by Lila Fox
“Baby, my name is Patrick. I’m friends with Larkin and Brylee. We’ve come to take you out of here.”
Her heart pounded viciously inside of her chest. “What do you mean? I can’t just leave.”
“But you can. You’re twenty-three years old, correct?”
“Well, yes.”
Larkin stepped forward. “You’re an adult. It’s against the law for your father to keep you here against your will.”
“But … where would I go?”
“You’ll come home with me.”
Eve’s gaze flew to Patrick’s.
Brylee took her hands in hers. “Eve, look at me. This is your chance to get away from your father. We will protect you. You’ll never have to see him again if you don’t want to. We will all take care of you, and you will never have to worry about anything again.”
“But why would you do this?”
Larkin curved an arm around Eve’s waist. “What if our roles were reversed? Wouldn’t you do anything you could to help me or Brylee?”
“Yes.”
“Let us help you,” Brylee pleaded.
A spark of life, and something, maybe anticipation, made her blood soar through her veins and her heart start to pound in hope.
“What do I have to do?”
“We’ll pack what you want to take with you. You’ll leave your father a note that we’ll help you with, and then we’re out of here,” Patrick said. “But we need to get going. I want us to be long gone by the time he gets home.”
Eve drew in a breath and then nodded.
Brylee and Larkin cheered and jumped up and down, making Eve smile.
“I don’t have a lot I want to take.”
He wrapped a hand around her upper arm. “Show us.”
Eve led them up the stairs and into a small room at the end of the hall. A tide of heat spread across her face at the apparent look of shock and aversion on her friends’ faces.
****
Patrick watched her glance around in embarrassment, trying to maybe glimpse at the place through their eyes, but she’d probably never known anything different.
Larkin shared a look with Patrick and Brylee.
The room was worse than sparse—a twin bed with no headboard and plain white pillow and blanket. There were no toys or books besides the bible sitting on the nightstand.
The only other furniture was a small, uncomfortable-looking chair.
Eve showed them her closet, where several long dresses like the one she wore hung in line and three pairs of shoes.
“This is it.”
He grabbed all the dresses and shoes and took them out to the car. He came back in with a bag. “What about underwear, female products, and pictures?”
Eve bit her lip, walked into the back of her closet, and bent down. She pried up one of the boards and took out a few pictures.
“What are those?”
Eve looked at Brylee. “These are the only pictures of my mom I have.”
Larkin glanced at Patrick, and he shook his head. When it was time, they would tell Eve her mother was still alive. At that moment, they just needed to get her out of there.
“Let the girls pack the rest, and you and I can find a paper and a pen and write your father a note.”
Eve led Patrick down the stairs and into her father’s office. Patrick looked around in disgust. It was a whole other world than what Eve’s room looked like. His office had beautiful wood paneling, several bookcases filled with books, and an antique desk. Plus, a comfortable chair, a lovely leather sofa, and a chair with a widescreen TV.
He didn’t think he could hate the man any more than he already did, and it deepened when he caught sight of the bruise on her cheek that he knew her father caused. Now the view of the office compounded his anger and disgust until it almost took over his control.
He watched Eve pull out a piece of paper and pen and then look to him.
“What should I say?”
“Tell him that you feel it’s time for you to move on. You’re an adult and want to find your own way in the world. Tell him you’ll be in touch and to not worry. Then sign it ‘Sincerely, Eve.’”
Eve wrote it word for word as Patrick had told her to. She folded the sheet of paper, placed it on top of the desk, and set the pen on it.
He smiled and held out his hand. “Ready?”
She looked around, nodded, and reached out for his hand.
“Then let’s go.”
Eve and Patrick met the girls at the front door. The four walked out and got into Patrick’s car.
Larkin was in front with Patrick. Eve and Brylee sat in back, holding hands.
Larkin and Brylee talked about anything to keep Eve calm and entertained. They told her funny stories when they likely saw Eve getting more and more agitated the farther they drove from her father’s house.
Chapter Four
Patrick pulled up into his garage and closed it behind them. He opened the back door and waited for Eve and Brylee to slide out. Then he grabbed the bag and dresses from his trunk and followed the girls into the house.
“Do you guys live here, too?” Eve asked. “You seem to know the house really well.”
“No, we visit Patrick a lot, though. He has an awesome pool in back with a waterfall,” Brylee told her.
Eve walked behind the other girls up the wide wooden stairs and into the second door on the right. It felt like every step she took made her more nervous but also made her feel freer.
She gasped and froze just inside the door with her hands over her mouth and tears stinging her eyes.
“Whose room is this?” she asked in total shock. She’d never seen a more beautiful room in her life.
Patrick set down the bag. “This is yours, baby. Brylee and Larkin helped me design it just for you.”
Eve bit her lip as tears poured down her face. Her gaze jumped all around the room, trying to take in everything, but she was too overwhelmed.
