before she could answer. She shook her head once, biting her lip, and he opened his arms. Without thinking, she climbed into them, clutching Banana between them as he wrapped her up and held her close.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered, rocking slightly. “You’re safe with me.”
It took a minute before she was calm enough to sit beside him, still close, curled partly against his side.
Master Derek spoke again. “We’ve already started trying to track Greg’s digital footprint. But there are limits to what we can do without access to your side of the communication. I know this is a big ask, Sydney, but... would you be willing to give us your phone and allow us to look at your messages with him?”
Sydney’s breath hitched. “My... phone?”
Levi glanced down at her, his expression kind but serious. “Only if you’re okay with it. No pressure. But it might help us figure out who he really is. Or at least where he is.”
She hesitated, then slowly reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out her phone. “Some of it is really personal. Likereallypersonal.”
Levi’s smile was gentle. “We’ll be respectful. We’re not here to judge, little miss. Just to help.”
Her fingers tightened around the device before she finally, carefully, placed it in his waiting hand.
Master Derek accepted it from him and began unlocking it as Sydney buried her face in Levi’s arm and muttered, “I can’t believe I’m letting two big scary Daddies read my sexts.”
Levi chuckled, a warm rumble from his chest. “We’ll consider it a trust exercise.”
As Master Derek began tapping through her phone, Sydney shifted slightly, still curled up in Levi’s arms but drawing Banana up to her chest like a shield. The embarrassment was manageable. The sadness... surprisingly, also manageable after that initial crying jag. What weighed her down most was something far more uncomfortable.
Confusion.
She should be utterly heartbroken. In fact, she had originally thought she’d been pushing it down, trying to hide from it, but now, in the light of day, out of the Little headspace where she’d spent the first few hours of the morning, it was clear now. It just wasn’t there.
