CHAPTER THREE
Three days later
– MERCY –
A harsh knock on the door drags my gaze away from the book I’m holding.
I expect Sable to step inside with a plate of food.
Kujo, formerly known as sperm guy, ordered him to babysit me.
It’s why three days ago Sable dragged me to the cabin next to the one I broke into and locked me in his bedroom.
Ever since he’s been coming into my prison cell to feed me.
Yes, even if it’s a bedroom, I still consider it a prison cell. There are locks on the windows, and obviously the door as well. The few times I’ve tried to follow him out of the room he’s snapped ‘stay put.’
If I wasn’t already minimally verbal, I would be now or give him the complete silent treatment. Sable is an asshole. Not to the level of Uncle Otto, Linus, or those other members of Sheridan Slayers. Nope, Sable is in a league of his own.
To my surprise it’s not Sable who enters the bedroom, it’s Kujo. I let my gaze drop, not wanting to look in his too familiar eyes. He’s a complete stranger to me, and even if I know this man is my biological father, my mind isn’t ready to admit this little fact.
The man surprises me again when he rumbles, “I bet you have ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, like your mother. She took meds. I believe they were a low dose of fluoxetine to lower her anxiety.”
I feel myself nodding before I can catch myself.
“Do you take meds and haven’t been able to afford them lately?” he asks.
Anger boils up inside me. I flip him off and focus on the book in front of me. The chuckle flowing through the air comes from Sable. I easily recognize it because the man has caused me to flip him off on a regular basis as well.
“I can get the club doctor to see you if you’d like,” Kujo rumbles.
Frustration and anger hit me.
Slamming myself on the chest, I grunt with a demand of my own, “Leave.”
“I know you want to leave, but you made the decision to come to me. I didn’t know I had a fucking daughter until you broke into my cabin.
There’s a whole fucking lot we need to talk about, and we will.
But leaving isn’t an option anymore. Your mother must have told you something.
..why else haven’t you been around until now?
Hell, why the fuck did she keep you from me?
Fuck.” He bellows out another curse and spins around to stalk out of the room.
Sable throws his thumb over his shoulder. “He just received the results of the DNA test. Give the man some slack. It’s not every day he finds out he has a kid wandering this world, by the only woman he ever cared for no less.”
I purse my lips, hearing the last sentence.
My mother never talked about my biological father.
She never dated, or so much as looked at another man.
Knowing this little fact might seem my mother only cared about Kujo as well.
..but who knows? Since I didn’t even know the man was my biological father until three damn weeks ago.
“Are you hungry?” Sable asks.
This man has an unhealthy drive when it comes to constantly feeding me.
The corner of his mouth twitches. “I’m only asking because I was about to make some spaghetti. Wanna help me?”
Help? Out of this room and into the kitchen where there are knives? Hell yes. I nod and slide off the bed. The only good thing about being held captive is the fact that I’ve had a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in, and a bathroom.
A bath, a shower, a toilet, a freaking toothbrush with toothpaste and running water. Warmth surrounding me, along with the safety of walls, and a door to make sure no one else can steal your things or do anything to you while you sleep.
Everything that I deemed normal while I grew up and lived with my mother. All while the last few weeks they’ve been something I didn’t have access to. Even if I was held against my will, I did feel safe under Sable’s roof.
I follow the man out of the bedroom and into the open kitchen.
Pointing at the fridge he says, “You can either chop the vegetables or start with the ground beef.”
The first day in his cabin he made me peanut butter sandwiches. Thankfully, he had creamy peanut butter and not the chunky one. The second day he brought me pizza with olives and mushrooms. Yuck to both toppings, and when I didn’t touch it? He gave me another peanut butter sandwich.
Needless to say, I don’t eat everything. Mostly it’s due to the dislike of the texture, other times I simply hate the way it tastes or smells. The spaghetti he wants to make, and I sure as hell like to eat, needs to be prepared the right way.
