Chapter 56
56
“What’s this, Daddy? Where did you get it? It’s pretty.” She picked up the sippy cup that had flowers and butterflies along the sides of it.
“I bought it and some other things when we went shopping.” He grabbed her as she nearly slid off her chair.
“Oops. I nearly went oopsy-daisy!”
“I need to find something to tie you to the chair.”
“Daddy, that’s not very nice!” She waggled a finger at him.
“It’s going to have to be a quick dinner.” He let go of her, eyeing her as though making sure that she was going to stay on her chair, then he moved to the fridge. “I want you to drink all of that water, too.”
“I don’t feel like water. Or dinner.”
“Tough.”
“Are you upset with me for getting drunk?” she asked sniffling as she took a few sips of the water.
Ooh. That actually tasted really good. She gulped it down.
“I’m not upset with you, baby. Although I do wish you’d waited for me. I would prefer to watch over you when you’re in a vulnerable state.”
“Like when I’m Little?” she asked.
“Exactly.”
“I was just upset.”
“With Cammie leaving?” he asked.
“You already know? Wow. You know everything.”
“I do. And you would do well to remember that,” he warned.
“I sure will, Daddy.”
He set down a plate with cheese, crackers, pickles, and a Mexican salad with sliced avocado.
“Daddy, it’s got corn in it.” She pointed at the salad.
“You said it was your love language, so I asked Anita and she made it for you.”
“I loves Anita, isn’t she just the best?” She placed her elbow on the table and rested her face on her palm.
“You’ve never met her.”
“Daddy, just because I has never met someone doesn’t mean I can’t loves them. I’m full of love.”
“As long as most of that love is for me,” he grumbled.
Silly Daddy.
“Course it is, Daddy. I love you the mostest of all.”
He stared at her for a long moment. “You need to say that again.”
She opened her mouth, but he put his hand over it.
“When you’re sober.” He removed his hand.
“Okay, Daddy.”
“Drink some more water,” he ordered.
She gulped some back, then slammed her cup down on the table. “Daddy, this is the bestest water I’ve ever had. Where did you get it from?”
“The fridge,” he replied solemnly.
“I love the fridge. Don’t you love the fridge?” she asked as he forked up some of the salad.
“I can see you love lots of things tonight,” he replied.
He held the fork up and she frowned at it. “I do. Daddy, you got to do the noises.”
“Noises?”
“Uh-huh. Like car noises or train noises or something. Airplane! That’s a good one. It helps me eat.”
“My apologies. I didn’t know.”
“You apologized!” She stared at him in wonder. “You never apologize.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
“You should do it more. And use your manners. Naughty Daddy.” She attempted to wiggle a finger at him, but he started to tilt sideways.
“Daddy, why are you moving?”
He grabbed hold of her. “I’m not the one moving.”
“Is it an earthquake? I don’t like earthquakes!”
“I don’t think anyone does. But no, this is called the consequences of drinking too much tequila with Cat.”
“But I loves Cat. She’s so funny. So is Rafael.”
“Rafael is funny?” he asked as he made some strange zooming noise.
She wasn’t sure if that was a train or a jet. But she still opened her mouth.
That was the rules, after all. If someone made a train or airplane noise while feeding you, then you had to eat.
“Yeah. He’s all scowly and quiet. But you can tell he cares about Cat. Although when he tried to take the tequila away, she got really mad and threatened to fill all of his shoes with slime.”
“She’s getting a spanking tonight.”
“That’s not very nice!” she cried. “I don’t want my new friend to get a spanking.”
“Don’t worry, Cat knows what she’s doing.” He fed her a piece of cheese on a cracker.
She hummed happily.
“I’m sorry about Cammie, baby.”
“She said she needs to not be around me. I understand that.”
“I don’t.” He scowled. “You were just trying to help her, and she was mean to you. I don’t like that at all.”
A zing of alarm filled her, but it was quickly drowned out by happiness.
“You are so good to me, Daddy.”
He cupped the side of her face. “Let’s get some more food into you, some painkillers, then bed.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
“That’s my good girl.”
Reuben walked into the bedroom, carrying a bottle of water. His girl was already tucked up into bed with Colin. He’d put some pillows around her so that she didn’t roll out of bed.
Maybe he should have put her in her crib, but he wanted her in his bed.
He’d already given her some painkillers, but he needed to get some more water into her. She had to be dehydrated, and she had to keep up her water intake because of her low blood pressure.
