Chapter 7
FRANKIE
Frankie walked up to Daddy’s big window. It was one of those cool one-way windows where she could see out of it, but people looking up just saw a mirror. It was nice to see several people she used to work with down there, going about their day, and not able to see her.
Dominic came into the main room and looked up at the office, straight at her like he knew she was there. Was she prepared for him to come up and talk to her? Did she want that?
But Dominic didn’t head toward the stairs. He went to the kitchen, where she could barely see Trent working. Oh, how she wanted to go down there and get one of his desserts. To taste the sweet goodies she used to enjoy all the time.
Trent and Dominic stood by the entrance, as they talked and slowly ate cookies. Licking her lips, Frankie clasped her hands together and stared at the cookies.
She wanted one.
Frankie could taste the chocolate chip cookie right now, but she didn’t have one. Would Dominic bring her a cookie if she asked? But they looked deep in conversation, and she didn’t want to wait for them to finish. Frankie didn’t want to text Dominic and interrupt their conversation for a cookie.
But it was a good cookie.
Turning to the couch, she looked at her blanket and Lita.
Was she really thinking about going out there and getting a cookie, hoping no one saw her?
There were so many people in the club, and she was bound to get caught.
But if she put the blanket over her head and covered all of her body, then no one could see her, right?
Right.
After grabbing her blanket, Frankie placed it over her body, covering most of her face, and slowly walked toward the door.
“Lita, you be good in here. If Daddy comes in, tell him I’ve gone to get a cookie,” she instructed her stuffie as her hand held the door handle.
She was really going to do this.
Taking a deep breath, she clutched the blanket even tighter as she left the office. Frankie pulled the blanket even more over her face, not wanting to take the chance of being seen as she headed along the hallway and toward the stairs.
Daddy was going to be mad with her if he figured out she was walking down the stairs, dragging the blanket behind her.
She could trip, but she really wanted that chocolate chip cookie.
It was calling her name, even if she didn’t know if there was any left or not.
But there had to be. Trent was amazing at keeping those cookies stocked all the time… or he used to be three years ago.
Sucking in a deep breath, Frankie slowly made her way down the stairs, keeping close to the wall and pausing every couple of steps to get a better grip on her blanket. No one had dared to come up the stairs yet, which she was thankful about. Would someone try to talk to her?
Frankie wasn’t going to think about it. She was on a mission. Get into the kitchen without being detected, grab a cookie, and get out of there without anyone seeing her. How hard could that be?
Once she got to the base of the stairs, she looked to the left and saw Dominic and Trent still talking outside the kitchen. There were two entrances, but Trent didn’t like other people using the side entrance. But what he didn’t know wasn’t going to hurt him… this time.
Slipping to the side, she slowly and carefully made her way along the hallway and to the second entrance.
Frankie couldn’t help but giggle and wiggle her bottom as she stood outside the door.
How had she managed to get by with no one finding out what she was doing?
It was exciting to try not to get caught doing something. What else had she been missing out on?
Frankie quietly pushed the door open and tiptoed into the kitchen. It was exactly like it was three years ago. Did they not change a thing while she was gone? Frankie thought several things would have changed in all those years. But they hadn’t.
Tears pooled in her eyes as she took in the stainless steel kitchen.
Trent liked his counter space, and it showed with how many clean ones he had.
He always told her it was so whenever he wanted to make cookies, he could lay them all out on the counter as he rolled them into balls, or so they had enough space to cool properly.
Frankie never understood that, but she wasn’t going to disagree with him. Trent was the baker, not her.
Quickly wiping away the tears, she looked around. The kitchen was spotless, like it always was. It was good for Frankie since her blanket was dragging along the floor. Now she didn’t have to worry about it getting all dirty and needing to wash it when she got home.
“Where are you?” she whispered to herself as she walked through the kitchen, trying to find the cookies.
It was her sole mission, and if there wasn’t any left, Frankie didn’t know what she was going to do. Her stomach was grumbling as she could smell the delicious, sweet scent of the cookies filling the air.
“Yum,” she hummed as she spotted the cookies on a platter in the back corner.
Frankie should ask her Daddy if she was allowed to have a cookie, but she had no time to now. She was here, and anyone could come in. The longer she stayed, the more likely it was that Trent would come back in. She wasn’t ready to see anyone else.
