Valleri woke sometime that night in her bedroom in the mansion. She couldn't move her hands or feet. Had Daddy actually tied her up so she couldn't leave? She couldn’t remember exactly how she'd gotten there either, but she had a splitting headache, her guess was that Daddy had knocked her out somehow. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She was alone.
Sighing in frustration she twisted enough to throw her legs over the side of the bed, her hands still tied behind her back. Valleri tried to pull her wrists apart and they wouldn't move. Looking at her ankles she realised why; he had used plastic cable ties.
Valleri sighed again. Typical Daddy, if you're not going to do anything and blow it way out of proportion, you might as well just not do it at all. She pulled on the ties as hard as she could but it was useless, all she did was cut her wrists on the hard edges; making her broken wrist hurt even more than it already did.
Her bedroom door opened and light flooded in from the hallway.
"Oh good, you're finally awake".
Even in the darkness Daddy managed to make Valleri sick. He flipped on the light and she squinted against the brightness.
Valleri just glared at him. "Was this really necessary?"
"Everything I do is necessary princess."
"Don't call me that"
He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her and caressed her bruised cheek. Valleri flinched away, unable to really do any more than that.
"That looks sore"
Valleri sighed and rolled her eyes. "Will you just untie me"
He laughed and shook his head. "Think again"
She bit her lip and looked up at him from under her lashes. "Please Daddy, I'll stay I promise" She paused swallowing the lump in her throat. "I don't care about him anymore. I just want to come home"
Daddy narrowed his eyes at her trying to make sense of her sudden turn around. He sat next to her and watched her eyes fill with tears.
"Please Daddy"
He sighed unsure but gave in. "Turn around"
Valleri smiled and did as he asked. She felt the cold metal of his pocket knife against the inside of wrist before she felt the tie come loose.
Rubbing her wrist, mindful of her broken bones, Valleri lifted her ankles into Daddy's lap and he cut her loose.
She stood up from the bed and walked over to her night stand. Pulling the drawer open she dug around pulling out the tensor bandage. Sitting back down on the bed she carefully started wrapping her wrist. Valleri jumped when Daddy took her wrist, instinctively trying to pull away.
"Let me help you"
Valleri shook her head. "I can do it"
"Valleri,"
She sighed and let him take the bandage and he started to wrap her wrist. Valleri watched him uneasy; she had never seen him be this gentle.
"I'm sorry Daddy"
He smiled at her as he fastened the bandage closed. "That's okay Princess"
Valleri bit the inside of her cheek. She knew he would make it out to be her fault, he always did, but if she was going to find David she needed to keep herself together.
"Princess?"
Valleri looked up at him "huh?"
"I asked if you were hungry?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Come on, I'll make you French toast"
She looked at his outstretched hand and back up at him. French toast, Daddy did know something, she loved his French toast.
Valleri let him take her hand and lead her down to the kitchen. She wanted nothing more than to push him down that flight of stairs, but she needed to find out where David was first.
They walked into the kitchen and Valleri sat at one of the bar stools along the island as Daddy pulled a plate from the oven.
He put the plate in front of her and watched as she started to eat.
"What?" She asked before taking another bite.
"I'm just glad you've come to your senses" he smiled. "Does this mean you're ready to marry Parker too?"
Valleri just looked at him. He couldn't be serious, but she knew he was, he should be the one marrying Parker as far as she was concerned.
"I..." She hesitated but told him what he wanted to hear. "Yeah"
Daddy smiled. "Good"
She put down her fork and looked at him. "Daddy?"
He turned around from the sink with a smile. "Yes Princess?"
"Where is David?"
He sighed and his smile vanished.
Valleri continued before he could yell at her. "I just need to tell him it's over"
Daddy raised an eyebrow at her.
"I need to get my things"
"Valleri..."
"Please Daddy, you can trust me. I promise"
He sighed drying his hands with a dish towel before putting it down in front of her. "Valleri Annabelle Cruise, don't take me for a fool."
"Take me to him if you don't trust me"
Daddy looked at her and nodded. "Alright"
Valleri got off the stool and stood up as he came around the island.
"Come on"
She followed him to the base of the stairs. He started climbing and she followed breathing a sigh of relief, he was still in the house. What condition he was in was a different story.
The guest room, why didn't she think of that? Daddy opened the door and Valleri stared into the dark room. Daddy flipped on the light and Valleri's breath caught in her throat. She walked in the room slowly while Daddy stood at the door.
David lay motionless on the bed. As Valleri moved closer she bit back her tears. Daddy had really done a number on him.
Valleri turned around and looked at him leaning against the door frame. "Did you do this?"
He shrugged. "He didn't put up much of a fight"
"He's not much of a fighter Daddy"
"No? You don't remember the day of your wedding then?"
"I remember" she sighed turning back to where David laid.
David stirred and Valleri watched as he opened his eyes, blinking against the harsh light. He furrowed her brow when he realised who was standing over him.
"Val?"
"Hi David" She felt Daddy put his hand on her shoulder as she spoke. He was watching her every move. "I'm leaving you"
She was blunt, just like Daddy always had been, she watched the confused look on his face as she reached around her neck and pulled his chain off, putting it gently in his hand. Her mouth said one thing, but her eyes said another.
Valleri and Daddy both watched as he closed his eyes, squeezing his hand closed around the chain as Valleri sat down next to him.
"Don't worry, Daddy is going to let you leave, and when you do." Valleri paused pushing his bangs off his forehead. "I don't want to see you again, ever."
She stood up from the bed but didn't take her eyes off of his. "You said it yourself once, this is where I belong." Daddy squeezed her shoulder gently and pulled her into a hug. Valleri wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged back. "I need someone who can take care of me" She paused. "And you can't do that, can you?"
Valleri turned on her heel not giving David another look. "I didn't think so"