Brylee grabbed her hand and pulled her across the room. “Let us show you the dollhouse Patrick got you.”
All three girls sat in front of the three-story dollhouse.
Larkin smiled at her. “He got you a bunch of furniture for it, and we gave you a few of our dolls, but Patrick wants you to pick out whatever else you’ll want. We didn’t know where you would want all the furniture, so we didn’t do anything.”
Eve picked up an old-fashioned-looking bathtub and gently put it in the upstairs room that looked like a bathroom. With Larkin and Brylee’s encouragement, Eve set up a few more rooms.
“Girls, let’s go down and eat dinner. Your daddies should be here soon.”
Confused, Eve looked from one to the other. “I thought you guys didn’t have daddies.”
Larkin and Brylee glanced at Patrick.
Patrick crouched and set his hand on Eve’s shoulder. “It’s not the traditional relationship like with real fathers and daughters. It’s called a Big/little relationship. Both couples need a special type of bond, both in and out of bed. The men want to be able to take care of the girls. Make all their decisions and be the center of their world,” he explained. “The girls need someone to do exactly that. It’s not that they don’t want to grow up, it’s just the type of personalities they have, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“You really call them daddy?” Eve asked the girls.
Both girls grinned and nodded.
Eve stood.
“Just wait until you’re around us. You’ll get used to everything,” Larkin promised.
Eve glanced at Patrick out of the corner of her eyes and then down.“Is there a question you want to ask me, baby?”
“Are … do you want to be a daddy, too?”
He curved an arm around her waist. “Yes, I do.”
Eve drew in a breath, trying to relieve the pressure in her chest and the tingling that started in her private parts. The thought of this man being her daddy, something she never knew was possible, was surprisingly enticing
to her. She just knew at that moment she didn’t think it was possible. What man would want her for their own little? Not only was she ugly and stupid, but she also had the devil in her. No matter how bad her father had beaten her or how many sermons she’d sat through, nothing had worked to get her free from the darkness in her soul.
Chapter Five
Eve sat down at the big table with Larkin and Brylee. They talked about everything they wanted to show Eve and everywhere they wanted to take her.
Patrick was in the kitchen, talking to someone when the doorbell rang.
A minute later, two men came into the room.
Brylee and Larkin squealed, jumped up, and raced around the table and into the men’s arms. Eve stared at the couples. A pressure built in her chest that took her by surprise. She tried to take calming breaths, but something painful continued to grow.
Patrick came through the door and must have noticed her expression because he curled a hand around her arm and pulled her from the chair. He walked to the head of the table, sat, and pulled her into his lap. His arms tightened around her when she went to rise.
“Easy, baby. I’m just holding you. I saw the panic in your expression and wanted to help. Nothing and no one will ever hurt you again,” he murmured against the top of her head.
She relaxed against his chest and tucked her head under his chin. She felt the warmth of his skin through his shirt and her dress. His masculine scent wrapped around her, giving her a peace she didn’t know existed.
Patrick kept talking to her, and she was vaguely aware that the others in the room had quietly gone out to give them some time alone.
“How are you doing?”
She released a shuddering breath and nodded. “I’m okay.”
Patrick kissed the top of her head. “Good. Any time you feel overwhelmed, come to me. I don’t care where I am or who I’m with. I’ll pull you into my lap, and we’ll sit until you feel better. Expect it to happen for a long while until you get used to the changes in your life.”
“Why am I staying here?”
“One, because I want you here and two, because your father won’t look for you here.”
“But why do you want me here?’ Eve asked.
“It’s hard to explain, baby, but the first time I saw you, I felt you were already a part of me. In time, I want us to explore a relationship. But now, I just want you to get to know me and be comfortable in this house and around me.”
She tilted her head back to see his. “You really want to be with me?”
“Yes, baby. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because I’m not pretty like Brylee and Larkin. I’m not smart, and there’s something inside of me that’s not right.”
“This is what your father has told you?”
She nodded.
“Listen to me, love. Your father is wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you…”
“You don’t know me,” she interrupted.
“I know enough from being with you for the last few hours and what the girls have told me about you. Your father said those things to keep you with him. If you felt good about yourself, there was a chance you’d leave him.”
She was skeptical.
“I know you won’t believe me right now, but I guarantee you will as we spend time together.”
Patrick helped her off his lap, stood, and pulled out the chair to his right. “You will always sit here when we’re home.”
She nodded and sat. Then she turned when the group came back and took their chairs around the table. Brylee was next to her, and then her guy was on her left. Larkin and her daddy sat across from them.
She was startled when two young women came from the door to the kitchen. Both of their arms carried a tray filled with bowls and a basket of bread.
She watched as everyone started eating. The talking and laughter continued, keeping the atmosphere light and fun. She flinched when Patrick’s hand landed on her arm.
“Eat, sweetheart. Everything will be okay.”
