17. Chapter Fifteen
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ECHO
T ears continued to stream down her face as she headed toward the clubhouse. She left her house early so she could take her time. She needed to get control of herself, but she couldn’t.
She hadn’t since she got home. The tears had been coming ever since she left the BTS and she couldn’t stop them. So many emotions were running through her; she couldn’t pinpoint just one.
Echo wiped away the tears on her cheeks as more came. When was this going to stop? She never cried like this.
“Ahhh,” she shrieked, letting some of her frustration out.
All she wanted to do was hit something or someone specifically. She wanted to show him what he made her feel and how much it had affected her. But would she actually? No. She needed to stop crying before she got to the clubhouse.
There was no way she needed his men to see her cry. What would they think of that? Would they think she was weak? That Deccan should try and find someone stronger with fewer emotions? Was that why he wanted to talk to her because his men didn’t approve of her?
More tears slid down her face as she stopped in front of the clubhouse door. She needed to get a grip on herself or she was going to make the whole situation much worse.
Looking at her phone, she realized she had a couple of minutes until she actually needed to walk in. Turning her back to the door, she took several deep breaths to try and calm herself.
“Are you okay?”
She screamed and spun around. It was the same man who had brought water into Deccan’s office when she was last here. She stared at him with wide eyes. Where had he come from?
“Echo, are you okay?” he asked, stepping closer.
His hands came out, and she let out a strangled noise as she jumped back. No touching. She didn’t want to be touched. She couldn’t handle it right now.
Not when her emotions were high and she didn’t feel safe. Not when she didn’t have a place where she could get hot water from without people looking at her weirdly.
He lifted his hands. “You’re okay,” he gently said. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Xavier, Deccan’s vice president. You’re okay.”
She shook her head and took another step away. No way was she going to be close to him. Even though he was holding his hands out, he could still easily grab her.
“Echo?” he calmly said, staying where he stood. “You’re okay. No one is going to hurt you. You’re safe.”
But how did she know that? She didn’t know anyone but Deccan in there. She didn't trust anyone but him.
“I’m going to call your Daddy.” He lowered one of his hands.
Echo scurried backward and shook her head. Her breathing picked up as she watched him.
“N-no,” she whimpered, taking another step back.
Xavier reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. She retreated more.
“You’re okay. Just stay here until he comes out. Nothing is going to happen, but I need you to stay where you are.”
Why? Why did he want her right where she was? Was he trying to keep her in place so someone could jump out and hold onto her?
Echo’s eyes went wide, and she searched around them, trying to find out the hidden person. But there was no place for anyone to hide.
“You’re okay,” Xavier said again.
Her gaze snapped back to him and she took another step back, which he reciprocated.
“You need to stop moving. Your Daddy is almost here.”
She shook her head once again, tears dripping down her face. Her hand went up to her neck. It was getting harder to breathe with every passing second.
Was this Daddy’s plan the whole time? Get her so emotional that when she got here, she wasn’t in her right mind and wouldn’t be able to process anything or keep herself safe? Was he planning on having her jumped and taught a lesson?
“Fuck,” he mumbled. “Where is he?”
Her lungs screamed at her to take a breath, but she couldn’t. Where was he? Her body grew cold as the door opened, and she took another step back.
“Xavier?” Daddy’s voice filled the quietness.
She whimpered. Daddy’s eyes found her and took in her appearance.
“Shit,” he said, taking a step toward her. “Little Bit, it’s Daddy. I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen.”
But she didn’t believe that. Anything could happen. Her eyes scanned around them, trying to find out where the other people were going to come out of. Would it just be the Springfield Sinners who were going to come out of the clubhouse?
Would Deccan hold Echo by her hair as the other men came out? Tears streamed down her face as she looked Deccan in the eyes. She didn’t think he would do something like this.
Had she been wrong the whole time? Was this his plan since he started following her?
“Little Bit.” Deccan stepped closer.
Whimpering, she gathered her hair in one hand and held it back as she wrapped the other around her waist. She didn’t want him to grab her hair. She didn’t want him to come near her, not when her hair was long and he could do anything.
“Echo, Daddy is here,” he took another step toward her. “Nothing is going to happen. Daddy is right here. Come on, Little Bit. Take a deep breath for Daddy. You’re okay. Nothing is going to happen.”
The door opened behind Daddy and two more huge men stepped out. Echo stumbled back, tripping on something and falling on her bottom.
“Everyone back in the clubhouse!” Daddy bellowed. “Now!”
She sobbed as Daddy took another step closer to her. Her lungs filled with a little air, making them seize up more. Looking at Daddy, she begged him with her eyes. Begging for help or begging him to go away?
“You’re okay. Daddy is going to get a little closer.” His voice was tender as he did what he had told her. “I’m right here. You’re safe. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
Echo shied away as he loomed over her. Daddy bent down, getting onto his knees.
“Such a good girl for taking a small breath,” he praised her. “I know it’s be tough, but just focus on my voice. Can you do that for Daddy? ”
Could she?
“Daddy is going to take your hand,” he told her.
Her grip on her hair tightened. If she had a hold on it, he wouldn’t be able to, right?
