Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

The urge tothrow my phone against the wall was nearly overpowering. Alyssa had been texting me nearly constantly for the last two hours. Apparently, she was done waiting on me to — and I quote — get my head out of my ass, and had decided to take matters into her own hands.

I know you were in a mood yesterday, but you need to talk to me.

Seriously, this is not how friends treat each other, Willow. Please, just talk to me.

Okay, I get that you’re probably still angry about whatever, but don’t ignore my texts.

You know I can see that you’ve read these, right? Your read receipts is on.

I just want to clear the air.

Fine, if you want to be a baby about it and not talk to your best friend, then fine. I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.

I rolled my eyes, scrolling over her past messages, but still could not bring myself to respond. I didn’t know what to say.

Sorry for being a jerk, but your dad fucked me ten ways to next Tuesday, and I don’t know how to talk to you about it…

Yeah, something told me that wouldn’t go over very well. I wanted so badly to tell her the truth, but it wouldn’t just ruin my friendship with her. It could ruin my relationship with Adam. It could ruin things at work for me. I felt completely stuck.

Tears welled in my eyes, the heaviness of it all settling over me like the worst weighted blanket known to man. Dread, fear, and anxiety swirled together in my belly until I felt like I was either going to cry or throw up. Both seemed logical.

I tossed my phone down on the bed, the tears no longer staying put as they began to run down my face. As soon as it landed, it began to ring.

Oh, great! Now Alyssa wanted to call me?

Picking the phone back up, I was getting ready to hit the hang-up button when I saw Daddy written across the phone. He was calling?

“Hello?” I asked quietly, wincing as I sniffled. He was bound to hear how much turmoil was in my tone, even if I was trying to hide it.

“Princess, what’s wrong?” As soon as that deep, handsome, and concerned voice reached my ears, the floodgates opened, and I began to cry. Not a pretty cry, either. No, this was a fetal position on the bed, wipe the snot off your face kind of crying.

“I… I….” I cried, unable to get the words out. I wanted to get away from all of these feelings, and I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t see an easy way out of it all.

“Don’t move a muscle. Daddy will be right there, princess. Wait for me, okay?” The urgency in his voice was clear, as was his command.

“Okay…” I muttered.

He stayed with me on the phone as he drove over, giving me little words of praise and gentle commands to help keep me calm. He was such an incredibly good Daddy. Which made it even worse, feeling like this.

A knock sounded on the door a few moments later, and Daddy’s voice beckoned through the phone.

“I’m here, princess. Let Daddy in.” With a press on the app on my phone, the front door unlocked, letting him into my apartment. Loud footsteps rang through the space until he was there, standing in my doorway.

My knight in shining armor.

His arms wrapped around me, holding me close as I cried.

“Come with me to my car. Let Daddy take you home.” My tears ran anew at the words.

Let Daddy take you home.

It was true — too true. I felt at home with him. The idea of home being with him and not in this cold apartment only made me long for what I truly felt I could not have. How could home be with him, and this all still remain a secret?

I pushed away from his chest, wiping the tears from my cheeks as I tried to regain control of my breathing.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost it like that. I’m okay, really. You don’t need—” But he pressed his fingers against my lips, halting my words.

“In this dynamic, you are not the one who tells me what I do or do not need to do. So, you have two options, princess. You can either come with me right now and walk to the car, or I will put you over my shoulder and carry you there myself. I don’t care which option you choose, but one will happen. Make your choice.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

“You aren’t seriously going to — Jeepers!” I screeched as he did as he had promised. Lifting me clear up off the bed and tossing me up over his shoulder, he walked us both through my apartment, to my utter embarrassment.

“Put me down! I can walk! Daddy!” I hammered my fists over his back, lightly, mind you. But he paid me no attention. He carried me out of my apartment, checking my purse for my keys before just grabbing my purse like it was his own, and carrying me down the hall to the elevators.

Praying to whatever God existed that no one walked out of their apartments at that particular moment, I covered my face with my hands. As the elevator doors opened, he finally set me down. Keeping a hand at the small of my back, he guided me through the complex and out to the car.

The silent support brought me to tears again; the very thought of losing this, of losing us, was nearly unbearable.

Street lights shone brightly through the windows of Daddy’s car as we drove through the dark streets towards his house. I watched as the homes went from modest, one-story structures to massive, expensive homes as we drew closer to his neighborhood.

Not a word was spoken, but the way his hands gripped the steer wheel told me all I needed to know.

Daddy was not happy.

Tears slid down my cheeks as I turned to look out the window once more, my chin perched on my hand. He said nothing as tears began to run like rivers down my cheeks, my shoulders shaking as I silently cried.

I hadn’t even noticed we had arrived until he threw the car in park, not even bothering to park in the garage. He was out of the car in a flash, racing around the front and opening my door. His arms pulled me from the car, unbuckling me deftly.

