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My heart clenched at her words. It was like a punch in the gut. I realized then that her trust, though freely given, was fragile. And I knew I had to handle it with the utmost care, for if it broke, it might never mend again.
The fear in her eyes, the trembling of her small frame, it was unbearable. As I rushed over to her, her small frame shaking, I instinctively enveloped her in my arms. I felt a surge of protectiveness, a desperate need to shield her from the world's harshness. Her fear seeped into me, and I wished, more than anything, that I could take it all away.
“Daddy?” she whimpered, her voice breaking.
I tightened my hold on her. “What’s going on, baby?” I asked gently, my fingers threading through her hair.
Feeling my embrace, she burst into tears, her small frame shaking as sobs wracked through her. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry." Her apology hit me like a freight train, her fear of betrayal tangible in the air.
She explained about the book, a copy of 'Wuthering Heights,' how it was Finn's favorite, and her paranoia that I might be working with him. Her fears, her doubts, they made sense in a heart-wrenching way, and I couldn't fault her for them.
"Oh, Lina," I whispered, tightening my hold on her. "It's only natural to feel scared when you see something that reminds you of past trauma. I understand why you'd feel that way, and I don't hold it against you. Fear and doubt, they're natural responses to betrayal. It isn't your fault."
I knew it wasn't enough. I pulled away slightly, cupping her tear-streaked face in my hands. "Daddy loves you, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere. I am not Finn. I’m not going to hurt you."
She whispered then, her voice small and trembling, "I don't deserve someone as nice as you, Daddy."
"Lina," I said sternly, a gentle reprimand in my tone, "Don't you ever say that. You are deserving of kindness, of love, and respect. Always. Your past doesn't define you. It's your resilience, your spirit that makes you who you are. And I will be here for you, respecting your Little side and loving you for who you are. Do you want to talk about what happened with Finn? It might help you feel better."
As she broke down once again, my heart ached for her. "I'm scared, Daddy," she admitted. "Finn... he made me feel unworthy, afraid of being a Little again."
And I understood then that it was not just about protecting her. It was about helping her heal, letting her regain her trust, her confidence. It was about showing her that she was loved, cherished, and most importantly, that she was safe with me. I made a silent vow to be the pillar of support she needed, to help her heal and believe in love again.
"Finn... he didn't respect my Little side," she confessed, her voice quivering. "He dictated everything. I couldn't even pick out my own clothes. He said a Little didn't have the right to decide for herself."
Anguish twisted my insides as I thought of the torment Lina had suffered. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, a mix of anger towards Finn and a deep-seated desire to provide comfort for her.
"I know you've been hurt, and I can't erase that. I wish I could, but I can't. Finn had no right to treat you that way, to control you, to isolate you. That's not what being a Daddy is about. It’s about providing care, guidance, and, above all, love. It's about creating a safe space for a Little to express herself, to be herself. But sweetheart, you need to know this. You are strong. You are brave. It took a lot of courage to leave Finn, to break free from his control. You showed resilience in healing from the damage he caused, in choosing to trust again despite everything. And that's not a sign of weakness, but of immense strength. I’ll keep repeating this if I have to, until you start believing me."
I then took her hands in mine, looking deeply into her eyes. "Finn was taking advantage of you. He was not your Daddy. He was a manipulator, a cruel man looking for a victim. He drove your friends away because that's what such people do. They isolate their victims to make them depend on them. But remember, you are not his victim anymore. You are a survivor. And your Little side, it's a part of who you are. You have every right to express it. No one, not Finn, not anyone, can take that away from you."
I saw a change in her. Her tears were still there, but they were not of despair anymore, but of relief. "Thank you, Daddy, for being there for me."
"You're not alone anymore. I'll always be there for you, princess," I assured her. "Always."
As Lina's sobs gradually subsided, I took the opportunity to shift the mood. From a bag I had prepared earlier, I presented her with a physical copy of our shared bedtime story: 'The Brave Princess and Her Loving Knight'.
As she flipped through the pages, her finger traced over the vibrant images. She gasped at an image of 'Princess Lina' standing bravely in front of a menacing dragon. "Look at this, Daddy!" she exclaimed, pointing at the carefully crafted image. "I'm fighting a dragon!"
She then turned to an image of 'Knight Daddy', who stood tall and protective by Princess Lina's side.
"And you're there with me," she added. “How did you manage to get it printed so fast?”
"Well, let's just say I know some folks who owe me favors, and are willing to lose some sleep to pay them back."
Her smile widened as she hugged the book to her chest. “I can’t wait to show it to Mike and Elijah!”
She caught me off guard as she leaned in to plant a quick peck on my lips.
“You know,” I said. “We could get a few copies printed and you can give it to them.”
"Can you imagine, Daddy?" she began excitedly, her words tumbling out in her excitement. "Everyone at the club reading about Princess Lina and her Daddy Knight! They're going to love it. We'll become like celebrities! There'll be fan art and fan fiction! Maybe even some Princess Lina costumes on special events! I bet other Littles would want a story of their own too!"
"Let's take it one step at a time, Little one," I suggested, trying to calm her down.
But she was too caught up in her daydreams. "Of course, Daddy, we won't let the fame get to our heads," she continued, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "We won't start demanding green M&M's in our dressing room. We won't start ignoring our friends just because we're too famous. And we definitely won't start refusing to go anywhere without a red carpet!"
As she giggled at her own scenarios, she added, "But who am I kidding? I'd love to have a red carpet wherever I go!"
