Mastered By Daddy: A Dark Daddy Romance

by Felicity Brandon

  Sophie shuddered at the thought, the alarm pushing her feet forward. Glancing to her right, she absorbed the line of shirts and trousers drying overhead by the wall. Like the piles of clothes, each had been ironed to perfection and they hung in color order, like some type of twisted rainbow. Stumbling forward, Sophie reached for the nearest shirt. It was a deep burgundy shade with long sleeves, and pulling It from the hanger carefully, Sophie released the buttons and threw it around her. Of course, the garment was enormous on her—anything that belonged to a man as colossal as Jared was bound to be—but in some ways that was good. It meant the hem fell down against her thighs and the sleeves swallowed up her small arms, but more importantly, it meant she was at least partially clothed for the first time since she’d arrived at the house. But all that would mean nothing if Sophie couldn’t find a route out.

  She pressed on, ignoring the immaculate state of the floor, closet doors and dryer when she reached the wall and reflexively turned right to see where the room ended, and that’s when she saw it. Sophie’s gaze landed on it so quickly, that it actually took a few seconds for its meaning to register in her brain. And when it did, the reality almost knocked her off her feet.

  A door.

  A back door—it had to be!

  Before her head had a chance to catch up with the action, her bare feet were running over the white tiles toward her chance of freedom. Unlike the sturdy front door, it seemed thinner, smaller and full of infinite possibilities. Her palms were at the handle at once, yanking it toward her as though Sophie expected the thing to just fly open and let her out. But that was ridiculous. It might not be as secure as the front door, but there was no way a man like Jared was going to leave the back of his house unlocked. Even without Sophie’s presence to consider. She had to have known that, and indeed she had, yet somehow, Sophie couldn’t resist the sense of disappointment that washed over her when the door refused to open.

  Closing her eyes, she inhaled. The door was locked—that much was clear, so Sophie had to find the key.

  Oh God… Anxiety swirled in her stomach. What if there was no key to find? What if the only keys to both doors were on Jared’s person—what the hell was she going to do then? Briefly, she considered creeping back upstairs and attempting to retrieve the items from Jared and the dread twisted until it actually hurt. There was no way that was going to be possible. If Jared had them in his possession then they’d be tucked inside one of his numerous pockets and virtually impossible to retrieve without stirring him. That thought filled her mind, making it difficult to think beyond the blind panic stretching up from her belly to her throat.

  If Jared had the keys, and recovering them from him wasn’t an option, then what was she going to do?

  Sophie couldn’t give up.

  Not now. Not now she’d gotten this far. No, there had to be a way out.

  She pressed her palm against the obscured glass of the back door. It was still light outside, and for the first time in hours, Sophie was so close to getting out into that light—to being free. This couldn’t be the end of that hope.

  It just couldn’t be!

  Sophie leaned into the cool glass, exhaling at the sense of despair that was threatening to consume her. Hot, thick tears collected at her eyes as frustration swilled with all of her hopes and fears. She had to get out of here. She had to get away and back to her babies. Sophie hadn’t gone through all of this for nothing. Now she was away from Jared, she had to leave—she had to make it count for something. She couldn’t even bring herself to imagine the terrible punishments he would enact upon her if he found her here, like this.

  Sophie would never survive it.

  She couldn’t survive it.

  She wouldn’t.

  A powerful surge of anger pulsed through her. No. She wouldn’t, because Sophie was not going to let that happen. She wasn’t Jared’s and she never bloody had been. She hadn’t consented to any of this, and however good the sex was, she didn’t want it. Not more than her children. Not more than her fucking sanity.

  There had to be a way out, and that was all there was to it.

  And if she couldn’t find a key, then she’d find another way. She had to.

  Lifting her forehead, Sophie gazed at the window. It was substantial in size, encompassing more than half of the door’s frame, but seemed to be comprised of a single pane. With enough force, she could probably smash through it, and using one of his shirts, Sophie could clear the glass away and squeeze through that space. Optimism raced through her brain at the consideration. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was possible. She could fit through there, Sophie knew she could, and so what if she picked up a few cuts along the way? She would suffer for her liberation. She’d bleed for the life she’d left behind if she had to.

  Adrenaline pulsed around her veins as Sophie glanced about for something to break the glass with. It would need to be something heavy enough to do the job in only a couple of strikes. She couldn’t afford to take any longer. Who knew how long she’d already been away from Jared? But it seemed likely that the sound of smashing glass would rouse him sooner rather than later. She’d need to have her wits about her and be ready. Ready to clear the glass, ready to get through. Ready to run.

  Sophie’s attention fell to a cupboard beside the door. It was tall and fronted in a pristine white cover, just like the counters. Perhaps there was something in there she could use to break the glass, and she moved toward it, opening the door unthinkingly. Inside were multiple shelves, each apparently lined with different washing products. There was a row of washing liquids, all arranged as though they were on show at the grocery store, and above that, a selection of fabric conditioners. Her focus paused over one, her heart picking up its pace out of what seemed like some learned, twisted instinct. Her gaze had halted at the one, pink bottle and reflexively, Sophie reached for it, pulling the practically full bottle toward her. Taking it from the shelf, she held the product toward the light. The manufacturers label called it baby pink, but the word baby had been crossed out with one black line and replaced in pink pen by another word. A word that furled the tension in her already knotted belly: Sophie.

