Page 15 of Daddy Dreadful (Forbidden Pleasures Island #5)

Chapter Fourteen

Millie

I was wrong.

While Natalie launches into a story about some trouble she’s recently gotten herself into, the other three girls simply watch me. Juliet leans over to Victoria, cupping her hand over her friend’s ear and whispering something I can’t hear.

But considering she’s staring straight at me as she does, I don’t have to guess what the topic of their whispered conversation is.

“All right, princess.” Mr. Blackwood bends down to scoop Juliet up into his arms, pressing a loud kiss to her cheek while she giggles and pretends to fight him off. “Be good for Miss Evelyn today.”

Glancing down, he spots me sitting next to Natalie and grins. “Millie. I heard a rumor you were going to be here today. You girls be sure to show Millie around and help her feel at home. She’s part of the group now.”

At his words, Juliet’s face scrunches up. “But she’s not family.”

“Juliet.” Mr. Blackwood’s tone takes on a dangerous edge.

“I made a mistake letting you get away with being nasty to Natalie when she first arrived. Trust me when I tell you I won’t make that same mistake again.

If I find out you’ve been anything other than kind and welcoming to Millie, you will be going to bed with a sore bottom inside and out. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Juliet’s reply is sulky, and the pout on her face clearly says she doesn’t appreciate being told to be nice.

“That goes for you, too, Isabella,” Mr. Drake says, giving his Little girl a stern look. “I expect you to help Millie feel welcome.”

“Yes, Daddy.” Though she isn’t outwardly pouting, Isabella doesn’t seem any happier about the order.

And who could blame her? I wouldn’t want to be told I had to be friends with someone, either.

Mr. Blackwood and Mr. Drake look over at Mr. Hawthorne, who smirks in response. “I don’t have to tell my Little girl to be nice. Do I, Natalie?”

“No, Daddy! I love Millie!”

At least someone does.

“Good girl.” Leaning down, he taps a finger on her nose, sending her into a fit of giggles. “Daddy will be back in a few hours to pick you up. Maybe we can talk Millie’s Daddy into an ice-cream date if you’re both on your best behavior.”

“Oooh, you hear that Millie? Ice cream!”

“That would be fun. Thanks, Mr. Hawthorne.”

Natalie’s Daddy grins, and although he still looks like the dangerous man he is, the smile transforms his face. “I think under the circumstances you should call me Uncle Evan like the others. Mr. Hawthorne is an awfully big mouthful for such a Little girl.”

Emotion swells in my chest, so big and bright it physically hurts. “Really? I can call you Uncle Evan?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

Grinning, Mr. Blackwood throws an arm around Mr. Drake’s shoulder. “Well in that case, you should call me Uncle Jasper. Gideon?”

“Of course.”

Uncles. I have uncles. Fun ones too, by the sound of things, and my brain is already hard at work imagining all the adventures we’ll have together.

My new uncles tell everyone goodbye again, leaving me alone with my… are they my cousins now? Friends? What do I call them?

But before I can work up the nerve to ask, Miss Evelyn claps her hands, drawing our attention to her. “All right, Little ones. We’re going to start our morning with a craft. Who wants to make friendship bracelets?”

We all cheer, and Natalie grabs my hand to drag me over to a large table covered with containers of beads. Some are just bright and colorful, while others have letters on them.

“I want you each to make a bracelet for all the other girls in our class. When you’re done, we’ll do an exchange, so everyone should leave with four bracelets.

It can be something funny that makes you think of that friend, or something nice you want to say to them.

” Miss Evelyn pins Juliet with a stern look.

“And I do mean nice , Juliet Sloane. One sarcastic bracelet from you and not only will you be spending the rest of the morning in timeout, I will make sure your Daddy knows how naughty you were. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Juliet’s response is perfectly sweet. There’s no reason for the hairs on the back of my neck to be standing on end, and yet they do.

Maybe if I go out of my way to make them each something nice and personal to them, they’ll forgive me for working with Doctor D.

With that in mind, I reach for the pink beads. They’re Victoria’s favorite color. As I place them carefully on the string Miss Evelyn cut for me, I try to think of what else I know about Victoria.

She’s sweet, funny in a way that sneaks up on you because she’s generally just a ball of happiness but sometimes she gets in a zinger that makes you wonder if you heard her correctly.

