Chapter 12 Elior
Elior
When our house came into view, my heart lifted instantly, especially when I saw that Daddy’s car was in the driveway.
The relief made my knees weak. He was home. Everything would be okay now. He’d be there, and I could crawl into that calm place he made for me where nothing hurt.
Aarev’s car was parked beside his.
I didn’t think much of it—just that Daddy must have gotten home before us. Maybe they’d talk. Maybe Aarev would leave. Maybe this weird, heavy feeling in my chest would finally settle.
I took a step up onto the porch.
The front door slammed open.
The sound cracked through the air like a gunshot, making me flinch hard.
“Elior.”
Before I could even open my mouth, Daddy’s hand was on me.
His fingers wrapped around my upper arm, and he pulled me toward him, positioning me behind his body in one swift motion, like instinct.
My face pressed briefly into his side, breath knocked from me as his other arm came up to bar the doorway.
I clutched his shirt. “Daddy—” I started, suddenly overwhelmed.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jace snapped, his fury directed at Aarev.
Aarev stopped short at the edge of the porch. His posture stayed calm, but his teeth clenched. “Jace. Take it easy.”
“Easy?” Daddy barked out a humorless laugh. “You came to my house on a day you knew I’d be at work, and fucking took him! And you’re telling me to take it easy?”
“You’re overreacting,” Aarev said evenly. “We just went on a walk to the park. It’s not like I kidnapped him.”
Jace’s grip on me tightened just a fraction, making me whimper before I could stop myself. It wasn’t that it hurt, but more about the sudden stress that I hadn’t been expecting.
Instantly, his hand loosened. His thumb brushed my arm as he looked down at me. His voice shook as he said, “I got home almost an hour ago.” Guilt filled my chest. I hadn’t realized we’d been out for that long. I guess I’d been distracted by Aarev’s prodding. “You didn’t leave a note—anything.”
“I-I texted you,” I said quickly, pulling back just enough to look up at him. “I did. I promise, Daddy, I—”
Jace looked down at me, eyes blazing and wild and terrified all at once. “I didn’t get any texts.”
Cold washed through me. “W-wait, I’ll show you—I sent it right before we left.”
I twisted in his hold until he released me, then grabbed my phone from where it sat on the entryway table. I fumbled with it, the screen lighting up as I went back to Daddy’s side.
My messages were already open from earlier.
And the text sat there.
Unsent.
“I-I thought I sent it,” I whispered, panic blooming in my chest. “I swear I thought I did.”
Daddy closed his eyes for a second, like the weight of that nearly crushed him.
Then he looked back at Aarev.
“You had him leave the house without telling me,” he said, deadly quiet now.
“I didn’t make him do anything,” Aarev replied. “He wanted to go. And frankly, Jace, the fact that you’re reacting like this—”
“You do not get to decide what’s best for him,” Daddy snarled. “You don’t get to undermine me in my own home.”
“I wasn’t undermining you,” Aarev shot back. “I was making sure he knows he has autonomy. That he’s allowed to exist outside of you—that he should!”
My head was spinning. “Please don’t fight,” I said softly, pressing myself closer to Daddy’s side. My fingers curled into his shirt again. “I just wanted to see the ducks. There was a swan.”
Daddy looked down at me, all the anger draining out of his face at once, replaced by something raw and aching. “You scared me,” he said hoarsely. “I thought you… God, Elior.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I thought you knew. I wouldn’t have gone if I thought—”
“I know,” he said quickly, cupping the back of my head and pressing my forehead to his chest. “I know, baby. This isn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong, okay?”
Aarev watched the exchange, his expression tight. “Jace, this level of fear isn’t healthy—”
Daddy’s head snapped up. “Go.”
Silence fell heavy between them.
“I’m serious,” Daddy continued, his voice deadly calm. “You do not come near him again. You do not speak to him. You do not get to confuse him or scare him or plant ideas in his head because you think you know better.”
Aarev’s gaze flicked to me. “Elior—”
“No,” Daddy cut in instantly. “We’re done here.”
Aarev held my eyes for a moment longer. I didn’t know what to do with my face. With my heart pounding and my hands shaking, I just wanted him to leave.
“I just want you to be safe,” Aarev said quietly.
“I am,” I whispered. “Why can’t you just believe me?”
His expression turned pained, and he went to speak again, but Daddy pulled me fully behind him.
“Get off my goddamn property, Patel.”
Aarev hesitated, then turned and walked back down the steps.
The moment his car pulled away, Daddy shut the door hard and locked it.
The sound echoed through the house.
