Once we’re on the island, she won’t have to worry about such things. She’ll be fed properly, and often, whether she wants to be or not. Nobody will ever hurt my sweet Isabella again, not even her.
Well. Nobody except me, that is.
Clinging to that knowledge, I grab the blanket from her bed and drape it over her sleeping form before heading toward the front door. I pause and poke my head out into the hallway, making sure we don’t have any company before making my way down the hall to the narrow stairwell. In a building like this, residents are more likely to turn a blind eye to anything suspicious, but I would still prefer not to be caught with an unconscious woman in my arms. While I wouldn't hesitate to eliminate any threat standing between me and my little doll, Evander gets fussy when he's called upon to clean up a mess that's not of his own making.
Thankfully, we make it down to the lobby without incident, where I pause yet again to scan my surroundings. It’s not all that late, especially by New York standards, but fortune shines down on me in the form of a completely empty lobby.
Blaine, my driver, pulls up in front of the building just as I step outside. Putting the car in park, he leaps from the front seat, racing around to open the back door for me.
“She’s beautiful, Gideon,” he murmurs, running a hand over Isabella’s hair.
“Isn’t she?” Even with the risk of discovery, I can't help but take a moment to simply stare down at the sleeping form in my arms. “I can’t wait to get her home.”
With a flash of white teeth, Blaine gestures to the back seat. “Get yourselves settled and we’ll be at the airport in no time.”
“I appreciate you, friend.” It’s more than simple appreciation. There's nobody else I would trust with such precious cargo.
“Nonsense. Just doing my job.”
I slide into the backseat, Isabella still cradled in my arms, and Blaine shuts the door behind us. The blaring of a horn cuts through Isabella’s drugged haze and her brows draw together with a whimper as Blaine deftly guides the car forward.
“Shh, little doll. You’re safe,” I whisper, brushing my lips across her forehead. “Daddy’s right here. Daddy’s got you.”
And with those simple words, she settles again, curling into me with a soft sigh. Looking down at her, I know without a doubt that she already holds my heart in her tiny, delicate hands.
My little doll is finally where she belongs. And now that I have her, I'm never letting her go.
ChapterTwo
Isabella
How much did I have to drink last night?
Too much, judging by the pounding in my head. Slowly raising one eyelid, I groan when the light pierces my eyeball like a dozen sharp needles stabbing me in the face.
Dragging my covers up over my head, I burrow back down into my mattress. I can’t even remember the last time I had a hangover this bad. Worse, I don’t remember a single detail of the night before after I got home. Still hiding under the covers, I try to piece together my memories.
Leaving work. Meeting with Typhon. Going home, feeling like someone was watching me. A few shots of whiskey before bed and then… nothing.
What the hell came after the whiskey? There’s no way that tiny bit of alcohol caused me to black out.
Daddy’s here.
I don’t recognize the voice in my head. Did I imagine it? Shit. Am I going crazy? As far as I know, schizophrenia doesn't run in my family but there's a first time for everything, and it would be just my luck to be the one to draw that particular card.
Flashes of memory flicker through my mind, but try as I may, I can’t piece them together. Tears fill my eyes as my heart constricts in my chest.
What the hell happened to me last night? Was I drugged, somehow? But no, that’s impossible, I didn’t go out to drink. Unless someone snuck into my apartment to drug my whiskey.
But that’s crazy.
Right?
Rise and shine, little doll.
There’s that voice again. But stronger now, almost like he’s actually in the room with me.
Panic closes like a vice around my chest and I throw the covers off, scrambling to the far edge of my bed as I eye the intruder standing over me. For a moment, awe overtakes my fear. The man standing beside my bed is gorgeous, in a sexy, distinguished, older guy kind of way, and the gentle smile on his face momentarily calms my nerves.