What’s another word for happiness? I wrack my brain as I continue alternating different shades of pink on my string.

Joyful . That’s the word I would use to describe Victoria.

“Oh, that’s so pretty!” Natalie whispers, leaning over my shoulder to peek at my progress. “Is that one for Tori?”

“Uh-huh.”

“She’s gonna love it. Here, you should add these unicorn beads. She loves unicorns.”

“Thank you!”

My excitement builds as I work first on Victoria—Tori’s—bracelet. Then Juliet’s in teal, with the word clever . For Isabella, I choose every shade of green I can find and add the word graceful .

When I finally get to Natalie’s, I hesitate. Her favorite color is black, but she’s so much… brighter to me. Of all the Littles, she’s the only one who’s ever stood up for me against Doctor D. Not that I expect anyone to, but she was the one who gave me the courage to stand up for myself.

For that reason, I make her bracelet a rainbow. I don’t know if she’ll like it as much, but after she brought such brightness into my life, it just seems like the perfect fit.

It takes me even longer to figure out a word. Brave? Yes, but she’s so much more than that. Fun? Happy? Sarcastic?

Again, she’s all those things, but so much more. After what feels like hours of deliberation, I finally settle on a word, one she hopefully won’t hate or feel weirded out by.

I’m just putting the final touches on Natalie’s bracelet when Miss Evelyn tells us it’s almost time to wrap things up. Everyone hurries to finish what they’re doing, and my heart feels like it might pound right out of my chest when Miss Evelyn has us exchange our bracelets.

Jumping out of my seat, I head straight for Victoria first. “Here, Tori! I made you this!” I shove the bracelet toward her, and Victoria looks from the string of pink beads to me and smiles, though it looks a little strained at the edges.

“Oh… thank you, that’s so nice! Um, I ran out of time, though, so I didn’t get to make you one. I’m sorry, Millie.”

Disappointment pricks at my chest, but I shrug it off with a smile. “No problem. I had a lot of fun anyway. You can still keep that one, I made it special for you.”

Turning away, I approach Juliet next. “Here you go, Juliet. I know you really like teal.”

“I think I’m kinda over teal, actually. But thanks.” She smiles, and unlike Victoria’s which merely looked a bit odd, Juliet’s expression looks downright smug. “I ran out of time, too. Sorry.”

My throat burns with tears and I have to blink against the urge to let them fall. “Oh. That’s okay. I don’t really need one.”

The same scene plays out with Isabella, who looks more uncomfortable than anything, her gaze sliding over to Juliet almost like she’s starting to panic.

By the time I get to Natalie, she’s glaring daggers at the others, and guilt starts to creep in alongside my disappointment. The last thing I want to do is cause problems with my new friends.

Tilting her nose in the air, she holds a bracelet out for me, with bright yellow beads interspersed with bumblebees.

“Well I had plenty of time to make everyone a bracelet,” she says, raising her voice loud enough for everyone, even Miss Evelyn to hear.

“Yours says ‘sunny’ ‘cause your smile makes me think of sunshine.”

“Really?” The tears I’ve been trying to hold back pool in my eyes. “Thank you, Natalie!”

Without thinking, I launch myself at her and she shrieks with laughter as I tackle her with a hug. “You’re welcome. And please call me Nelly. That’s what my friends all call me.”

Sniffling, I pull back and wipe at my eyes. “Thanks, Nelly. Um, I made you this. I know your favorite color is black, but, well, you remind me of rainbows.”

Nelly takes the bracelet from me, her mouth falling open. “Bestie? Really? I’ve never had a bestie before!”

“Me neither!”

Someone scoffs, and we turn together to see Juliet rolling her eyes. “You can’t seriously want to be her friend after she was so mean to us!”

Mean? When was I ever mean? Sure, I had to do some not-so-nice things as Donovan’s nurse, but I don’t think I was ever mean to anyone.

Hands fisted on her hips, Nelly glares at her. “Millie isn’t mean! She’s the nicest nurse ever! You’re the mean one!”

“Girls!” Miss Evelyn raises her voice over the growing noise and claps her hand, effectively shutting down the argument. “Juliet, you can go sit in the timeout chair until you’re ready to be the sweet girl I know you are.”

