“Hi yourself, sweetheart,” comes a voice I haven’t heard in a very long time. A voice I never wanted to hear ever again. My heart bottoms out. My feet grow roots and pin me to the floor.
It’s not Maddox standing on my doorstep. It’s my father—who by rights should still be in jail.
Bile rises from my stomach, burning its way into my throat. I feel like I’m going to be physically sick. He looks me up and down in a way that is horrifically familiar, staring at my breasts and giving me a sneering smile. “You’re looking good enough to eat, honey. Been a while, huh? Not gonna invite your old pop in?”
“No,” I manage to croak out.
I should slam the door. Kick him in the balls. Push past him and run. Call the police.
Except I can’t do any of those things. I’m completely paralyzed. The old fear I used to live with every single day is flooding through me. Suddenly I’m a girl again, hiding under my covers, praying that he wouldn’t come into my room. That he’d see I was asleep and leave me alone.
He never did. He used to perch on the side of my bed and tickle me. Like he was a normal dad, playing with his daughter. I was way too old for tickling by that stage, and I knew it wasn’t innocent. It was his way of letting me know he was there, that he was going nowhere. “Time to play, sweetheart,” he’d always announce, chuckling at my silent tears. “I know you want to.”
I didn’t want to, ever. Just like right now. I don’t want him in my home or anywhere near me. How is he even here? Why isn’t he in a jail cell in Illinois?
He sees my terror, and he enjoys it. He gets off on it. The bastard even winks at me.
He pushes past me, and I jump away from that slight contact. I have the presence of mind to at least not shut the door behind us, to not trap myself in here with him. He stands, looks around at my little apartment. The place that I’ve always thought of as my safe haven.
Time hasn’t been kind to him. There are dark circles beneath his eyes, and his hair is thinning. He’s bulked up physically, though, and is bigger than he used to be. That predatory smile of his is exactly the same.
“It’s not quite as grand as I expected, sweetheart. Given that you’re fucking one of those fancy billionaires and all.”
I blink at him, confused. “What do you want?” I manage to grit out, crossing my arms over my chest defensively. Mistake. It squeezes my breasts together, and he leers at my cleavage appreciatively.
“What do I want? I just want to see my baby girl again. I want to catch up, sweetheart. I want what’smine.”
He hisses the last word, and there he is. The real him. The reptilian monster that lurks beneath the ordinary surface. Plain, old-fashioned evil. “Nothing is yours,” I say, sounding stronger than I feel. “You lost any right to playing any part in my life when you raped me.”
He looks angry, waves a hand in my face. Then claps his palms together, loud enough to make me jump. I hate that I do. It makes him laugh. Sick, cruel piece of garbage. “You and I both know I didn’t rape you, angel. That’s just something you told the grown-ups because you felt guilty about how much you wanted your daddy to put his hands on you.”
His fingers drift towards his crotch, and I’m disgusted to see that he has a hard-on. This foul sack of human excrement has no place here in my home. In my life. “Get out,” I say, aiming for firm and confident, but my voice comes out as a weak diluted whisper. “Leave, right now.”
“Aw, you don’t mean that honey. I think I’ll stay awhile. It’ll be just like old times.” He advances, and I turn to run. I stumble, so scared I trip over my own feet, crashing face-first into the doorframe. When I put my hand to my forehead, it comes away bloody.
He laughs again, sick twisted bastard. “Want daddy to kiss it all better, little Eleanor?” He’s coming closer, and I’m dizzy, I’m frightened, and…
My father is knocked on his ass by a tornado of muscle and fury. Maddox comes flying through the open doorway, tackling him to the ground like the star quarterback he used to be.
He clambers on top of him and punches his face with one mighty blow. I hear a crunch of cartilage, see blood spurting. My father holds his hands in front of his face. Then he manages to knee Maddox in the kidneys and wriggle free. I guess being inprison for sex crimes against kids teaches you a few dirty tricks to defend yourself. He jumps to his feet and skips away, holding his palms out. “I don’t want any trouble,” he says, blood pouring down his face. “Fuck, you broke my goddamn nose…I could sue you, you asshole.”
Maddox prowls towards him, fists balled, eyes dark pools of hate. He even scares me a little, and I know he’s on my side. The sheer bulk of him combined with his barely-contained fury make my heart hammer so fast in my ribcage, I fear it’s going to burst out of my chest. My father backs off but doesn’t leave. Maddox glances at me, his expression softening. “You okay baby? You’re bleeding.”
I’m not okay at all, but I’m a whole lot better than I was a minute ago, and I’ll be even better when my father leaves. “I’m okay. Just let him go Maddox. He’s not worth it.” I reach out and lay a hand on his arm.
His eyes meet mine. His nostrils flare, and I can tell how much of an effort it is for him to nod in agreement.
“So,” my father says, obviously thinking he’s safe now. “We gonna talk like civilized people, or do I got to call the cops and tell them Maddox James just assaulted me?”
I’m instantly furious.I don’t fucking think so.I’m suddenly able to access all the anger and self-belief that I wished for earlier. I forgive myself for that lapse though, because I was in shock and my past trauma ambushed me.
Now? Not so much. I square up to him and look him right in the eyes.
“Do it. Call them, right now. But just so you know, I’ll swear on my life that Maddox didn’t assault you. In fact, you smashed my head into the door, and in self-defense, I pushed you. Sadly, you fell and broke your nose. I’m guessing you’re on parole, right?”
His eyes twitch, and I see I’ve pushed a button, but he still needs more of a reason to leave. “Maddox’s brothers are two of the top lawyers in the country. Google them if you don’t believe me. They’ll have you locked away in the worst supermax in the States, with the words ‘child rapist’ tattooed on your fucking forehead, you sick piece of shit. Now, what do youwant? And don’t give me any bullshit about wanting to see me again, because we both know that’s a lie.”
He’s furious with me. I’ve seen that look in his eyes before. It used to make me cower, but not anymore. I glare at him, feeling Maddox’s hand creep into mine, taking strength from his touch. He’s letting me fight my own corner and I love him for it. I know every instinct in his body will be screaming at him to protect me, but he’s giving me the space to handle this myself.
