She craned her head to look at him, her eyes as large as saucers. “But, why, Daddy?”
He laughed. “Because you’re so incredible this way, little girl. Permanently hot and wet for me. Always ready for my cock. Always on the edge. It makes you even more perfect, Sophie.”
Sophie looked to be on the verge of tears at Jared’s explanation. “So, you’re just afflicting me, then—on purpose, Daddy?”
“That’s right, baby.” Jared’s fingers tightened at the back of her neck before rising into her luscious hair. “Daddy is just teaching you who’s in charge. You’ll get pleasure when Daddy decides it’s time, and not a moment sooner. Do you understand?”
She gulped at his proclamation.
Poor little Sophie. So horny and aroused.
So desperate and on the edge, with literally no way to initiate her own pleasure.
And Jared was going to make sure she stayed that way.
“Yes, Daddy.” Sophie sounded resigned, and her gaze lowered, as though she could no longer maintain eye contact with him. Not now Jared’s verdict had been delivered. But her head soon lifted with his next words.
“Daddy has some work he has to do before lunchtime.”
She blinked at him with surprised eyes. “Work, Daddy? Wh-what do you do?”
“That’s not the issue, little girl,” Jared admonished. “The issue is this—Daddy is going to be busy, and he needs to make sure you’re safe and entertained.”
Jared reached for Sophie’s chest while he spoke, idly playing with her nipples while she flustered at his touch.
“I promise to be good if you need to go.”
Jared chuckled. “Go?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Don’t be silly, little girl. Daddy’s not going anywhere. I’ll be right here with you—just like I promised.”
Sophie’s brow knitted.
“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” he told her with a smile. “I just have a few calls to make and some paperwork to catch up on.”
“Okay. Daddy.”
“And while I’m busy, I have the perfect place for you, Sophie.”
That got her attention, her chin shifting lifting higher as her alarm grew. Evidently, Sophie had come to understand Jared well enough to know when she was in trouble—when he was about to push her right through another boundary. And her instincts were a credit to her, because that’s exactly what Jared was going to do.
“Where do I have to go, Daddy?”
Jared fisted her hair more tightly, holding her in place while his lips skimmed over her mouth. “It’s simple, my beautiful little girl.”
Sophie’s pupils dilated at the caress and a soft, strangled moan escaped her throat.
“You’ll go wherever I put you, and you’ll do as you’re told.”
She inhaled sharply.
“Won’t you, Sophie?”
Sophie gasped, panic blooming in her eyes, but still she didn’t reply.
Jared yanked her head back a little harder. He didn’t appreciate her hesitation. He didn’t appreciate it one bit. When Jared asked her a question, he expected an immediate reaction. “Won’t. You. Sophie?”
For a moment, there was an impasse, the old defiance in Sophie warring with her ever consuming passion, and in that time, they stared at one another. An oppressive silence filled the air, and fleetingly, Jared wondered what had happened to the wet and willing little girl he’d left bound on the rug when Daniel had left. Just like that Sophie had shifted, pushing back against the boundaries he had put in place.
Testing him. Seeing if he would yield.
But Jared didn’t yield.
He never yielded.
Yet in the end, somebody had to, and they both knew who that person would be.
“Yes, Daddy.” Sophie released the words in one long rush of air.
Jared nodded, pushing down the accelerating anger that was flooding his bloodstream. He was pleased to finally have her compliance, though he was going to make her fucking pay for that willfulness.
Chapter Eighteen
Sophie
He was gone in a flash, leaving Sophie dazed, and on her knees while he stalked away toward the window. Sophie panted as she watched Jared, sensing he needed to cool off, and straining against the cuffs still restricting her wrists, she wondered what the hell had just happened. Why had she sought to challenge him on such a trifling matter? Did it really matter what he intended to do with her while he worked on his papers? In the grand scheme of things, it hardly seemed to make any difference, and yet not giving in had seemed so significant while he’d loomed over her.
