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“It just looks lonely,” I point out. “It doesn’t look that much fun, and I really am cold. I don’t think I’m going to last long anyway. Why be so cold and away from you when we can go back to your house and be nice and warm with the window open?”

It makes more sense.

“Okay, Little Pet, but if you want to come back, then you just let me know, and we’ll come out here,” Daddy says and turns around.

I snuggle into his chest once again, letting out a sigh of relief as his hand rests on the back of my neck.

TEN

“Do I really have to stay in here?” I ask. “You cleaned up your workshop, so it’s safe.”

“But I have the same customer coming in. I don’t want you wondering around. Maybe when it’s just us two,” he explains.

“Will that ever be soon?” I ask, whining.

Daddy chuckles and shakes his head. “Yes, Little Pet, it will be soon. With this customer, I needed to get it done fast, so I worked while you were asleep during the night or during naptime. Don’t worry, I didn’t leave you alone. I had someone come and bring the piece up, so I didn’t leave you.”

It’s like he knows I was already starting to feel anxious about him saying he worked on it while I was asleep.

“I get anxious before I fall asleep,” I mumble.

“Why?” Daddy asks.

“Because I don’t know whether you are going to stay by me and if I’m going to wake up without you near me. That’s why I want you to hold me when I sleep, because I know that if you set me down, I may wake up and stop you from leaving me,” I confess, not caring at this point.

“Oh, my sweet Little Pet.” His voice drops as he looks at me with sad eyes. “I didn’t know that’s how you really felt.”

“I didn’t want to tell you, and then you get worried, so I tried to keep it away and push it down.” I look away from him.

“I don’t want you to hide anything from me from now on. If you feel like this at any point, tell me so I can reassure you. I don’t care whether it’s right before you go to bed or if it’s a random time. If you ever feel anxious about anything, tell me. I want to talk about it and make sure that you are getting the reassurance that you need to feel more secure here and that I won’t leave you,” Daddy says seriously. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, Daddy.” I smile up at him.

“Good girl,” he purrs.

I open my mouth when the door opens, and the same man from before steps into the shop. Gripping Daddy’s shirt, I keep my eyes on the man, not wanting to be surprised by anything he does.

“Are you okay, Little Pet?” Daddy asks.

Words get stuck in my throat as the customer gets closer. I don’t know his name, nor do I want to. Every single time Daddy talks about him, or I see him, the bad feeling forms in my stomach.

He’s creepy.

“Why don’t you go sit in the kennel while I talk to him?” Daddy suggests as he sets me on the ground.

I crawl to the kennel, not putting up a fight, and wrap the blanket around me right away. The customer is still staring at me, making me shy away further into my kennel. What is up with him?

“I have the piece right over here. If you want to look at it, then I can make any small adjustments you might have,” Daddy says, pulling the man’s attention away from me.

“Can I look at it here? The lighting seems more natural. It’s going to sit next to the window in my home. I want to make sure I’m seeing it in the proper light,” the man asks. My stomach drops.

“Of course. If you want to wait right here, I’ll go grab it,” Daddy says.

I reach out from the kennel, catching Daddy’s pant leg before he can take a step away.

“I’ll be right in your sight. You don’t have to worry about anything,” Daddy gently says, giving me a small smile. “I’ll be just right over there. Before you know it, I’m going to be back right next to you.”

I keep hold of his pants, really not wanting him to leave me alone with the man. I should have told Daddy how I really feel about the man.