“Obviously you needed it.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
I can feel her withdrawing from me. My sweet Little girl is slipping away with every passing second, and when she moves from my lap to her own seat, I miss the weight of her, soft and warm in my arms.
No matter. Once we’re on the island, she won’t have anywhere to run from me. She can try to be as aloof as she wants, but I’m a ruthless man when it comes to getting what I want.
And what I want is Victoria Finch. Not just her mouth or her sweet little cunt. But all of her, heart, body, and soul. If that means keeping her trapped on my island of forbidden pleasures until she’s forgotten everyone and everything back in New York even exists, then so be it.
As the plane descends, I lean over, deliberately crowding her under the guise of pointing things out on the island.
“You see that section in the middle, with all the streets? That’s the town. There’s a bakery, and an arcade, and a candy store. Pretty much anything a Little girl could want.”
“Clothes?”
There’s a longing in her voice when she asks the question and I allow myself a grin since she’s looking out the window rather than at me. “There is a boutique. Would you like to go shopping tomorrow and pick out some new clothes?”
“Can we?” Now she does turn to look at me, her eyes bright with excitement for a moment before an adorable blush steals across her cheeks. “I mean, I don’t really expect you to buy me things. It’s okay if we can’t.”
I almost feel guilty about not being completely honest with her about the shopping trip I’d already had planned. “If you’re a very good girl, Daddy will buy you whatever you want.”
She laughs, a trilling little sound, but it’s tinged with bitterness. “I don’t know if I can be that good.”
“That’s no problem. If you’re naughty, Daddy knows how to make you his good girl again.”
More pink floods her cheeks and she turns back to the window. “What else is there?”
I spend the rest of the descent pointing out the waterpark, the playground, explaining about the different shops downtown. Pointing out the houses as we circle, and telling her a little about my friends.
“And that one, right there, is our house.”
“Oh! It looks like a castle.”
Leaning in even further, I laugh. “I suppose it does. Catharina always tells me I have a flair for the dramatic.”
“Your friends… are they all… like you?” Her voice is soft, hesitant, almost as if she’s afraid of the answer.
I can’t say I blame her.
“Are you asking if they all have Little ones of their own?”
“Um. Yes. I guess I am.”
“Not yet. You’ll be the first. But they are all Daddies and Mommies looking for their perfect Little girl.”
“I don’t think I qualify as a perfect anything.”
There’s such sadness in her voice, it tugs at my heart again and I run a hand over her hair.You’re perfect for me.The words stick in my throat, not because I don’t mean them, but because I know it’s far too soon for her to hear them. “We’re about to land, little one,” I say instead.
It isn’t the smoothest landing I’ve ever had, and Victoria clutches my hand in a death grip as we bounce along the runway. Fury burns in my chest at the sight of her looking so distressed and I make a note to speak with Evander about finding us a new pilot. Nobody but me is allowed to put that look of fear on my Little girl’s face.
Setting aside my own feelings, I focus on her. Right now she needs my comfort more than my anger. “Shhh. You’re safe, little one. Daddy’s right here.”
Eyes squeezed shut, she presses her head back against the headrest. “Uh-huh.”
If I could, I would pluck her right out of her seat and cradle her on my lap until we were ready to disembark. But I settle for leaning over to press a kiss to her temple. She relaxes a bit at my touch, though not nearly enough for my liking so I keep her hand tucked safely in mine until at long last the plane rolls to a stop and the seatbelt sign goes dark.
Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I keep my voice low and soothing when I tell her, “You can open your eyes now, Victoria. We’re home.