Chapter 9
The cold night air hit the Father’s face like a splash of ice water, snapping him out of the suffocating atmosphere of the mansion. The driveway was lined with expensive luxury cars, a stark contrast to the darkness he had just escaped. He moved swiftly down the illuminated stone path, his boots crunching on the gravel, heading straight for his modest, dark sedan parked near the edge of the property.
Rosie was still clinging to him, her breathing ragged, but the fresh air seemed to calm her slightly. She buried her face in the hood of his sweatshirt, her small body shivering—whether from the cold or the residual terror, he couldn't tell.
"We're out, baby. We're safe," he murmured constantly, a mantra to reassure both her and himself.
He reached the car, fumbled with his keys using one hand, and unlocked the doors. He opened the back door and gently, carefully maneuvered Rosie into her car seat. As the overhead dome light clicked on, he got his first real look at her in the quiet isolation of the car.
The bruise on her cheek was glaringly purple against her fair, rosy skin. Her star-patterned hoodie was rumpled and dusty from the laundry room floor. And there, dangling over the edge of the seat, was her one bare foot. Her tiny white sock was stained with dirt, the pink sneaker completely missing.
The Father felt a lump form in his throat. It was such a small detail, but the missing shoe broke his heart all over again. It spoke of a frantic struggle, of a little girl trying to run away from grown adults.
He unzipped his gray hoodie, pulling it off over his head. Underneath, he wore a simple black t-shirt. He carefully draped the warm, oversized hoodie over Rosie’s legs, tucking it securely around her bare foot to keep the cold out.
"Daddy's got you," he whispered, buckling the five-point harness with practiced, gentle hands.
Rosie looked up at him, her hazel eyes heavy with exhaustion. "Are they going to find us, Daddy?"
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"No," he said fiercely, smoothing her hair back from her bruised face. "I promise you, Rosie. They will never, ever hurt you again. I am going to make sure they can't."
He kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment to just breathe her in, to assure himself she was really there. Then, he closed the back door, walked around to the driver's side, and got in. He started the engine, threw the car into drive, and sped down the long, winding driveway. As he passed through the massive iron gates of the estate, he didn't look back in the rearview mirror. He only looked forward.
