B B Hamel Daddy Dom A BDSM Romance (ang )

DADDY DOM A BDSM ROMANCE

B.B. HAMEL

Copyright © 2017 by B. B. Hamel All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CONTENTS

Mailing List Prologue 1. Jacob 2. Sofia 3. Jacob 4. Sofia 5. Jacob 6. Sofia 7. Jacob 8. Sofia 9. Jacob 10. Sofia 11. Sofia 12. Sofia 13. Jacob 14. Sofia 15. Jacob 16. Sofia 17. Jacob 18. Sofia 19. Jacob 20. Sofia 21. Jacob 22. Sofia

23. Jacob 24. Sofia 25. Jacob 26. Sofia 27. Sofia 28. Jacob 29. Sofia Your Daddy: A Dark Romance Prologue: Kylie 1. Carson 2. Kylie 3. Carson 4. Kylie 5. Carson 6. Kylie 7. Carson 8. Kylie 9. Carson 10. Kylie 11. Carson 12. Kylie 13. Carson 14. Kylie 15. Carson 16. Kylie 17. Carson 18. Kylie 19. Carson 20. Kylie 21. Carson 22. Kylie

23. Carson 24. Kylie 25. Carson 26. Kylie 27. Carson 28. Kylie Bonus Epilogue: Kylie Small Town Daddy: A Dark Romance Prologue: Mia 1. Lucas 2. Mia 3. Lucas 4. Mia 5. Lucas 6. Mia 7. Lucas 8. Mia 9. Lucas 10. Mia 11. Lucas 12. Mia 13. Lucas 14. Mia 15. Lucas 16. Mia 17. Lucas 18. Mia 19. Lucas 20. Mia 21. Lucas 22. Mia

23. Lucas 24. Mia 25. Lucas 26. Mia 27. Lucas 28. Mia Bonus Epilogue: Mia Thank You Preview Preview

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PROLOGUE

I

lean over his desk, a little smile on my face, and I can’t help but notice his eyes stray down toward my breasts. My smile gets bigger, because that’s exactly what I want him to look at. “What can I do for you, Sofia?” I cock my head at Mr. Drake, taking in his handsome smile, his muscular body, his clean-cut white oxford tucked into a pair of khakis, and his deep blue eyes like ocean pools. Every girl in school wants Mr. Drake, thinks he’s hot as hell. I mean, he’s probably only in his late twenties or something, and I’m eighteen now. There’s nothing wrong with me wanting him… legally, at least. “Just wanted to see how you were doing,” I say to

him, not even trying to be subtle. “It’s hard being a long-term sub, right?” He eyes me for a second before standing and walking over to the door. He shuts it and turns back to me as my heart starts racing. I don’t know when this started. I’ve had a crush on him since he started teaching my math class as a long-term substitute after Mrs. Gravey went into labor during the second week of school. I started staying after with Mr. Drake, talking about class, and soon our talks got more personal. Soon, we were flirting. “I’m doing okay,” he says to me, walking over and sitting on the edge of his desk. The halls are empty outside, since most people are either in their next class or heading down to lunch. I have a free period after math, so I don’t mind sticking around a little bit and chatting with him. I think he has his lunch now, but I’ve never asked. “I bet it’s hard,” I say to him. “Kids not taking you seriously.” “You think they don’t take me seriously?” He smirks at me and shrugs. “I guess it doesn’t matter.” “You know what I mean. Subs are always treated

bad.” “I know,” he concedes. “But you’ve been pretty nice since I first came here.” “Yeah, well… I guess I’m a nice person.” He raises an eyebrow, looking at me up and down. I’m wearing a short skirt and a low-cut top, arms pressed together in front of me, making my breasts really pop. I want him to notice them, even though I’ve never done anything like this before. Heck, I’m a virgin, even though most of my classmates aren’t anymore. I just haven’t found the right guy yet. Maybe the right guy is Mr. Drake. I bet he’s experienced… good with his hands… “You’re sure you’re a good person?” he asks me, getting closer. I don’t move away. “I think so.” “I don’t know. You seem pretty bad, staying here after class every day, wearing those low-cut shirts.” My eyes widen a bit. “Mr. Drake, I don’t know what you mean.” He’s never been this forward with me before. Oh sure, we’ve flirted, I let him look down my top while we both pretend to be talking about class, but

