Page 7 of Truth

“For a cop, you have a lot of questions and not very many answers.”

“I don’t know what you want from me,” he spat, getting frustrated. “I’ve been looking for my daughter for the last year. I don’t know who this Ian Pierce is. I’ve never heard of the man before today. All I want to do is get my daughter and take her home where she belongs.” His agitation peaked, and he pulled at the ropes.

I pushed myself away from the table and stalked toward him. He sat up straight, or at least as much as he was able, at my approach. His eyes were wary, no doubt wondering what my reaction would be to his declaration. I leaned down so that my face was directly in front of his. I didn’t want there to be a single miscommunication about what I was going to say. “That is never going to happen.”

He was quiet for several minutes. He seemed to be carefully considering his next words. I walked back over to my previous position against the dining room table and waited.

“You can’t keep her here. I won’t let you. She’s a young girl with her whole life in front of her. I won’t let you take that away from her.”

I laughed. “You think I’m forcing Brianna to stay here with me?”

That confused look was back, but it was soon replaced with determination. “Of course you are. Look at her. She’s absolutely terrified. I don’t know how, but you’ve obviously convinced her to be dependent on you and only you. What did you do to her? What sick game are you playing?”

The more I listened to him, the more I began to believe his assertion that he had no clue about Ian Pierce or Brianna’s time with him. I only wished his assumption that Brianna had been with me the last year were correct. I would have loved to have met the girl who didn’t second-guess herself at every turn. The girl who didn’t have nightmares about being tortured and raped.

I sighed and walked back over to Brianna. Extending my hand, I offered it to her. She glanced up at me, unsure.

“Come.”

She slid her small fingers through my hand and unfolded herself from the chair. I wrapped my arm around her waist to steady her. She clung to me.

With my free hand, I touched the side of her face. “I want you to keep your eyes on me at all times, do you understand? No matter what happens, no matter what’s said, you are to look at me and only me.” She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Good girl.”

Slowly, we walked back toward her father. His eyes were intense, watching every move, every step. I held tight to her, one arm firmly around her waist, the other still holding her hand. She did exactly as I asked.

I brought her over to stand near the table where I’d been previously. Once we reached our destination, I pulled her body closer to me. I could feel the tension in her muscles. This was going to be difficult for her, but it couldn’t be helped. This would have to be dealt with sooner or later. She locked her gaze with mine. I smiled, letting her know I was pleased.

“Brianna is here because she chooses to be, and she will be here until she chooses not to be. You seem to be under the impression that Brianna’s fear is something I cultivated. I assure you, I did not. Her anxiety is a product of what you did to her. You have no idea what the last year has been like for her, and you may never know. In my opinion, you don’t deserve to know.”

“She’s my daughter. Of course I deserve to know.”

“If you want to help Brianna, then tell me what you know. That is what’s best for her right now.” I never broke my gaze with Brianna as I spoke to her father, and neither did she with me. Every time Reeves spoke, her fingers dug into my flesh. I held on tight, giving her the lifeline she needed.

“Then what?”

“Then...” I paused, turning my focus away from Brianna for the first time. “You leave. You leave and you never come back.”

“I won’t just leave her. How will I know... how will I know she’s safe?”

I looked down at Brianna. Her beautiful blue eyes stared back at me, and I felt that all-too-familiar tug in my chest. “If Brianna ever wishes to contact you, I won’t stop her, but it will be her choice, not yours. If you really care for her as you claim you do, then you will allow her to do this on her terms. I will not let you bully your way back into her life.”

His silence told me he didn’t like what I’d said, but I meant every word. I firmly believed that Brianna would be much better off without her father in her life, but given everything that had already been taken from her, I wouldn’t deny her if it was something she desired. At this point, however, I was confident it was not something Brianna wanted. It might never be. That was a fact he was going to have to accept.

Brianna

I didn’t like this. I didn’t like being so close to John. He was tied up, and I knew Stephan wouldn’t let him hurt me, but I wanted him to go away. I’d listened to everything he’d said. I didn’t want to hear any more.

Focusing on Stephan, I tried to block out everything else, but it was impossible. I heard John tell Stephan about the day the car came to pick me up, the day I met... Ian. Just thinking his name made my heart pound in my chest. It was almost painful. I held on to the one person who made me feel safe as I tried to remember where I was and that Stephan was here with me. My fingers held tight to his shirt, grabbing for anything that would anchor me to him.

He responded by rubbing his hand up and down my back, trying to soothe me. It helped. Air entered and exited my lungs a little easier with every pass of his hand. I wanted this to be over. I wanted it to be just him and me.

Stephan’s chest vibrated as a low sound rumbled in his throat. “And you didn’t think to file a missing person’s report when she never showed up to dinner?”

John was speaking again. He was saying something about not knowing for sure, hoping he was wrong, and then feeling guilty. Tears pricked my eyes as I realized that his guilt over what he thought might have happened to me had overridden the need for him to file a report. I had no idea if such a report would have saved me from everything I went through, but if no one knew I was missing, that I had been taken, how could I have ever been found? I suddenly felt cold, empty. I shuddered with the knowledge that if Stephan hadn’t bought me, I most likely would have been there, or with someone else like Ian, for the rest of my life, however long that may have been.

Stephan pulled away suddenly, catching me off guard. I almost lost my balance, since I’d been leaning into him. He steadied me. “Stay right here, Brianna.”

He walked to stand behind John and pulled out his cell phone. By the way he was holding himself, I could tell he was very upset. I wanted him back in front of me, holding me, touching me. He was too far away.

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