2 BRAND: I'sm Your New Daddy

"You, asshole!" She spats, her claws digging into her palms as she fists her hands behind her back.

"I thought I'm your God." I mock before I chuckle.

Director Martins comes into the room. His brows raise in amusement as he watches the team escort Lea out before he turns to me with a shake of his head. He slaps my back and laughs.

"You just have to take her out of her clothes, don't you?"

"Serves her right." I say and grit my teeth. "She fucking destroyed a lot of young lives by this human trafficking she's been operating for years. I wish prison won't be that kind to her."

"You did good today, agent Harris." The old man slaps my back again before going out of the room.

I follow him and watch as policemen escort the almost naked women out of the warehouse and put them inside the vans. They will be transferred to NCMEC custody since almost of them seems to be minors. In the other rooms, little girls are retrieved, so thin and pale and spooked at the commotion. I can't stand looking at the scene longer and turn to Director Martins.

"Should I go to the station with the team?"

"No. You go ahead. We got this." The old man offers his hand to me and I take it. "Good job, agent. I'll talk to you soon with your promotion. You did good with the operation tonight."

"Thank you, sir." I nod at him before walking out of that godforsaken place and floored the gas of my car.

I go straight into my apartment with hopeful heart. I'm only twenty-four but I can see my path from being a mere asset into a full blown agent. I know after tonight, my promotion is expected and I'm too damn happy with where my career is heading.

I park on the spot I usually take in the parking lot and turn the engine down. I get out and round my car to take my bag from the trunk but stop as something catches my peripheral vision. Peering into the window of the backseat, I'm taken aback at the girl curled in a ball inside my car.

Pulling the handle, I quickly open the door before she chokes inside without oxygen. Oh, my God! What is she doing inside my car? I brush away her hair that covers her face and freeze. She's the girl that's in the picture that Lea Connors promised to sell to me.

Heather Clarkson. That's her name. Apparently, there's a family that was attacked by a burglar and the parents were murdered. But police couldn't find the body of their eleven-year-old daughter. She's been reported missing for months now.

When I was assigned to investigate a human trafficking case and posed as a client, I was surprised to know that they sent out a book full of the girls' pictures and a brief list of their traits to serve as a menu. One of them was Heather Clarkson. CPD immediately arranged a raid to bust the illegal operation which actually what just happened earlier. And I fucking forgot about Heather!

I gingerly cup her face and she stirs from my touch, her eyes fluttering open. Soft blue pair of eyes found my gaze and she quickly sits up before flinging her body towards me.

"Daddy!" She cries out and almost chokes me with how tight she wraps my neck with her arms.

"Ahm, I'm not your daddy." I tell her while taking her arms off of my neck.

"Mistress Lea says a certain Mr. Brand Harris will come tonight and adopts me." Heather says as she hesitantly undoes her arms from my body. "She showed me your picture and introduced you to be my new daddy since…" She trails off. "Since my real dad is…is…" Her lips tremble as her eyes form tears.

I curse inwardly. Goddamn it! With her hesitation, I can only conclude she must have witnessed the murder of her own parents. A fucking nightmare for such young age as her.

"Shh. It's alright, Heather. It's alright." I tell her and scoop her into my arms. "We should go to NCMEC. There, you'll be treated with your trauma and give you a better and new life."

"Aren't you the one that's supposed to do that to me? You're my new dad, aren't you?"

I open my mouth to disagree with her words but when I meet her gaze, I see mixed emotions swirling in her pretty powder blue eyes. Hope, fear, hunger, desperation. All too overwhelming for a little girl to suffer. I clear my throat and pet her hair.

"Yes," I find myself saying. "I'm your new daddy. And I will take care of you from now on."