Page 5 of Daddy's Desire

“We’re having guests for dinner,” Diana said without looking up.

“Who?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just look your best, dear.”

Courtney gritted her teeth. She knew her mother had invited Neil from the night before, even knowing her daughter didn’t like the man. She kept from saying anything because she hoped it wouldn’t matter and she’d be gone by the afternoon.

She finished eating and went into the room that was set up with the exercise equipment she needed to stay slim. An hour later, Courtney paused on her way up the stairs when her motherstopped her.

“Dear, I will be gone a few hours, but I want you to keep to your schedule,” Diana said.

“Yes, Mother.”

Her mother looked pleased as she walked out the front door.

Courtney raced up the steps, found the number Larkin had given her, and then hurried back down to the kitchen.

“May I use one of your phones, please?” she asked the cook or maid.

The two women looked surprised, but the maid handed her the phone.

“Thank you so much. I’ll bring it right back,” Courtney said. She went out the back door and walked until she was several yards away from the house.

She dialed the phone and waited. By the fourth ring, Courtney started to panic. What if the girls couldn’t help her? What would she do then?

“Hello,” Larkin answered a little breathless.

“Hi, it’s Courtney.”

“Oh, wow. We’re so glad you called. We were all worried about you last night. We saw the man beside you and how miserable you were.”

“My mother wants me to marry the jerk.”

“Yuk. He did look creepy,” Larkin said.

Courtney was glad someone else felt the same way. “The man is supposed to come by tonight for dinner.”

“Oh, shit. We need to get you out of there now. I need to call Nia. She’s the only one of us that can drive. Give me your address.”

Courtney told her.

“I’ll call you back,” Larkin said.

“You can’t. I had to borrow a phone. My mother didn’tfeel I needed one.”

“That bitch,” Larkin hissed.

It was the first real smile Courtney could remember having. “Yeah, you can say that again.”

“Tell me your full name and address.”

Courtney told her.

“Okay. Hold on.”

Courtney could hear the other girl talking to another woman, but it was muffled.

“Okay, I think we have it figured out. Sienna checked it out on Google, and she found out where your house is.”

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