it’s never gone this far. He’s never been this up front about it. And it excites me. I should probably be a little afraid, since I don’t have any experience, especially with a man like Mr. Drake. Not to mention he’s my teacher, and this is so very wrong. But months of flirting, staying after class to talk to him… this is what I’ve been waiting for. He moves closer to me, and my heart is hammering in my chest. “I know what you’re doing,” he says, his voice low. “But do you?” “I think so,” I say. “I don’t know, Sofia. You stay after class, let me stare at your body, you laugh and twirl your hair but… is that all this is?” I bite my lower lip and shake my head. “No, it’s not just that,” I say, barely a whisper. A smile crosses his face. “Good. I was hoping you’d say that.” He grabs my hips, pulls me against him, and kisses me. I can’t believe that I’m kissing Mr. Drake. I’ve pictured this moment so many times… but this is even better than I thought. I let out a little moan as

he grabs my hair, pressing me back against the blackboard, crushing my body there. I drop my books and wrap my arms around his neck, wanting him so badly I can barely breathe. But as quickly and as intensely as it begins, he stops. He pulls back, his eyes wide. “Shit,” he says. “Sofia…” “What?” I ask him. “Did I do something wrong?” “No, god no,” he says quickly, shaking his head. “It’s just… you’re my student. And you’re barely eighteen. I could lose my job. Not to mention how inappropriate this is.” “I don’t care about that,” I say, stepping toward him. “I mean, I don’t want you to lose your job. But that other stuff…” He shakes his head. “I’m sorry. You should go. I made a mistake.” I stare at him, not sure what to say. I feel devastated but I’m still aroused, heart still pumping. He’s breathing fast too and I can see the outline of his hard cock, straining to get out of his restrictive khakis. I want to get down on my knees and taste him, hear him moan as I take him down my throat. I’m actually pretty good at it, or so I’ve been told. I’m not a slut or anything, but I’ve had boyfriends,

and we’ve fooled around a little bit. But he just shakes his head again. “I’m sorry, Sofia,” he says. “Please. Let’s pretend this never happened.” “Okay,” I say after a beat. I take a deep breath, calming myself. “I can do that.” He looks away. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t forget, end of chapter five, only the odd problems.” “Right,” I say, bending over to collect my books. “See you tomorrow.” I stand there for another second, but he doesn’t meet my gaze. I hurry away then, throwing the door shut behind me. I don’t know what the hell happened. For a second there, I was in heaven, finally tasting the man that I really wanted. Hell, he’s the man of my dreams, gorgeous and smart and successful. After that day, he never flirts with me again. He’s professional and studious, and when I try to stay after class, he’s always too busy to talk. I have to admit, I’m a little hurt, but part of me understands. I’m too young, and he’s my teacher. We can’t actually have a relationship. Kissing me like that was a moment of weakness for him.

My crush doesn’t fade away, though. If anything, watching him be strong and ignore me only makes me want him even more. I’m impressed that he can turn off his desires like that, or at least he can suppress them. Every night I go home and I touch myself thinking about what he was going to do to me in that classroom. I keep seeing his lips against mine, his strong body crushing me against the blackboard, and I want it so badly. I come hard, over and over, thinking about Mr. Drake.

1

JACOB

“W

hat do you think?”

I blink for a second, not sure what he’s asking me about. “Uh, great,” I say. “The recruits,” Clay says gently. “Oh, yeah. Right.” I look back down at the binder, skimming their faces: young, all of them young, and every one of them highly qualified. “They look good.” He laughs. “I know you’re distracted, but you can at least pretend.” I shrug and grin at him. “Karl can handle that side of things.” “Yeah, I’m sure. Poor kids.” Clay shakes his head.

“They don’t know what they’re in for.” I sigh and stand up, going over to the window. Clay’s not wrong, but there’s not much I can do. Karl is a mid-level manager, but he’s quickly rising through the ranks of the company that I created and founded over ten years ago. He has some strong backing from the board, I think because his father has connections, but I can’t be sure. It’s definitely not because of his winning personality. Karl is one of those guys that thinks profit matters above all else, and I think the board finds that attractive. Personally, I don’t agree with him, but my opinion is mattering less and less around here. That’s what I’m so distracted about. I built Quest Education while I was working as a substitute math teacher. I’d go to work during the day and stay up all night writing the code, designing the courses, basically building the whole application from the ground up. Now we’re one of the largest online learning companies in the world, and we’re quickly expanding. We have the best software and the best teachers, it’s just a matter of getting more institutions on board. I sacrificed a lot to get where I am. I’m thirty-eight, never been married, no kids, and no amazing social life to speak of. Sure, I’m filthy rich now, but most

