The General's Little Angel (Breaking Chains© Book 2)

by C. B. Hunt

  Likewise, the architecture of the buildings varied. Ray’s place was a private residence and set apart from the bustling village. Surrounded by tall cement walls designed to protect the structure from seasonal monsoons, the house was designed to be a sanctuary from the busy, outside world. Once inside the iron gates, we were greeted by a traditional Japanese garden of blooming flowers, spraying fountains, and a small koi pond. Perched on the top of the roof to guard the house and its inhabitants from evil spirits were a pair of Shishi lion-dogs. Ray opened the door and ushered me inside.

  “Wow, this rocks,” I stated.

  “Make yourself at home. I’m going to put up a pot of coffee, and then we can sit and talk.”

  I was instantly in love with his house. Windows were everywhere, making it feel as though we were inside of a giant garden. The stairs curved to the right and led to two smaller bedrooms and a master suite, all decorated with Japanese inlay furnishings and items that Ray had collected during his trips. Doors led to a walk-around balcony that gave a view of the distant azure blue ocean and the myriads of rooftops of the town below. I wandered downstairs to peek into the office and the living room. Sliding glass doors opened into another enclosed garden, complete with cement benches covered with cushions and a fire pit. A tiny gate sat between an ivy covered archway where the second little building stood. Before I had a chance to check it out, he called for me.

  “I’m right here. Do I smell cookies?”

  Laughing, Ray lifted a plate and nodded towards the living room. “I cheat and get the cut and bake ones from the commissary. Come sit down. So, what do you think of the place?”

  “It’s gorgeous. Much better than the barracks that’s for sure.”

  “Did you check out the studio?”

  “Not yet. About today, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

  “Awareness. You’re miserable and have a chance for that to change, but you don’t want to believe that you deserve anything better.” He took advantage of my confusion to continue.

  “You revealed a lot when the drugs hit. More than you realized.”

  “They’re wearing off now, so if I made an idiot out of myself again, I’m sorry.”

  “You didn’t. In fact, you were quite vulnerable and soft. It made me feel more protective and also very angry.”

  “I said I was sorry,” I mumbled, looking at the floor.

  “I’m not angry with you. I’m angry with the people who hurt you—people who should have protected and loved you. I would have given anything to get my children back and to listen to my girls yell at me for being overprotective.” He lifted my chin. “We both are missing that in our lives and can help each other.”

  “You must think I’m crazy.”

  “No, honey. You’ve been abused and neglected. You’ve been beaten down by selfish and cruel people who had no business having children. Instead of learning how to thrive in the world, you were forced to survive. That’s not crazy.”

  “Ray? Why do people hate me?”

  “People hate what they fear. If someone is claiming hatred, they are admitting that there is something that makes them feel inferior. That’s on them, Baby.”

  “It doesn’t feel that way.”

  “You’re a strong and opinionated girl, and that frightens insecure people. I suspect that this conflict might be something you’ll have to deal with your entire life. Just don’t change who you are to force people to like you. Be the best you as possible, learn from your mistakes, be quick to forgive, and willing to grow, and you will succeed in anything you desire.”

  I suddenly felt drained. “I wish I could believe you. I know you mean well, and part of your job is to encourage and motivate, but let’s be real. I’m a loser. The only thing that I excel in is my job. I’m a great employee, but nothing more.”

  “New rule. If I ever hear you contradict me after I say something positive to you, you’re going to be writing lines.”

  “Say what?”

  “You heard me. That’s going to be awfully difficult since you can’t use your hand.”

  “That’s not fair.” My lower lip slipped out into a pout. He pushed it back with his index finger.

  “I guess it’s not, but that’s how it is in this house. How’s your hand?”

  “It’s starting to hurt really bad. When is the medication going to get here?”

  “I don’t know. In the meantime, let’s get you settled into your quarters. I think you’ll be comfortable there.”

  The studio apartment was fully furnished and complete with a kitchenette, full bathroom, and a little patio garden with a two seat dining set. It was a lovely little apartment, but the décor was not at all what I had anticipated. The bedspread fabric was purple and lavender floral designs with large ruffled pillows. Beaded orchids in Asian vases and beautiful Japanese art dolls in glass cases were placed tastefully around the room. It was definitely a girl’s room.

  “Well?” Ray asked, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. “What do you think?”

  “Wow, it’s beautiful. You didn’t do this for me, did you?” I was astounded. Not only was it so welcoming, but the thought that went into it was something I would never have anticipated.

  “I did. Do you think you’ll be happy here?”

  “Who wouldn’t be? I’m confused, though. You didn’t have enough time to plan this.”

  “I had my housekeeper set it up shortly after we had started traveling together and you took over the SCI decryptions for me. The barracks aren’t equipped with secured lines, so I can’t discuss any classified information over the phone, and calling you to meet me at the office at all hours of the night is starting to get old.”

  “I still hate those decrypts, you know. The hours suck and screws with my sleep and then I have to listen to you complain about my being cranky.”

