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“Will Daddy hurt us?” The words cause a lump in my throat, knowing she’s terrified of her own father breaks me.
“No sweetie, daddy loves us,” I lie. “I think he’s just feeling unwell at the minute.”
“That big man hurt Ryder.”
“He did, I’m sure Ryder is fine though, he’s really big and strong.”
There’s alight tap on the door, followed by the turning of the key and I push to sit up, praying it isn’t Finn. Mary enters pushing a trolly. She glances up and her eyes fix on Harlee. “Sorry I didn’t realise there was a child.”
“This is Harlee,” I tell her.
“I’ll go grocery shopping later today. I’ll bring you a pen and paper to write a list of what she likes.”
“I’m allergic to fish,” says Harlee, quietly.
“I’ll make sure that you don’t have any fish, Harlee,” she says with a smile. It’s the first one she’s cracked and it lights up her face.
“Is Finn around this morning?” I ask.
“Yes, he said he’d be up after breakfast.” She leaves and I head over to the trolley which is laden with food. I scoop some fresh chopped food into a bowl and give it to Harlee.
“I can eat in bed?” she asks, smiling.
I nod. “Yes. I don’t even care if you get it on the sheets.”
I watch as she scoffs down the fruit, followed by toast and then yoghurt. At least if she’s eating, she’s not too traumatised. I, on the other hand, can’t touch a thing. I’m sick to my stomach with worry and stress, and all I can think about is how I’m going to get out of this mess.
Twenty minutes later, Finn appears looking fresh and relaxed. I want to punch him in his smug face as he takes a seat by the window. “Good morning my beautiful princesses. Did you sleep well?”
Harlee snuggles into my back, hiding from his sight. He narrows his eyes, “Harlee why are you hiding from me?”
“Are you for real?” I snap. “You scared her last night, she’s terrified of her own father.”
“Harlee, that was all mummy’s fault,” he says in a clipped tone. “She broke daddy’s rules and I had every right to be angry about that.”
“Don’t you dare blame this on me,” I hiss, feeling Harlee tense. I take a deep, calming breath. “I’d rather not talk about this in front of her.”
Finn stands gracefully, going over to the bedside cabinet and taking out an iPad and headphones. He hands it to Harlee who grabs it gratefully, looking at me for permission. I nod, taking it from her briefly to put on her favourite cartoon. Once she’s settled, he fixes me with a glare. “No more excuses.” I picture diving at him, punching him over and over, wondering if Harlee is distracted enough not to notice me lose my shit. Instead I rolled my eyes in that way I know pisses him off. “Now, rules,” he continues with a smirk. “Number one, you can’t leave this house. There are guards everywhere, camera’s everywhere and windows and doors will be kept locked. If you leave, the guards are instructed to shoot.”
I laugh, wondering if he realises how stupid he sounds. “Shoot me? Like with an actual fucking gun, Finn. Do you realise how crazy this all sounds. This isn’t a movie, we aren’t in America where guns are carried. What kind of world are you living in where you think this is okay?”
“My world,” he says with confidence.
I arch a brow. “Your world? Fine. Okay. So if I was to step outside with your five-year-old daughter in my arms, you’re telling me your men will kill us?”
“Run outside with her and find out, Neve. I dare you.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I feel like I’ve woken in a different world. Why are you doing this to us, Finn?”
“You’re my girls and you belong to me.”
“So it’s about power and possession. I don’t belong to anyone. Not Ryder and certainly not you. You can’t own another person, Finn, it’s mental. All of this is mental.”
“Of all the men in this fucking world you had to fall for that piece of shit. Just like fucking Alice! You have been fucking my enemy. He controls you and you let him so yes, he thinks he owns you, owns what’s mine. You gave me no choice but to take you back.”
I startle at the Alice comment, he’s never mentioned her to me and it sounded so personal. “Ryder doesn’t control me…”
“Since we broke up, Neve, we’ve spoken every single night. He comes a long and that stops. Of course he’s controlled you, you’re just too stupid to see it.”
