“Excellent! Now you can go enjoy your trip.” Bending down, I hook my hands under Juliet’s armpits, swinging her around the office. “Happy birthday, Juju. I hope you get everything you deserve.”
My brothers share a glance, each of them fighting a smile as Juliet giggles. “Thank you, Uncle Gideon!”
Maxwell gives her a similar send-off and then she and Jasper are gone. Moving to the window, I watch as Richard carefully closes the trunk lid, turning to wave at me, letting me know my Little girl is secured in her chosen hiding place.
“I suppose we should be off,” Maxwell says, hoisting Victoria up into his arms. “I have a big surprise planned for my little thief.”
Victoria’s eyes go wide with excitement. “What kind of surprise?”
“If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it, Victoria Rose?”
Pouting, she heaves a long, put-upon sigh. “I guess not.”
“Say goodbye to Uncle Gideon and…” He glances around, frowning. “Where’s Isabella?”
“Probably still up in her nursery,” I offer, waiting to see if Victoria goes along with the easy lie or if her conscience intervenes.
She pales a bit, the excitement in her eyes being replaced with pure panic. But it only lasts a moment before she nods. “Uh-huh. She said she was too sad to come downstairs to say goodbye to Juju. I think she’s really going to miss her. Um. She really loves our family, you know?”
Then why is she so determined to leave?That’s a question only my Little one can answer, so I bite my tongue against the urge to interrogate my niece.
We say our goodbyes, and Maxwell carries Victoria out to the car. I give them a few minutes before having Blaine bring my car around, along with the luggage I packed the night before for Isabella and myself. I spend the entire ride to the airport going over the plans my brothers and I discussed for how to punish our naughty Littles once we’re in the air.
The thought of having my little doll over my knee, kicking and squealing alongside her friends does amuse me, but that amusement is dampened by the unknown. Will Isabella change her mind about running away? Or will I have to tighten the reins even further when we return to the island?
Perhaps I should tighten them, either way. I have been rather lax with her the past few weeks. Maybe that’s why she felt she could take the risk of going along with Juliet’s plan, because I let my guard down. Something to think about, certainly. I have no problems being the strict Daddy she needs if that’s what it comes down to.
The car rolls to a stop, pulling me from my thoughts, and I grin up at the sight of the plane in front of us. Leaving Blaine to deal with the bags, I open the car door and make my way up the short staircase to the interior of the plane.
When I step inside, I’m greeted by two pairs of wide, terrified eyes as the realization of how much trouble they’re in crosses my little nieces’ faces.
“Sit down, girls. We’re going to have a little chat.”
* * *
Izzy
What is taking so long?
Somehow, everything about our plan has fallen neatly into place, allowing me to sneak on board the plane without anyone noticing so I can hide in a surprisingly spacious closet where the blankets are housed. But it feels like I've been waiting here forhoursand the longer I wait, the more the doubts plague me.
Will Daddy miss me? Will he worry? Will he be angry with Juju and Tori once he learns they helped me escape?
The latter gives me pause as I roll various scenarios around in my head. It seems unlikely theywon’tbe discovered, and from what I know of my Daddy and theirs, the possibility of them enduring an exceptionally painful punishment on my behalf seems inescapable.
Selfish. I’m nothing but a selfish brat, doing whatever I want and not caring who it hurts. Daddy’s going to be devastated when he learns I’ve disappeared, and my friends will be in more trouble than they’ve probably been in their whole lives.
And for what? I thought it was because I was so desperate to dance again, but if I’m being entirely honest with myself, I’ve had more fun these past couple months teaching my friends to dance than I’ve had in years. I’ve rediscovered my love of ballet, without any of the constant pressure to stay impossibly thin. Without always worrying if I’m going to lose my spot in the corps to someone younger, better, skinnier.
I may have been my Daddy’s captive on the island, but I’ve never felt more free.
The ground shakes, and I realize with a jolt of horror that the plane is taking off. Panic sends my heart pounding in my chest as I scramble for the latch on the closet. Fumbling in the dark, tears in my eyes, I choke on my own breath as I fight to free myself.
Finally, the door swings open and I tumble free, falling to my knees on the shaky ground. Too unbalanced to try and stand, I crawl toward the main cabin.
“Wait! Wait! I don’t wanna go! Uncle Jasper, please, make them turn around! I wanna go home!”
“Well, I’m certainly happy to hear that, little doll.”
