Collaring Cinderella

I picked it up, then straightened up again in time to see a little old VW Beetle racing off the mansion grounds.

“Ella!” I called out, but there was no way she could’ve seen or heard me. She was already out of earshot, going God knows where and driving much too fast.

I stormed back to the party, now feeling every single guest’s eyes on me as I stood in front of Martha, my eyes burning with anger and my fists shaking. I was ready to kill the woman if she didn’t tell me where Ella had gone, I was so desperate for information. Where had I gone wrong? Had I moved too fast for my sweet, innocent little princess? I needed to fucking know.

“What happened?” I barked at Martha, doing my best not to grab her by the shoulders and shake the information out of her. “What the fuck did you do to my girl? Where the fuck has she gone?”

“She left,” she said, sounding pleased with herself. “The stupid girl finally came to her senses, thank God.”

“What did you say to her?” I growled, feeling rage surging through my body. “Fucking tell me, right now, or I swear to fucking God…”

“Simple as that,” she shrugged. “She didn’t want to stick around after I told her she’d be replaced within days.”

“You told her what?” I was ready to kill the woman when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder, squeezing firmly.

“What’s going on here?” my father cut in, his voice friendly but letting us both know this just wouldn’t do.

Every party guest was staring now, and I felt their curious gazes to my core. But I didn’t give a shit anymore, didn’t care what any of them thought. All I wanted was to get answers, to find my girl and fucking take her away from her witch of a stepmother before it was too late. And I wasn’t going to waste any time doing it. But now that my father was getting involved, I felt my patience wearing thin, desperate to know what had taken place in the few minutes I’d spent away from Ella. Long enough to make her disappear on me, apparently.

“I’m trying to find someone,” I replied coolly. “And Miss Monroe here isn’t being helpful at all.”

“Your housekeeper?” Dad said, and I felt Martha’s mortified gaze burn into him. “What is she doing here in the first place?”

“I don’t know,” my tone was bitter. “Why don’t you ask her.”

Martha, now blushing fiercely and glaring at us, threw her hands in the air.

“Ella this, Ella that,” she said angrily. “Why does it always have to be all about that stupid child? I’m sick of it!”

I raised the collar in front of her eyes, feeling everyone watching me.

“Because she lost this necklace,” I told her simply. “And I want it on her when I ask her to be my wife.”

I heard every single guest gasp, and I felt my father’s eyes on me as I turned back to face Martha.

“You better tell me where she went,” I said. “Or there will be hell to pay.”

“Tell us where she is,” Dad chimed in. “Did she go home?”

“How would I know?” Martha replied, sounding pleased with herself. “She drove off in that godawful VW Beetle of Edna’s.”

My father cleared his throat before clapping me on the back.

“We better go,” he told me, and I nodded, following him to a car waiting downstairs.

My father didn’t seem as weak as he had been the last time I saw him, and we drove to the housekeeper’s house in silence, with him staring out the window and me silently contemplating what Ella was doing. I needed her. Every second I spent away from the girl felt like a fucking eternity, and I was desperate to get her back. I wasn’t going to rest until she was safe and with me again.

“So, a girl,” Dad spoke up, and I looked at him quickly before shifting my eyes back outside.

I couldn’t focus, couldn’t fucking think. The only thing on my mind was my sweet Ella.

“She’s special, Dad,” I finally managed to get out. “She’s really fucking special.”

“You love this girl?” Dad asked me, and I looked right into his eyes before nodding.

“Yes, I do,” I said heatedly.

“You’ll do anything for her?” Dad went on. “Anything at all?”

“Anything in the world,” I confirmed.

“Good,” he grinned at me, and I stared at him, surprised. “Then we better find her.”

I was about to comment when the car came to a stop, and we both got out to find the housekeeper’s cottage deserted.

“She’s obviously not here,” I growled, feeling those instincts kicking in once again.

I needed to find her, take care of her, make sure she was alright. I couldn’t stand being without her and not knowing where she was. I needed her next to me, where she belonged. Needed to taste her sweetness on my tongue every day for the rest of my fucking life.