Daddy’s Little Runaway by Lila Fox

Chapter Two

 

Devon rolled over in bed and reached for his phone. He glanced at the time.

“Hell, two thirty.” This better be good, he thought.

“This is Fowler,” Devon said.

“Sir, this is Mr. Roberts, the manager of the place Emma Hammond lives.”

“Yes, what’s up?”

“I’ve heard someone in the apartment again just now, and you told me to call you.”

Devon sprang from the bed, grabbed the first thing he reached for, and pulled it on. “I’ll be right there. Keep your eyes on the place.”

“I will.”

Devon hung up, found a shirt and boots, and then hurried out of his condo and got into his car.

The twenty-minute trip took half the time because he was speeding, and no one else was out at that time of night. He hated breaking the law, but it might be his only chance to catch her.

He parked in front and then raced into the apartment building, where he found the manager waiting by the front door.

“Are they still in the apartment?”

Mr. Roberts nodded. “Yes, I just heard something a few minutes ago. Do you think it’s Emma?”

“I really hope so. Can you stay here while I check around the building? I want to make sure she doesn’t escape.”

“Sure.”

Devon went back out onto the sidewalk and looked up. It was faint, but he did see the light in her place. He skirted around the building and found the fire escape ladder that had been pulled down.

If it was her, that was how she was getting in undetected. Besides the ladder, he saw no other evidence of any tampering.

He went back inside. “Can I have the key?”

“Are you sure you’re not out to hurt her?”

“Yes. I gave you my card. Didn’t you check me out?”

“Yes, I just feel funny about this. She’s a sweet girl, and I don’t want her to be hurt.”

“I can promise you that I’m here to take care of her. She shouldn’t be out on her own.”

“That I agree with.”

Devon took the key the man handed him.

“Just leave it in the apartment or drop it in the slot in the door when you leave. Knock if there’s anything you need.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Devon quietly walked up the stairs, put his ear to the door, and heard nothing. He put the key in the lock and carefully opened the door. The first thing he saw was a small person jumping out the window. He rushed over.

“Wait, Emma, stop,” he yelled as he looked down at her.

The figure who paused halfway down the fire escape ladder looked up at him as he leaned out the window and then took off.

“Dammit.”

He raced out of the building and went the way he saw her going down the alley.

Walking around the area for several minutes, he scanned right and left for her.

At first, he thought he’d lost her, but then he heard faint muffled whimpering behind a dumpster.

He exhaled, betting it was her, and he was thankful he’d finally found her. Now, he had to catch her and take her home.

God, he didn’t want to scare her, but she needed to go with him before she got hurt. The dark pre-dawn hours were no time for a girl like her to be out.

“Emma, honey. Please don’t be afraid.” He heard a thump like he’d startled her. “Please, come out.”

“Go away.”

“Honey, I can’t.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

“No, I’m here to save you. Lacey sent me.”

She was quiet for a moment. “Lacey? Not the monster or my mother?”

His eyebrows rose. She was afraid of her mother? That was something he’d figure out later.

“No, Lacey, the girl you saved. She has been so worried about you.”

“She has?”

“Yes, baby. Can you come out?”

“Is she okay?”

“Yes. She’s just fine, and she’s safe. I’ll tell you all about it when we get you taken care of.”

“I’m afraid.”

“You don’t ever have to be afraid of me.”

She paused again. “I can’t tell if a person is lying or not.”

“You’re right. That is hard to tell most of the time. You’re going to have to trust me. I don’t think you have a lot of options at the moment.”

A long moment passed before he heard her shuffle around, and then he saw her slide out behind the garbage. The only light was a streetlight several feet away, so he couldn’t get a good look at her. What he could see worried him.

She was fragile and pale. Her eyes were huge, filled with fear, and the dark circles under them that looked more like bruises attested to the fact she wasn’t getting any sleep.

She tensed when he took a step toward her.

“Easy, pet.” He held out his hand.

His brows snapped together when he finally noticed the way she was holding her arm against her body and the sheen of something like blood on her black sweatshirt.

“Baby, did you get hurt?”

She bit down on her lip and nodded.

“Can I see it?”

She shook her head.

Fuck, she looked like she was about ready to fall over. He saw her sway again, and he knew she didn’t have any more fight left in her. “Will you let me take care of you?”

Her eyes widened. “How?”

“I will take you home with me, get you clean, see to your wound, feed you, and put you in a nice soft bed I have in my guest room. I promise we’ll call Lacey in the morning. She lives in the same building I do.”

****

Emma stood there in front of one of the biggest men she’d ever seen. She thought she should be panicking, but she was beyond tired, and her arm hurt bad enough that it seemed to make her whole body throb. The night was warm, and she wore a sweatsuit, but she still felt cold to her very core.

She had fought to stay alive for weeks, and she didn’t have the will to fight anymore. If he was going to kill her, so be it. She was ashamed for giving up, but she had nothing left to fight with. For a long time, she had wracked her brain for ideas on how to get out of her predicament, but she couldn’t think of anything.

“Honey, you’re shivering. You might be going into shock. I need to get you home and take care of you, or maybe we should just go to the hospital…”

She shook her head and took a few steps away from him. “No! No hospital.”

He reached out a hand. “Easy. All right. No hospital. Come on, baby.”

The fatigue that took all her fight and reasoning made it hard to grasp the situation or decide.

“Come on. Come to me.”

She exhaled and took the steps needed to stand in front of him.

“That’s a good girl.”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m sorry, honey. My name is Devon.”

She nodded.

“Can I carry you?”

She felt herself sway and knew she wouldn’t be able to hold herself up too much longer. The adrenaline that gave her the burst of energy that got her out of her apartment was fading fast. “Yes, please.”

He bent down and lifted her into his arms, then started back the way they had come from.

She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She hadn’t thought she slept until he lifted her from his car, and they were in a different area.