I cup Ava’s face and hold her head toward me, staring into her eyes. I need to be strong for her. “It’s going to be okay, Baby girl. Keep your eyes on Papi.”

I’m aware of Chadka jerking her arm hard, and then it’s over. She felt nothing. I numbed her well. At least I did one thing right. When I look again, her arm looks far better than it did when I brought her in. Her hand is in the right place.

Chadka is holding a wand over the injury. “This is just taking pictures of the bone, Ava. Have you ever had an X-ray before?”

She nods.

“This is like a portable X-ray machine only far more advanced. I can see every single nuance. If there’s even a tiny shard of bone, I’ll see it.”

She sucks her pacifier harder.

Chadka smiles. “It looks perfect. It’s all realigned now. I’m going to put a cast on it to hold it in place. It will heal quickly.”

She frowns.

Chadka pats her arm and meets her gaze. “I know it takes about six weeks to heal on Earth, but humans on Earth don’t have the special Papi serum we have on Eleadia. Your Papi can inject you every few hours. It will keep the arm from hurting, lessen the swelling and inflammation, and speed up the healing process.”

I’m as surprised as Ava. “It will really be okay?”

“Definitely. Inject her with your quill every four hours for the first day, then spread it out to six hours the second day and eight hours the third day. Her recovery will be faster if she sleeps a lot. Encourage her to take her bottles, but don’t worry if she can’t finish them for a few days. Rest is the best thing. If she’s experiencing pain in three days bring her back. Otherwise she’ll be fine.” He pats her shoulder and gives her a semi-stern look. “No more climbing out of your crib, Little one. You shaved some years off your Papi’s life,” he teases.

Her eyes are wide as she nods.

It doesn’t seem like we were at the clinic very long before I’m carefully carrying my Little girl back home. I’m moving gingerly and much slower this time, trying not to jostle her too much. She’s mostly asleep, though she does suckle the pacifier non-stop.

I can’t catch my breath. I’m still shaking with nerves. It’s hard not to feel responsible for what happened.

I vow to myself to be more diligent and keep a closer eye on her from now on. She’s mine to protect. I won’t fail her again.

Chapter Fourteen

Four days later…

Ava

I’m groggy when I wake up and look around. I’m in my bouncy seat in the middle of the great room, which is where I’ve found myself often for the last several days. I’m strapped in tight. There’s no chance of me unfastening the buckles because I only have one hand. My left arm is in a cast that reaches all the way to my fingers.

Papi is sitting at the kitchen table. His computer is open in front of him, but I don’t think he’s working. I don’t think he has worked much since I got hurt. All he does is pace and watch me and look a bit green.

I pull my pacifier out with one hand as I stare at him. He feels responsible for my fall, which is crazy. It was my fault. I broke the rules, and I got hurt.

For the first time in days, I feel more myself. Papi didn’t inject my arm this morning because the doctor told him to stop so we would know if my arm hurts without the pain-killing effects of his serum.

My mind is clearer, and I need to make things right with Papi. I have a million questions, but I think I’ll start with an easy one. I clear my throat, which causes him to jerk his attention toward me. “What do you do for work, Papi?”

I haven’t spoken a single word to him in two weeks that wasn’t coaxed out of me with bribery. I’m a bitch.

He’s shocked. His eyes are wide. But he pushes his chair back and comes to me. I’m not far because he never leaves me anywhere unattended now. I’m pretty sure he has slept the past four nights in my nursery in the rocking chair. He has to be exhausted.

He squats in front of me. “Hey there, Little one. How does your arm feel?” He strokes my other hand.

I flip it over and grab on to one of his fingers. His hands still mesmerize me with their size. I can grip one finger and hold on to him as if I were an actual child. It makes me feel like the Little girl he says I am, and I think I like it.

“My arm is fine, Papi. It doesn’t hurt at all. The doctor said it would heal faster than on Earth. I’m sure it’s almost better.”

