But now… now she wanted to work again. Which meant facing that little glowing rectangle and everything attached to it.
Ugh.
She sat cross-legged in her new pink chair, Banana in her lap, a notebook open in front of her where she’d written “Work Stuff” in giant bubble letters that filled the whole page. She hadn’t written anything else. Just stared at the paper while anxiety clawed at her ribcage.
If she asked for her phone, would Levi think she wasn’t taking his protection seriously? Would it feel like she was choosing Greg’s messages over her Daddies’ safety plan?
Would he say no?
Maybe sheshouldn’tbe going back to work. Maybe she should just hide under the blanket fort Roland had built her in the corner of the apartment instead.
But then she remembered her clients. Real people who’d trusted her. Who might be wondering if she was okay. Who mightneedher.
She stood up with a groan, fluffed Banana’s ears, and shuffled down the hall to the kitchen where Levi was stirring something in a pot on the stove, one hand holding a wooden spoon, the other resting casually on his hip. He looked… Daddy. Just so muchDaddyshe could barely remember why she ever tried to be brave without him.
“Daddy?” she asked softly.
He turned, eyes instantly landing on her. “There’s my girl. Everything alright?”
Sydney hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. “I was thinking… well, I know I said I’d start next week, but maybe I could get started on doing a bit of work again.”
Levi didn’t answer right away. He just gave the sauce a final stir and turned off the burner before coming over. His hands settled gently on her shoulders.
“You sure?” he asked. “Because your face says you’re thinking about jumping into a lake full of eels.”
That made her laugh, even if it was a wet one. “It’s just scary. Not the work, really. I enjoy my work. It’s just… asking for my phone. I know you’ve been keeping it for a reason.”
“I have,” he agreed, rubbing his thumb along her shoulder. “Because Greg’s messages were escalating. And in the beginning we needed it to try and track him down.”
She nodded, eyes dipping.
“But I also trust you,” he added. “And if you say you’re ready, we’ll figure it out.”
Sydney blinked up at him, surprised. “You mean it?”
“I do. I just don’t think we should put that old phone back in your hand.”
Her heart sank a little. “Oh.”
Levi stepped away and opened a drawer and pulled out a small white box.
“When you spoke to Derek and me about needing to get back to work, I thought this might happen,” he said, holding it out. “So I went ahead and took care of it.”
She stared at it.
“A phone?” she whispered.
“A brand new one,” Levi said, smiling gently. “New number. New start. I cloned the basics over from your old one for now. It has your email, your cloud stuff, a few apps that looked like they might be work-related, and Roland added his favorite music app, obviously, but you can reach out to your clients with new contact info when you’re ready.”
Sydney’s throat tightened. She reached out and took the box, cradling it like something precious. “You did this for me?”
“Of course I did,” he said, cupping her cheek. “Because I want you to feel safe. And capable. You can do this, babygirl. We’llset boundaries so you don’t overwork, and I’ll help however you need.”
Tears prickled behind her eyes, and she threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Daddy. Thank you so much.”
He held her close, rubbing her back. “I’m proud of you for asking. That took guts.”
She sniffled. “Can I send out the new info this afternoon? Maybe just check in with a few clients to start?”