He got ready for bed and then climbed in next to her, removing the pillow between them. It was too early for him to sleep, but he’d do some work on his phone while she slept. He wanted to be close in case she needed him.
Rolling her onto her back, he removed her pacifier.
She made a cute, grumbling noise, but didn’t open her eyes. “No, Daddy. I don’t wants to go to school today.”
“You don’t have to go to school. Open your mouth.”
“Oh, goodie. I likes sucking you off.”
“No blow jobs.”
“No fair.” She pouted.
Had he created a monster? He slid the nipple of the bottle into her mouth, and she drank some down sleepily before turning her face away.
“No more, Daddy. I’m full of water.”
He set it aside as she rolled onto her side, facing away from him. Reuben settled in behind her, placing her pacifier back into her mouth.
“Daddy, fingers,” she grumbled around the pacifier.
“You want my fingers in your mouth?”
“Noo.” She started mumbling under her breath. Someone was a bit cranky.
Reaching back, she grabbed his fingers and brought them down between her legs, pressing his fingers against her pussy.
Ahh.
He slid two fingers inside her and she let out a small sigh.
Yes. He’d definitely created a monster.
There was something after her . . . chasing her.
Faith ran through the woods. It was dark and cold.
Alone.
She was so alone.
Someone screamed. Was that her? Or Cammie?
“Cammie!” she screamed.
Ahead, she heard someone cackle. She kept running, her heart racing.
Stopping, she leaned against a tree and fought to breathe.
“Faith! Faith! Save me!”
“Cammie! Where are you?” she yelled.
Why couldn’t she see her? Then she spotted her in the distance. Faith tried to run to her, to reach her . . .
Eric stepped out in front of her and she fell onto her ass with a scream.
“Blossom! Baby, wake up.”
Reuben!
“Reuben! Help me!”
“Blossom, wake up. I’m right here. I’m here, baby. Now do as you’re told. Open your eyes.”
She opened her eyes with a gasp. She couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t she breathe?
“Baby. Look at me.” Reuben sat her up, taking hold of her hands. “I want you to squeeze my hands. Right now, Faith.”
Him calling her by her name seemed to jolt something inside her.
“It was just a dream. You’re safe. Daddy is here. Squeeze my hands.”
She squeezed his hands.
“Good girl. Squeeze them twice now. And concentrate on breathing. You can breathe. Twice.”
Once. Twice.
Her breathing started to ease.
“Now three times. Squeeze them again. One. Two. Three.”
One. Two. Three.
This time she managed a deeper breath.
“Good girl. You’re doing such a good job. My brave baby. Just keep breathing. Daddy is here. I’m going to keep you safe.”
“S-sorry,” she managed to get out as tears filled her eyes.
“Hey. You don’t need to be sorry. None of this is your fault.” A dark look entered his eyes. “It’s that bastard who will pay.”
She concentrated on her breathing. In. Out.
God, it was so scary feeling like you couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t do anything rash. Please. It’s not worth it.”
Leaning forward, he kissed her lightly. “No one hurts you, baby. No one.” Then he drew her into his lap and rocked her gently back and forth. “What do you need?”
“Water. You.”
“Then that’s what you’ll get.”
“And . . . and not to think.” She didn’t want to think about anything.
“Let Daddy take care of you, then. I’ll go and refill your bottle of water.” He attempted to put her down on the bed, but she wrapped herself around him.
“Don’t leave me, Daddy! Please!”
“Shh. It’s all right. I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed her forehead. “I won’t leave you.”
Getting up, he set her on his hip and picked up her bottle. She wrapped her limbs around him, still scared he might leave her.
“Come on, let’s get you a drink.”
Moving into the kitchen, he filled her bottle with warm milk while she drank water from her sippy cup.
Carrying her back to bed, Reuben tucked her in against him as he rested back against the headboard and held the bottle to her lips.
“You’re all right, baby. I have you.”
Faith’s eyelids began to grow heavy, but she was too scared to fall asleep. When he drew the bottle away, setting it aside, she buried her face into his chest.
“I can’t sleep, Daddy. I’m scared.”
Reuben moved them so he lay on his back with her in top of him. Then he placed his fingers by her lips, letting her suck them into his mouth.
He wrapped his other arm tight around her.
“I have you, baby. I won’t let the nightmares get you. I promise.”