by Jane Henry
Charlie let out an enormous yawn. “Maybe when it’s springtime, Slay can help me ride my bike. I bet he knows how to ride a bike, don’t you think? Maybe we should ask him.”
In the spring. It was way too soon to be thinking about what Slay would be doing with them in the spring… wasn’t it?
Alice shook her head and stroked a hand through his blond curls. “Maybe you should roll over and close your eyes, and we’ll worry about that later, okay?”
“Okay, Momma,” Charlie agreed sleepily, already rolling over and making himself comfortable.
She kissed his soft cheek, turned off the big light, and backed out, shutting the door.
She paused with her hand still on the knob and took a breath. She had to go talk to Slay about all the things that had been worrying her, but what in the world would she say? How in the world would she begin?
“He’s a great kid.”
Slay’s deep voice, pitched low, came from the far end of the hallway, and she instinctively turned toward him.
“He is,” she agreed, walking over to stand in front of him.
“What happened with his dad? Why isn’t he around?” There was a definite thread of anger in his voice, anger on Charlie’s behalf.
Alice took a minute to let the sweetness of that slide through her before she replied.
“Last I heard, he was living in Concord with his wife.”
“Concord is thirty minutes from here. In traffic,” Slay said.
“Yup. And it might as well be a million miles away,” she said. She slid past him and down the hall, flipping the kitchen light back on as she went. She was going to need tea, if not something stronger, to get through this conversation.
Though the man made not a single sound, she could feel him behind her, angry and comforting all at once, and knew he’d followed.
“His dad’s name is Derek,” Alice began, as she grabbed the kettle from the stove and filled it with water. “We were high school sweethearts. You know the drill—I was the perky cheerleader, he was the student council president. His mom is rich, my parents are solidly middle-class, but we didn’t care. We were going to be President and First Lady someday and it would make a great story.” She rolled her eyes at her own innocence and set the water over the flame.
“We had sex once, Slay. One time. It wasn’t planned. We were saving ourselves for marriage, you know? But things got out of hand and it happened. One. Time. Without protection.”
She turned to look at him then, suddenly desperate to see how he was taking all of this. He had stopped in the doorway from the hall and was leaning one shoulder against the wall. His face was blank and set, his arms folded over his chest, and she was somehow thrown back to the night she’d had to tell her parents that her one time had resulted in a pregnancy. The shame of it had been crippling.
But damn it, she was way beyond that now. Screw anyone who wanted to judge her based on her past. She stood up straighter.
“That was that,” she continued. “When I told Derek I wanted to keep the baby, he told me I was crazy. Told me he had as much say in the matter as I did, and he didn’t want a kid.”
Slay made a growling noise that Alice couldn’t interpret.
“To be fair,” she allowed, “Derek said he was thinking of me, too. I had a bright future ahead of me. I had a scholarship to BU. We had this whole plan. Kids were supposed to come later, after grad school. And as far as he was concerned, I was the one throwing a wrench in the works, throwing everything away. So, needless to say, he’s not involved in Charlie’s life.”
“He should pay…” Slay began, but Alice cut him off with a shake of her head.
“No. Charlie’s mine. I mean, maybe if I went to court, he’d end up paying me child support, but then what if he decides, a few years down the line, that he actually wants to get involved in Charlie’s life and play at being his dad? Not gonna happen. Not if I can help it. It sucks financially right now, but it keeps my boy protected.” She looked at Slay seriously and continued, “That’s the most important thing, Slay. Protecting Charlie.”
He got what she was saying. He unfolded himself from the wall and strode forward until their chests were nearly touching. “I swear to you, Alice, that I will never do anything to hurt you or Charlie. I told you before, and now I’m going to say it again: I’m all-in with this. With you. With him.”
He lifted one hand and brushed a strand of hair back from her forehead. So sweet. She felt herself melting.
“Why didn’t you call me today?” she blurted out, startling both of them.
