by Sherri Hayes
She nodded. Without another word, I helped her stand.
Once on our feet, Brianna clung to me as if her life depended on it, her fingers digging into my skin. There would probably be marks there later, but it was the least of my worries. I needed to get to my room quickly, but there was no way I was leaving her here in the same room with her father, Tom or no Tom.
Inch by inch, we walked to the door leading to her bedroom. I was careful to keep my body between Brianna and her father. She stayed with me step for step until we reached his head, which was lying about a foot from the opening. She stopped moving, and a shiver ran through her body. A sob ripped from her throat, and she buried her face in my chest. With a firm, hopefully comforting squeeze, I placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head before bending and lifting her into my arms.
It was a little tight getting out of the bathroom carrying her, but I could tell by her immediate response that it was the right decision. I was here for her. I’d promised to protect her, and I would.
When we made it to my bedroom, I carried her over to the bed and set her down. Her arms locked around my shoulders, not wanting to let go. Wrapping my fingers around her wrists, I urged her to release me.
“I need you to let go, Brianna, just for a minute, so I can get something. I need to tie your father up, so he can’t hurt you or anyone else, okay?” I said, holding her gaze.
I saw the battle taking place inside her—it was written all over her face. She didn’t want to loosen her hold on me.
Reluctantly, her grip slackened, and I brought her hands up to my lips and kissed the backs of them. “Good girl. Thank you.”
Turning to my left side, I opened the bottom drawer of my nightstand. The cotton ropes I always kept there lay in the back, just as I’d left them more than six months ago. Grabbing two of them, I faced Brianna again. “I need to go back in there. Do you want to stay here or come with me?”
“I want . . . I want to stay with you,” she whispered.
One thing I knew for sure—he was not leaving here without giving me some answers. I wanted to know how he could turn his daughter over to a monster like Ian Pierce. Once I found that out, I’d make a decision on what to do with him.
Chapter 2
Brianna
I was scared. More scared than I’d been in weeks. The only thing that made it better was that Stephan was there. He would take care of me. He would keep me safe. I trusted him.
Stephan held tight to my hand as we walked back into my room. I had to consciously put one foot in front of the other, forcing myself to take the next step, and then the next, because all I wanted to do was run the other way.
The closer we came, the heavier my legs felt and the more effort it took to continue moving. I stepped closer to Stephan, wrapping my hand around his upper arm. He glanced down at me, and I held tighter.
“I’m right here, Brianna. You’re fine now.” His fingers brushed against my cheek, dragging the rope with it. It felt soft yet strange, and the thought of what he was going to do with it sent a shiver up my spine.
We took the final steps through my bedroom and into the bathroom. John was still unconscious but was now propped up against the wall, his head hanging to one side. I stopped, and tugged on Stephan’s arm. I didn’t want to go any closer. I didn’t want him going any closer.
Instead of remaining by my side, as I wanted him to, Stephan placed a soft kiss on my forehead before releasing my hand. “Stand right here, Brianna. Don’t move until I tell you.”
I tried to do what he said. The desire to run was still there, and I had to force myself to do as he’d instructed. I’d already made one mistake.
Tom stood over John with a menacing look on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked scary. I’d never been frightened of Tom until that moment. I took a step back.
“Brianna.”
Stephan’s voice brought my attention back to him. He wasn’t looking at me, but I knew he must have heard me move. Disappointment mixed with my fear as I realized I’d messed up yet again. I vowed to do better.
He knelt down in front of John, dropping one of the ropes to the floor. With the remaining rope still in his grasp, he looped it around itself until there were two distinct holes. Then, with Tom’s help, Stephan brought John’s hands behind his body and slipped the two holes he’d made with the rope over John’s hands and up to his wrists. With a quick pull, the ropes tightened, effectively creating handcuffs.
Seeing my father bound helped calm my fears a little more. He could no longer reach out and grab me or take me away. Although I knew Stephan would never willingly allow him to remove me, seeing him restrained was comforting.
Stephan picked up a second length of rope and repeated the same process around John’s ankles. Once the ropes were secure, Tom helped Stephan move John into the main room. Stephan instructed me to follow them but not get too close. I made sure I stayed back far enough that John would have no hope of reaching me even if his hands weren’t tied, but close enough that I could always see Stephan. It was a careful balance, made easier once we were out in the main room.
John didn’t move as they carried him, Stephan at his head, Tom at his feet. I watched carefully, looking for any signs that he’d woken up, but there was nothing. They sat him in one of the dining room chairs and tied him to it with the ends of the ropes.
Once Stephan appeared satisfied that John wasn’t going anywhere, he walked to where I’d stopped by the end of the couch, and stood in front of me. His arms wrapped around me, hugging me close. I could feel his lips brushing against my hair. For the first time since I’d seen my father standing in the doorway, I felt as if I could breathe.
“Did you want me to stay, sir?” Tom asked.
Stephan turned to face him but didn’t release his hold on me. “No. I think we’ll be fine for now. Thank you, Tom.”