I paid no attention. All I knew was Daddy’s arms were around me, and I was safe. At least for now. Without warning, he lifted me into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me up the front steps and into the house, not even caring if anyone saw. What a luxury that must be.

Setting me on the sofa in the living room, I refused to let go. My arms held on around his neck with a vise-like grip.

“What happened? I’m right here,” he murmured against my hair, his hands running soothing circles over my back.

“It’s too much,” I managed to mutter with shaky, sob-wracked breaths.

“What’s too much?” Leaning back, he brushed my hair behind my ears, his thumbs gently brushing away the tears that streamed down my face.

“Everything,” I nearly wailed.

“Do you need help fixing things or do you need to let go for a little while?” he asked me, his brow furrowed somberly. My eyes popped open. The idea of letting it all go for a while was too good an offer to refuse.

“Please, can I just let go for a while? Is that something I can ask for?” I asked, sniffling.

“Oh, you sweet girl. Of course! You can ask to let go anytime you wish. I won’t always be able to say yes, but I promise to say yes as often as I can. Now, are you ready to be princess for a while?”

“I thought I was always princess,” I shot back, wiping my own tears away as I teased him.

“Yes, you are,” he agreed, with a kiss on my forehead. “Now, why don’t you head down to the playroom and see what Daddy bought for you?”

“You bought something for me, Daddy?” I asked excitedly, already letting myself slip into the little space I needed so badly.

“Yes, I did, princess. Now, get your cute little ass downstairs and take a look.” He swatted my ass as I made a mad dash for the basement stairs, not slowing my pace until I was at the playroom door, opening to see my present laying right there on the bed. Pretty pink bow and all.

“Well, go on and open it,” Daddy chuckled, leaning against the door frame as I nearly tripped over my own two feet trying to get to the pretty white box. I tore at the bow, opening the box in a hurry to find the sweetest little stuffed owl I had ever seen in all my life.

“Jeepers! For me? Really!?” I squealed, holding the owl to my chest and wriggling gleefully.

“All for you, but keep looking. There’s more in the box.” His happy little chuckle could have brightened the worst of moods. As it was, I set the owl down and dug back into the box. Beneath sheet after sheet of carefully placed tissue paper lay an adorable little onesie. Light purple with unicorns and rainbows on it. I held it up with a gasp of delight.

“Oh, Daddy! I love it so much! Can I wear it now? Pretty please?!” I stood up from the bed, literally bouncing on the balls of my feet in excitement at the mere thought of wearing such a pretty little thing. The fact that it was a gift from him made it all the better.

“Of course you can, princess. Here, let me help you with it.” Helping me to remove my clothing, he stripped me down to nothing more than the pair of panties I wore. Daddy preferred no bra, and I was happy to oblige.

“Arms up,” he commanded softly. Lifting my arms into the air, he slid the onesie over my arms and head, tugging it down my body. “Now lay back for me, princess.”

Blushing with embarrassment, he spread my thighs, grabbing hold of the front and back of the onesie and fastening it between my legs. For as embarrassing as it was, it only helped me slip further into little space. Little space was easier than real life right now. I didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

“Now come here and let Daddy hold you,” he cooed in my ear, helping me to sit in front of him, laying back against his chest. “Open.”

I turned to him in confusion, but stopped as I saw him holding my pacifier up. With a blush, I opened my mouth, allowing him to place it on my tongue before pulling me back to his chest. His fingers moved over my sides, lightly tickling me until the tears turned to the giggles and squirms he loved so much.

He shifted behind me and suddenly the small television across from the bed turned on. A few moments later, the familiar strains of Beauty and the Beast began playing. Settling into him, I let myself go, enjoying the simplicity of being little in his presence. The movie and the pacifier were just icing on the cake. The cake was all Daddy.

After the movie had played for a short while, I felt his fingers move back up my ribcage, his thumbs gently brushing over my nipples as I squirmed and they turned to stiff peaks.

“Be still for Daddy,” he whispered in my ear, making me shiver. Desire began to curl in my belly as one hand moved down my body, towards my core, which had begun to throb for him.

Spreading my legs, he deftly unsnapped the onesie, his fingers slipping beneath the gusset of my panties, finding me wet and wanting beneath.

“Relax into me, princess. Daddy has you,” he shushed me, soothing me with a kiss on my forehead as his fingers lightly played over my nipples. I gasped, the pacifier falling out of my mouth for a moment as he chuckled.

“Careful, princess,” he teased, placing the pacifier in my mouth again. His teasing fingers moved over my ribcage, making me giggle for a moment before gliding back up to my nipples, poking through the thin fabric of the beautiful onesie. Never had I felt so little, so perfect, so — so everything all at once.

As his hands moved over me, softly arousing me while he held the pacifier in my mouth, I relaxed. The sound of my heart thundering roared in my ears.

Was that my heartbeat?

Or was it footsteps…

“Hey, Dad! I know you’re probably busy, but I saw your car in the garage, so I was wondering if we could talk. I had a — What. The. Fuck?”