“What?” Slay blinked.
“You didn’t call or text. Yeah, you said you’d be busy. But too busy to take a break or check in? Because what if something happened to me or to Charlie, Slay? You can’t… you can’t just take day off. You can’t just decide to only be available when it’s convenient.”
The words poured out of her, every needy, whiny, helpless thought she tortured herself with. She was mortified, but she couldn’t stop.
“And I don’t blame you, really I don’t. It’s a lot to take on—I’ve got a kid, I’ve got this busy, complicated life, clearly I sound like a crazy person half the time,” she said with a laugh that sounded more like a sob. “But I just…”
“Allie,” he said. One word, and it stopped her tirade like a cork in a bottle.
His arms came around her and one hand came up to grip her jaw firmly, forcing her to look at him.
“Babe, I explained to you this morning that I had a busy day. And yeah, it was too busy to take a break or check in.” His voice was rough and direct. “I don’t just work at Inked or at The Club, babe. I have private security work I do, too, with some former Marine buddies of mine.” He glanced significantly at his arm, where his shirt covered the bullet-hole scar he’d acquired when he and some of the security guys he worked with had helped to rescue Nora.
Alice took a shuddering breath. She did know that he had friends who did that. She hadn’t realized how involved he was. “I’m being crazy, aren’t I?”
“You’re being cautious,” he corrected. “I get it. And because I get it, because I get that you need to protect Charlie, too, I’m working as hard as I can to be patient with you about this. But babe, you need to trust me if this shit’s going to work. It’s not easy, maybe it’s not instinctive, I know. But you’ve gotta trust me enough to come to me, to share this shit with me, so that we can talk through it, so it doesn’t build up and drive you insane. You’ve gotta trust that I’m not going to roll over you and abandon you when you do. I’m not that dickhead. You get me?”
God, is that what she had been doing? Comparing Slay to Derek? Not believing that Slay would stick around because Derek hadn’t? Judging Slay based on his past, even though she loathed it when people did that to her? Slay hadn’t done one single thing to suggest that she couldn’t trust him. She was being silly and, worse, unfair. And she was fighting against the most amazing thing to happened to her since Charlie was born, the one thing she wanted most.
“I get you, Daddy,” she said.
It was the first time she’d said it without prompting, fully clothed and not crazed with lust. It was the first time she’d voluntarily acknowledged exactly what was growing between them, and she knew he recognized it when his beautiful brown eyes softened… then heated.
The hand gripping her jaw slid back to grab the hair at the back of her head, pulling her head back as his lips descended on hers. His kiss was hard and wet, bruising and claiming. She wrapped one hand around his broad shoulder and the other around the smooth column of his neck, and held on for dear life.
A minute later, he eased back and set his lips on her forehead.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” he said, reluctance clear on his face as he stepped back and grabbed her hand, reaching out to turn off the flame under the kettle as though he knew the last thing she needed was more caffeine. “Tonight, we’re going to watch TV. There’s this spy show my buddy keeps tel
ling me I have to see, and we’ll check it out together.”
“We will?” she asked in confusion. At that moment, if he’d made a move to lead her down the hall and spank her in her bedroom, she likely wouldn’t even have protested, she was so consumed by the kiss.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you probably don’t want me sleeping over, yeah?”
“God, no. I mean, yes. Yes, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not yet. Not… with Charlie,” she stammered.
He chuckled. “Right. So, TV?”
She nodded.
“And then,” he continued. “You’re working tomorrow, right? So then you’ll see if you can get Nora to watch Charlie on Thursday, and you and I will go on a date.”
“A date? Like we’ll go back to your apartment and you can show me your playroom again, that kind of date?” she asked eagerly.
He raised one eyebrow. “A date, like, I’ll pick you up and you’ll go along with whatever happens. Yeah?”
This trusting business got easier and easier.
“Yeah, Daddy,” she agreed, and let him tow her to the couch.
