Vicious Love; Nathaniel's Captive

III

A soft melody played, the sound lingering in the air. Anticipation was mixed in the silence and it made Delilah sweat while she awaited the future.

She swallowed, heart beating wildly as the phone came in front of her, held by the man who stood before her wide open eyes.

She looked at the picture of herself with her father that popped up on the screen along with bouncing buttons, asking for her permission to dismiss or answer.

A drop of sweat rolled down her temple and she looked up at the man who stood in front of her.

He looked back at her, into her big brown eyes. They were glossy and chaos swirled around those dark pupils. He wanted her answer, his features twisted into a scowl. His thumb lingered right above the green button, his intentions clear in his mind, but eyes remained on Delilah, trying to look through her.

She was afraid.

But he did not care. He proceeded to press the screen when she muttered, "You can't do that. We've nothing to do with you."

His eyes narrowed at Delilah as he reconsidered what he wanted to do. Still, she was trying to take a risk. She saw the consequences and it was not even a percent of it, because they could do more, but here, she was once again breathing and panting trials for her father.

How much love did she still have for him? The man before her was tangled up in thoughts. The very man — her father — was the reason she was bleeding yet her love wasn't growing cold for him.

"Do you even know what we're going to do to him?" He let the sound buzz in the air, ignoring it to answer Delilah.

"You'll hurt him," she gulped, shrugging her shoulders.

"Sure, I will," he answered like it was normal. "But you should be grateful that we're only hurting him, not killing him."

Delilah was hit on her amazement. How could someone call it casual? Hurting someone couldn't be so casual. He said like it was normal in his life, like a routine, but Delilah couldn't make a fool of herself because indeed, it was normal for him.

"Still?" She didn't even realize when she submitted herself to request him in a pleading tone. "I don't want you to even hurt my Dad."

Because he was her father and no reason other than that was powerful and convincing enough to justify why Delilah was taking her father's side. The only reason could surpass every reason she could give.

He could be a betrayer, as the man told her, but still, for her, the truth that he was her father was enough to make her stand for him and take risks, as much as possible because she could think of a way to escape.

"He should've thought of his daughter before messing with us. And Delilah, let me tell you one thing, I know very well that you're trying to buy time," his dangerous words made her realize he wasn't easy to be fooled by her. He knew it.

But she never let the realization dawn upon her face. She remained stoic, not answering him in any way.

"But set it in your damn mind, that it'll take you to nothing. The more you're delaying, the more pain you're adding to your father's punishment because either way, we're going to catch him. Don't try to fool us. We've wrestled with many, and my experience speaks louder than your cute little tactics of trying to buy time from me."

So badly she wanted to roll her eyes.

She wasn't a fool to consider them weak. She knew they were smart but 'hoping' was her strength at the moment. She had to hold it to save herself. She knew hope and faith could save her and she learned it when her nanny taught her this. And about buying time, as much as the man was cautious of her tactics, he could take her as a threat, too. Why consider someone weak even before testing them?