I jump as the back of the crawlspace opens up. The place where his knees rest while he’s sitting at the computer. There’s a small door, and now it’s swinging out.
Daddy sets a hand on the back of my neck. “The siren is a breach in the building. You need to hide, Zoey. Climb inside and pull the door closed. No one will find you in there. Do not come out for any reason until I open the door. Understood?”
The pacifier falls out of my mouth as I gasp. “Daddy…” My voice wavers. I don’t want to crawl into that tiny cabinet. I’m scared.
He bends down and kisses me. “Go, Little pet. Now. I promise you’ll be safe.”
It’s the urgency in his expression and voice that propels me to crawl under the desk and into the small space. Small is the operative word. It’s just big enough for me if I pull my knees up to my chin and turn my shoulders slightly to one side.
I try not to panic as I grab the lever and pull the door closed, though it’s not necessary. Daddy is pushing it at the same time.
It’s a tight space. Ingenius. No one would ever look at this desk and suspect there could be a hidey-hole underneath it. A Venkorian would never fit in here. It was obviously designed for me.
Thankfully, there are tiny holes along the top of the back, which allow enough natural light in to keep me from completely losing my mind.
I cover my ears. The noise is still a constant screech. I’m grateful for the ribbon Daddy attached to my pacifier because the soothing nipple is dangling between my breasts, and I can pop it into my mouth.
So loud.
I hear voices. Daddy is talking to someone. They have to shout over the constant din, but I don’t think they are angry. It’s probably Galar. He would have been positioned outside the apartment in the hallway, as usual.
What does it mean that there was a breach in the building? Someone got inside who might try to steal me? What will thatperson do if they come to the apartment and can’t find me? Obviously, I must be in here somewhere. Won’t they just keep searching until they find me? Will they kill Daddy before they do so?
I rock back and forth, concentrating on remaining completely quiet. I don’t think the wood is creaking. And besides, who could hear me over that piercing sound?
Tears fall silently down my face as the minutes tick by. I tell myself not to panic over and over. There’s no need. No one can get to me in here. They will not find me. Even if they searched for a day, they would still be stymied. Eventually, someone would come and take out the bad guys, and I would be rescued.
But Daddy… I’m so scared for him. Does he have any weapons? Are there other men in the building who protect him? I don’t know much about this building. I barely saw anything when we arrived. Daddy covered me entirely until we were in this apartment. All I’ve seen since I’ve been here is the world below me from out the window and the rooftop garden.
Minutes turn into an hour. I wet myself more than once because I’m so stressed. I wish someone could tell me what’s happening. But I understand why they can’t.
How often might something like this happen? It’s too stressful to contemplate.
After an interminable length of time, the alarm stops. For a moment, I think maybe I’m imagining it. My ears are still ringing. But a few minutes later, the door of my hideout opens.
At first, I’m scared someone else found me, but then I see Daddy on his knees, reaching for me, and I’m so relieved I start crying.
Everything hurts as I crawl out of the small space. My arms and legs don’t want to hold me as I get out from under the desk.
Daddy backs out and helps me, reaching for my trembling body. As soon as I’m free, he snatches me off the floor, pulls meinto his arms, and stands. “I’m so sorry, Little pet.” He rushes from the main room and into his bedroom, where he lowers me gently onto his giant bed as if I’m fragile porcelain.
“Are you okay, Zoey? Does anything hurt?”
Wincing, I stretch out my arms and legs. I have to spit out the pacifier to answer him. “I’m okay, Daddy. Just sore.”
He leans over me, kissing my face in a million places. “I’m so proud of you. You did so well, Little pet. You were very quiet.”
“I was scared, Daddy. What happened?”
“Someone got into the building through the airshaft. One of the guards in the underground garage saw him on the surveillance camera and set off the alarm. It took a very long time to find him. He’s been caught now.”
“Was he here for me?” My voice is shaking.
“I don’t know yet, Little pet, but it doesn’t matter. He could have been here to rob someone or even attempt to kill someone. Anytime there’s a breach like that, we will not take any chances. You’ll go into the crawlspace immediately and wait.”
I shudder. “It was so small and tight and scary.”
His brows furrow deeply. “I know, Little pet. And I’m very sorry. The hiding place needs to be small, so it’s undetectable. Only an extremely astute person could guess that the space under my desk isn’t quite deep enough.” He rubs my arms and legs and then my shoulders.
