“You don’t need to trust your judgment, Syd,” Chloe said after Sydney’s tears died down. “You can trust mine for now. And I’m telling you that you can take things slow with Master Levi and Master Roland. I know they won’t mind slow. They’ve been waiting forever for a Little, they’ll wait until you’re ready for them.”
Sydney clung to her bunny for a moment longer, breathing in Chloe’s steady calm.
Her friend pulled back after a while, stroking Sydney’s hair away from her face. “Can I make a suggestion?”
“Please.”
“You might feel better if you talk to one of the counselors. Nanny J can make an appointment for you with Doc Denten. Just one session. No pressure, no expectations. You can even choose if you want Dr. Catherine or Dr. Samuel, they’re both great people and excellent counselors. Sometimes saying it out loud to someone trained to listen helps.”
Sydney hesitated, but Chloe’s sincerity chipped away at her resistance.
“Okay,” she said finally. “You’re probably right.”
“I’mdefinitelyright,” Chloe said with a wink, making Sydney huff out a laugh.
Sydney wiped at her eyes and got to her feet. “Thanks, Chloe. I... I know it’s late but I won’t be able to sleep until I go find Nanny J. Get her to set something up for me.”
Chloe gave her a thumbs-up. “You got this, Syd.”
The lobby was quieter than she had become used to. She turned into the Littles’ Wing, the walk feeling as if it took longer than it should have. Every step was heavy with nerves. Her mind spun between fear she’d not find Nanny J and worry over what she might say to the woman, how she might explain the mess she felt inside.Nanny J and Miss Price shared an office that was located between the Caterpillar and Butterfly Rooms. She raised her hand to knock but a voice from inside made her pause.
“I’m just warning you... it’s escalating.” Sydney recognized the unmistakable sound of Levi’s timbre. His voice was low and tight with tension. “He sent another message last night. Said he knows she’ll have to leave soon, go home. And he’ll be waiting when she does. He’s describing in detail the things he’ll do to her when he gets his hands on her, and it...”
There’s a pause, heavy with an unnamed emotion that had Sydney’s heart racing with fear.
“It is taking everything in me not to go out there and hunt him down. Hunt him down and take him out like the animal he is.”
Levi’s words made Sydney shiver. Nanny J responded, but her voice was too soft for Sydney to make out what was being said. Sydney took a step closer to the office door when Levi spoke again.
“He’s fucked in the head, and he’s focused on her. We need to keep her safe.”
Sydney felt the blood drain from her face.
He’s focused on her.
Why? Her heart started to pound, breath quick and shallow. A soft panicked whimper escaped before she could stop it.
Inside, the voices went still.
“Who’s there?” Nanny J’s voice was firm but quiet, and it made Sydney’s panic spike higher.
She couldn’t face them. Couldn’t face what she’d just overheard.
Footsteps approached, but before they could reach the door, Sydney turned and fled.
Her feet flew, breath ragged, tears blurring her vision as she ran down the hall away from the office, away from the fear rising inside her like a tide.
Chapter Thirteen
Levi
The second a soft, panicked whimper reached his ears, Levi’s heart stopped cold. That sounded likehisgirl.
“Who’s there?” Nanny J called out, even as Levi found himself moving to the door, only to see Sydney running away.
“Sydney!” he called, already lunging out the door, but she was gone so quickly—he caught the barest of flashes of her hair as she rounded the corner at a dead run.
“Damn it,” he muttered, tearing after her across the lobby. She was heading right for the doors that led outside, and she wasn’t dressed for the weather that would be waiting for her there.
