Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Brea
It’s hard to focus. I hate that Daddy left me in the kitchen strapped securely into my booster seat while he went outside to meet with his pride to discuss the problems I brought to this family unit.
I know it wasn’t intentional, but I am the one who caused today’s meeting, and I’m worried some of the pride might be disgruntled by how much trouble I’ve caused.
Daddy didn’t just use the waist strap this time.
He added a harness that’s over my shoulders and fastened between my breasts, as well as to the nylon at my waist and coming up from between my legs.
All five parts came together and were snapped into place.
On top of that, he added a lock so I can’t open the restraints.
It’s totally over the top. It has also left me squirming because I really crave his deep dominance. That fact annoys me under the circumstances.
There’s a window over the kitchen sink, but I’m too low to see out of it, so I don’t have a single view of the meeting. Plus, the window faces the back of the house. I’m sure the meeting is in the front.
The men are not loud enough for me to hear, either. Dammit. So maddening.
It’s hard to focus on coloring, but I force myself to pick up a pencil and get to work on my masterpiece. I don’t even know what color I’m using, but I’m staying between the lines.
It’s a long time before Daddy comes back inside, and I don’t like the look on his face. His brows are deeply creased, and he’s been running a hand through his hair. It’s a tousled mess falling around his shoulders.
I drop the pencil and sit taller. “What’s wrong?”
He pulls a chair out next to me and sits so close that his knees hug mine. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to go for it. Your brothers were found dead in an alley this morning.”
I gasp. “What? How…?”
Daddy reaches for my hand. “They were shot execution style. I’m so sorry, Little love.”
I swallow hard. “They sold me for drug money. They deserved it,” I mutter.
“Yes, but they were still your brothers. I know it hurts to find out they’re gone. I know you have fond memories of your childhood from before they started using drugs.”
I slowly nod and look away. Dead… I feel oddly glad they’re gone, but he’s right, it also burns. I hate that they went down such a disturbing path and ended up killed. “Do they know who shot them?”
“Could have been anyone. They probably owed people money. A lot of it, I suspect, or they wouldn’t have sold their sister.”
I don’t suppose it matters who killed them.
It won’t bring them back. At least I don’t have to worry about them hunting me down.
I’m free from them forever now. If only I could be free from Mitchel, too.
I suspect one way or another I will be soon.
I just hope Daddy doesn’t get into trouble eliminating him.
Daddy unbuckles me from the seat and stands, lifting me into his arms. He kisses all over my face as he carries me to the couch. He sits me on one of the cushions and squats in front of me.
His expression is serious. His huge hands are on my thighs.
They ground me even through the cotton material of my leggings.
I’ve never worn anything like the outfit Daddy put on me a while ago.
I’ve always been a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl.
But now I’m wearing black leggings and a long-sleeved dress.
It’s pink with black polka dots. It’s comfortable and also cotton.
At first, I felt strange. Pink? Me? Not my color. But the truth is maybe I need a new style to go with my new life. What’s wrong with pink? I’m pretty sure I pretended to hate the color when I was young because my brothers made fun of me when I was girly.
But they’re not here. In fact, I now know I’ll never see them again. They don’t control me. Navin does. Is he simply guiding me to fit another mold? I’ve pondered that since he dressed me. It’s possible. I can’t remember when I’ve worn a dress.
But I also think I like this outfit. I feel feminine. Daddy makes me feel girly. My body has awakened in ways that call to the woman in me. Not the tomboy. The woman.
I’m starting a new life here in the mountains with a man who obviously adores me. I’m going to embrace it and let myself be girly. He also put pink socks and pink tennis shoes on me. I couldn’t be more feminine.
My hair is once again in a long braid down my back, though I did turn my nose up at the offer of a bow on the end of the braid. Maybe I should have let him put it in. Why not?
I certainly like the way he looks at me, and I like to please him. But none of that is as important as pleasing myself. Maybe pink is not so bad.
“I have to go out for a while, Little love. Orion and Pryce are going to come stay in the cabin with you.”
My breath hitches. “Go out? It’s almost dark. Why?”
He grips my thighs and leans in to kiss me before pulling back.
“You’re not going to town to do something to Mitchel, are you?”
“I don’t have to, Little love. He’s on his way up the mountain as we speak.”
The blood drains from my face. “Why? Did he figure out I was here?”
“No. He has no idea where you are. You’re safe here, Little love. He’s heading to the location where he left you.”
“Why would he do that? Doesn’t he think I’m dead?”
“When Ronan and Quinn returned from town, they sent Sylas to Mitchel’s house. Sylas left Mitchel a little gift on his front porch and watched him discover it.”
“A gift?” I shudder.
“A nicely wrapped package that contained the clothes you were wearing when my brothers found you.”
My eyes bug out. “Why?”
“To fuck with him and draw him out.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Eliminate him, Little love,” Navin says softly.
My heart races, and I lurch forward to throw my arms around Daddy’s neck. “I’m scared, Daddy.”