  “Regulations require immediate action on secret compartmental information, and I have no control when the information comes into the message center. There is also a safety issue with you walking to the message center in the dead of the night to pick up the classified materials. Since we have to meet to interpret the crypts immediately after delivery, it makes sense to go in together rather than have you call me after they are sorted. By moving into the apartment, it makes things much more convenient for both of us.”

  “True. I still can’t believe that you did this for me,” I murmured. “I’m a bit overwhelmed.”

  He turned down the blankets and patted the mattress. “Lay down a bit and think about our talk. I’m going to call the pharmacy and find out the status of your meds.”

  Before I could respond, he unbuttoned my Cammie jacket and hung it in the closet and then untied my combat boots and pulled them off. “Trousers on or off?”

  “I can unbutton them myself,” I insisted, feeling a blush heat up my face.

  “I’ve seen you run around hotel rooms in your t-shirt, girl. Modesty is not one of your strong points.” He crossed his arms again and waited for me to finally give up and allow him to assist me. “I might as well tell you right now that stubbornness isn’t going to pay off. I’ve had a lot more practice in that area and will always win.”

  “You can’t blame me for trying.”

  “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. It shows that you trust me with testing boundaries. Under the blankets and close your eyes. I know you’ve got to be exhausted.”

  A large yawn unexpectedly escaped me. “I’m just going to rest. I’m not tired.”

  “Of course you’re not.” He chuckled and began to rub my back. As I drifted to sleep, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have something called a Daddy Dom.

  Chapter 2

  The birds squawking outside on the patio woke me the next morning. Disoriented and in pain, I sat up and clutched my hand as I tried to piece together the events of the day before. It had started with a hangover and ended with me being tucked into bed like a little kid. The bathroom was an adventu
re, especially since the toilet was Japanese style—a hole in the floor with a porcelain hood that resembled a urinal. For those who don’t know, the trick is having really strong thighs so that you can squat and face the wall like a caveman. Brushing my teeth was not difficult with one hand, but I didn’t even attempt to do my hair. The sun was warm as I walked outside in my t-shirt, socks, and panties and wandered into the main house. The smell of coffee filled the air.

  “Ray?” I called.

  “In here, darling,” his deep voice responded back. I followed it to the office where he was sitting at his desk and thumbing through a stack of documents. “How are you doing? Did you sleep well? You look like shit,” he observed, noticing my presence.

  “Thanks. I feel like shit. I’m using the main bathroom from now on, too. I hate those stupid squat toilets. It doesn’t even have a grunt bar to hang on to.”

  “Aren’t you full of sunshine this morning?” Pushing the papers to the side, he beckoned. “Come over here.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I said so.”

  Grumpily, I went to him and received a kiss on the forehead. “Let’s get you prettied up and put some food in you. The meds came, and I’ll give you one with breakfast.”

  “Just don’t hold anything against me if I get weird.”

  “I won’t,” he said with a chuckle. He grabbed one of his clean t-shirts for me to wear and then led me back to my apartment. There he brushed my hair and washed my face, then helped me change before we returned to the main house for breakfast. I felt very self-conscious as I sat at the kitchen table and sipped the coffee he had prepared for me. Without a word, he unwrapped the bandage around my hand, checked for swelling, and then expertly rewrapped it.

  “You’re pretty good at that,” I commented.

  “I used to box when I was younger. We got very good at wrapping broken hands. Open,” he ordered, popping a pill into my mouth. I made a wry face and then swallowed it. “Good girl. What would you like for breakfast?”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “Either tell me, or I’m making oatmeal,” he threatened.

  “Bullshit. You hate oatmeal as much as I do.”

  “No more swearing. It’s not ladylike.”

  “You swear.”

  “I do on occasions, but I won’t have my girl be anything other than a lady.”

  “Aren’t you the one who always says that a good commander leads by example?” I couldn’t help being sassy. I wish I could blame the pain meds, but they hadn’t started working yet.

  He stared at me for a moment and then nodded. “You’re correct. From this moment on, I expect things to be done not only as I say, but also as I do them.”

  “Holy shit. You’re serious about this Dom thing, aren’t you?” I asked bluntly.

  “Yes, ma’am. I told you that things were going to change. Next time I hear you swear, we are going to take a trip to the head to wash your mouth out with soap.”

  “We’re in a real house. How come you can’t call it a bathroom like a normal person?”

  “You’re cruising, little one.” The slight wrinkles on the edges of his face deepened as he tried to suppress a smile. “House rules. Would you like to begin?”

  I groaned and rolled my eyes. “No drinking, cussing, and having any fun as long as you’re around.”

  Ray’s laugh filled the room. “Good start. No leaving the house without telling me where you’re going. No staying out after curfew and no disrespect.”

  “You suck, know that?” My nose wrinkled.

  “One of my favorite philosophers was Alan Watts. He said the real secret of life was to be completely engaged with what we are doing in the here and now and, instead of calling it work, to realize that it’s play. This relationship can be either as much fun or as much work as you chose it to be. The restrictions placed on you are strictly for your well-being, not because it’s my hope to make you miserable.”

