50. Paul
Chapter fifty
M y little girl is so beautiful. When she’s sleeping like this, she looks peaceful, like the day I brought her home. Now I finally have her back, I’ll do everything to keep her safe… and perfect.
My little angel.
I watch as she stirs in her sleep. She’ll probably wake up soon and be thirsty and groggy from the sedative. I didn’t want to drug her, or put her in the trunk of my car, but I was running out of time. It’s only a matter of time before the police did a more thorough background check on me. When they did, they’d see the fifteen year absence in my record. That’s why I had to bring her here, where they wouldn’t find me and I could keep her safe.
I busy myself grabbing children’s Tylenol and a plastic cup full of water for her. I place them on her nightstand and sit back down in the chair beside the bed, watching her. She lets out a soft groan, so I lean forward and stroke her head gently.
“Hey there sleepyhead,” I whisper quietly, so as not to scare her.
She blinks slowly a few times before her eyes focus on me. Her brows pinch together before she scans the rest of the room. She tries to quickly sit up but winces and grabs her head .
“Carefully, honey. Here’s some Tylenol and water for your headache.” I pick up the items and offer them to her.
She looks at them with confusion before looking back up at me. “What are those?” she asks, pointing to the pills.
“Tylenol, it will help your headache, now be a good girl and take your medicine.” Her eyes watch me with apprehension, and I don’t like it.
“Mina, take your medicine,” I say, a little firmer.
“I… I’m okay, my headache is already going away.”
“Do not lie to me young lady. If you won’t take them willingly, you’ll be put in time out,” I warn her. Her eyes widen in surprise, so I try softening my tone as I continue. “Honey, I know you’re probably confused, but everything is going to be okay, I promise. Daddy’s going to take care of you now. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you ever again.”
Her eyes scan the room and when they land on her leg, she starts to panic. “Wha—What is this? What have you done?” she asks, grabbing at the cuff around her ankle.
“It’s just to make sure you don’t run off and get yourself lost or hurt in the woods. Now, take your medicine,” I say, holding it out again.
She whacks my arm away, sending the pills flying. “I don’t want your pills. Now let me go! Where have you taken me? Wh—Oh my god! Where’s my watch?!” She starts searching the bed like it might have just fallen off.
I stand up and laugh. I’m not a stupid man. You don’t last as long as I have in this world without paying attention. When I asked her how those boys had found her, I knew she was lying. Now she has no watch or phone, they’ll never be able to find her in my cabin. We aren’t even in the same state anymore .
“Don’t worry, honey, I’ve made sure those boys won’t be able to find you. Now, it’s just you and me.”
“What? What do you mean? What do you want with me?” she asks in a panic as she pushes herself backwards on the bed, her back pressing against the wall.
“Honey, I just want to take care of you. You’re my little girl. My perfect little angel, and it’s my job to keep you that way.”
“I—I don’t understand. You just want to keep me in this place… forever? Where are we?”
“We’re in a remote cabin. There’s nothing else around for miles in any direction and we have enough supplies to last us years. I’ve been planning this for a long time.”
“Why?”
“Honey, don’t you get it? I’ve been searching for my little girl for years. Ever since I lost you. I knew when I got you back, I’d need to take extreme measures to keep you safe. Everyone who looks at you can see how beautiful and perfect you are. Some want to break you for it, like Helen, and some want to possess you, to keep you to themselves, like those boys of yours.”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing? Trying to keep me to yourself?” she asks accusingly.
“No, I’m trying to protect you from those who wish to harm you or own you.”
“Dad, I was safe with them. I love them. What you’re doing… This isn’t right.”
I stand up quickly, scowling as I point down at her. “You are the child here. I’m the parent, and you will listen to what I say. Do you understand, young lady?! ”
She nods quickly, her eyes wide with fear.
I need to fix that. Can’t have her scared of me. No, this won’t do.
“Come sit on the edge of the bed, let me brush your hair,” I say, grabbing her hairbrush from a drawer. When she doesn’t move, I yell. “Mina! Now!” She jumps as I yell, but quickly does as I say, making me relax as I sit behind her and gently brush her hair.
“See, isn’t this nice?” I say in a soft tone, trying to soothe her.
When she doesn’t answer, I grip her neck firmly as I yell, “I asked you a question!”
“Yes!” she squeaks out, and I release my grip. Good, she’s starting to get it now. I’m just trying to take care of her.
When I finish brushing her hair, I make her a plate of fries and chicken nuggets in the shape of animals. She tries to refuse, but after I yell at her again, she takes a bite, eyeing me wearily.
I sit in the chair beside her bed, watching her and sigh. “Honey, I don’t want to yell at you. If you just do as you’re told, like the good little angel I know you are, then I wouldn’t need to. I’m just trying to take care of you, you need to let me.”
Perhaps if she won’t listen, I can give her a sedative to keep her more compliant. I probably have something around here I can use.
“Okay, daddy, I’ll be good,” she says suddenly, surprising me. I glance up and she gives me a small smile before she takes another bite.
I place my hand on her knee, giving it a little squeeze. “That’s my good little girl. You just let me take care of you and everything will be okay.” She nods and keeps eating.
Some of the tension drains out of me. This is how things should have been all these years. If that sad excuse for a son hadn’t been lying to me for the past decade, she would have grown up with me taking care of her. I know why he did it, why he hid her from me, he’s obsessed with her. I thought he just cared about her like an older brother, but his love for her was twisted and perverted, and above everything, he was jealous of my love for her.
But how could I ever care for him the way I care for her? She’s perfect, sweet, my little girl. Simon is twisted, cold and a fucking pedophile. No, he could never compete with her, and he knew. That’s why he kept her from me. Just the thought of all those wasted years looking for her when she was right under my nose… It makes me want to kill him all over again.
I’m so glad I decided to follow him that day. I wasn’t sure where he was going, hiking through the forest but I’m damn glad I was there to save her. It helped prove myself as her protector, too. However, I did expect her to be more open to me afterwards. None of that matters anymore now she’s here.
Now I finally have her back, I won’t let anyone take her from me again, and that includes her.