Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“I’m small,” I murmur.
“I can see that you’re underweight. You haven’t been getting enough to eat for a long time. As soon as I check you out and give you a warm bath, I’m going to feed you a bottle of formula. It’s going to fill your tummy and help you start to put on weight, but I only want you to be healthy, Lacey. I don’t care how big your boobies are.”
I giggle when he says boobies. I can’t believe he’s made me laugh.
“What?” he teases. “You don’t like the word boobies?”
I giggle louder. “It’s silly.”
“Lots of Littles call their breasts boobies when they’re feeling very Little.”
I can’t stop smiling.
He eases back, pausing to plant a kiss on the back of my hands, one at a time. “Lower your hands for Daddy,” he orders.
I ease my hands down to my sides, mostly because I don’t like to disobey him. I want him to be pleased with me.
“Good girl.” He gently lifts my wrist first and examines it again. “How long ago did this happen?”
“Two nights ago.”
“Is that the same time he kicked you in the stomach?” He lowers my hand and carefully prods my tummy like earlier.
“Yes, Sir.”
“I thought you were going to call me Daddy.”
I bite the very corner of my lip and let it pop free. “Yes, Daddy.”
He grins. “That’s my good girl.” He lifts my arms up above my head and examines my torso, letting his gaze roam all over my chest and tummy. “Did he only kick you once?”
“That night,” I murmur.
He gently prods my ribs on the other side. “There’s some older bruising here from about a week ago, right?”
I nod.
“Has he ever broken a bone, Little one?”
I shrug.
He inhales slowly. I suspect it’s hard for him not to get outwardly angry. “He’s never taken you to a doctor or the hospital after he hits you?”
“No.”
“Do you think you’ve ever had a broken bone, Baby girl?”
“Maybe. Sometimes my ribs have hurt for a long time. Once I think there was a break in my wrist. Luckily the bone wasn’t dislocated, or so I assume. I was really careful with it for a few months. It hurt worse than this time, so I don’t think it’s broken this time.”
He moves down to my legs, feeling my thighs and lower to my feet. “I want you to turn over for me, Little one.”
Tears well up. This keeps happening. I can’t stop crying tonight. I don’t want him to see my back.
Brian…Daddy—could I be so lucky?—leans over me again. “I need to know everything, Lacey, so I can help you get better. Will you be brave for me?”
I sniffle as I roll onto my tummy. I like the way he touches me. He’s so gentle and caring. His fingers dance over my skin, leaving goosebumps as he strokes my back.
I don’t look at him while he says nothing for a few minutes.
“Are these welts on your back from a belt, Little one?” he asks, his voice a bit strained.
“Yes, Daddy.”
He surprises me when he bends over to kiss one of the stripes across my bottom.
There are ugly scars on my butt and the backs of my thighs. A few on my back, too. Sometimes he strikes me so hard I bleed. Sometimes they don’t heal well, especially since it’s hard for me to take care of them after he beats me.
He kisses my shoulder next. It’s the kindest thing I’ve felt in years. “No one will ever strike you again, Lacey. You have my word. You’re safe now.” He helps me roll to my back again.
“If you’re going to be my Daddy for a while, won’t you spank me?”
“I’d rather be your Daddy forever, Lacey, and no I won’t spank you. Not ever. You’ve been abused, Little one. If you need to be disciplined, I will use another method to punish you. I will never strike you for any reason. Besides seeing a doctor, you need to see a counselor who specializes in abused women. Someone who can help you work through your feelings so you can live a happy life. We have a counselor like that on the island.”
I gasp. “On the island?”
“Yep. I’m hoping you’ll go home with me in a few days.”
“To the island?” I’m too stunned to process what he’s suggesting.
“Yes, Little one. I can sponsor you and get you the emotional and medical care you need. If you decide you don’t want to be my Little girl when you’re feeling better, I’ll help you figure out what to do. Okay?”
My bottom lip trembles. “You want me to go to the island with you…” I can’t believe this.
“Ideally, Little one.” He lifts my hand and kisses my knuckles. “We’ll talk about it more tomorrow. Right now, I need to get you in the bath and then fix you a bottle. You have to be exhausted.”