But that was stupid. She needed to save her energy for getting out of here, not waste it pushing her luck about the smallest of events. If he wanted to work, then fine. How bad could that be for Sophie? Perhaps it would give her the chance to plan an escape? Jared turned, throwing her a glare.
“Have you calmed down now?” His blue gaze pierced Sophie, but she swallowed down the intensity as she had so many times before.
“I’m sorry, Daddy. It’s no excuse, but I just can’t think straight when I’m this horny.”
Jared’s lips twitched, the strain sliding from his shoulders when he paced back in her direction. “Hmmm.”
She sensed he was still unimpressed with her insolence, but there would be time to deal with that later. Now she had to concentrate on whatever the next humiliating gauntlet was that Jared chose to set.
“Time to get you out of those cuffs.” His tone was matter-of-fact and, in a moment, Jared was there tugging at the leather until, finally, Sophie’s arms were separated. “For now, at least.”
She sighed with relief when her arms fell back to her side. It seemed as though her hands had been bound there for an age, and as she lifted her chin to regard him, she was genuinely grateful Jared had liberated them. “Thank you, Daddy.”
His eyebrow rose and he smiled, the gestures ensuring fresh heat furled at Sophie’s core. “Stretch those arms out,” he told her. “You won’t be free for long, little girl.”
Sophie’s heart sank at that. She so rarely seemed out of bondage in the last day, and while it might send her pulse racing, it wasn’t conducive to getting the hell out of this place and back to Billy and Lucy. Anxiety twisted in her belly when her children flashed into her mind again.
“Must I be bound again, Daddy?” She lifted her head, imploring him with wide eyes.
Jared’s expression was determined. “Yes, you must.”
He folded his large arms across his chest, the pink cuffs falling from his right hand. “Especially after that last little performance.”
She sighed. Shit. At this rate, an opportunity to flee was never going to present itself and her apprehension shifted into something deeper. Something like dread.
“On your feet now.” Jared’s tone left her in no doubt about whether to obey or not, and slowly, Sophie climbed to her feet. The cuffs at her ankles remained in place, meaning walking at anything more than a slow shuffle was virtually impossible, but still, Sophie’s arms were freed for the time being, and she was actually standing. No mean feat after the last twenty-four hours.
He shook his head at Sophie, fixing her with a hard stare. “What got into you just then?”
“I’m sorry, Daddy.” Her heart raced at the resolute expression etched into his handsome features, but that was just a reflexive response to his authority. Sophie wasn’t sorry—not really. Pushing Jared had actually been exhilarating, and although she hadn’t intended to do so, she was having trouble regretting the response. And when push had come to shove, Jared hadn’t punished her for the defiance. All he’d done was stand his ground and then walk away. Sophie bit back on the smile that threatened to rise at her analysis. Hell, she’d practically won that battle, even if she had conceded in the end, and the look of irritation on his face was the proof of that fact.
“You’re sorry, and?” His raised eyebrow signaled Jared was waiting for more.
; Sophie shifted her weight between her feet as much as the chain running between them would permit. “And I didn’t mean to argue.”
She gazed up at him from under her lashes. “This is still new to me, Daddy. I’m not used to always having to obey.”
His eyes narrowed. “Did I not make myself clear about this?”
Sophie gulped at the way Jared made that sound. All of a sudden, there was something predatory in his eyes as he pressed himself against her.
“Was my one rule for you too ambiguous?”
She shook her head. “No, Daddy. It was clear.”
Sophie’s heart thundered in her chest now, her every sense relaying the imminent threat Jared posed, yet all she could do was stand there.
“What was that rule, Sophie?”
She took a deep breath, as though she was about to dive into cold water. “To obey you, Daddy.”
Jared tilted his head at her quizzically. “Was it to obey me at certain times of the day?” he asked in a sardonic tone.