He strokes my fingers, but his brow is furrowed. “I’m sorry you got hurt, Baby girl. I should have been paying closer attention.”

I shake my head. It’s time to put him out of his misery. “It was my fault, Papi. You told me I wasn’t permitted to get out of my crib or even stand in it, and I defied you. I deserved to fall and get hurt. I thought I was strong enough to land on the floor, but it was farther than I imagined, and my legs weren’t ready for standing. I reached out with my hand to stop my fall, and my arm broke. You couldn’t have prevented it.”

He swallowed. “I should have. It’s my job to keep you safe.”

“Nope. It’s your job to love me, and that includes disciplining me when I do things that aren’t safe. I owe you a punishment for my behavior.”

He drops onto his knees and leans in to kiss my forehead.

I release his finger and reach up to wrap my hand around his neck. “I’m sorry I’ve been so naughty and stubborn. I’m struggling with this arrangement, but it’s not your fault, and I shouldn’t take it out on you.”

“It’s okay, Little one. Some Little girls need more time than others to acclimate.”

I shake my head. “There’s no excuse for how rude I’ve been. It’s not your fault that Fate put us together. I can feel the pull of the bond. I know you feel it the same. Will you forgive me and give me a chance to be good?”

He leans back a few inches and cups my face. “Nothing to forgive, Baby girl, but I miss you so much. I just want you to be happy and healthy. I want you to be able to talk to me so we can work out the things that are bothering you. I want you to be my partner in life.”

I grip his neck harder. “Your idea of a partner is not what I had in mind. In fact, to be honest, I never wanted a life partner. My parents were terrible at it. I hated what I witnessed growing up, so I vowed I wouldn’t ever get married, and I certainly didn’t expect to find myself claimed by an alien from another planet,” I tease.

He chuckles. I love that sound. After a few seconds, he asks, “Was your father dominant? Is that why it bothers you so much?”

“Yeah, but I realize now it’s not the same. My father was abusive. I should say he is abusive. Even though I haven’t been home in years, I assume nothing has changed. He wants my mother to keep the house perfect, have meals ready, and jump at his every beck and call. He’s an ass, and I hate him.”

“I’m sorry, Little one. That must have been hard. I see why you didn’t want to end up like your mother. I promise I will never ask you to cook or clean. I’ll do all of that in our home. I would never hit you out of anger either.”

I don’t know when I’ll be able to fully embrace this way of life, but I do know that I have to eventually. It’s my life now. Denying it isn’t helping. It’s only making both of us miserable.

Papi leans in closer. “Your submission to me is not the domestic sort. You’re not my maid, my cook, or my cleaning lady. You’re my Little girl. My intention is to spoil you rotten for the rest of our lives, not put you to work.”

I shudder. For the last few days, I’ve spent every conscious moment thinking of a list of things I want from Papi. I need to be brave and voice them. Hopefully he won’t turn me down. I’ll be devastated if he does.

“I have some requests. Do I get a say in anything?”

He leans back and lifts my hand to his lips to kiss my knuckles. “Definitely. You don’t get a say in matters of safety. No, you may not climb out of your crib again. No, you may not touch the hot stove. No, you may not leave the house alone and wander off. I’d have heart palpitations.” He grins.

I sigh, worried about my list.

“Ava, my intention is to keep you safe and happy. I’ll keep telling you that until you believe it. I can’t provide things that don’t exist in my society either, if that’s what you’re going to ask for. Some things aren’t possible. Little girls don’t wear clothes, for example, so I can’t magically provide you with dresses, nor would I want to.”

I draw in a deep breath. That part is weird. “Never?” I haven’t fully wrapped my head around the concept.

“Never, Baby girl. And the second most common argument from new mates is about bathrooms. They don’t exist. They are not going to exist. Eleadian males instinctively want to take care of our mates in every way. We can’t fathom letting our Little girls wander off alone or giving them privacy. It’s not in our DNA.”