Chapter 9
FRANKIE
Daddy held onto her hand as they walked out of his office.
He promised no one would be out while they were walking through the club, but she still couldn’t help but feel the nerves run through her body.
But she could still feel all the other emotions threatening to be let loose, and she didn’t know how she was going to release them now.
Daddy didn’t want her to hurt herself, but what else could she do?
Gripping onto Daddy’s hand as they walked down the stairs, she sucked in a breath as they got to the bottom. There, sitting in front of the kitchen, were two stacks of plates on the ground. What was he going to do with the plates?
They walked closer to the plates, and Daddy let go of her hand. “I’m going to carry these out to the back, and you are going to follow. If you need to hold on, you can grip onto my shirt. Is that okay?”
They were going outside? Frankie didn’t know if she was able to do that. Wouldn’t anyone be able to see her?
Daddy cupped her face. “No one is going to see us. I told everyone not to come to the back. It faces the forest, so you don’t have to worry about anything. If it would make you feel better, I can have two people on either side of us to watch out for other people.”
Frankie shook her head. If Daddy said there wasn’t going to be anyone, then she needed to trust him. Daddy hadn’t failed her yet, and she didn’t think he would start now.
“Okay, can you hold onto my shirt after I pick them up?” Daddy asked.
Frankie nodded and waited for him to pick up the stacks of plates before standing to his full height. She quickly grabbed onto his shirt, and they started walking to the back of the building.
“Wh-what are we going to do?” she hesitantly asked.
Daddy was silent as they got to the last door. Frankie quickly let go of his shirt and opened the heavy door. Her eyebrows pinched together as she looked at the door. Why was it so much harder to open now? She didn’t remember it being this heavy.
“They redid the doors to make them more secure so no one could get in. Not that anyone could since it automatically locks,” Daddy explained. “It just helps. The doors are thicker, too.”
What had happened while she was gone for them to change the doors?
“We had someone break into the club and try to get to one of the staff members. After that, we made it a priority to change the locks on each door, but also change the doors as well.” Daddy set the plates on the ground.
“Everyone is okay now. We were going to change the doors and locks anyway, but after that happened, we did it right away.”
Frankie’s mouth hung open as she looked at him. So many things had changed around the club, and Frankie was having a hard time keeping up with them all. How had Daddy not told her?
“Don’t feel bad or upset that I didn’t tell you. I was one of the last of the owners to know because I don’t work in the club,” Daddy pointed out. “I didn’t want to tell you and make you worry. They all had it covered and figured out.”
And now Frankie felt bad for keeping Daddy at home this whole time. She had always felt guilty about him having to switch to working from home, but there was nothing she could do about it. Back then, she wasn’t willing to go out, and even now, she was still apprehensive about it.
“Enough about that.” Daddy waved his hand in the air. “We are going to throw these plates.”
“Thr-throw them?” Frankie looked at him like he was crazy.
But that was what she wanted to do. She had wanted to go to a rage room to smash things, but they had cameras, and she would have to see people.
“Yes, throw them and let all your emotions out while you do it. I have safety glasses we are going to wear so we don’t get anything in our eyes.” Daddy handed the goggles over to her.
“How did you know?” she whispered.
Daddy chuckled. “I guessed because you were pulling at your hair. You needed a way to let your emotions out, and I figured we couldn’t go out into town, so this is the next best thing.
Trent had been wanting to get rid of these because they chip easily.
We can yell and scream as we throw to let all the emotions we want out. ”
Frankie stared at him for several seconds before the floodgates opened, and she was crying once again.
“Oh, Little One,” he cooed at her as he pulled her into a hug. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“Too many emotions,” she mumbled into his chest, holding on.
“Well, how about we throw these plates to let them all out? I bet we will feel a lot better after.” Daddy pulled away.
He helped put her glasses on before handing her a plate. She looked at the ground.
“What about cleaning up?” Frankie asked. “Should I gently throw it so the pieces don’t go very far?”
“Throw it as hard as you want,” Daddy suggested.
“But the shards will go everywhere,” she pointed out.
“We have a cleaner coming, and they will get all of the pieces. Don’t worry about it.” Daddy kissed the side of her head. “Do you want me to show you first?”
Frankie nodded. She needed to see if Daddy was actually telling the truth about her throwing it as hard as she could or if he was just telling that to make her feel better.
