Page 53 of Daddy Enforcer
Max’s laughter fills the car again, and for a moment, we’re not running from danger. We’re just us, laughing like a couple on a road trip, and it feels so good, sonormal, I want to bottle it up and keep it forever.
I lean back, still holding his hand, and let myself sink into this feeling, this tiny slice of what could be.
Max’s voice cuts through my thoughts, gentle but firm.
“We’re a couple hours from the rendezvous point, Little One. Cole and Connor will be there, and we’ll sort out the next step. For now, close your eyes, try to sleep. You need the rest after today.”
“Okay, Daddy,” I say, my voice quieter now, the weight of everything creeping back in. “I’ll try mybestest.”
I settle into the seat, stroking Felix’s fur again, the soft rhythm calming my nerves.
I shut my eyes, letting the car’s motion lull me, and my mind drifts back to that normal life I was imagining. It’s clearer now, vivid and warm, like a movie playing in my head…
I see a cute suburban house, white picket fence and all, with a little garden where Max’s grilling burgers, his sleeves rolled up, that grumpy Daddy face softened by a smile as he flips the patties.
I’m on the porch, coloring with Felix, glitter pens scattered everywhere, maybe even singing a silly song I made up just to make Max laugh.
The sun’s warm, the grass green, and there’s a swing set in the backyard where I can play, feeling free and light, no cameras, no crowds.
In this dream, my mom’s there too, living just down the street in a cozy house with flowers in the windows. I can see her, her hair tied back, smiling as we brush and style each other’s hair like we used to when I was little. She’s close enough to pop over for tea, to tell me stories about when she was young, to hug me and tell me she’s proud.
The thought fills me with so much joy, my heart feels like it’s bursting, like I could cry and laugh all at once.
I wantthatlife—Max, Felix, my mom, a home that’s mine, not some tour bus or hotel room. I want to be Billie, not Billie B, and I want Max to be my Daddy forever, not just for this mission.
But even as I sink deeper into this happy fantasy, the truth creeps in, cold and sharp.
I’m still in danger.
Those men with guns, Trent’s betrayal, those bad men in masks…
It’s all real, and it’s not over. I can still see their rifles on that phone screen, the way they moved like they were ready to kill.
My stomach twists, but something else is growing inside me, something fierce and strong.
When—if—I come through this, I’m done living for Trent, for the fans, for the industry that’s kept me in a cage. I’m going to live forme, for the Billie who colors with glitter pens, who calls Max Daddy, who wants his mom back in his life. I’m going to fight for that suburban dream, for a life that’s mine, and I know Max will be there, his hand in mine, helping me make it real.
With that thought, I let go, the car’s hum pulling me under, Felix warm in my arms, Max’s steady presence beside me, and I drift into a soft, hopeful sleep, dreaming of a future I’m determined to claim.
The hum of the sedan fades as I stir, my eyes fluttering open to a dim, shadowy world. I’m still curled in the passenger seat, Felix clutched against my chest, his soft fur grounding me as I yawn, my body heavy from sleep.
The car’s stopped, parked in a secluded lot, the kind of place where the forest creeps right up to the asphalt, trees looming dark and quiet around us.
The dashboard clock says it’s late afternoon, the light outside soft and gray, like the world’s holding its breath.
I blink, trying to shake off the dream I was lost in—a suburban house, Max grilling burgers, my mom just down the street. It was so vivid, so perfect, and waking up to this empty lot feels like a jolt, the danger we’re running from creeping back into my chest.
Max’s beside me, his hand gently running over my hair, his touch warm and steady, pulling me back to the moment.
“Hey, sleepy boy,” Max says, his voice soft but with that Daddy edge that makes me feel safe. “We’re here. Time to wake up.”
My Daddy’s smile is small but warm, his blue eyes catching the faint light, and I can’t help but smile back, even as another yawn escapes me.
“Where are we, Daddy?” I ask, my voice thick with sleep, stretching my arms as I bring Felix close and hug him tighter.
The lot’s deserted, just gravel and trees, no signs of life except us. It’s creepy, but Max’s calm, his hand still stroking my hair, and that keeps the fear at bay.
“Not far from the rendezvous point,” Max says, his tone steady but alert, like he’s scanning for threats even now. “We’ve got ashort hike through the forest to meet Cole and Connor. They’ll get us to the next safe spot. You ready for a little walk?”