Her cheeks grew warm. Sophie could tell where Jared was going with this, and it was already painful. “No, Daddy,” she clarified in her most contrite tone.
“Or, was it to obey up until a certain point, and then counter me or ignore my command altogether?”
The anxious butterflies in Sophie’s belly fluttered their wings madly, trying to fly away from the incoming danger. “No, Daddy.” Her voice was tiny now, apparently growing weaker while the blush at her face burned hotter.
“So, when are you supposed to obey Daddy then, little girl?” He towered over her, his arms still folded in front of him and hard blue eyes demanding her supplication to his point. And in the end, Sophie knew she would relinquish and give it to him. If she countered him now, he would surely only be harder on her.
Her gaze lowered. She was beaten, and that furling sense of dread warned her that she may yet have to pay the price for her earlier insubordination.
“All the time.” Sophie mumbled the words into her chest, eyeing the way her nipples were once again tightening into excruciating peaks just inches from his shirt.
Why was it that her body consistently betrayed her needs, even when her mind was desperate to conceal them? It was endlessly infuriating.
“What was that?” he barked, the timbre of his voice compelling Sophie’s head to rise in a heartbeat.
“All the time, Daddy.” This time she held her nerve and looked Jared in the eyes when she replied, but she could already feel her face blanching at the severity she found in those orbs.
There was no reassurance. Only foreboding.
That deep, dark sense of something ominous that was to come.
“That’s right, little girl.” Finally those strong arms parted, reaching for her middle before they pulled her into an embrace. “You obey all the time.”
Sophie craned her neck to see his face, her muscles clenching around the plug still shoved into her behind at the ferocity on his face. “Yes, Daddy. Forgive me?”
Looking into the dark storm of his eyes, Sophie had no idea why she had even pushed him on the point. What had she been thinking?
“You shall be forgiven,” he mused. “Once you have been properly punished for the matter. Breaking Daddy’s rules immediately after he’s set them is not a good idea, beautiful.”
She bit her lip. “You’re going to punish me now?”
Jared exhaled. “Not now. Daddy has to work, remember?”
And without any further explanation, he swooped and collected Sophie by the thighs before throwing her over his shoulder again. She went with an instinctive yelp, even though it was hardly the first time she’d been forced to travel this way, and moments later, they were off, pacing out of the horrendous pink hues of the bedroom, back down the staircase and into a room Sophie had never seen before.
Chapter Nineteen
Jared
The intense surge of anger Sophie’s small rebellion had produced, quelled almost as fast as it had risen. By the time Jared had reached the windowsill in her bedroom, he’d wanted to chuckle at her performance, and when he’d stood over her panting body moments after that, he could have laughed at how concerned she seemed. So, Sophie was happy to push him—to push at her boundaries and see how far she could go? Carrying her toward the lounge, Jared smiled to himself. That was just fine for him. She could try and push as much as she liked, but she would have to learn about the consequences.
With Daddy there would always be consequences.
And push though Sophie would, Jared was going to shove right back and put her in her place.
His gaze swept over the sleek contours of the room. This wasn’t a space Jared had originally intended for Sophie, but once he’d given it some deliberation, Jared had realized Sophie couldn’t spend her every waking minute in the bedroom. There would have to be somewhere else to keep her while he got on with his life. Somewhere unrelated to bathing and eating. And that’s how the concept of the playpen had been born.
Jared’s lounge was a large space, easily the biggest room in his house and like the rest of the place, he’d had it decorated according to his personal tastes. Comprised of a sophisticated monochrome design, each piece and every soft furnishing was either black or white, and the pen Jared had created for Sophie was no exception. It was just as well the room was enormous because the bespoke pen took up a lot of space in the far corner, but he was reconciled to the fact. It was necessary to have somewhere for his little girl and anyway, Sophie was going to look fucking fantastic in there. Jared’s breath caught at the prospect while he placed her back down on her feet.