Beside me, Nelly snorts. “Right. Sweet.”

Juliet stomps her foot. “Oh, shut up, Nelly!”

“You shut up!”

Victoria jumps up, trying to get between them. “Both of you shut up! You’re being stupid!”

“Victoria Rose! We do not use that kind of language in my classroom. You and Natalie can both join Juliet in timeout!”

Cries of protest ring out in the room, with everyone accusing someone else of “starting it” or “being mean”. And as I watch the fight grow, all I can think is This is all my fault .

I never should have come to this island. Nothing has gone right for me since the day I stepped off that plane. Everyone here would be better off if I just disappeared.

Spinning around, I do the only thing I can think of and race for the front door as my vision blurs with tears. Miss Evelyn’s voice follows me as I shove the door open and run down the front steps.

But I don’t stop. Don’t even pause as I run as hard and as fast as I can for the center of town. Which, luckily for me, isn’t that far because I’ve never been much of a runner.

By the time I reach the cafe, there’s a stabbing pain in my side and my breaths are coming in short, desperate gasps. Stopping on the sidewalk, I bend at the waist, struggling to get enough air into my lungs.

“Oh, sweetheart. What’s wrong? Where’s your Daddy or your Mommy?”

Lifting my head, I squint up at Ms. Montgomery. I’ve only met her once, but even if I hadn’t, I would know her by sight. She’s easily the most beautiful woman on the island, hell maybe the most beautiful woman in the world , with long black hair and cheekbones that look like they could cut glass.

“S-sorry M-Miss Mon-Mon-Mon—” I try to get her name out, but I still don’t have enough air in my lungs.

“Millie? Honey, what are you doing out here? Are you all right?” Cupping my elbow in her hand, she opens the cafe door and guides me inside. “Here, have a seat and let Auntie Cat get you some water.”

Auntie Cat . Just a few minutes ago, that name would have filled me with unparalleled happiness. Now, it just feels like a promise of something I’ll never actually have. And as soon as my butt hits the chair she’s led me to, my eyes fill with tears.

“Oh, sweet girl. Come here.”

Taking the seat beside me, she helps me up out of my chair and pulls me onto her lap. The chairs of the cafe are almost like oversized armchairs, more than large enough for a Mommy or Daddy to cradle their Little one on their lap.

Wrapped tightly in her arms, I try to calm my sobs as she rocks me gently, patting my diapered bottom exactly like one might with a fussy baby.

“Poor little thing,” she murmurs, brushing her lips across my forehead. “Go ahead and cry it all out, honey, and then you can tell Auntie Cat all about it.”

It’s as though she’s given me permission I didn’t even realize I was waiting for. Curling into her, I surrender to the tears, sobbing against her shoulder while she rocks and soothes me. Someone comes to the table, and she has a murmured conversation with them, but I’m too lost in my grief to care.

Finally, the tears slow, then stop completely and I’m able to drag in a deep, shuddering breath before I go limp in her arms, my eyes swollen and sore from my crying jag. “Sorry to cry all over you, Ms. Montgomery.”

“No sorries needed here, little one. And you can call me Auntie Cat. Now,” she continues, plowing forward without giving me a chance to argue, “what’s wrong with our sweet little Millie?”

For a moment, I consider lying. Telling her I just had a bad day at work or something.

But when I open my mouth, the truth comes spilling out. Everything from how much I hated working for Doctor D, to turning in my resignation, the trip to New York, waking up in my new nursery with a man I can’t stand telling me he’s my Daddy. All the way up to the bracelet fiasco at school.

“Well. That is quite a tale, Millie.” Her voice is tight with barely restrained anger, and my heart sinks to my knees.

I knew it. I said too much, and obviously she’s going to side with her nieces.

“I’m not lying.” Really, I’m not even sure why I’m defending myself, other than I am desperate for someone to believe I’m not the villain in this story. “I swear I’m not, Auntie Cat.”

To my surprise, she smiles down at me, brushing a lock of hair from my tear-stained face.

“Sweet girl, I never for a second thought you were lying. I’m a bit shocked that Victoria and Isabella were so mean to you, but don’t worry.

We’ll get to the bottom of their behavior soon enough.

For now, you’re going to have a bottle while we wait for your Daddy. ”