Page 57 of Daddy Devious

Gone. She’s gone, and I have no idea where she could be.

“Caleb!” His name explodes out of me on a roar as I spin on my heel and race for the door.

“What’s wrong?” Footsteps pounding on the stairs, Caleb’s voice is tight with concern. “Maxwell? Are you alright? Is Victoria hurt?”

“I don’t know if she’s hurt because Idon’t fucking know where she is.”

The color leeches from Caleb’s face. “She’s in her crib. I put her there myself not half an hour ago.”

“Well, she isn’t there now. Where the hell could she have gone?”

Placing his hands on my shoulders, Caleb’s steady gaze locks on mine. “We will find her. She can’t have gone far. You check up here, I’ll go see if any of the staff have seen her. She might have just snuck downstairs for a snack.”

“I swear when I get my hands on her, she isn’t going to sit comfortably for a month.” But despite my threats, sickness coats my stomach and I know I’d happily pass on any punishments she’s earned if it means having my Little girl safe in my arms again.

A grim smile curves Caleb’s lips. “I’ll help you choose the implements. For now, check your room in case she decided to sleep in Daddy’s bed instead of her crib. I’ll check downstairs.”

The band around my chest loosens just a fraction at his words. It’s entirely possible she snuck out of her crib for my larger, more comfortable bed. With a sharp nod, I turn and head for my bedroom.

But it’s only a momentary reprieve from my panic. My bed is empty, and a quick check of all the obvious hiding places confirms the rest of the room is empty as well.

As are all the rooms on the top floor. With my heart nearly pounding out of my chest, I hurry down the stairs only to find Caleb at the bottom, his expression telling me everything I need to know even before he speaks.

“No one has seen her, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t here. It’s a large house, Maxwell. We’ll find her.”

He has a point. It is a large house, too large for even us and our staff to adequately search. “You’re right. We need reinforcements. I need to call Evander.”

Tori

I’ve made a horrible mistake.

When Daddy told me this part of the house was still under construction, I assumed it would be close to being finished.Maxwell Stone doesn’t strike me as the type of man to accept delays of any kind.

Then again, I have no idea how long building a house from scratch actually takes. And on an island this size, perhaps there’s only one construction crew and they were needed elsewhere.

Whatever the reasoning, this wing of the house is still bare bones. And dark. Darker than I realized it would be, even with the afternoon sun streaming through the windows.

Worse, it’shugeand I have no way of telling one section from the next. Which means I have no way of finding my way back to the main areas of the house.

And despite what will most likely be waiting for me when I have to face my Daddy again, I desperately want to get back. To him, to my nursery, to Caleb. I’d even take an enema if it just meant escaping this labyrinth I’ve locked myself in.

Tears blur my eyes as I reach for a door that looks vaguely familiar. I open it and step inside, disappointment and fear making my stomach church when I realize it’s not a way out but rather what seems to be a large closet.

Sighing heavily, I turn around—just in time to see the door slam shut behind me, encasing me in darkness. I try to turn the knob but it sticks in place.

Panic wells in my chest, making it difficult to actually draw breath as I jiggle the handle again.

Nothing.

Oh god. This is my worst nightmare come to life. I’m trapped in a small, dark space, with no way out.

And nobody knows where I am.

Maxwell

As we wait for Evander and his men, my staff abandons all their duties to search the house. They have orders to check every single room, closet, crevice for my Little girl. At Caleb’s urging, I’ve holed up in my office so they know where to find me when Victoria is finally located.

The door swings open as I’m pacing a hole in my very expensive rug and I jerk my head up, hope beating painful wings against my chest. But it isn’t Victoria, and again my heart constricts as despair overwhelms me.

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