Please Me Daddy (Gracie) novel Chapter 219

wonted to lure out a rot

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I wanted to lure out a rat

Grace

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The slow sound of water falling from somewhere above echoed through the darkness, each drop striking the ground with an eerie rhythm that pulled me slowly out of unconsciousness. My head throbbed violently, a sharp, pulsing pain that made it feel as if my skull had been split open, and every part of my body ached as though I had been crushed under something heavy.

A low whine escaped my lips as I tried to shift even slightly, but the smallest movement sent another wave of pain crashing through me. My eyelids felt heavy, sticky, and when I finally forced them open, dried blood on my face blurred my vision and made everything appear distorted.

Instinctively, I tried to lift my hand to wipe the blood away, but my arms refused to move.

I pulled harder.

Nothing.

My wrists burned with a sharp sting, and that was when I realized my hands were bound tightly behind my back. The rough rope dug painfully into my skin every time I struggled.

A groan slipped from my mouth. “W–what the hell…” I muttered weakly, trying again to free myself, but it was useless. The restraints were tight.

My breathing quickened, becoming shallow and uneven as panic began to rise. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a weak bulb hanging from the ceiling, swinging slightly as if it had been disturbed not long ago. The walls were concrete, stained and cracked, and the air smelled damp and stale. It looked like an abandoned storage room.

The last thing I remembered was getting into the car.

I froze.

No. I remembered more.

I remembered calling Apollo. I remembered smiling at my phone. Then the car had stopped. The driver had said he was sorry. The door had opened. Katherine had stepped in. And then, she hit me with a pipe.

My jaw tightened as the memories pieced themselves together. They must have brought me here after I lost consciousness. I let my guard down.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

“Well, would you look at that.”

The voice was light, and cheerful, but there was something twisted beneath it.

I slowly lifted my head despite the pain and focused my blurred vision forward.

Katherine stood a few steps away from me, an arrogant smile stretching across her face. She wore an oversized hoodie, the fabric stained and wrinkled, nothing like the elegant outfits she used to parade around in. The woman who once carried herself like royalty now looked disheveled and unhinged. Her hair was messy, her clothes dirty, and there was a wild, unstable gleam in her eyes that made her look almost unrecognizable.

“The once proud woman,” she continued mockingly, circling me slowly, “who thought everything was going perfectly for her is now tied up in this pathetic state. How does it feel, Grace?”

I studied her quietly, my expression calm, and indifferent.

The only reason I was this calm was because when I had regained consciousness, the first thing I checked, despite the pain,

I wanted to lure out a rat.

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despite the blood, was whether she had hurt my stomach.

She hadn’t.

If she had even touched my unborn child-

My gaze darkened for a split second.

She would not be standing there right now. I would have used every last ounce of strength in me to drag her straight to hell.

I inhaled slowly and leaned back against the cold chair, ignoring the ache in my head as I asked, “Are you working alone?”

Katherine stopped mid–step. Her smile faltered slightly. “What?”

“Are you working alone?” I repeated calmly.

She frowned, irritation flashing across her face. “Why are you asking that? And why the hell are you looking at me like that?” Her voice rose with frustration. “You should be scared. You should be begging. You should be worried about your life. Why are you so relaxed?”

I tilted my head slightly despite the pounding in it and let out a quiet breath.

“Do you really think that you caught me off guard and successfully kidnapped me, when this was part of my plan.”

She blinked. “W–what?”

“The reason I publicly revealed my identity as the true heiress of the Jones family, and made myself appear vulnerable was because I wanted to lure out a rat.”

I held her gaze without fear.

“And the only way to lure a rat out is to make the rat believe there’s food waiting.”

“”

“From the way the killer has been moving, I knew she would eventually come after me. I expected it. I prepared for it. I just didn’t expect you to be the one stupid enough to show your face and do the dirty work yourself.”

My eyes slowly dropped to my stomach without meaning to, and for a split second my calm mask almost cracked. Especially now. Especially with the life growing inside me. If I had known beforehand that I was pregnant, I would have been far more careful. It was no longer just my safety at stake. It was my child’s.

My fingers twitched uselessly against the ropes behind my back as a wave of determination steadied me.

I had to make it home in one piece. Apollo was waiting for me. My family was waiting for me. Eleanor, Wyatt, the twins, they were all living their lives believing I would walk back through the door like I always did. I could not disappear like this. I would not let my child’s story end before it even began.

I lifted my head again and tilted it slightly at Katherine, letting a faint, mocking smile touch my lips. “But of course, a dumb person like you

wouldn’t realize that. If it makes you feel better, though, I can pretend your little kidnapping plan worked perfectly. Would that ease your wounded pride?”

Her expression twisted instantly. Her hand clenched at her side, her nails digging into her palm. “You stupid bitch,” she hissed before striding toward me and slapping me across the face with brutal force.

My head snapped violently to the side, pain exploding through my cheek and merging horribly with the injury already throbbing at my temple. For a second, white light flashed across my vision, and I tasted blood in my mouth. It was honestly a miracle I was still conscious after the blow she had given me earlier. If she lost control again, I might actually die here on this filthy floor.

When she realized I wasn’t crying, begging, or breaking the way she wanted me to, her eyes filled with even more fury. She

I wanted to lure out a rot

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lifted her hand again, ready to strike me a second time.

“Do you really want to throw your life away like that?” I said sharply before her hand could land.

She froze mid–motion.

I slowly turned my head back to face her, ignoring the burning pain in my cheek. “You seem to have forgotten who I am,” I continued, my voice low. “I am Apollo Reed’s woman. Do you honestly believe he will let you walk away once he finds out what you’ve done? You won’t even get the chance to explain yourself. The moment he knows you laid a hand on me, your life is over.”

Her fingers trembled slightly.

“And I am the true daughter of the Jones family,” I pressed on, my tone colder now. “My mother and my brothers will not spare you either. Do you think you can fight both families and survive?”

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