He rubs my back. “I know, Little love, but I won’t be gone long, and when I’m back, you’ll be free.”
Tears come to my eyes. What if something happens to Navin?
“There’s no reason to be afraid, Brea. Mitchel is alone. He’s also conveniently high. He did two lines of cocaine before he left the house. He’s a scrawny man, Little love. I’m twice his size, and so are all of my brothers.”
“What if he brings a gun? I know he has one. I’ve seen it. He likes to wave it around like a lunatic.” I flinch as I have another thought. “Can you heal from a gunshot wound?”
“I’m not immortal, Little love. I can be killed.
If one of us is ever shot in a vital organ, we can die.
But that’s not going to happen. I promise.
You have to trust Daddy to take care of this.
If I don’t, we’ll always be looking over our shoulders.
Plus, you don’t want Mitchel to traffic any other women, right? ”
I sigh and nod. “I’m not looking forward to being dragged into the police station to tell my story, Daddy.”
“You won’t be, Brea. Two of my brothers are at Mitchel’s house now. They will clean up any evidence he ever knew you. You’re being erased from his world as we speak. The cops will never know you were kidnapped and held in his basement. I promise.”
“How did you and I meet then?”
He smiles. “We’ll come up with a story. I must have gone to your town for some reason, and we fell in love.” He shrugs. “Easy peasy.”
I stare at him. Everything he’s saying makes sense, but it’s so much information and so fast. Plus, I’m worried about him going after Mitchel. “Do you have a bulletproof vest or something?”
“I’m not going to get shot, Little love.” He lifts my fingers to his mouth and kisses my knuckles.
I bite my bottom lip, and then I nearly jump out of my skin when there’s a knock at the door.
“It’s just Orion and Pryce.” Daddy stands and heads for the door to let them in.
I sit taller, my spine stiff. Hell, all of me is stiff. I’m nervous. I’ve never been so worried about someone else. I’ve never felt this attached to another person before, not enough to really care if they lived or died.
The death of my brothers will probably make me sad for a few days, but they deserved what they got. I won’t mourn them very hard. Losing my mom was difficult, but she wasn’t exactly a model parent. I was better off not having to worry about myself and her at the same time.
In just a few short days, I’ve become so attached to Navin that it will devastate me if anything happens to him.
“Hey, Brea,” Orion says as he takes a seat in one of the armchairs.
Pryce smiles at me. “You look much healthier. I’m glad to see you well.” He sits in the other armchair, sets his elbows on his knees, and rubs his hands together.
They both seem uncomfortable. I suspect they’d rather do anything than babysit me.
I jerk my gaze to Daddy. “Who’s going with you?”
“There will be several of us, Little love. Don’t you fret. Sylas is following Mitchel. We’ll hold all the cards. We know exactly where he is, and we will every step of the way.”
I chew on my bottom lip and tuck my hands under my thighs to keep from fidgeting.
Daddy turns toward Orion and Pryce. “There’s pasta in the oven. There are bottles made up in the fridge if she gets hungry and doesn’t want to eat anything solid. There’s also juice in sippy cups.”
My face heats. I feel like a toddler. I can’t believe he’s giving his brothers instructions on how to take care of me.
Orion and Pryce simply nod as if Daddy’s words aren’t the least bit out of the ordinary.
“We’ll be fine,” Pryce says.
“I’m a grown woman,” I blurt out, scowling at Daddy. “I don’t need babysitters, and I know how to fix myself something to eat.”
He’s smiling as he comes to me. Ignoring my comments, he squats in front of me, cups my face, and kisses me, even though I don’t return the kiss. “Be good. If you give my brothers any trouble, I’ll spank your naughty bottom so hard you can’t sit on it tomorrow.”
My face heats to a million degrees. Does he have to say such embarrassing things?
Why can’t our weird dynamic be private between just us?
I’ve been learning to accept and even enjoy some aspects of what Daddy expects from me, but I’m not fond of the idea of everyone else knowing about our private life.
“Daddy…” I hiss in a low voice.
He chuckles. “Little love, our lifestyle will never be private from my brothers, and trust me, when they meet their mates, they will also live a similar lifestyle. It’s in our blood.
We were born to nurture and care for our mates.
Orion and Pryce are not shocked to learn you take bottles and use sippy cups.
They also know that naughty Little girls end up with sore bottoms.”
If he mentions diapers… I will kill him in his sleep.
Luckily he’s done embarrassing me. He stands, kisses me one more time, and turns toward the door. At least he grabs a jacket before he goes out. I swear the man’s body temperature is ridiculously warm.
I suspect I’ll always be chilly when I’m not touching him, and I’m already looking forward to when we go to bed so I can curl up between his thighs and get toasty.
Daddy looks at me one more time before he leaves. “I love you, Brea.”
My heart lurches. “I love you, too, Navin.”
And then he’s gone.
“How about if I build a fire?” Pryce asks as soon as the door closes. He rises and heads for the fireplace. Bless him. A fire is a great idea.