Chapter 6
“Is Charlie a light sleeper?” Slay asked, trying to sound serious.
“God, Slay! No, he's a heavy sleeper but not heavy enough.” Alice pulled back off his lap and furrowed her brow at him, her blue eyes serious and golden hair framing her face so that it looked like a sort of halo.
He gave himself away with a low chuckle. She was fun to tease.
Balling her fist up with a grin, she smacked him in the belly, but he grabbed her wrist and sobered. “I was teasing you,” he said. “But it's not okay to hit me, not even when you’re playing.” He paused for a few seconds, letting his words sink in. “You understand?”
She looked suitably embarrassed, and nodded, casting her eyes down. He smiled at her, stroking her hair with pride. His little Allie-girl was learning. There was no need to remind her of the consequences of disobedience every time he gave her an instruction. She knew now that he meant what he said, and that disobeying him would earn her a spanking. They were making progress.
But it wasn't all about teaching her to obey, and meting out necessary discipline. There were other things that had to happen in their relationship, things he'd neglected. That was why he was here. He remembered the way she’d looked the night before when he'd crashed her date and hauled her ass out of there. The way her eyes had flashed at him and she'd insisted he earn his keep.
I'm not some random, stereotypical babygirl.
He'd been watching her for months, testing her, waiting until the time was right, but like a total asshole, hadn't taken into account what she needed. She needed so much more than discipline and structure, hot sex against the wall of The Club and a man to call Daddy. Alice Cavanaugh was fearless and brave. In the years he'd spent at The Club, he'd never met a submissive who would stand up to him, look him in the eye the way she did, and tell a man twice her size with the potential to spank the hell out of her to get his shit together and make him earn her trust.
It was only one of so many reasons why he wanted Alice to be his.
“Come here, baby,” he said, drawing her into his lap. “It's time we talked about a few things.” He pulled her closer to him, and God she looked amazing in her dark-colored jeans, threadbare light blue t-shirt that accentuated her curves, and messy bundle of hair. Closing his eyes briefly, he let himself feel the longing for her that he'd been fighting for so long.
As she nestled into his lap, her head on his chest, he took in her surroundings with the eye of a man trained to notice details. The living room was tidy, but the couch had seen better days. Still, it was warm and welcoming. A popsicle-stick structure painted in garish red and yellow stripes stood on the end table. Slay could easily imagine her gushing praise to Charlie when he showed her his craft with pride. A pile of children's books sat next to a few well-worn paperbacks. The television was small, mounted above a small black entertainment center, and a few framed pictures stood on the shelves of the unit. Alice, looking as gorgeous as ever but younger, holding a chubby blond baby. Charlie as a little toddler, holding out his hands. Another picture of Charlie being held between a couple that looked a bit like Alice but more reserved. Her parents?
Looking down at Alice, Slay realized her eyes were closed. Was she asleep?
“You awake, honey?”
“Mmm,” she said. “It just feels so nice being held by you like this.”
His arms instinctively tightened around her. “Take what you need, Allie,” he said, and without giving it much thought, he whispered what he felt out loud. “You're safe here, babygirl.” It was what he loved best about being a daddy. Being a large, strong man meant he could offer the sort of protection his babygirl needed, and her depending on him fulfilled his own strong desire to protect. It was in his blood.
“Who knew,” Alice whispered, a small smile playing at her lips. “Who knew such a big, strong guy like you could be so sweet?”
“Sweet?” he said with a chuckle. “I wouldn't say I'm sweet.”
“Of course you wouldn't. That's what's so sweet about it.”
“That's crazy talk, girl.”
She smiled knowingly. “Suit yourself, big guy.”
Reaching down, he gave her a sharp swat, making her squirm on his lap.
“Charlie's down the hall,” she protested.
“We'll have to find a way around that, honey,” he said. “I'll be discreet. We'll come up with some code words, and I've got some very quiet tools in my arsenal. But I'm not gonna stop being your daddy because there are people around.”