of my time is spent at work, slaving away for my company. This is my legacy, and I care more about it than I could ever admit to anyone, though I suspect some of the people closest to me know. The problem is, I have a different vision for the company and it’s not exactly popular at the moment. I have my own allies in the company, and because I’m the founder I still have a lot of sway, but that’s being watered down day after day. The board is slowly gaining more control, and soon I’m going to find myself on the margins of my own company, unable to stop what’s happening. It’s a familiar story, one most founders go through, but I’m determined not to let it happen to me. “What’s on your mind?” Clay asks me. “Oh, you know, the usual. Decline of my power, theft of my company, that sort of thing.” Clay sighs. “You know that’s not happening,” he says. “We still believe in you.” I smile at him and shrug. Clay is an eternal optimist and probably my closest friend. I don’t think he can see the writing on the wall, or if he did, I’m not sure he’ll admit it. Clay thinks everything will work out, since I’ve been such a good leader up to this point. But I know better. None of that matters. The only

thing big corporations care about is money, and Quest Education has become a big corporation. It’s up to me to bring it some heart, though I’m not sure how to do that. I don’t even know if I have any heart. I haven’t had a girlfriend in such a long time. I’ve been floating between women, one after the other. It’s surprisingly easy, since I have money and good looks. I can sleep with more or less whoever I want whenever I want it, and for years I’ve indulged in that. But lately I’ve been wanting more. A lot more. I just don’t know where the hell I’m going to find it, especially when I’m nearly forty. The thought sends a shiver down my spine. “Come on,” Clay says. “Sit down and look at the new people. Maybe you’ll find someone to poach.” “Unlikely,” I say, but I sit down. It’s hard to say no to Clay. “Karl wouldn’t let any of them go anyway.” “Good point.” He shrugs and grins. “Can’t hurt though.” Dutifully I look through the binder again. Each page is a new recruit, and I think there are

something like fifty of them, mostly going to Karl’s department. I move through the binder, Clay chatting amiably the whole time. “Oh, and this one, she looks interesting,” Clay says as we turn the page and my heart nearly fucking stops. “Big recruit here, came from an Ivy school, Princeton I think. She was working for a big law firm before we grabbed her and brought her in. Data stuff, a real smart girl.” Sofia Wolf’s face stares at me, and even though it’s been ten years, I’ll never forget her. I knew her back in the day, back when I was still teaching. She was just a student back then. I can still taste her lips… feel her body pressed against mine… I would sit up late, thinking about those little skirts and tight, low-cut shirts she wore. I knew she was doing it for me, too. I’d get myself off dreaming about what I’d do to her. And then there was my moment of weakness, after a long night of no sleep and a particularly frustrating bug that I couldn’t figure out. I finally gave in to her seductions, did what I knew I shouldn’t do. I stopped it and never touched her again after that, but it got so much harder to ignore her. I’ve thought about her over the years. I’ve

wondered where she is. I heard she got into Princeton, but I left the area to start Quest soon after that. I never got her contact info, never looked her up on Facebook. It felt too strange. But here she is, suddenly back in my life, working for my company. And in Karl’s department, no fucking less. “Jacob?” Clay asks me. “You there? Let’s go to the next page.” I snap back to reality and nod. “Yeah, sure.” I turn the page, but really I want to study Sofia’s resume some more, stare at her picture, see what I can learn from it. But she’s in my company now. She works here. I’m her boss, sort of like back in the day when I was her teacher. She’s twenty-eight now. She’s not a teenage girl anymore. Maybe it’s still wrong for me to want her, but we’re both adults… and I have waited a long, long time to see her again. Maybe I won’t act on my impulses this time. I’ll just see how she’s doing, maybe catch up with her. Totally fine and innocent. Though I don’t know if anything with Sofia can ever be innocent, not when I’m involved at least.