Sophie’s gaze whipped around the room immediately, her concern still evident in those soft brown eyes.
Jared pointed to the expensive white carpet under their feet. “Kneel.”
Her attention flitted to his face at once, before shifting straight back to the pen. Sophie pulled in a breath. Evidently, she had noticed the proverbial elephant in the room and now her mind was just bursting with queries. Jared grinned at that while she lowered to her knees. Satisfied that she wasn’t going to try anything foolish in the short term, Jared strode back to the entranceway and closed the door. He wanted to keep the place warm for her, since she was going to be almost permanently naked around him.
Jared wandered back over to the place Sophie was kneeling. “I assume you have questions, little girl?”
There was no real need to indulge Sophie this way, and yet bizarrely, Jared couldn’t seem to help himself. There was just something about the woman that caused the weakness—the need to sate her and alleviate her concerns. Though naturally, Jared had no problem with causing the anxiety in the first place.
She twisted to look at him. “Yes, Daddy.”
Inevitably.
He shook his head playfully while he walked a circuit around her body. “You may ask one now,” he informed her, checking his watch. It was nearly one o’clock and soon, he’d need to feed Sophie again. “And then Daddy needs to get working.”
Sophie blinked up at him. “Thank you.”
It was obvious what she was going to ask and as he loomed over her, Jared had to physically fight back the urge to laugh.
“Go on then.” He sighed dramatically. “What’s your question?”
Sophie’s gaze was back on the colossal black structure in the corner of the room, her eyes widening as she devoured the sight of the thing. Her brow furrowed. “What is that, Daddy?”
Jared licked his lips, inching toward her. “I’m glad you asked, Sophie, because that is a present for you. It’s a playpen.”
She gasped, an audible sound that seemed to echo around the room. “For me, Daddy?”
This time he couldn’t help but smile. “You had your question, little girl,” Jared reminded her. “But let me explain. Daddy’s desk is just over there.”
Jared gestured toward the expensive black desk sitting in the opposite corner and Sophie’s gaze followed his to acknowledge it. “You see it?”
&n
bsp; There was no need to ask. She clearly saw it, but Jared was relishing the look of Sophie down there on her knees, trying to piece the whole sordid picture together in her head. Frankly, her confusion was making him hard again.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“That’s where Daddy works, and unfortunately baby, there are some things I have to do even though you’re here with me.”
Sophie craned her neck to meet his gaze again, and for a second, there was silence while they assessed each other’s faces.
“And when I do, I need to keep an eye on you. Of course, I could leave you tied in your room, but I’d rather have you with me.”
A tiny whimper escaped her lips as the penny began to drop. “I-in there?”
Jared smirked at her reaction. The more Sophie looked, the more she was no doubt identifying all those perfect little additions Jared had included in the pen. The structure was like any other playpen, but this was made of metal and effectively had a roof—a construction that would seal Sophie inside and keep her safe if he needed to leave her momentarily. Jared didn’t want to call it a cage—Sophie wasn’t an animal, and he didn’t want her to see herself that way—but, she was his captive now, and he needed to contain her. Whether she liked it or not. That meant that when she was inside, it wouldn’t just be the metal erection that constrained her, but the chains and cuffs he’d secured in there, too. If she was a good girl, then perhaps, Sophie could be free to roam inside sometimes, but on the whole, he wanted her bound.
Bound and wet and needy—just the way she was meant to be.
“Yes, little girl.” Jared fixed her with an intentionally determined stare. “That’s where you go.”
Sophie’s shocked gaze fell over the pen again and she started to pant even harder.
“Do you like it?” He raised an eyebrow with the question and watched as she flustered.
“Daddy, I…” She bit down hard on her lower lip. “Why? Why do I need to go in there?”
Jared chuckled. “To keep you safe baby,” he purred. “And I think you used your question already, didn’t you?”
Mastered By Daddy: A Dark Daddy Romance Page 11