I stood there, trembling.
Daddy turned to me immediately, hands on my shoulders, searching my face like he needed to make sure I was real. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
I promptly burst into tears. “I’m so s-sorry, D-Daddy. I didn’t mean to.”
His expression broke.
He pulled me into his arms, holding me tight—too tight for a second, then loosening when he felt me tense.
“I thought I lost you,” he murmured into my hair. “I walked into this house, and it was empty. I thought—” His voice caught. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“I won’t,” I promised, clutching him back. “I won’t. I don’t want to go anywhere without you.”
He exhaled shakily, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Good.” His hand slid up and down my back in slow, comforting strokes. “You’re safe now. Daddy’s got you.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Oh, baby, no. I’m mad at that asshole. Never at you. I’m sorry if I scared you. I didn’t hurt your arm, did I?”
I closed my eyes and let myself sink into him, the fear ebbing at last. “‘m fine, Daddy.”
Home was so much better.
Home was where he was.
Daddy guided me into the living room, one hand never leaving my back. He sat down on the couch and tugged gently, wordlessly, until I climbed into his lap like it was the most natural place in the world.
It was.
I curled against his chest, knees tucked up, his arm firm around my waist. His heartbeat was still a little too fast beneath my cheek, but it still calmed me since it was his. I focused on that instead of the chaotic buzzing in my head.
He rocked me slightly, his thumb tracing absentminded lines along my side. I cried quietly for a few minutes, the kind of tears that just leaked out no matter how much I tried to swallow them back.
“It’s okay,” he murmured. “I know that was a lot for you. Is the rocking helping?”
I nodded against his chest, sniffling.
Eventually, my breathing evened out, and the shaking eased. My head felt sore, like I’d had a terrible cold.
Father used to chastise me for letting my emotions get the better of me.
But I was starting to think that maybe that was just how I was. Maybe it wasn’t something I needed to fix with prayer and fasting.
Daddy tipped his head down so his forehead rested lightly against mine. His voice was calmer now, but still rough around the edges. “Are you ready to tell me what happened?”
I swallowed. “We… we went to the park,” I said softly, “like he said. There were ducks. And a swan. It was really pretty. I was thinking about how I wanted to go back with you.”
Daddy nodded encouragingly. I paused, then rushed on, as if I didn’t get it out all at once, I wouldn’t be able to say it at all.
“At first, it was okay. He asked about therapy. I told him about Mark and how I like him. But then he started asking about how much I go out. If I ever go by myself.” I frowned, my fingers curling into Daddy’s shirt.
“I told him I wasn’t comfortable with that yet. That home feels safer.”
“And?” Daddy prompted quietly.
“And then he… he started talking about you,” I whispered.
I felt Daddy go very still.
I pushed on anyway, my heart starting to ache.
“He said you were… controlling. That you have too much power over me. That you’re taking advantage of me because I’m—” My voice cracked.
“—because I’m vulnerable.” My eyes burned again, and I scrubbed at them with the heel of my hand, embarrassed by how fast the tears came back.
“He said it wasn’t normal. The way you take care of me.
The way I rely on you. He kept saying I should be more independent, like that would just… fix everything.”
Daddy let out a low grunt.
I shook my head hard, looking up at him. “I told him he was wrong. I told him you saved me. That you’re kind. That you listen to me. I told him I like when you take care of things, that it makes me feel safe.” My voice got small. “But he wouldn’t stop.”
Daddy’s hand came up to hold my jaw, his thumb brushing gently under my eye, wiping away a tear. “What else did he say?”
I hesitated, shame prickling hot under my skin. “He… he said the Daddy thing wasn’t okay. That because it’s a kink, it was wrong for you to—” I couldn’t even finish the sentence. My throat closed up completely.
Daddy’s eyes darkened, something fierce flashing there before he forced it down. His voice, when he spoke, was very controlled. “Did he say you didn’t get to choose that?”
I nodded miserably.
“That motherfucker,” Daddy muttered under his breath.
I flinched a little at the anger in his tone, and he immediately softened, pressing a kiss to my hair. “Sorry, cherub, sorry. Keep going, please?”
I sagged back into him, my fingers twisting in his shirt. “I didn’t like the way he talked about you,” I admitted. “Or about me. It made me feel like a kid—and—and dumb.”
Daddy stroked my hair, holding me firmly against his chest. “He’s the dumb one,” he said slowly, like he needed me to hear every word. “You don’t owe anyone explanations for what makes you feel safe.”
My lip trembled. “But what if he’s right? What if I’m just… replacing one set of rules with another?”