  Oh God.

  He’d bought this for her—for her blankets and bed sheets and whatever the hell else Jared had deemed it appropriate for. Somehow, the small discovery rocked her. It symbolized everything that was wrong with Jared and his enterprise. His creepy attention to detail and his desire to smother Sophie in everything that was pink and youthful. It was wrong. It was all wrong.

  That’s why you need to get out!

  The nagging voice in her head screamed the thought at her, reminding Sophie what she was there for, and with a gasp, her focus flew back to the cupboard and into the space the bottle of pink liquid had come from.

  And there in the shadows, behind the neatly packed rows of products, Sophie saw it.

  A glimmer of metal.

  A glimmer of hope and shoving the bottle in her hands onto another shelf, she reached for it, her heart in her mouth as she pulled the item toward her.

  Fingering the metal, she grasped it in her palm, her brain taking rather too long to conclude what should have been instantly obvious.

  It was a key.

  A large, thick key—the sort which might unlock an old-fashioned door.

  An old-fashioned back door.

  Anxiety rushed through Sophie when she turned back toward the door, searching for the key hole. She dared not believe that this was the key she needed. She couldn’t bring herself to conceive the possibility because the weight of the disappointment that awaited her if it proved to not be the case would be too much to bear. But still, Sophie carried on. She slotted the thick metal into the key hole, holding her breath at the way it seemed to fit.

  Oh fuck. It fit. Maybe this was the key?

  She panted while she turned the key in the lock, her muscles all clenching at the same time when she heard the mechanism unlock.

  It was the key—this was the right ke
y!

  Her throat dried with excitement as the prospect washed over her. Sophie had found the key and the door was unlocked. Without another thought, she reached for the handle once more, pulling it toward her. Sophie expected the door to open, flooding the room with cool, welcome fresh air, but it didn’t budge. She pulled harder, using both hands this time, tugging at it and hearing the thing rattle in its hinges, and although she could sense the wood was willing, it seemed to be stuck somehow. It was as though the door had expanded and was unwilling to concede to her request.

  Infuriated anger coursed through her and Sophie yanked harder at the thing. She heard the protest of the wood louder this time, the door screeching as she jerked against it for all she was worth. The noise sent fresh panic to Sophie’s brain. She knew it could be enough to rouse Jared; she knew he could already be on his way, but what choice did she have? She hadn’t come this far to go back to his fucking cuffs and ribbons.

  This had to end.

  This had to be the end.

  Taking a deep breath, Sophie tried again, pulling with all her weight against the door. The wood screamed like it wanted to alert its master to her escape, and the thought just elicited more fury from Sophie. She wrenched at it, hauling the thing toward her with everything she had. Sophie wasn’t a particularly strong woman, but this was different. This was about her survival, her sanity, about getting back to her children, and somehow, she found a strength she didn’t even know she had. With one final, excruciatingly loud screech, the door gave way, the effort sending Sophie flying backwards toward the counter behind her. She landed in a panting heap on the tiles, but the defeat was short-lived.

  The door was open.

  She was free!

  And within seconds Sophie was on her feet and racing out of it.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Jared

  Jared was on his feet even before his brain had the chance to consider what was happening. His chest was heaving while he fought for breath, the panic at his core close to suffocating.

  Sophie.

  Her name echoed around his mind.

  Where the fuck was Sophie?

  Anxiety clawed at his insides, the sensation sharpening like a blade. How the hell could Jared have let this happen? Why hadn’t he bound her like before? At the very least Sophie should have been wearing his cuffs, but no—in his reckless pursuit of desire, Jared had totally overlooked those critical things. He’d fucked her, taking her over the edge of the bed and coming again and again until his body was exhausted. Spent, Jared could recall the moment the wave of sleep had overtaken him. Sophie had already been dozing beside him at that point, and he’d pulled her body towards him, collapsing over her naked flesh before his eyes fell closed.

  Jared shook his head at his own fucking stupidity. However incredible the sex was, it had been folly to trust Sophie. His little girl had been desperate to get away from the first moment she’d opened her eyes yesterday and now Jared had offered her up the opportunity with its own pretty little pink bow.

  What the hell had he been thinking?

  Glancing around the room, his gaze searched for Sophie, as though he expected to find her crouching in the corner, playing a game of hide and seek and just waiting to be found. But of course, that was preposterous. Jared already knew where she’d gone, his head had already concluded that much from the sounds which had stirred him from his sleep, and his feet were headed in that direction, even as he blinked the fog of slumber away. Charging down the stairs, he raced into the lounge to collect the ropes he’d stored in his desk drawer. Whatever happened next, Jared had the sense that he might be needing those and he tucked them into his trouser pocket while he ran toward the utility room. The door was closed, but he yanked it open and barged through, rounding the corner in the direction of the back door. His eyes found precisely what they’d expected to see, the door ajar, the key still in the lock where Sophie had presumably left it. Jogging toward it, Jared opened the door and stared out into the wilds of his garden. His lawn went on for miles, and beyond the grass were hedgerows, bushes and ultimately woodland. If Sophie got as far as the trees, she’d be a nightmare to find, and Jared couldn’t let that happen.