There was a rough edge to Stephan’s voice. I looked up into his face and could see the anger boiling beneath the surface, the vein in his neck pulsing vigorously.
Even though I knew he’d be leaving, when Tom moved toward the door, I jumped. Stephan rubbed his hand up and down my side. I closed my eyes and tried to take a deep breath.
If I hadn’t opened the door, none of this would be happening. Why had I opened the door?
“Deep breaths, Brianna.”
He looked down at me, concern on his face.
He brought his hands up to cup my cheeks, and I instantly missed his arms around me. I wanted to sit in his chair with him, lay my head on his shoulder, and forget everything outside the two of us existed. Closing my eyes, I leaned into his hands, taking what he was willing to give me.
John groaned, grabbing both of our attentions. I cringed back, but Stephan refused to release me.
He tilted my chin up, making me look at him. “Your father and I are going to talk. Do you wish to stay or go into the other room?”
“I want to stay with you,” I whispered.
He smiled and brushed his lips against mine in the softest of kisses. “I want you to sit in my chair. You can watch and listen, but if he tries to speak to you, I don’t want you to answer. Not yet anyway. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” I nodded.
“Good girl.” He rewarded me with another gentle kiss before releasing me.
I did what he’d asked, taking a seat in his chair. It was a good fifteen feet away from where he and John were in the dining room, but I could still see everything. Stephan stood, towering over John as he began to stir. It didn’t take him long to realize his hands were tied, and I saw him pull on the ropes sharply to test their strength. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the look of frustration cross his face. He wasn’t going anywhere.
John lifted his head. He first looked at Stephan, frowned, and then turned his head. I knew he was looking for me, and I burrowed further into the chair, pulling my legs up onto the cushion. Once he located me across the room, his expression changed. It softened for just a
moment before going hard again.
“Welcome back,” Stephan said, his voice anything but welcoming.
My father tore his gaze away from me and glared at Stephan. “I underestimated you.”
Stephan ignored his comment.
“What are you doing here?”
John spit out blood from where Stephan had busted his lip in their fight. I glanced up at Stephan and realized that he’d been injured as well. Moisture pooled in my eyes. He’d been hurt trying to protect me, and I hadn’t even noticed. A sob ripped from my throat. I couldn’t stop it.
They both heard me. Stephan left my father and walked over to me, kneeling in front of where I was sitting in his chair. He rested his hands on my bare legs.
“What’s wrong?” he whispered so that only I could hear.
I reached out, my fingers grazing over his wounds. “You’re hurt.”
He smiled and kissed my fingers. “I’m fine.”
“How’d you do it?” John’s voice cut through the room, interrupting. We both turned our heads toward him, my hands falling back into my lap as Stephan stood. I missed his touch instantly.
“I don’t believe you’re in any position to ask questions,” Stephan said, stalking back toward John.
John laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. “I knew rich boys like you got your kicks in strange ways, but I didn’t think you’d be into kidnapping, what with you being such an upstanding citizen and all. I’ve done my research on you, Mr. Coleman. I wonder what all those rich people who throw their money at you and your foundation would think if they found out you like to take young girls.”
Stephan
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The man was unbelievable. He broke into my house, scared Brianna, and then had the nerve to threaten me?
“I think you should choose your words wisely. As for Brianna . . . she isn’t your concern anymore. You gave up that right when you sold her.”
His eyes went wide. Shock?
He looked at me, then at Brianna.
“Eyes over here.” He returned his gaze to mine. “Good. Now. Where were we? Oh yes, you were going to explain to me how a father can justify selling his one and only daughter.”
He turned his head again to look at Brianna.
“I said eyes on me,” I snapped. I stalked toward him, and was pleased to see that I had his full attention. “You will keep your focus on me, or I will restrain you in a way to force you to. Your choice.”
He furrowed his brow in concentration. I had no doubt he was gauging how serious I was. If he decided to push back, he’d find out exactly how serious I could be. I had a posture collar upstairs that would solve his wandering eye problem perfectly. It wasn’t something I used often. Actually, I’d gotten it specifically for Tami. She got off on being restrained. The more restrained the better. I may never use it again, but in this situation, it might come in handy.
After a rather lengthy staring contest, Jonathan Reeves slumped back in his seat and said, “I didn’t sell her.”
I looked at him in disbelief. He was honestly going to try to feed me a story. Did he think I was stupid?
“Let me bring you up to speed about what I do know,” I said, allowing him to hear my repulsion. “I know that you had a gambling problem. I also know that you borrowed money from Jean Dumas to pay off your debts. Now my question is what exactly did you promised Dumas in return?”
Reeves pressed his lips tightly together, much like his daughter did when she was nervous. It was the only outward sign of his discomfort. Thankfully I’d learned Brianna’s tells well, and they were useful tools when dealing with her father.
“Cat got your tongue?” I wanted to beat the man to a bloody pulp for what he did to Brianna. Unfortunately, with Brianna in the room, I had to restrain myself. I didn’t think she would react well to such a display of violence.
“You don't understand.”
