Skye Stark's Daughter (Stark's Daughter 3)

Chapter 7

I grab my phone and punch in Zeke's number.

He doesn't answer.

"Zeke, what the hell are you playing at? Taking Hope away. Why? Zeke, please come back. I need you." I cry into the voicemail.

I end the call and ring my dad.

"Yeah?"

"Zeke took Hope."

"What do you mean he took her?"

"He took her. Jarvis told me that Zeke said to tell me." I explain as i walk into Hope's room.

The drawers are pulled out, clothes thrown on her bed. I then walk to my bedroom and see the same thing, drawers open and everything gone.

"He's taken all their clothes and Hope's toys. Zeke's stolen our daughter." I whisper.

"Im coming over." He mutters and puts the phone down.

I redial Zeke's phone and he picks up.

"Yep?"

"Zeke, please bring her back. I want both of you back." I beg, crying.

"I can't. Im doing this to keep her safe."

"She's safer with me, Hope is safer when we're both protecting her." I point out.

"No, she's staying with me. I'll keep her safe." He argues.

"Zeke, please. Why are you stealing our daughter? She's not in danger." I point out.

"She is, your dad is dangerous." He replies and ends the call.

I keep re dialing him for the next ten minutes, i lean my back on the living room wall and slide down until i sit, drawing my knees to my chest and sobbing.

"Skye!" Dad shouts as he races in and crouches in front of me.

"Zeke took Hope because you're dangerous." I explain, my eyes going ice cold and my power takes over me, the rage building inside me.

"Im so sorry." He whispers.

"He said hes doing it because she's not safe. Am i dangerous?" I ask, expecting an honest reply.

"I don't know." He replies.

"What sort of an answer is that?" I rage, jumping up and marching to the front door.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my daughter back."

*

I sit in my car in the Marks and Spencers car park and dial Zeke's number again.

"Hello?" I hear a little voice ask, a tear escapes my eye.

"Hello sweetie. Its mummy, but Shush, don't tell daddy its me. Daddy doesn't want you to see me but Im coming to find you."

"Okay." She whispers.

"Where are you?" I ask.

"In a hotel."

"Which?"

"Johnsons, room 311." She admits.

"Okay sweetie. I need you to unlock the door and stand by it. Where's daddy?" I ask.

"He went to reception."

"Okay, take the phone and hide in the toilets on that floor. Can you do that for me sweetie?" I say as i start my car and put the phone on speaker.

"Yes, Im coming out of the hotel room and walking down the corridor." She explains.

The Johnsons hotel is around the corner.

"Keep talking to me. Are you in the toilets?" I ask as i pull into the hotel car park, look for Zeke and race past reception and into the elevator.

"Sweetie, Im in the hotel. Don't move, Im coming." I say as i go up to the right floor. I race down the hallway and to the toilets.

"Hope?" I shout.

The third door down unlocks and out walks my little girl. I pull her into my arms and she starts to cry.

"Its okay, sweetie. Im not going anywhere." I point out as i stroke her hair.

"Daddy was scaring me, he was really angry and he punched a wall, i was so scared." She mumbles against my shoulder.

I lean her on my hip and hold her head against my shoulder so we won't be recognised. I take the phone off her and end the call, i carry her to the elevator, down into reception and out into the car park. I sit her in the booster seat and start the car, driving home.

We reach home and Hope holds my hand, squeezing it so i won't let go.

"Shall we watch a film?" I ask.

"Yes please." Hope replies.

"Jarvis lock every door and tell me if Zeke gets close to the house." I demand.

"Yes, miss."

I go into the kitchen and get a bag of butter popcorn, put it all in a bowl and carry it to the sofa. Hope sits on the sofa and we start the film, I drape a blanket over us and we eat the popcorn.

Soon Hope falls asleep in my arms and i sigh, i got my daughter back.

"Miss, Zeke is driving down the driveway." Jarvis announces. I lift Hope's head onto the sofa arm, she stirs but stays asleep.

"Lock the door." I demand.

I watch as Zeke's car pulls up outside the house and he marches out and up to the front door.

"What the hell were you doing? I was worried sick, i thought Hope was kidnapped." He shouts.

"Now you know how i felt. I was physically sick, i thought she was kidnapped, and she was by her own father." I argue.

"Skye, i did it to save her."

"She's safe here. Zeke don't take Hope away from me. I love you." I whisper. He leans his forehead on the front door and places his palm on the window.

"I love you too." He whispers back. I place my palm on his.

"Then why did you take our daughter away?"

"I panicked. I didn't want to see get hurt."

"You hurt me."

"Im so sorry. Please forgive me." He begs.

"I do but Hope won't, she's terrified of you." I point out.

"I'll make it up to her." He promises.

"Jarvis, unlock the front door." I order and the door unlocks. Zeke steps in and snakes his arm around my waist, kissing me.

"I am so sorry." He whispers.

"I forgive you."

I pull away and lift Hope from the sofa, carry her to her bedroom and place her in bed. Then i lay on the floor next to her bed and soon the sleep takes over.