Page 8 of Daddy's Doll

“No, it was a freak thing, really. The lights went out, and I fell and couldn’t find my bearings,” I say to Frank. “I’m fine. I just lost track of time. I need to get back to my room because I’m meeting up with my sister.” It’s like what? A half lie? I did tell Sophia I’d watch a movie with her later. I just left the whole ‘my dad is here and trying to fuck the sass out of me’ part out.

Frank frowns and I don’t give a shit. I sit down on one of the benches and start to unlace my ice skates, the urgency to leave overwhelming me.

“I can walk you,” he says, trying to grab for my arm when I go to stand up, but I swivel out of his way, slipping on my shoes and putting my tied skates over my shoulder.

“Oh, that’s so nice, but I’m really fine. I have a few places I need to stop at on the way,” I say quickly and dismissively on the way out of the building. I veer left before he can respond, pick up my pace, and head to the only place I can think of that might be a safe place to calm down.

9

OLIVIA

My heart beats like a trapped bird in a glass cage, and I can't shake the tremors that cling to me like a shadow. I needed to be alone, to sort out the mess of emotions swirling inside me. Isabella, my twin sister, used to be my confidante before Ethan claimed her. I’m glad that she’s happy and with him right where she needs to be. Now more than ever, I need her here with me. I’ve never been as close to Sophia because she and Landon have always been each other’s person. If I didn’t want Landon to know something, I knew not to say anything to her. It wasn’t malicious on her part. They’re just connected in a way that I’ve never seen before.

I don't want Frank to follow me to my dorm, not that he doesn’t already probably know where I live, but still. I hurry toward the one place on campus where I can escape, the library. It’ll be busy this time of day. I just hope I can blend in with the way I’m dressed. I should have put my Hillcrest attire back on before I left, but with the whole Dad giving me the best orgasm of my life and then Frank stopping him from fucking me right there on the ice, it slipped my mind. That dress code violation hearing with the honor board would be wild if I told the truth. Every step makes me feel like I'm being watched, and I glance over my shoulder repeatedly, paranoia crawling up my spine. Weirdly, I’m more worried about Frank following me than Dad. If Dad wants me, he’ll get me. I know that much. I just need to get my thoughts together so I don’t fold under pressure. He needs to know that I’m not the girl he dropped off three months ago. He’s damaged me, and I’m not sure he can heal those wounds even if he wanted to.

It's ironic. Despite how rough Dad was with me earlier, how utterly unhinged he seemed because I was ignoring him, I still feel safer with him than with Frank. Frank's persistent advances and overbearing presence send shivers down my spine for all the wrong reasons.

Finally, I reach the library. Its Gothic architecture is domineering in a comforting way, even in daylight. People stare as I walk by, and I realize with a flush of embarrassment that my skating dress is not going to blend into the crowd no matter how small I try to make myself. Thank god the skirt covers where I’m sure the panties of it are soaked from Dad’s tongue and my desire for him.

Once inside, I spot Vaughn, one of my brother's ice hockey teammates, looming over his girlfriend, Reese, who sits at a table, sketching on a pad of paper. Vaughn's intense glare is fixed on Reese in a way that almost makes him look psychotic. I don’t know him, but I’ve heard things about him, and while I’ve always tried to let the Hillcrest gossip be just that, I don’t doubt anything I’ve heard about this guy. His messy black hair falls into his eyes as he leans forward to whisper something to Reese. A faint blush colors her cheeks before she sobers, collecting herself from whatever he whispered to her. I know her from one of my classes, and she’s always been polite to me. She doesn’t seem like the kind of girl to date Vaughn just because he’s a Hillcrest hockey player or the fact that I’m sure his abs look like they were carved in stone, so I guess he’s got some redeeming qualities that he doesn’t show to everyone else. Reese looks up when I reach their table, pushes her bright platinum blonde hair over her shoulder, and meets my eyes with a knowing smirk. She clearly understands that ignoring Vaughn is only making him more enamored with her.

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you guys,” I say, looking from Reese to her guard dog. I don’t need him using my head as a hockey puck for talking to his girl.

Despite Vaughn's frown at the interruption, Reese is quick to respond. She seems to recognize that something is wrong, and at this moment, I’m glad I look disheveled. She gets up and places her hands on my shoulders, her eyes filled with concern.

“Liv, are you okay?” She touches my arm. “You’re freezing.”