His voice was almost pleading, as if begging for sympathy. That wasn’t something he was likely to get from me, not after everything I’d learned from Brianna. Not after seeing her deal with debilitating panic attacks over and over again. There were many people who were responsible, and Jonathan Reeves was one of them.
“Perhaps you’d care to explain it to me, then.”
He stared at me and then jerked, testing the restraints for a second time. His tenacity made me smile. Reeves could test his bindings all he wanted. They would hold. I wasn’t a Shibari expert by any means, but I was proficient in the basics. He wouldn’t be getting free until I allowed it.
“You could loosen these, you know. They’re a little tight.”
“The ropes are fine, and I’m waiting.”
The man was stubborn, I’d give him that. He continued to assess me, trying to look for a way out of the situation he currently found himself in, a weakness. He wouldn’t find one. Jonathan Reeves wasn’t leaving here until he started talking.
Another five minutes passed before he finally slumped back in his chair, resigning himself to the situation. I didn’t say anything, just waited for him to start speaking. He met my gaze, and I could see the disgust in his eyes. I was sure he saw a similar reflection in mine.
“I messed up,” he muttered. I thought the fact that he messed up was a given, but apparently he felt the need to preface whatever he was about to say with that fact.
He paused.
I waited.
“When . . . when I found out Anna’s mom, Carrie, was sick—dying—I sank into some sort of depression.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I should never have gone with Chad, but I did. It was only supposed to be something to take my mind off of things, a distraction.” His voice drifted off, and I knew from experience with Brianna that he was falling into a past memory. Like father like daughter, I supposed.
“He took you gambling.”
Reeves opened his eyes and met my stare. “Yes.” He swallowed. “I couldn’t stop.”
“I know this part,” I said, getting agitated. “What I want to know is at what point did you think it was a good idea to sell your daughter?” My voice rose giving way to my irritation.
“I didn’t!”
I lifted my eyebrows, showing him my doubt at his declaration.
“I didn’t,” he insisted.
Again, his eyes pleaded with me to believe him. I didn’t. I’d done my research on him, too. The man was a cop, yet there was no missing person’s report on Brianna. If he were not to blame for her ten months of hell, why didn’t he do everything within his power to find her?
Eventually, when I didn’t soften my stance, Reeves continued. “I had no idea what Dumas had planned to do. Until that day, I didn’t even know he was aware of Anna.”
“You called her. You told her to get into that car.”
“Yes.” He nodded, seeming stunned that I knew what had transpired that day. “Yes. I called her. He said he wanted her to join us for dinner. That if I didn’t call her, he would make sure he met her on his own. I didn’t have a choice. Anna didn’t know anything about what I’d done. I’d tried to keep her out of it. Tried to keep her safe.”
At that point, I walked away from him. I had to. The man was trying to convince himself, and me, that he was a good father who had been coerced into allowing Brianna to fall into the hands of that sadistic bastard.
I walked across the room to Brianna. She was huddled into a ball in my chair. Bending over, I scooped her up into my arms and sat down. She wrapped her arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder. I started to calm down, if only a little. Ignoring the man sitting across the room for the time being, I closed my eyes and breathed in the coconut scent of her hair. Jonathan Reeves still had some explaining to do, but at that moment I needed the love and comfort only Brianna could provide. Reeves wasn’t going anywhere.
Chapter 3
Stephan
I ran my hands over her back, her hips, and halfway down her legs before trailing back up and starting over again. With every inch of
her skin I touched, my anger slowly receded. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
The first thing I noticed was Brianna. Her eyes were closed, just as mine had been. All the tension I’d felt in her muscles when I’d picked her up and placed her in my lap was gone. She was completely content, relaxed, sitting in my arms. I brushed my lips gently against her forehead. She sighed. If only we could stay like this.
That wasn’t possible, however, and I knew it. I turned my head, resting my cheek on her hair, and glanced over at the man tied to one of my dining room chairs. He was watching us. All the pleading desperation he’d had in his face while he told me his story not ten minutes before was gone. In its place was what looked to be anger and . . . hatred? I had no idea what he was reading into my interaction with his daughter, but I couldn’t have cared less. Even if she weren’t already a legal adult, he’d lost all say in her life a long time ago.
When he realized I was watching him, the center of his eyebrows angled down, and his chest rose and fell with his exaggerated breathing. I knew he was gearing up to say something, and maybe I should have waylaid it by getting up and walking over to him, but I wasn’t quite ready to let Brianna go.
“How dare you!” He spat out the words between clenched teeth.
Brianna jerked at the sound of his voice. She curled her fingers around my shirt, holding it in a death grip. I ran my fingers through her hair, trying to calm her.
“In case you haven’t noticed, you’re frightening her. If you do, in fact, care for her, even a little, then perhaps you should consider your words and your tone before you speak,” I said with a slight edge of irritation.
The man was testing my patience. While I doubted Reeves had any real fatherly love or compassion for Brianna, I was hoping that, at the very least, the act he was trying to portray of the devoted father who’d been searching desperately for his daughter would carry over. It was worth a try.