She lifted her head from his chest, frowning. “You can't spank me with Charlie in the house! He'll hear you!”
Can't?
Reaching a hand to the nape of her neck, he grasped her golden tresses and pulled sharply, her head tugging back and her eyes widening. He lowered his mouth to her ear. “You behave yourself, Allie-girl,” he said sternly. Another tug of her hair. “Like I said, I can be discreet. I'll respect your space. But you will obey me, and if you don't, you'll be punished. If I have to wait, I’ll wait. We’ll talk it through and find ways to make this ours without losing our privacy. But no matter what, you answer to me. You get me?”
He saw the struggle in her eyes. She wanted to push back, and yet she wanted to submit. In the end, she chose to submit. “Yes, Daddy.”
His cock hardened, adrenaline surging through him. Yes, Daddy. Shit.
Releasing her hair, he nodded. “Good girl. So let's talk. First, yes, you don't want me to be overheard by Charlie. Of course I get that. We'll find ways to be quiet. Yeah?”
She nodded.
“We've already talked about your rules, and you're learning. I'm proud of you.” Her eyes warmed and she looked at him shyly. “There will be times you disobey me. I'll spank you, and we'll talk it out, but we'll move on. Got it?”
She squirmed on his lap. “Yes, Daddy.”
He smiled at her. “At The Club? There’s no being discreet. Every fucking dominant there will know you are mine. No more dabbling in scenes. You’re by my side and you’ll do what I say. You get me?”
Though her eyes widened, she nodded.
“Good girl. But there's more to this than spanking your ass.” He ran his large, rough fingers through her golden hair, trailing from the top of her scalp to the nape of her neck. “A daddy likes to take care of his little one. It's a daddy's prerogative. You all right with that?”
Her eyes closed and she sighed. “Who wouldn't be okay with that?” she asked.
“Lots of people, baby,” he said, as he pulled her back onto his chest.
“Well, not this girl,” she said.
“Good. Then this is what I want you to do. When you need me, you tell me. Yeah?”
She nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “I could do that.”
He nodded. They'd see about that. “And you give me space to take care of you.” He paused. “Can you handle that?”
He smiled to himself. It might not always be as easy as she thought. Bit by bit, he'd show her. Now was as good a time as any. “It's getting late, Alice. I want you to go get ready for bed, and then come back to me.”
Alice sat up, frowning. “Seriously? It's like two hours before I go to bed.”
Leaning toward her, he took her chin in hand. “Did I say you have to go to bed right now?”
Understanding dawned as she shook her head. “No,” she whispered.
“But if you don't do what Daddy says, you will go to bed, and I do mean now. Is that clear?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Oh. Well. Okay, yes. Yes, Daddy,” she said, getting to her feet and scurrying down the hallway as he delivered a helpful swat to her ass. Shit, he hoped she had some PJs with good coverage. If she returned wearing something skimpy, he was a goner.
She came back in a tiny pair of plaid boxer shorts that barely covered the curves of her ass cheeks and a teeny tiny white cami with her nipples poking straight through. She was all creamy curves and contours.
Shit.
Her eyes widened at the look on his face. “What?” she said. “You told me to get ready for bed, so I did.” She'd pulled out her ponytail holder and her hair tumbled about her shoulders. He blinked. What had she said again?
She was frowning. “I thought I did what you told me to,” she began, but by now she was in reaching distance so he snagged her around the waist and pulled her straight onto his lap.
“These are your jammies?” he half-growled.
Alice giggled on his lap. “You call them jammies?”
“Just did,” he said. “And yeah, baby, you did what Daddy said. What you didn't do was make it any fucking easier for me to keep my hands and my mouth off you.”
“Ohhh,” she said, comprehension dawning as her eyes twinkled. Her voice dropped, low and sultry. “No self control?”
He growled, pulling her closer to him. “Careful, little girl. Daddy might have to punish you for being naughty.”