We Want Mommy Not You Daddy (Cedar) novel Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Oliver’s POV

I pressed my eat against the door of Suite 412, bouncing on my toes. My heart was pounding super fast, but I couldn’t hear anything clearly. Just muffled voices. The bad feeling in my tummy got worse.

I saw a gross man open the door for Mommy and let her in. He had mean piggy eyes and smelled like the yucky stuff Daddy sometimes drinks in his office

when he thinks I’m asleep.

‘Come on, come on, I whispered, pushing against the heavy door. It wouldn’t budge. I tried kicking it, but that just hurt my foot through my sneaker.

This was all going wrong. Hunter was supposed to be with me, but that stupid security guard had to stop him at the entrance. Something about “suspicious person.” I’d managed to slip past while Hunter argued with him, but now I was alone, and Mommy might be in trouble.

1 pressed my ear harder against the door. The voices got louder, and I heard something crash.

“That’s it,” I muttered, stepping back. I needed Hunter. Now.

1 raced down the hallway toward the elevator. The lobby was huge, with tall columns perfect for hiding behind. I peered around one, spotting Hunter still arguing with the security guard at the desk.

Hunter caught my eye from across the lobby. I could tell he was annoyed–his left eyebrow was doing that twitchy thing it does when I’ve done something particularly troublesome. Well, too bad. This was an emergency.

I scanned the situation. The security guard was big but slow–looking. Hunter was strong but stuck behind that stupid little gate thing. I needed a distraction.

Taking a deep breath, I darted from behind the column. As I approached, I heard the guard saying to a visitor, “Sir, without proper authorization from Mr.

Sterling-

Perfect timing. I slipped near the guard and stomped as hard as I could on his foot.

“OW!” he yelled, spinning around.

“NOW!” I shouted at Hunter.

Hunter didn’t hesitate. He vaulted over the security desk in one smooth motion and scooped me up like a football. The guard lunged for us, but Hunter was already sprinting toward the elevator.

“Fourth floor!” I directed as Hunter punched the button. “Mommy’s in trouble!”

The elevator doors closed just as the security guard reached them. I could hear him shouting into his radio,

Young Master Oliver,” Hunter said in that calm–but–not–really–calm voice, ‘your father is going to fire me for this.”

‘No, he won’t, I said confidently. “I’ll tell him I kidnapped you.”

Hunter made that funny snorting sound he does when he’s trying not to laugh. “Where exactly are we going?”

‘Suite 412! Mommy’s meeting with a bad man.”

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Chapter 11

The elevator doors opened, and Hunter carried me down the corridor. We were almost to the corner when I heard familiar footsteps approaching from the

other direction.

‘Stop. I whispered urgently, but it was too late.

We rounded the corner and nearly slammed right into Daddy.

My heart stopped. Daddy was coming out of Suite 412, closing the door behind him. He looked surprised for a split second before his face hardened into that expression I knew too well–the one that meant someone was in big trouble, and that someone was definitely me.

Hunter froze, still holding me. I scrambled down from his arms, my mind racing.

“Oliver, Daddy said, his voice dangerously calm. “What are you doing here?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My brain was too busy trying to understand why Daddy was coming out of the room where Mommy was supposed to be meeting

the bad man. Had he hurt her? Was she okay?

No, I couldn’t let Daddy take me back. And I couldn’t rescue Mommy now. If Daddy found out I’d found her, he might prevent me from seeing her again.

Instead, I grabbed Hunter’s hand and pulled him toward the exit.

“Stop this nonsense immediately!” Daddy called after us, his voice echoing down the hallway.

Hunter hesitated for only a second before lifting me again and sprinting toward the stairwell several steps away. I could hear Daddy’s footsteps behind us.

“He can’t catch us,” I said into Hunter’s ear. “He can’t know about Mommy.”

“Young master, this is getting out of hand-”

“Please, Hunter,” I begged. “He’ll take her away from me again!”

Something in my voice must have convinced him, because Hunter pushed through the stairwell door and started down the steps two at a time.

My mind was racing faster than we were running. If Daddy found out I was with Mommy, he’d never let me see her again. And if Mommy found out I’d been lying about not having a daddy, she might not want me anymore. The thought made my chest hurt worse than when I had pneumonia last winter.

“We need to get to the first floor and out the side exit,” I instructed, my strategic mind taking over despite my pounding heart.

Hunter nodded, his breathing steady as we descended. I could still hear Daddy’s footsteps above us, but they were getting fainter. Maybe we’d lose him,

That hope vanished when we burst through the stairwell door into the first–floor lobby. Standing directly in front of us, looking completely unsurprised, was

Daddy,

“How did he- Hunter started.

‘Elevator,” I whispered, my heart sinking. That was a mistake.

.A small, knowing smile played at the corner of Daddy’s mouth. He hadn’t even broken a sweat.

“That’s enough, Oliver,” he said.

“This way!” I whispered urgently, tugging Hunter’s hand. We raced down the corridor, passing several doors until we found ourselves in a back area of the

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Chapter 11

building.

“Quick, in here!” I pulled Hunter toward a small door marked “Maintenance that turned out to be a janitor’s closet. We squeezed inside, surrounded by mops, buckets, and the strong smell of bleach and pine cleaner.

Hunter carefully eased the door nearly closed, leaving just a tiny crack. We both held our breath as footsteps approached. Through the small opening. I could see Daddy walking slowly past our hiding spot, scanning the area. He didn’t look worried or even particularly angry–just mildly amused, which was

somehow worse.

After checking several doors down the hallway, he paused. I thought for a moment he might discover us, but then he turned away.

“Alright, Oliver. Let’s see what game you’re playing.” I heard him say softly, almost to himself.

I felt relieved as Daddy’s footsteps faded away.

Hunter looked down at me in the dim light of the closet. “Young Master, what exactly is our plan now?”

I chewed my lip, thinking hard. “Now we should find Mommy. I have to make sure she’s okay.”

And what if your mom catches us following her? Hunter asked.

I squared my small shoulders, feeling the weight of my mission. “Then I’ll tell her the truth.” I paused, reconsidering. “No wait, that’s a bad idea. Let’s just be

super sneaky so she doesn’t see us.”

Hunter sighed, the way grown–ups do when they know they’re making a bad decision but are going to do it anyway. “Alright, buddy. But maybe we should wait a few minutes before heading out.”

Comments

Roberta M. Kemp

lol just love that little boy