  He took in his attire. Jared was still topless after discarding his shirt in a lustful frenzy earlier. It was hardly perfect for chasing a little girl around in the damp grass, but at least he had clothes and footwear. To the best of his knowledge, Sophie was out there somewhere running around naked, a fact that might have amused, or even aroused him, if it hadn’t irritated him so much. She was going to catch her death like that. It was still only spring and the British weather was unpredictable. Jared’s jaw tightened as the thought resonated. Just wait until he got his hands on Sophie, that girl wasn’t going to know what the hell had hit her, that was for sure. Striding back to the counter, Jared chose a blue shirt from the nearest pile. If he had to go galivanting around the countryside, then he intended to be dressed and prepared. He reached into one of the top cupboards to retrieve his flashlight, and that’s when he noticed the missing item. There was an empty hanger where his burgundy shirt should have been hanging. So, Sophie had had the sense to half dress before she’d left him, had she? He ran his tongue over his lower lip while he headed for the door.

  A semi-naked woman in a dark red shirt shouldn’t be so difficult to find.

  Sophie

  Sophie ran, bolting across the endless lawns faster than she even knew was possible. Her bare feet crushed the blades of grass as she pounded over them and her heart seemed like it was about to burst inside her chest. And that was all she had as she headed toward a long hedgerow. Just the awareness of the exertion and the desperation to flee. There was no plan about what to do next. She still didn’t know where she was, or what in the name of God she was going to do. She hadn’t had the time to think this through at all. The notion of escape had always seemed like a pipedream until, all of a sudden, it had landed upon her like an avalanche, and then Sophie only had instinct. If Sophie had been blessed with time, then she might have taken something with her—a blanket, some food, a pair of Jared’s old boots—hell, anything that indicated a level of organization, but no—she’d left with nothing but a wing and a prayer. In fact, the only certainty Sophie had as she pressed herself up against the hedge and gasped for oxygen was that Jared would have almost certainly heard her efforts to open the back door, and that right now, he could be after her.

  She didn’t know that for a fact, and she sure as hell didn’t want to look back and check, but Sophie had a sense it was true. Jared would be after her and he’d be familiar with this landscape. He’d know where to look and where to find her. The only chance she had—the only choice—was to ignore the lactic acid burning in her muscles and keep moving.

  Sophie had to keep going.

  Pulling in a deep breath, she started running again. Sophie ignored how cold her feet had become, or the damp mud she was treading on. She couldn’t think about that now. Dirt didn’t matter. She had to push aside the pain burning in her chest and the humiliation of having to make a break for it in only one of Jared’s oversized shirts whilst there was still a butt plug shoved in her backside. Sophie had to keep her eyes on the prize, and that was her children. They were what she was doing this for—they were worth the hurt—and as she began the steep incline that led toward what looked like a small wood, it was the image of Billy and Lucy in her mind that spurred her on.

  “Sophie!”

  Her heart stopped beating at the sound of her name, and then burst into a fresh flurry of panic.

  Oh fuck.

  She crouched down in the mud, glancing over her shoulder toward the house.

  Oh fuck. Jared.

  Jared knew she was gone.

  Jared was after her!

  Maybe he’d already seen her, and that was why he’d called out? Sophie crushed her lower lip between her teeth while that thought threatened to pulverize her. It wouldn’t surprise Sophie at all if that was Jared’
s plan. He’d been fucking with her head longer than he’d been screwing anywhere else, and the truth was, he was bloody good at it.

  “Sophie!”

  He seemed to be singing her name, somehow, the glee evident in his voice even though it sounded like he was still some distance away, and something about that concept had her back on her feet again. Sophie stumbled forward, forcing her legs to break into a fresh sprint and head for the trees. She was like a sitting duck out here, especially in this stupid shirt and she needed to get to the woods. The trees would afford her some level of protection. At least until she could figure out what to do next. Sophie glanced down at the bottom of Jared’s shirt as she ran. Why hadn’t she chosen a color more in keeping with the rural aesthetic for God’s sake? She was sure there had been a green or black one back in the house, but obviously, Sophie had been compelled to choose the shade which would stand out best against the trees and hedges. She wanted to roll her eyes at her own foolishness, but frankly, Sophie had neither the time, nor the energy to do so.

  Sophie was a few hundred meters from the first few scattered trees when Jared’s voice came again.

  “I see you, Sophie.” His tone was even more distant now, the words barely even decipherable on the breeze and the thought gave her hope. “I’m coming for you.”

  She paused just long enough to catch her breath, but this time she didn’t dare to look back. If Jared could really see her—if he really was on his way, then there was nothing to be gained by watching his pursuit. He held all the cards in this arrangement, just like he’d always done. It had always been about Jared. His choices, his land, his game, and his rules. Rules, that Sophie had never been privy to. She hadn’t known who he was when she opened the door yesterday morning, and she’d never had any notion of the things he’d wanted to do to her. Not until she’d let him in.