I can't tell her about Dad, obviously, and the fact that he ate my pussy in the rink, so I concoct a quick lie. "Someone approached me in the icehouse while I was skating," I say, my voice trembling slightly, "but I managed to get away from him."

Reese's eyes widen with worry, and Vaughn looks on, bored and unphased, as if to say, ‘But did you die?’

"What can I do to help?" Reese asks sincerely, and I'm grateful for her kindness.

I glance around the library, my heart still pounding, searching for any sign of Dad when that feeling I’m being watched zips through me. He’s close. I can feel his presence, his eyes on me, but I can't spot him.

"Could I borrow your jacket?" I ask, my voice shaking. "I feel exposed, and I don't want to walk back to my dorm right now in case that guy is still following me."

Reese's smile is warm as she says, “Of course! Do you want us to walk with you?”

I shake my head in the negative before saying, "No, I don't want to drag you guys into this anymore than I already have." She doesn't question me, but I see the way Vaughn is side-eyeing me. I suppose he's caught on that if it really was a random man in the icehouse, I would want to surround myself with as many people as possible. Reese is already handing me her blazer, and I set my things on the table where she was drawing what looks like a sketch of Vaughn sleeping. I look away because it feels more intimate than if I’d seen nudes in her camera roll. The way she drew him makes him look less, well, Vaughn, and more… sweet? It must be how she sees him because I watch as Vaughn pulls Reese close, kissing the top of her head. His eyes scan the library, on alert, as if he's ready to protect her at any moment from the mystery man I made up from the icehouse. Landon probably wasn’t exaggerating when he said Vaughn is both ruthless on and off the ice.

“Thank you so much. I owe you,” I tell her, quickly grabbing my things and rushing away toward the stairs. I know there’s a quiet corner on the balcony that overlooks the campus. It's outfitted with outdoor furniture, inviting students to read and study while enjoying the fresh air, but hardly anyone comes up here.

Taking a deep breath, I exhale slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. The sun is starting to set, the air is crisp, and the rustling leaves provide a soothing backdrop to my chaotic thoughts. I feel a bit more composed as I descend the outdoor stairs on the side of the library. The feeling of being watched is gone, and I wonder if Dad came to his senses. Is he already on the road heading back to his cabin? Will I not hear from him again for three months?

Thankfully, there's no sign of Frank as I make my way back to my dorm, still wearing Reese's jacket. Now that my emotions have settled, my anger toward Dad resurfaces, clawing up my chest and into my throat like it might choke me. Or maybe I’m just remembering the way his calloused hand felt around my neck. A shiver runs through me, and I try to shake the feelings off. I should not have enjoyed the way he dominated me. We didn’t discuss it beforehand, and I’d never thought I would be so turned on by something like that, but I was. I still am. I wanted him to take me roughly, to show me how little control he really has around me. I want to be consumed by him so badly, but I can’t let myself fall into that trap. I’m not even sure what my plan is because deep down I know he’s right.

There’s no escaping a Hillcrest man.

10

OLIVIA

Idecide that I can’t escape him, but I can make claiming me difficult. I can make him understand the gravity of his actions and the state he left me in even if it wasn’t his intention. If he wants me, he’s going to have to work for it. I'll make him grovel. Legend has it, a Hillcrest man has never apologized for a thing in his life, but I’m willing to hold out for it. I rush across the campus, my heart still pounding from the orgasm he literally pulled from me. It might not have happened the way I expected or even wished it would, but the way my legs are still trembling tells me that I’d enjoy anything that man did to me. The chill in the air nips at my skin, but I barely notice it. All I can think about is getting back to my dorm room, a sanctuary where I can collect my thoughts.

As I approach the door to my room, my fingers fumble with my key. But when I lean on the door, it swings open easily. Panic surges through me like a tidal wave. I never leave my door unlocked. Someone must have been in here. The thought sends shivers down my spine because I’m not sure if it was Dad or Frank. I peer inside, seeing droplets of blood on the floor, and that’s enough for me to not want to find out.

Without thinking, I drop my ice skates and run. I run down the corridor, the echoes of my footsteps reverberating in the empty hall. My heart hammers in my chest, and I feel my chest constrict when my phone, still clutched in my hand, makes a noise signaling a text has popped through. My only thought is to reach my sister Sophia's room, where I might buy myself some time.

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