“She is. What did the two of you talk about?”
That was a good question. I couldn’t really remember. She did all the talking, mostly.
“I don’t…” I stopped, taking a deep breath. “She talked.”
“What did she talk about, then?”
I sighed. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t want to get Molly into trouble either.
“She…told me talk to you.”
“That’s smart.” I got a hand running up and down my back, coaxing me to keep calm.
“I’m not…good at talking.” I wasn’t good at telling others what I felt, or what I wanted, or anything. Sir hated me talking, hated me sobbing, and whiny. So it was easier to just keep quiet. Be seen, not heard.
“I know you aren’t. But I’m a very patient man, little one.”
I nodded, sticking the paci back in my mouth.
“I think,” Sabastian mused, maneuvering me more into his lap. “Your little mindset is always at the surface. Where you just want to be held and cherished.”
Only when he was around,I thought, burrowing into his chest. For some reason, this man kept making me go into whatever mode I was in.
I wasn’t like with Sir, was I? I didn’t think I was unless I was a sobbing mess.
I breathed, melting more into his hold. It was nice to not always be crying and in pain.
“My sweet little boy,” Sabastian whispered.
What would be good was if this man could just read my mind.
I really didn’t know what I needed, or wanted, except for these two arms wrapped around me.
Taking the paci out again, I spoke quietly. Maybe if I pretended that Sabastian wasn’t listening, I could get the words out more clearly.
“Don’t make me go back to Sir. Please. He…he….hurts lots. Only hurt.”
“You won’t ever go back to him, Oakley. He’s dead.”
I nodded, popping the paci back in.
I was done. Done talking. Done thinking.
Sabastian must have thought so, too, as he upped the volume a bit on the TV and covered me with a blanket.
“I’d say we need a code word, for when you feel all needy and cuddly like this, but I have a feeling that’s not going to work for you. You flip from one side to the other so quickly, you probably don’t even know it happens until it does.”
I hummed, letting my eyes slip close. I wasn’t tired, but there was something about being held in this man’s lap that made me want to doze off.
“That’s okay, though. I don’t mind one bit, little one.”
I was starting to believe that.
Chapter 35
Oakley
I couldn’t hold in a whimper as a cramp hit my midsection.
