Chapter 24: Daddy Devious: Chapter 23

Panic tightens like a band around my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs as I stare down at the empty crib.

Gone. She’s gone, and I have no idea where she could be.

“Caleb!” His name explodes out of me on a roar as I spin on my heel and race for the door.

“What’s wrong?” Footsteps pounding on the stairs, Caleb’s voice is tight with concern. “Maxwell? Are you alright? Is Victoria hurt?”

“I don’t know if she’s hurt because I don’t fucking know where she is.”

The color leeches from Caleb’s face. “She’s in her crib. I put her there myself not half an hour ago.”

“Well, she isn’t there now. Where the hell could she have gone?”

Placing his hands on my shoulders, Caleb’s steady gaze locks on mine. “We will find her. She can’t have gone far. You check up here, I’ll go see if any of the staff have seen her. She might have just snuck downstairs for a snack.”

“I swear when I get my hands on her, she isn’t going to sit comfortably for a month.” But despite my threats, sickness coats my stomach and I know I’d happily pass on any punishments she’s earned if it means having my Little girl safe in my arms again.

A grim smile curves Caleb’s lips. “I’ll help you choose the implements. For now, check your room in case she decided to sleep in Daddy’s bed instead of her crib. I’ll check downstairs.”

The band around my chest loosens just a fraction at his words. It’s entirely possible she snuck out of her crib for my larger, more comfortable bed. With a sharp nod, I turn and head for my bedroom.

But it’s only a momentary reprieve from my panic. My bed is empty, and a quick check of all the obvious hiding places confirms the rest of the room is empty as well.

As are all the rooms on the top floor. With my heart nearly pounding out of my chest, I hurry down the stairs only to find Caleb at the bottom, his expression telling me everything I need to know even before he speaks.

“No one has seen her, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t here. It’s a large house, Maxwell. We’ll find her.”

He has a point. It is a large house, too large for even us and our staff to adequately search. “You’re right. We need reinforcements. I need to call Evander.”

Tori

I’ve made a horrible mistake.

When Daddy told me this part of the house was still under construction, I assumed it would be close to being finished. Maxwell Stone doesn’t strike me as the type of man to accept delays of any kind.

Then again, I have no idea how long building a house from scratch actually takes. And on an island this size, perhaps there’s only one construction crew and they were needed elsewhere.

Whatever the reasoning, this wing of the house is still bare bones. And dark. Darker than I realized it would be, even with the afternoon sun streaming through the windows.

Worse, it’s huge and I have no way of telling one section from the next. Which means I have no way of finding my way back to the main areas of the house.

And despite what will most likely be waiting for me when I have to face my Daddy again, I desperately want to get back. To him, to my nursery, to Caleb. I’d even take an enema if it just meant escaping this labyrinth I’ve locked myself in.

Tears blur my eyes as I reach for a door that looks vaguely familiar. I open it and step inside, disappointment and fear making my stomach church when I realize it’s not a way out but rather what seems to be a large closet.

Sighing heavily, I turn around—just in time to see the door slam shut behind me, encasing me in darkness. I try to turn the knob but it sticks in place.

Panic wells in my chest, making it difficult to actually draw breath as I jiggle the handle again.

Nothing.

Oh god. This is my worst nightmare come to life. I’m trapped in a small, dark space, with no way out.

And nobody knows where I am.

Maxwell

As we wait for Evander and his men, my staff abandons all their duties to search the house. They have orders to check every single room, closet, crevice for my Little girl. At Caleb’s urging, I’ve holed up in my office so they know where to find me when Victoria is finally located.

The door swings open as I’m pacing a hole in my very expensive rug and I jerk my head up, hope beating painful wings against my chest. But it isn’t Victoria, and again my heart constricts as despair overwhelms me.

“Judging by the look on your face, you haven’t found her.” Evander’s tone is grim, matching his ever-present scowl.

“No. Tell me you brought men with you.”

“I did,” he says with a curt nod. “I have them out searching the grounds in case she managed to slip outside. Don’t worry, Maxwell. We’ll find her.”

“It’s getting dark.”

The corner of Evander’s mouth twitches. “It’s hours still to dusk, Maxwell. Your Little girl will be safe in your arms by dinnertime, I promise.”

Before I can snap at him that he can’t possibly know that, a sound reaches my ears and I hold a hand up. “Did you hear that?”

“I did.” Yanking his phone from his pocket, Evander taps out a message. “It’s coming from inside the house somewhere. I’m calling my men back.”

