Page 18 of My Little Doe
“One time… and I learned that I couldn’t actually escape,” I said.
“You would do it again, if you knew you could get away,” he said.
“Wouldn’t you, if you had a child you needed to protect?” I said.
“Maybe, then again, I wouldn’t have gotten myself in your position,” he said.
“Of course not,” I said, rolling my eyes, not that he could see me. “You can’t get pregnant—”
“And if someone I’d gotten pregnant was in this… never mind. Playing hypotheticals doesn’t serve either of us. Eat your breakfast before it goes bad,” he said.
“How’d you know I hadn’t?” I asked.
“I know.”
“I’m not hungry this morning,” I told him.
“Suit yourself.”
I crawled to the VHS player and put inJurassic Park. I'd been avoiding it—it was Aspen's favorite. She'd squeal when the dinosaurs came on. She didn’t understand what was happening in the movie, but she loved talking about all the different creatures she’d seen.
“Thank God for a new choice,” Quinnlyn said.
That alone almost made me want to press the eject button and put inForrest Gump, because I was sure that movie drove him thecraziest. I was surprised he hadn’t taken it and gotten rid of it, but this wasn’t about him. I ignored him and continued watching it. Tears streamed down my face, thinking of her big blue eyes, smiling at me with the perfect little smile. Her light brown hair moved around as she danced. Every time I’d put it in and the opening credits would start playing, she would run around the living room dancing and screaming “dinosaurs” in pure delight.
“What the fuck?” Quinnlyn said, startling me from the movie.
Before I said anything, I could hear someone walking down the hall. No, more than one person was coming. I stood and walked to the door slowly, and pressed my back against the wall next to the door. No matter how quiet I'd been last time, he'd still known. No point in trying to be sneaky again.
“We’ve come for her,” a deep voice said.
“On whose orders?” Quinnlyn said.
“Ravik,” a different voice answered.
“Why isn’t he down here to get her himself?” Quinnlyn said.
“He’s tied up with some mishaps last night during some new transitions,” the first voice said.
“How do I know this isn’t some bullshit trick?” Quinnlyn said, his voice had gone deeper with each word.
“Why would this be a trick? Do you think I want to cross my father?” a voice said.
A voice I hadn’t heard in months—Benji. I actually knew Benji before Daxyn. He'd shown interest in me more than once, but I'd always turned him down. I hadn’t liked him like that. He was a good friend to me, but I didn’t know where we stood now. I was pregnant with his brother’s child, his father kept me captive, and I didn’t trust anyone anymore.
“Where are you supposed to take her?” Quinnlyn asked.
“Apparently, to the Lupo House. A room has been set up for her to stay in without being able to… leave,” Benji said.
“My orders are?”
“Oh, you are to accompany her and remain on watch,” the deep voice said.
“Four of us to take her?” Quinnlyn questioned.
“I could take her by myself,” Benji said.
“Absolutely fucking not. You don’t think I don’t know that she’s Paxton’s little sister, the same little sister you’ve been hung up on? I pay attention more than you think,” Quinnlyn said.