  “Don’t tell me that you don’t get some sadistic pleasure if that just happens to occur in the process.” I huffed. I knew him too well and had caught him inappropriately chortling one too many times when a situation arose that a normal, sympathetic person would have shown some sort of empathy.

  “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  “Don’t pull the innocent act on me, Mr. Chuckles. What about that time that you ran out of the room laughing after that Admiral dropped his dentures on his plate?”

  “I couldn’t very well hide under the table and laugh, could I?”

  “How do you manage to keep a straight face when you talk about that?” I shook my head. “Okay, here’s another example. Do you remember when that idiot sat on a sea urchin? You laughed so hard that Les had to pound on your back because you started to choke. The poor guy got pierced!”

  “I admit that my sense of humor is a little warped at times, but that doesn’t mean I’m sadistic.”

  “You’re so full of it. Other than the things I listed, what else do you plan to torture me with under the guise that you are making my life better?”

  “I’m going to teach you to receive the love and care from a devoted parental figure and help you develop a healthy respect for the consequences received for breaking the rules. This daddy will nurture and guide you, encourage and, when necessary, discipline you.”

  I had seen the different modes of ‘discipline’ practiced in the club and was not comfortable with the idea. “I’m technically a virgin.” I blurted.

  As soon as the words left my mouth, I flushed with embarrassment, but Ray didn’t even flinch. Instead, he validated my concern and reassured me. “I have never been sexually involved with my subs, nor would I even consider that type of dynamic with the one I take on as a little girl. I’m an old-fashioned man and believe in reserving intimacy for a woman that I intend to be romantically involved with. Our relationship will be purely familial outside the office.”

  “We don’t have to let Les know about this, do we?”

  “I’d prefer we didn’t, but I don’t know how long it can be hidden especially since he travels with us. Not everyone would understand what you and I do regarding the lifestyle.”

  “I’m not sure I understand, to be honest. You really want to pretend to be my dad?”

  He touched my chin and looked at me with more warmth than a summer’s day. “If there were a way I could be your daddy, I would do it in a heartbeat. I miss my babies, and you need a father. I’m terrified that without direction and some accountability that you’re going to end up in a ditch somewhere. I’ve seen it happen before, and I care too much to let it happen to you. Please, let me fill that part of your life. It will feel uncomfortable and unfamiliar at first, but I promise that you will grow into it.”

  The tears in his eyes convinced me of his sincerity. Slowly, I nodded. He was right. “Alright, we’ll give it a try.”

  “Do or do not. There is no ‘try’ in my Marine Corps.”

  “One of these days someone is going to call you out for quoting Yoda and laugh right in your face.”

  “I’m surprised you know about Yoda.”

  I shrugged. “I was a geek, remember? Dungeons and Dragons? Star Wars? LARPs?”

  “LARPs? What’s that?”

  “Are you telling me that there is something the great and powerful Wizard of Oki doesn’t know? Live Action Role Play.”

  “Enough with the sarcasm, motor mouth. Consider this a step deeper into that type of world, but with real rewards and consequences. Finish your breakfast and get dressed. We’re going on an outing.”

  “An outing?” I chuckled at his outdated term and chugged down the rest of my coffee. “Are we going to take a stroll in the park? Should I bring my parasol?”

  “You’re cruising, kiddo. I’ll warn you of one thing, and that’s if you get sassy with me in public, I promise to put you on my knee the second we get home. Comments?”

  “You’re not serious.”

  “Try me.”

&
nbsp; I studied his face for a minute. He wasn’t joking.

  ***

  “What happened to your hand?” Les asked as he entered Ray’s house an hour later.

  “I busted it on the jaw of a nosy asshole who asked too many stupid questions.”

  Les and I didn’t have what one would consider a warm relationship. In fact, we rather despised each other. We maintained a cold professionalism in front of Ray at his request, but behind his back, we fought like two siblings.

  “Breanna! Did I just hear you swear?” Ray shouted from the back of the house.

  “I was just answering Les’ stupid question,” I shouted back.

  Les looked at me strangely. “He’s on your case for cussing? Since when?”

  “Since he got this bug up his ass that girls needed to act like ladies. It’s stupid. Thanks for taking me to the barracks the other night. You didn’t have to, you know.”

  “If I didn’t, then they would have called him, and I’d be forced to listen to him jump down my throat for not taking care of you. I wasn’t hired to be a babysitter.” His tone was bitter and reminded me of how my parents would speak to me. I tried to hide the pain in my heart.

  “I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “Maybe you do. You certainly can’t hold your liquor.”

  “Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore because General Pain in the Ass has now forbidden me to go out drinking,” I spat.

  “You’re shitting me! How the hell is he going to enforce that?” Les looked genuinely surprised.

  “I made her move into the studio apartment behind my house. The staff is aware of it, just in case anyone asks, and I would appreciate if you made certain to dispel any rumors or gossip that people like to spread should it become known,” Ray announced, entering the room. He looked straight at me and repeated my words. “General Pain in the Ass?”