Daddy, stop.
Her teary eyes meet his, pleading. She can't help the tears. She can’t! His large, rough fingers wrap around her throat and squeeze. Her eyes widen.
Buzzing fills her ears. The room goes grey at the edges. He tightens his grasp, crushing, draining, shaking, tighter. The girl's eyes close and she goes limp.
CHAPTER SEVEN
blesk
My hair whips across my vision as a gust catches it, forcing me to brush it away with one hand while the other holds the crumpled paper with the address. I crane my neck upwards, squinting at the silver numbers mounted beside the entrance. Wrong number. Again.
Thirty minutes later, I freeze mid-step. Through vast gleaming windows into a marble lobby, a doorman in an all-black suit is visible. My heart hammers against my ribs, and I fight with my feet to stay still. I watch a businessman stride confidently through those doors while my reflection wavers indecisively in the glass.
It’s just a thank-you note.
Then I’m leaving.
No harm done.
No rules broken.
Wandering inside, I notice the smiling older man sitting behind a desk. “Good morning, young lady. Who are you here to see?” he asks. He has an odd accent—European laced with an Australian twang. His suit is elegant, and he wears it with a humble confidence.
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
Words, Blesk. You know, the things we use to communicate? Use one.
“I just want to leave something for someone.” I fidget with my bag. “He won’t be home anyway.”
“What is your name, Miss?” He comes around the desk. “Are you on the visitors’ list?”
“I’m Blesk Bellamy and...Um…”Kill me.I bite down hard on my lower lip while fidgeting with the ends of my hair. “I won’t be on the list.”
Wow—words. Congrats.
“And who are you here to see?”
I blink at him several times before answering. “His name is Konnor Slater.”
“Yes, Miss, he is home. I will call him for you.” The corners of his eyes wrinkle when he smiles, and even though I do not fit in here, I find this man welcoming.
Wait—call him?
“Please.” I almost reach for his arm to stop him from walking back to his station. “I just want to leave him something. I don’t want to bother him.”
He stops, raising a brow at me. “Miss Bellamy, he will want to see you. Will you allow me to call him and check?” He nods at me and waits for me to decide.
He will want to see me?
I return his nod.
“Um…”
Last um, oh, my God.
I add, “Okay, thank you.”
When he picks up the phone, my heart fills my ears. I hadn’t planned on actually seeing Konnor. My hair is a mess from the wind, my dress is too short, my face is flushed, and my boots...oh, my stupid boots!I bought them because I always wanted a horse, and all the horse girls have cowboy boots like this. And these have daisies on them, and the woman at the store looked like she needed a sale, but they are not adult boy-friendly boots.
