Page 75 of Shattered Love

She jumps at my voice. She turns her head, her eyes puffy and red.

“I was scared, Dad, so scared. That place…” Her lip is trembling and she looks down at her cup. “I tried to be strong but they’re animals. In the compound, they’re not too bad, when Blaze is in charge. he’s the scariest man I’ve ever met. I swear, the devil looks back at you in his eyes. It’s like he’s already dead, just a carcass. I’ve never met someone so cold. He got called away on business and Rixs took it upon himself to be charge. No one will go against him because he’s crazy, like fucking loco. When he found out that Marilyn was dead, he was pissed.”

She looks back up, disgusted. “Not because she was dead, but because he said she was a freak in bed and he could fuck her in any hole while she moaned like a whore.”

Her whole body shudders. “He wanted me, Daddy. He wanted me. It would have killed me. Anything but that…”

I race to her, anger alive in me. I stop inches from her. “Did he…” I can’t say the rest. I’m too scared to touch her. I’m shaking so much.

She shakes her head. “No, Inferno wouldn’t let him. They fought for me and Inferno won. After that, I became his. He protected me the only way he knew how. He kept me in his room most of the time but when I had to make an appearance, he never let me go.”

I know all this, but she doesn't know I had been watching her the whole time. We had decided it was best that she only know what she needed to.

She looks up at me. Those same big eyes as Avery. “He kept the monsters away, Daddy.”

I close my eyes, nodding. I know what this means, and it looks like my baby has just worked it out.

“You love him.” It’s not question. It’s a statement because I can see the answers in her eyes it’s the same look in her eyes that her mother once had for me.

She nods. “Does that make me wrong? I can't stand it. I miss him. So much I hate myself for it I hate that I want him! Need him! He’s like a thief, he stole my heart.”

I bring her in close to me. “No, baby. You aren’t wrong. Just like your mom told me once, your heart already sees what your eyes didn’t expect.”

My burner phone rings. I'm surprised it’s still on.

“Stone.”

I hear someone swallow.

“We need you to come into the office now. Bring Juliet and do not stop for anything!”

The phone clicks off.

We walk in the building. Luke is there to meet us.

I narrow my eyes at him. I see the way he's looking at my daughter.

His cheek reddens when he notices he's been caught.

Yeah keep your eyes forward fucker!

We walk in to the office.

Juliet takes off running and throws her arms around someone. When she steps back, I see its Cecelia.

She was always a beautiful woman in the classical Hollywood way. She has always been so sweet and shy. Avery loved Cecelia like a little sister.

I didn’t know what she was doing her though why Anderson would call her in? A bad feeling washed over me.

She looks like she has just stepped out of some fashion magazine dressed in smart dress her hair perfectly in place so put together. That’s until she looks up and I see her eyes are red and puffy, with mascara streaks down her cheeks and her lips trembling.

“Dominic?” Her voice is so vulnerable. My name a whisper filled with disbelief, she walks closer to me, slowly, as if she is seeing a ghost. When she is close enough to reach me, she surprises me by chucking her arms around my neck. “I have never forgotten you. I think of you and Avery always,” she whispers so only I can hear.

I put my arms around her, nodding. “Thank you for keeping your promise for watching over our baby girl.”

She pulls back a watery smile on her face. Cecilia is like a fairytale princess. She wears her heart on her sleeve and she loves those around her. I know Avery’s death affected her deeply. I can see it in those ice blue eyes.

“I don't know why I'm here. They came to get me.” She frowns up at me as if I know the answers.

---