Taking a deep breath, I ball my hands and ask, “Gloves?”
“Under the sink,” he replies without asking why or looking at me like I’m an idiot for talking for the first time to him again in the three days I’ve been here.
I grab a pair of gloves and put them on. Turning to Sable, I see him holding the ground beef in one hand, sweet peppers in the other. Snatching the ground beef from his hand, I place it on the counter and check the cabinets for a large plate.
Once I have a plate, I check the ground beef by slowly squashing it on the plate and remove all hard chunks.
I try to look at Sable from the corner of my eye.
He’s watching me, but at least he doesn’t ask why or is annoyed.
The first time Linus saw me do this he..
. I close my eyes and shove down the memory.
“Mercy,” Sable rumbles.
I blink a few times and turn my head his way.
“Large chunks of veggies or do you want to throw everything into the blender?” he asks with a straight face, and without even a hint of mock in his voice.
Bringing my hand up, I leave little space between my thumb and forefinger.
“Tiny chunks? Got it.” He simply turns and starts chopping.
I stare at him for a few heartbeats while I try to let my mind jump to the fact why I didn’t pick the chopping. I could be holding a knife to try and escape. Instead, I’m making sure the ground beef is checked before using it. Returning to my task, Sable and I work side by side.
“I meant what I said about the medicine if you need it,” Kujo rumbles.
My anger gets the better of me when I snap, “I don’t need it.”
It’s the most I’ve said in a long while and I instantly regret it when Sable hisses. Glancing his way, I see the blood and become furious.
Snatching a clean kitchen towel, I cover Sable’s hand and snap at Kujo, “Your fault.”
“My fault?” Kujo growls.
Sable sighs and pushes the towel away. “It’s only a small cut. Can you grab the first aid kit? It’s under the sink in the bathroom.”
Shooting a final glare at Kujo, I rush off to the bathroom. Dammit. Every time I’ve talked more than a few words these past three weeks someone either got hurt or killed. No joke. Every. Damn. Time. Stomping back into the kitchen, I open the first aid kit.
“I’ll stitch him up,” Kujo states and steps closer.
Deciding to ignore both of them, I focus on making the spaghetti sauce. A moment later the chopped veggies appear in my line of sight, and I keep going. Doing this task calms my nerves and by the time the food is done, I’m feeling somewhat at ease.
Sable puts the pots on the table and each of us fills our own plate with spaghetti. We’re about to eat when I start to freak out and glance around me. Noticing the TV, I stalk over and put some background music on.
Kujo snickers. “Your mother couldn’t stand silence while eating either.” He turns to Sable. “It’s the noise.”
“Makes perfect sense. Damn, can you imagine having no background sound when you’re sitting at the table with Brute? The fucker has his mouth wide open when he chews.” Sable shakes his head and starts to eat.
Kujo chuckles and bobs his head before focusing on eating.
I release a sigh and am glad they stopped talking.
After a few more heartbeats everything stays the same and I can finally eat as well.
I’ve never sat comfortably at a table with others while eating dinner.
Only with my mother, but never with anyone else.
The food I prepared with a little help from Sable was great and when we’re all finished it’s Sable who stands to grab the plates to do the dishes.
“Does Otto know you’re here?” Kujo suddenly asks.
I have nothing to hide and it’s why I shake my head.
“Did you run off?”
I bob my head this time, because it’s the truth.
“Will he come looking?”
A wince along with a shrug is the only thing I can do.
I have no idea if he would come after me.
It’s not as if the asshole likes me or owes me anything.
The only reason I know him is because my mother reached out to him to ask for his help to pay for the debts.
Turns out, he didn’t care or pay and gave me to one of his men for some entertainment.
Yes, I might have liked the attention Linus gave me...only for a very short period. More like a one and done thing. My own damn fault. I never should have wondered about certain things. Then again, turning back time isn’t possible so why dwell on it?
Because if it was possible? I sure as hell wouldn’t be here.