But as she watched Daddy take the plate from her hand and pull his hand back, she held her breath. And just like he said, Daddy threw it as hard as he could, making the plate shatter into a million pieces on the ground.
“Wow,” she whispered as she stared at the now shattered plate.
Daddy smiled and turned toward her. “Your turn. Pick up a plate and throw it as hard as you can. Yell if you want to. No one is going to come out and check on us. Not unless I tell them we need them.”
Frankie grabbed another plate and pulled her hand back, yelling as she threw it to the ground. Heaving a breath, she watched as it broke into several pieces on the ground, going in different directions.
“How did that feel?” Daddy asked.
Pulling her shoulders back, she looked at Daddy and smiled.
“Amazing,” she whispered. “Can I go again?”
Daddy nodded. “Do as many as you want but take a break after you do a couple in a row. I don’t want you tiring yourself out too much or hurting yourself.”
That was all Frankie needed to hear. Without pausing, she grabbed another one and threw it to the ground. She yelled, screamed, cried, letting out all the emotions she had been holding in.
By the time Daddy and she finished smashing all of the plates, Frankie was absolutely exhausted. Her emotions were completely depleted.
“How are you feeling now?” Daddy asked.
Frankie nodded and leaned into his embrace, letting him take the weight of her. Daddy picked her up and held her close as he walked back to the building.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I needed that.”
How long had she needed it? It had been something she had wanted to do for a while now, and today she really needed it.
“You’re welcome. I don’t know if we can break plates every time we need to let go of our emotions, but we will figure something out.” Daddy kissed the side of her head.
“Put a mini rage room in the club,” she mumbled as her eyes closed.
That would be absolutely perfect. Then she and any other Little who needed to let their emotions out could safely.
Daddy hummed. “I’ll have to talk to the other guys and see what they say. But it might be a good idea to add one.”
“We can name it after me.” She giggled. “Frankie’s Rage Room.”
Daddy held her close and chuckled. She felt the air conditioning hit the back of her arms, and she snuggled into Daddy.
“I still have a little more work to do here, and it’s not too late in the day. I’m going to get you some food, and then you’ll take a nap.” Daddy spoke.
“No nap.” She yawned and pressed her face into his neck.
“Whatever you say, Little One. I just need you to stay awake a little longer so you can eat.” Daddy tried to pull her back, but Frankie wasn’t having it.
She was comfortable right where she was, and she didn’t want to move.
“Here are some chicken nuggets,” Trent whispered. “I figured she would be hungry after that.”
Frankie slightly pulled away and opened her eyes, not really caring at the moment that Trent was seeing her without a blanket around her. She was too exhausted to care right now. Trent had remembered that her favorite meal was chicken nuggets.
Heart aching, tears pooled in her eyes at the thought.
“Oh, Frankie,” Trent whispered. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. I just…”
Daddy rubbed her back in soothing circles as the tears ran down her face. She was extremely emotional today, and she couldn’t help it. So many new things have happened in such a short time, and she was having a hard time processing it all.
“I’ve got you,” Daddy whispered.
Frankie snuggled back into Daddy’s embrace, closing her eyes and letting her body relax.
“I didn’t mean to make her cry. I don’t even know what I said to do it,” Trent gently said.
“She’s exhausted. It’s her favorite food, and today has been very busy, so it’s nothing bad,” Daddy explained. “I’m going to take her up to my office for a nap and finish up some work.”
“It was nice seeing you, Frankie. Don’t be a stranger.” Trent softly touched the back of her arm.
She hummed but didn’t move. Daddy chuckled and started to walk back to his office.
The chicken nuggets smelled so good, but Frankie was so tired.
She didn’t know whether she had the energy to stay awake and eat.
What a shame. She was looking forward to eating those nuggies, but maybe Daddy could save them for another time, when she woke up.
“I’ll feed you a couple before you fall asleep,” Daddy murmured in her ear.
Sighing in contentment, she fully relaxed into his arms. It probably made everything much harder on Daddy to hold her, but right now, she didn’t really care.
Daddy sat on the couch, pulling her legs to either side of him as she continued to rest her face on his shoulder.
“Open up for Daddy.” He teased the chicken nugget against her lips.
Frankie ate three chicken nuggets before falling asleep in his lap, feeling completely safe.