“You can keep your hand where it is. Daddy is going to grab the other one,” he gently said. “You’re okay.”
Daddy carefully unwrapped her arm around her middle, holding her cold hand in his warm one.
“So cold,” Daddy whispered. “Are you cold?”
She blinked several times. Why was he asking her that?
“I bet you are, but that’s okay. Daddy is hot, so I’ll warm you up. I’ll be your heater anytime you want.”
He sandwiched her hand between both of his, warming it. She looked down at their hands joined together and took a deep breath.
“Such a good girl,” he whispered. “You’re doing amazingly.”
Was she, though? She was panicking.
“Nothing is going to happen to you, I promise. They’ll have to go through me before anything happens, and even then, nothing will.”
Echo made eye contact with him. Daddy smiled.
“So brave. So brave for Daddy. I’m proud of you.”
He was proud of her? What had she done to make him proud? Was he out of his mind?
“Daddy is going to pick you up now.”
He gave her a warning, but she didn’t think it would be right away. Letting out a strangled noise, Echo let go of her hair as Daddy scooped her up and held her close to his body.
“Put your head in my neck while we walk through the clubhouse,” he whispered.
She pushed her head right where he told her to, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck, leaving her hair alone. Her body was rigid as he walked.
“You’re okay,” he breathed into her ear. “Everything is okay.”
The atmosphere changed, no longer was the cold breeze against her skin. Loud voices and music turned into dead silence, and she knew everyone was looking at them.
“I’ve got you.”
It wasn’t long before Daddy sat down with her still in his arms. Her legs were on either side of him as their chest touched.
“Is your bottom hurt?” Daddy asked, his hand trailing down.
She shook her head. Echo knew she had fallen over, but she didn’t think her bottom was injured. Daddy started to run his hand over her, but she didn’t wince as there was no pain.
“Good girl. If it changes, you let Daddy know. Understand?”
Echo didn’t respond.
“Little Bit, do you understand?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she mumbled.
His whole body stilled under her for a second when she realized what she had just said. Pushing against his chest, she fell off his lap and onto the ground. Crying out, tears pooled in her eyes once again.
“Shhh, you’re okay,” Daddy whispered. “Come here.”
Echo shook her head and pressed herself back into the wall. She had called him Daddy out loud. What was she thinking?
She clearly wasn’t. She had wanted to call him Daddy for so long but had kept it to herself.
“Little Bit,” he gently said, getting up.
Shaking her head again, she wrapped her arms around her legs and started to rock herself slowly. This changed everything. She just changed everything. Now, he really knew she wanted this, and he wasn’t going to stop pushing for them to be together.
But she didn’t want him to stop.
She wanted him to continue to show her that she meant the world to her. That she was his and only his.
“You’re okay,” Daddy gently cooed, sitting in front of her. “I know that shocked you, but you’re okay. I am your Daddy. I always will be.”
“So arrogant,” she mumbled.
She couldn’t help but tell him that. It was true.
Daddy chuckled. “I know what I want. And I always get what I want.”
She shook her head and pushed her head between her knees, her mind going back to what she had said. Did she really mean to tell him that, or were her defenses down? Was he still going to tell her that she was getting replaced?
No because he just told her he was her Daddy and always would be. That meant he wasn't giving her up.
“You aren’t getting rid of me?” she whispered, peeking up to see his face.
Daddy’s face hardened. “No, I would never get rid of you. You are mine for the rest of our lives. There is no going back. You called me Daddy, which solidifies everything.”
Her mouth fell open as her head snapped up.
“W-what?” she stuttered, not comprehending what he had just told her.
“Little Bit, you know I don’t like repeating myself,” he raised an eyebrow.
“I just…what?”
He sighed. “You called me Daddy, which solidifies that you are mine. There is no going back.”
“That’s what I thought you said,” she whispered. “I just thought I heard it wrong.”
Before she could comprehend anything further, Daddy pulled her to him. He moved her body so she was sitting on his lap, her legs straddling him.
“Such a good girl,” he muttered. “You are mine now, and I am yours. Things are going to be changing now.”
She blinked several times. Things were going to be changing?
“Like what?”
“More rules. Your pleasure is mine. You don’t get to come whenever you want. You will be checking in your meals and water with me every single day. We will be hanging out way more. I may even move you into my house.”
She pushed against his chest. “Wait!” she yelled.
“There is no waiting.”
“Daddy!” she screeched. “I’m not moving into your house.”
“Why not? I was going to move you into my house at the end of the week anyway.”
Her eyes went wide.
“You were what ?”
“You are mine. You were mine before you called me Daddy. I was going to move you into my house.”
“You can’t!”
“Why not?”
“Because I am a grown adult. I need my privacy. And people will talk! They are already talking since you banned me from getting a second coffee, got me fired, and wouldn’t let me buy knives.”
Attention was getting directed toward her and Echo didn’t like that. She wanted to be in the shadows as much as possible, but Daddy was making that hard.
“Who gives a fuck what they say.” Daddy grabbed the back of her neck. “I don’t, and you shouldn’t either. Relationships moves at different paces. If I had it my way I would have moved you on the day I came into town. When I realized you were in town. That I had found you again.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean when you found me again ?”