“Victoria!” Desperation tears at me as I run, shoving past my friend, the need to have my Little girl in my arms blinding me to anything else. “Victoria!”

Pausing in the hallway, I listen. And I hear it again, still faint but a bit louder now. “Daddy!”

“The east wing!” Caleb shouts, running at me from the opposite direction, pointing toward the curtain hiding the work still being done on the other half of the house.

Now it’s hope and fear both beating at me as I head for the curtain. Hope, because I’m one step closer to finding my sweet Little Victoria Rose.

And fear because with every scream, a hundred images of her, hurt and bleeding fill my mind, each more gruesome than the last.

“Victoria!” I roar, standing in the middle of a room, or at least the bones of a room. Cocking my head, I listen again, my heart leaping at the sound of her screams, so much closer now than they have been.

“Daddy! Daddy I’m in here!”

I spin around, my eyes locking on the closed door behind me as it rattles. Relief floods me, nearly driving me to my knees. “Victoria! I’m right here, baby.”

“The door is stuck! Daddy, please, I don’t like it in here!” Panic and fear have made her voice even smaller, younger than usual, and the sound of it pierces my heart.

Sure enough, when I jiggle the handle, it sticks, keeping me from rescuing my Little girl. Just as I’m about to kick the door in, Evander appears with a small case in his hand.

“Back up, Maxwell. I’ll get her out.”

It feels like an eternity, watching him fiddle with the doorknob. I might have been impressed with what are clearly excellent lock-picking skills if I wasn’t so fucking terrified.

And then, finally, the door springs open and Victoria tumbles out, tears streaming down her cheeks as she falls to her knees. “Daddy!” she cries, reaching for me as I step in to scoop her up in my arms.

“I’m right here, little one.” I can barely speak past the tightness in my throat. “Daddy’s right here. You’re safe.”

“I’m sorry!” she wails, wrapping herself around me as the sobs wrack her body. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll never be naughty again! Please don’t send me away!”

At her words, the conversation with Catharina comes rushing back and I clutch Victoria even more tightly against me. “Shh, little one. You aren’t going anywhere.”

“But-but-but⁠—”

“Hush, Victoria Rose. We can talk when you’ve calmed down a bit.”

Letting out a shuddering breath, she lets her head fall against my shoulder. “Yes, Daddy.”

“There’s a good girl.” Turning, I send Evander a grateful look before carrying Victoria toward the entryway. “What would you say to a slice of Chef’s chocolate cake and some cold milk?”

“I don’t deserve cake.” Her voice is so painfully pitiful I can’t help but smile. “I was naughty.”

“Are you really going to argue with your Daddy right now?” I put as much steel in my words as I can muster, and the question earns me a heavy sigh.

“No, Daddy.”

“Good girl.” Stepping past the curtain, my eyes lock with Caleb’s. In his dark gaze I see the same relief I feel in my bones, and again I’m filled with gratitude that I’m surrounded by people who care so deeply for my Little girl. “Caleb, would you mind getting us a slice of cake to bring to the nursery? And a bottle of Cat’s milk.”

“Of course, sir.” When I pause beside him, he reaches out to brush a curl from Victoria’s tear-stained face. “You gave us quite a fright, little one,” he scolds softly.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, now. Your Daddy will take care of everything.”

Mouthing “Thank you” over her head, I turn toward the stairs, carrying her up to her room. I try to put her down when we reach the bathroom, but she only clings to me more tightly, so I bite back a sigh as I juggle her in my arms so I can run her a nice hot bath.

It isn’t until the tub is full that she agrees to be released so that I can undress her and lower her into the hot water. Unlike our normal bathtime routine, she isn’t the playful, giggling Little girl I’m used to. The only sound she makes is the occasional sniffle as tears continue to stream down her cheeks.

When she’s all nice and clean again, I bundle her in a soft robe and carry her to the rocking chair. Beside the chair sits a table, with a large slice of Chef Maria’s famous seven-layer chocolate cake and a fresh bottle of milk on top. Settling with Victoria on my lap, I cradle her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before cutting her off a bite of cake.

“Eat, little one,” I urge gently, lifting it to her lips.

Obediently, she opens her mouth for the cake, a soft hum escaping as she chews the sweet treat.

In silence, I feed her half the cake, giving us both time to settle and myself time to figure out exactly how to approach the issue of her naughtiness.

Because there is no doubt she was very naughty. Not only did she earn herself a spanking from her Auntie Cat after a very public tantrum, she broke several of our rules, putting herself in danger in the process. A punishment is certainly in order, but before we get to that, there is one burning question I need answered.

Why?