Daddy's Little Pet | 18+

|Threats|

ROBERT

After deliberating for an hour, I parked my car in front of the restaurant where Renee worked, ready to talk to her.

My stomach flipped, and before I could change my mind or even consider whether this was a good idea, my hands instinctively went to the door handle and pushed it open.

As I stepped out of the vehicle, a gust of wind hit me square in the face.

The air was crisp and cold, biting at my exposed skin and forcing itself painfully into my lungs.

The sky had suddenly turned dark gray, and the air was chilly, making me a little nervous as I approached the building.

I glanced at my wristwatch and saw that it was already four in the afternoon—two hours before she finished her shift if I recall correctly—and I quickened my pace.

I looked inside the restaurant through the glass windows, hoping to see Renee, but there was no sign of her.

As I approached the front door, I took deep breaths and tried to convince myself that she was probably somewhere else in the building. But a nagging feeling in the back of my mind told me otherwise.

Something was wrong. I had a strong gut feeling. I could tell, but I couldn't explain why. Or perhaps I could?

When I first arrived, I'd expected to see swarms of paparazzi hovering like vultures.

But they weren't there. There were no news vans, no photographers with cameras, and no reporters with microphones held high at the scene. It seemed strange and suspicious.

Why? Because given the brewing scandal, it was only logical that Renee would be their target.

They were looking for more juicy stories, and Renee worked at a popular restaurant, which made her more vulnerable to their attacks. They could track her down, station their cameras and wait until she got off work before accosting her.

It'd only make sense. And as I thought about it, I got angry.

I was enraged by how much power these motherfuckers had over my and Renee's relationship.

I was angry at the damage it could do to our future.

"Fuck!" I muttered incoherently as I came to a halt in front of the restaurant. Without hesitation, I grabbed the handle and pushed it open.

A bell rang, signaling my entrance, and the door opened further. I rushed in, my eyes darting around.

The small restaurant was sparsely populated, with only a few customers seated at the tables.

The patrons weren't paying attention when I walked in. Instead, they were preoccupied with their phones, appearing bored while eating.

However, I couldn't say the same for the waitpersons because they stared at me with wide eyes, surprise, and recognition flashing across their faces.

Their faces paled, and a sudden hush fell over the building.

Their expressions made me uneasy, and I couldn't stop the shiver running up my spine.

I'd sensed something was wrong the moment I'd gotten out of my car, but this was a whole new level of unnerving.

With my feet moving toward the counter, I overheard one of the waitpersons muttering curse words under her breath before my voice echoed through the building. Several heads turned in my direction but I didn't care.

"Where is Renee?" I demanded, my voice rough and sharp despite my attempts to sound more composed.

"Good day, Sir. I..." One of the waitpersons began to stammer, but she was interrupted by another waitress who stepped forward.