Page 61 of Property of Max
“Pictures, Max,” I whisper, voice trembling. “What is that evil man making my baby do?”
I can make out the raw, white-hot agony on his face for a heartbeat before everything goes black.
“I’ll get her back, baby,” his voice, faint but iron, cuts through the fog. “And I’ll make them all fucking pay.”
Chapter Sixteen
Bree
I’m scared.
Daddy said his friend was taking me to get ice cream, but he lied. We never got ice cream.
He was nice at Daddy’s house, but now he’s different. Scary. His smile isn’t a happy smile. It’s like how the monsters smile in the movies.
“I want to go home,” I tell him. “Please, can I go home?”
“Not until we’re finished,” the scary man says. “Just sit in this room until we’re ready. Be a good girl, okay?”
I don’t want to be a good girl. I want to run away. But the lock on the door is too high.
I nod anyway so he won’t get mad.
“Can I call my mommy?”
“No, you can’t.”
Maybe he doesn’t have her number.
“What about Daddy?” I ask. “Can he come and get me?”
“Your father knows exactly where you are,” he says. “He’s proving to me that I can trust him by loaning you to me for a little while.”
Loaning me? What does that even mean?
“Can I go outside?” I ask, thinking maybe if he lets me, I can run.
“Sit down and shut up,” he snaps.
He lifts his hand like he’s going to hit me but then stops. My heart is pounding so hard it hurts.
He’s a really scary man. I wish Max was here. Max doesn’t scare me. But I bet he would scare this man.
Max wouldn’t give me to a bad man and lie about ice cream.
I want Max. I bet he would protect me. I bet he’d be a good daddy.
If Max was my daddy, I think he’d come and take me home.
I close my eyes and pray.
Dear God, please let Max be my daddy, because I don’t think mine loves me anymore. He told me to go with this man, and I think he’s bad. Max can protect me. He’s big and can scare this bad man away. He would keep me, Mommy, and Uncle Micah safe forever. Please, let him come and save me. I’m really scared.
Amen.
I’ve never prayed before. Not like that. Not about something this big.
I hope God heard me.
