I can’t breathe. A few seconds tick by before I pull Eloise into my arms. There’s no other option. Someone gave birth to my girl and left her in a rest area bathroom… That’s unfathomable.
I hold her too tightly, but she doesn’t complain. She wraps her small arms around me and hugs me back. I don’t get the feeling many people have hugged her. I’m incredibly cognizant of the fact that Eloise has not mentioned a single word about where she’s been for the past four years, but the fact that she is sharing something about her childhood is progress.
I kiss the top of her head before I ease her back.
She tips her head back and sets her chin on my chest. “Do you have Toy Story?”
My heart nearly stops. “Yes, Little one. I certainly do. It’s one of my favorites. Which one do you like best? I think the first one was superior, but it could be that the wow factor diminished afterward. All of them are amazing.”
“I’ve only ever seen the first one.”
“Then I’d say we’re in for a four-night marathon. We can watch all four of them.”
She smiles. “That sounds amazing.”
“Should we make popcorn?” I ask.
She gasps. “Duh. Can you even watch a movie without popcorn?”
“We might need candy, too. What’s your favorite candy?”
She’s still smiling, and I’m so fucking pleased. “Uh, M&M’s?”
“That’s a good choice.”
“Do you have some?” Her face lights up as though I’m offering her a trip to an amusement park.
“No, but I know where to get some. Mace eats them at his desk. I think he keeps a giant stash in a drawer in his office so he won’t ever run out.”
“Who is Mace?”
“One of my teammates. He’s a computer nerd. He mans the monitors from his office while the rest of us are out on assignments.”
“Oh. He won’t mind if you borrow some?”
I chuckle. “Well, I don’t think borrow is a good word. That would imply we intend to give them back, and we aren’t going to return them after we eat them, but I’m certain he will gladly share.”
Eloise giggles. Fuck, it’s lovely. The best sound ever.
“First dinner. I’ll text Mace and ask if he can spare some candy for our movie.” I continue toward the kitchen, pulling her along with me by the hand.
“I feel like a princess. Maybe I fell asleep in my car, and I’ve been dreaming all day.”
“It would be more of a nightmare if you dreamed about being abducted and held hostage all morning.”
She rolls her eyes. “I hate to burst your bubble, Cannon, but today doesn’t even rank very high in my list of nightmarish days. Plus, it’s ending better than any day I’ve ever had.”
I stare at her. She’s so nonchalant about being kidnapped and tied to a chair. What kind of hell has my girl lived through?
I fight the urge to ask. Instead, I say, “I’m so sorry. From now on, you’re only having good days with the new deck of cards. Got it?”
She shrugs. “Forgive me if I can’t visualize that as a possibility.”
“As long as you don’t mind me proving it to you every day. At some point in the not-too-distant future, you will turn to me with a huge smile and say, ‘You were right. I finally believe you. I deserve only good, and I’m going to seize it.’”
She sighs. “That would be cool,” she murmurs.
Chapter Ten