Eve nodded and picked up her spoon. She almost groaned as the flavor burst on her taste buds. Her father didn’t believe in indulging. He said the food was to sustain the body and nothing else. She did the same things every week. Baked chicken on Sunday and Thursday. Beef roast on Mondays and Fridays. Fish on Tuesday and Saturdays and pork chops on Wednesdays. The meals were always served with bland potatoes and peas.
Breakfast always consisted of one egg and one piece of toast, and lunch was always a ham sandwich or soup. On the rare occasions he’d take her to a restaurant, he’d order her a hamburger with no bun and a side salad while he always got the prime rib or a filet.
Patrick set a hand on hers to get her attention.
“Hey, aren’t you hungry?”
Eve looked down at her bowl. She’d only had the one taste before the memories of her life with her father pulled her in.
“No, I’m sorry. I am hungry, and it’s delicious.”
Patrick nodded and continued with his own soup.
Eve caught snippets of everyone’s conversation but stayed quiet unless one of them asked her a direct question.
After the soup, a type of beef casserole was served. It was unlike anything she’d ever had before.
Eve’s eyes widened dramatically when plates of rich chocolate cake were placed in front of every one of them. Everyone but she picked up their forks and started eating.
She looked up to see Patrick watching her.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to have this?”
The table became quiet.
“I’m very sure, baby. I want you to eat to your heart’s content.”
She cleared the emotion from her throat, lifted her fork, and picked up a bite of the cake. She hummed, and her eyes closed as the sweetness hit her taste buds.
“Have you ever had cake, baby?”
Eve paused and looked at Patrick. She shook her head. “No, my father didn’t believe in indulges. He said it tended to let the devil in.”
****
A muscle bunched in Patrick’s jaw, but he kept quiet. There was a lot he’d have to teach her about life. Her father had done a lot of damage to the precious young woman, but Patrick was determined to make her happy.
The maids came and took the plates.
“Girls, do you want to go up to Eve’s room? Maybe you could go over the things she might need and make a list for me.”
Brylee and Larkin instantly stood while Eve turned distressed eyes to Patrick. “I don’t want you to get anything for me. I’m overwhelmed with what you’ve given me already.”
Patrick stood and helped Eve to her feet. Standing so close to her, he realized how tiny she really was. He grasped her shoulders. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but I am going to spoil you horribly.”
“But…”
“You deserve everything I can give you. Please don’t take the pleasure of spoiling you away from me.”
Eve studied his expression for a long moment and then slowly nodded.
Patrick pressed a kiss to the top of her head, released her, and let Larkin come and pull her away.
“Come on, man. We want to go over some things you might find interesting,” Darian said and strode toward Patrick’s office.
Patrick closed the door behind him, poured three glasses of scotch, handed them out, and walked to his desk chair. “What have you found?”
Gage passed him a file. “The woman he goes to see a few times a week is a prostitute he’s been seeing for several years.”
Patrick raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. My private detective is getting pictures of them together. I will have him record a few of their … what shall we call them? I suppose meetings would work.”
“He also has a gambling problem,” Darian said.
“Where in the hell does he gamble?”
“Online. He’s racked up quite the dept,” Gage informed him.
“How much are we talking?”
“Close to a twenty
-five thousand dollars,” Darian said.
“Holy shit,” Patrick cursed. “Do you think he’d be desperate enough to let Eve go without a fight if I pay that off?”
Darian nodded. “It’s a strong possibility.”
“I’ll use that as a last resort. I don’t want to make the man’s life any easier if I don’t have to.”
The other men nodded in agreement.
The three talked about business for a bit before Darian stood.
“I think I should get Larkin home. Call us if you have any problems. I can always bring her back if needed.”
Gage said the same thing as the men made their way up to Eve’s bedroom. They stood right outside the door and watched with tender expressions on all their faces.
All three girls were brushing out the dolls’ hair as they talked about their favorite things.
Patrick noticed Larkin and Brylee had a lot of opinions, but Eve stayed mostly quiet. In time, he’d find out what made her happy. At the moment, he just wanted her safe. They would work on trust and the rest later.
“Larkin, let’s head home, baby.”
Larkin smiled at Darian and hugged Eve quickly. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Just ask your dadd— Patrick, for our number.”
Eve nodded, carefully set the dolls in a neat row, and stood. Brylee gave her a quick hug before taking Gage’s hand.
All that was left were Patrick and Eve. They stood and stared at each other.
He walked to the closet and came out with a nightgown, holding it out to her.
“Why don’t you take a shower and get dressed for bed? I’ll be in to check on you in a bit. Is there anything you need before I go, baby?”
Eve clutched at the cloth in her hands and shook her head.
“All right. Call for me if you need anything. I’ll be right next door.”
Chapter Six
She bit her lip as Patrick closed the bedroom door behind him. Standing in the middle of the room, she looked around. She was thinking that any minute she’d wake up and know it was all a dream. The thought of knowing it wasn’t real tore at something in her heart.