Page 24 of Street

“Ready to go to bed, Little girl?” he asked.

“No, Daddy. I love this movie. Inky needs to find out what happens.”

With only twenty minutes left in the film, Street allowed her to continue watching.

Drifting off for short periods at different points during the animation, she never appeared to feel threatened. The blanket didn’t trigger her past trauma. Instead, the warm fabric soothed and protected Rosa.

When the movie finally ended, Street announced, “Bedtime, Little girl.” He picked her up and carried her toward his bed.

“Daddy! I still have your blanket,” she said, holding the edge out for him to see.

“I thought you might want to warm up with your Devil Daddies’ blanket in bed.”

“I don’t use covers,” she reminded him.

“That one isn’t heavy. Maybe that blanket will feel good on your skin.”

Rosa gave him a skeptical look but allowed him to drape the throw loosely over her as she stretched out on her side. “This is nice,” she said, tracing the stitching on the edge.

“I’m glad you like it. Toss the blanket on the floor if it bothers you. Okay?”

“I’ll be quiet.”

“No, you won’t. If you’re scared, you wake up Daddy right away.”

She nodded after studying his face. “Thanks, Daddy. I’ll try it.”

Her willingness to risk using the cover pleased him. Street mentally crossed his fingers, hoping she’d sleep soundly. “That’s my good girl.”

Chapter 10

Waking up wrapped around Street in the morning started Rosa’s morning off fantastically. Despite his urging to go back to sleep, Rosa had dragged herself out of bed with him to have a quick breakfast. When he’d had to leave, she’d waved at the front door until the rumble of his motorcycle had faded away.

Rosa missed him immediately. His absence sucked the air and energy out of the empty rooms. She wandered into the bedroom and smiled at the Devil Daddies blanket he’d folded neatly at the foot of the bed. Instead of waking up shivering throughout the night, Rosa had slept soundly, curled up under the soft fabric.

Feeling more refreshed than she could remember, Rosa hugged the blanket. She never slept completely through the night. She crossed her fingers, hoping her panic wouldn’t return. Everything seemed better with Street. Who knew she just needed a big, tough biker dude in her life?

Laughing at that thought, Rosa walked into the family room. Street had suggested several activities she could do today while he was at work. He’d only asked her to keep the phone close. The new, shiny device sat on the kitchen table. As she considered it, a loud buzz made her jump.

* * *

Be good, Little girl.

* * *

Rosa grinned at the screen. He’d had a tough time leaving her this morning. That meant something, right? Did he have real feelings for her? No one had ever seemed to care about her like Street did.

Her mother had changed after her father’s passing. After remarrying, her mom had purged her life of everything—furniture, clothing, hobbies. Diving into her new life, she avoided spending time with Rosa, preferring to devote herself to her new husband and his daughter. She treated Rosa as if her child was a painful reminder of her father’s tragic death rather than proof of the love she’d shared with him. Rosa had learned to disappear in a room and not leave traces of her existence.

Tearing her thoughts away from the sadness of the past, Rosa pondered the activities Street had offered. Not used to having free time, she couldn’t decide what to try. Rosa flitted around the spotless cabin, cleaning and tidying a few things. Street lived sparsely in the temporary home. She wondered if he had more possessions for his own house.

As she remembered the new space, a thought popped into her head. She could go to his cabin and do a few tasks there to help. Rosa wasn’t trained in construction, but she bet she could find some project there to assist with.

Tugging on her tattered sneakers, Rosa grabbed her phone and a bottle of water. She hesitated on the front step. Was the compound safe to leave the house unlocked? Only the MC could get through the lot. Still leaving the front door open bothered her. She decided to leave the kitchen one unsecured instead.

She retraced the path Street had taken her previously and headed for his new house. She walked in easily through the open entrance that allowed air to waft through freely. Standing in the middle of what would become the family room, Rosa pictured how he could arrange the space—a big TV over there would allow someone in the kitchen to watch as well, and an oversized couch could be against the far wall so they could snuggle together.

Before she could get too wrapped up in the possibilities, Rosa pinched her arm. Sure, everything was wonderful now, but would Street really want her to stay with him forever? She needed to prove to him she wouldn’t mooch off his job and place. Contributing to the building effort would help her feel more comfortable as well. Rosa had run into a lot of freeloaders over the years. She had more self-respect than that.