Carefully, she grabbed one of the cookies with her left hand while she kept a hold on the blanket with her right.
Frankie closed her eyes, moaning as she took a bite of the cookie, the flavors of chocolate and goodness filling her mouth.
This was worth going down the stairs and possibly seeing someone.
Frankie finished off the cookie and grabbed another one, unable to help herself. Why should she? She hadn’t had one of Trent’s cookies or any dessert in over three years. It was a crime, and she was making up for it.
She eyed the platter the cookies were on and then back to the main door.
No one was there, which meant she was safe for a few more seconds.
Should she take the whole platter back to Daddy’s office?
No one would know that it was her who had taken them.
Trent could make another batch before anyone found out they were gone.
With that in mind, Frankie took another bite of her cookie and moaned.
“So delicious,” she mumbled as she continued to chew.
“Has your Daddy not taught you that talking with food in your mouth is naughty?” someone asked. “Didn’t your Daddy tell you that sneaking around isn’t allowed?”
Frankie sucked in a breath, her eyes going wide as she turned around. Her hand flew to her neck as the cookie got lodged in her throat.
Dominic’s eyes went wide as he stared at her. Tears glistened in her eyes as she tried to breathe in, making the cookie go down farther.
“Shit,” he loudly said and ran toward her.
Placing his arms around her waist, his hands settled just below her ribcage as he heaved himself back.
“I’ve got you.” His voice was full of panic as he once again, pulled his arms back, trying to dislodge the cookie.
Tears ran down Frankie’s face as he continued to do it until, finally, the cookie flew out of her mouth and landed on the kitchen floor. Sagging in his arms, she continued to cry.
“Shhh, you’re okay,” he whispered.
But she wasn’t okay. She had almost died from eating a cookie, and it wasn’t her fault. It he hadn’t come in and talked to her, she wouldn’t have choked on it.
Dominic set her on the ground and adjusted her blanket as Trent walked in. Screeching, Frankie hid behind Dominic, leaning her head against his back as everything started to come crashing down around her.
“I haven’t talked to her yet,” Dominic said.
Talked to her? Why was he wanted to talk to her before Trent came in?
“Shit,” Trent mumbled. “I’m sorry, Frankie. I thought Dominic had already talked to you… Wait is that cookie on the ground?”
Frankie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was so done for. Trent had seen her, she had almost died, and Daddy was probably wondering where she was right now. This was why Frankie never went out anymore. Too many variables and not enough eyes to make sure she was safe.
“Frankie had a little choking incident,” Dominic gently said. “I scared her and didn’t realize she had cookie in her mouth.”
“Frankie choked? Is she okay? Do I need to get Michael to come check her out?” Trent asked.
Daddy would definitely know she was missing now. Would he punish her for leaving his office? Frankie couldn’t help herself. The cookies were calling her name.
“Why don’t you get Michael and her Daddy. I’ll take her up to him.” Dominic’s voice was calm.
How was he calm? Frankie felt like she had just been shot with something. She’d never be able to breathe normally again.
“Right. I’ll be quick,” Trent said before she heard him leave the kitchen. “Don’t worry about the mess. I’ll get it later.”
And now she could never show her face at the club again. Trent was going to clean up after her… clean her chewed-up and spat-out cookie on the floor.
“Frankie?” Dominic gently spoke. “No one else is in here. I’m going to turn around now.”
She took a step back and looked up at Dominic. He just stared at her for several seconds, taking in her now-shaking form.
“Shit. Let’s grab a cookie for later and get you back to your Daddy’s office. Do you think you can walk there?” he asked as he grabbed a cookie, wrapping it in a napkin.
Frankie nodded but she really didn’t know. So much had happened in a little time, and she felt so out of it.
“Come on.” Dominic held his hand out.
Taking his hand, Dominic led her out of the kitchen and back toward the stairs. It took them forever to get into Daddy’s office. By the time she sat down, exhaustion had already weighed down on her, begging her never to get back up.
“We’re just going to sit here until your Daddy comes into the office,” Dominic gently said, still holding the cookie in his hand.
Frankie didn’t want to see a cookie ever again. It always seemed to be a chocolate chip cookie that was getting her into situations she didn’t want to be part of.
“Where is she?” Daddy yelled as he entered the office.