“Ski trip, Aspen 2018—and now I’m glad I still have this stuff!” Except for the boots, I’d been thinking of joining a hiking group but changed my mind. “Look, Daddy, they’re not even worn.”
“That’s great, baby.” He scooped up all the items. “Come on, we need to get going.” I didn’t know if it was the upheaval, too much caffeine, or not enough sleep, but I didn’t share his enthusiasm. When I was done shoving everything into a single bag, I locked my apartment door, and we left.
“Gabriel, how long will we be gone?”
“I don’t have answers yet, but don’t worry, Cheryl, I will keep you safe.” I nodded, wondering when I would be back, and swallowed the sudden lump in my throat as we drove away from my life.
Chapter 6
An unwavering pillar that doesn’t bend when the wind blows.
Gabriel
We met Bryce a mile out of town. He placed my weapons and our luggage in the back. “Only you know where we’re headed, Bryce. If anything newsworthy comes up, use the walkie.”
“I will. Does Langden know I’m taking over for him?”
“He does. I spoke with him at the hospital. It was pretty nasty, and he’ll be staying home for a while to take care of Maddie.”
Bryce chuckled. “I never thought I’d see the day Langden Ross fell in love.”
“Me neither.” My eyes drifted to the passenger seat and my quiet passenger. “We should get going so we can set up before dark.”
“Be safe, Gabe. Her father is furious about her disappearance and will no doubt be combing the countryside for her.”
“I know. These next few days are critical. Hopefully, making Senator Johnson desperate will drive him to make a stupid decision, so we can lock the psycho up.”
“He’s the worst kind of dirtbag, for sure. Call if you need anything.” With that, Bryce left, and I slid into the driver’s seat. Cheryl had been unusually quiet, and I worried about her state of mind, unsure if it stemmed from the break-in or seeing her friend. Or maybe like me, she felt vulnerable being out in the open like this; the sooner we were hidden, the better.
The sun was setting when we arrived at our destination. I left Cheryl sleeping in the car while I opened the cabin, a place no one knew about, off the grid and hidden deep in the woods. If I were the imaginative type, I’d say it was the perfect setting for a horror novel. Luckily, I wasn’t prone to fear of crazies in masks, more like crazies with uzi’s.
I didn’t believe in imaginary monsters, only the real ones, like Cheryl’s father, Senator Johnson. Intrusive visual flashes of tortured women haunted me. I shook my head to clear out the unwanted images. Several trips were required to gather enough wood for the night and prepare the oil lamps. After closing all the blackout blinds, and bringing in our luggage, I started the fire. Back outside I went to carry Cheryl inside, hoping she didn’t freak when she took in our rustic hiding spot.
She woke as I sat her down on the couch in front of the roaring fire. I bolted the door, and finally was able to breathe. Being here always made me feel more in control. There wasn’t much here but us and the raccoons.
“Relax while I make dinner. Would you like a glass of wine?”
She offered the first smile since she found her new boots in the storage locker. “Yes, please, that sounds wonderful. Do you have any pinot?” Such a princess.
“I’ll see what I can do.” I opened the boxed wine that Bryce had added to my supplies and filled the ceramic mug. “Here you go, princess, one mug of Yellow Rock Canyon pinot noir.”
She took a sip and grimaced, then took a few more and must have decided it was palatable enough. I laughed. She was such a naughty princess—just what I didn’t want. But that wasn’t really Cheryl. She was a young woman wanting a father figure, and I’d volunteered. If her physical responses to me were any indication, then she’d chosen me right back.
I got busy in the kitchen, and when dinner was almost ready, I asked Cheryl to set the table. She did so with a relaxed air I hadn’t seen at my penthouse. “How are you feeling? You seem relaxed, and we’ve only been here an hour.” Of course, it was a joke, so she just batted her eyes as she sat down.
I placed a meager serving of spaghetti and meatballs in front of her, with a side salad and a basket of garlic bread in the center of the table.
“These smell delicious, but this is way more carbs than I generally eat.”
I sat down with a full plate, aware of Cheryl’s diet, but I rationalized that she hadn’t eaten yet and needed the carbs and nutrients. I glanced at her, and she picked up her fork and began eating, making sounds similar to those she made during sex. I was thankful my hard-on was hidden under the table.
“Mmm, Daddy,” she said, spearing a meatball and licking it. “Your meat tastes so good.” Really? She was going to play games when she still had a punishment coming? Okay, I’d play along.
“I’m so glad you feel that way about my meat, naughty brat, because after it’s in your mouth, it’s going in your ass.” Asexpected, she choked. Her wide eyes told me she was ignorant about anal sex, and I would be her first.
“You are, uh, pretty big. Do you think it will fit?”
I laughed. “With training, anything can fit, but you will be begging for it once your punishment is over.”
