Taming Her Beasts

Chapter 3

Morning sunlight spilled through the bedroom window in a sharp, unforgiving beam—warm, bright, and landing directly across my eyes. I groaned and buried my face into the pillow, curling instinctively toward the spot where Daddy should’ve been.

But the sheets were cool.

The bed felt too wide.

And the empty space beside me sent a cold shock through my chest.

Daddy was gone.

The memory of last night’s discipline flickered through my mind—heat, tension, his firm voice—and when I sat up, a sting pulsed across my tender bottom. I winced, shifting carefully before reaching for the robe at the foot of the bed. Wrapping it around myself, I shuffled toward the hallway, still half-expecting him to appear around the corner with a soft smile and coffee.

But the house was painfully, unnaturally still.

My breath quickened.

“Daddy?” I called softly.

Silence answered.

The absence felt heavy… wrong.

A knot of panic tightened in my stomach. My hands trembled as I descended the stairs, calling louder this time.

“Daddy?!”

Still nothing.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I stepped into the kitchen, scanning every surface for some sign—anything—to tell me he hadn’t just disappeared into the night. That’s when I spotted it. A small slip of paper taped to the refrigerator door.

Relief and dread hit me at once.

I lunged for it so quickly the chair I passed knocked over with a loud crash, the sudden noise jolting my already-frayed nerves.

I ripped the note from the fridge and unfolded it with shaking hands.

Dear baby girl,

I am sorry. I had to leave in the middle of the night, as this place is no place to take my baby girl. When Daddy gets back, he will make it up to you, I promise. Also, please be a good girl while Daddy is away.

The words blurred as a rush of anger boiled through me—hot, immediate, heartbreaking.

I crushed the note in my hand and hurled it into the trash.

How could he?

How could he leave without waking me, without explaining, without even a kiss goodbye?

A note was all I got?

Tears stung my eyes but I blinked them back. I grabbed my phone, thumb hovering over his contact. I could call him. Demand answers. Scream. Cry.

But something stopped me.

He had left that note for a reason—one I didn’t understand yet.

I set the phone down slowly.

I paced the kitchen, my thoughts spiraling fast and messy. Something wasn’t right—deep down, I felt it. Daddy didn’t just “leave.” Not like this. Not without me.

I needed answers.

And I knew exactly where to find them.

I spun on my heel and ran upstairs. I pulled on proper clothes—real ones, ones that matched—then thundered back down the steps, snatching my keys from the hook by the door. The morning air slapped my face as I stepped outside, but urgency kept me moving.

The drive to Daddy’s office blurred by in a haze of tight breaths and worst-case scenarios. Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the crowded company parking lot, weaving through rows of shiny cars until I found a narrow spot in the third row.

I locked my car with a trembling thumb and stared up at the massive tower of glass and steel. It felt intimidating—cold and corporate, a world Daddy never let overlap with our own private one.

My heels clicked sharply as I walked toward the front entrance, each step feeding my determination.

He owed me an explanation.

And I would get it.

A man ahead of me caught the door before it closed, holding it open with a polite nod.

“Thank you,” I managed, forcing a small smile even as my stomach twisted.

Inside, the lobby buzzed with people in suits, phones ringing, shoes tapping across polished floors. I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my nerves. My heart was still pounding, half with fear, half with what-if dread.

Was he going to be angry that I came here?

Would he scold me in front of strangers?

Punish me later?

The thoughts tangled in my mind, but I shoved them aside.

Daddy was missing.

And I wasn’t leaving without the truth.