2

SOFIA

T

he big glass doors of the office building loom up in front of me. The rush hour traffic streams past on the sidewalk and for a second, I’m a leaf in a stream, getting blown along with the tide. I take a deep breath. I hate starting new jobs. I wasn’t even looking for something new, to be honest. I got a call out of nowhere from a recruiter talking about stupid amounts of money doing what I was already doing, a form of opposition research. Only I’d be doing it for an education company, and I’d be researching new markets. It was too good to pass up, and when I nailed the interview, I knew I had to take the job. So here I am, a few weeks later starting at a company I don’t

know a whole lot about doing a job I’m not sure I even fully understand yet. I’m nervous and I’m excited and I have no clue what’s going to happen from here. I guess that’s the beauty, the uncertainty of it. Anything might happen. Maybe I’ll love this place, but maybe I’ll hate it. Only one way to find out I push through the big doors and step into the lobby. I fall into the flow of people and follow them into the elevators, riding it up to the tenth floor. Quest Education has three floors of this huge downtown office building. As soon as I step off the elevator, I fall in with a whole group of new hires. There are probably ten of us in total, and soon we move into a conference room to begin our little orientation session. I’m distracted, chewing on the back of my pen, as the guy from HR goes over the employee handbook. It’s pretty boring stuff, your typical firstday-of-class garbage. That triggers an old memory, one I haven’t thought of in a while: Mr. Drake, pressing me up against the blackboard. I haven’t thought about him in a few years. After high school, I went to Princeton, and got a pretty good job in the city after graduating. I’ve had boyfriends, but nobody stuck. Now I’m twentyeight, single, and starting a new job, thinking about

a guy I don’t even know anymore. It’s pathetic, but god was that hot. Hell, he was gorgeous, one of the most attractive men I’ve ever met. I can’t believe I was so stupid back then, wearing those slutty outfits for him, flirting with him so mercilessly. And I can’t believe it worked, even for a second, but I must have caught him on a weak day or something. After that one kiss, he didn’t try anything or act inappropriately. But that kiss, it was something else. I’ve gotten myself off many times just picturing what else he would have done to me if he hadn’t gotten control of himself. After lunch, we break into our departments. Four other people are with me in a smaller conference room, three guys and another girl names Darlene. “Call me Dar,” she says, smiling. “You’re in the analytics department, too?” I nod. “Yep. Where were you before here?” “Harvard,” she says. “Oh, first job?” She nods, all bushy tailed and bright eyed. “That’s right. I’m nervous.” “Don’t be. This is my, oh god, third now, I guess.” “Really, where did you work before this?”

“Fox Wilberts,” I say. “Law firm downtown, doing this sort of stuff.” “Law firm? That’s really cool.” “I guess. They’re tough though, track every single dime.” Just as she laughs, a man walks in through the door. He’s in his thirties, balding a bit, bags under his eyes, with a big smile on his face. He’s a little out of shape, and immediately my creep alarm bells go off. Every girl has creep alarm bells. We’re like hardwired to get a bad feeling any time some creepy guy comes around. And this guy makes my alarms go off like crazy. I’m instantly a little uncomfortable as he steps into the room. “Hello, everyone, I’m Karl Slay, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He beams at us and I notice that his teeth are unnaturally white—definitely veneers. Eventually I learn that Karl is my new boss. He’s not so bad, at least not so far. He shows us the ropes of the department, how to log into our computers and all that stuff, and eventually shows everyone to their little cubicles. “And this is you,” he says to me. As I step into my cube, he sort of guides my body by putting his hand

on my lower back. I get the chills and he definitely shouldn’t touch me, but the moment quickly passes. “Get comfortable, bring in personal items, whatever,” he says to me, still beaming, an unnerving grin. “This is your personal space. And I hope a second home.” I laugh nervously. “Thanks, Karl.” “No problem. I’m glad you’re on board, Sofia. Why don’t you get comfortable, log in, set up your email and all that? Holler if you need anything.” He waves and heads off with Dar. I feel bad for her, but at least I’m free of him. So far, so good. Karl is a little creepy and off but hopefully that won’t be an issue. Maybe he’s not so bad, and I’ll like him as I get to know him. I sit down and soon the rest of the day melts past. I lose myself in the mundane boringness of an office job, setting up my stuff, exploring which websites are blocked and which ones aren’t. Fortunately, I can still get on G-chat and Facebook, which is kind of all I ever need. Just as five thirty is rolling around, Karl comes out of his office. I watch him walk across the room and stop near the elevators. The doors open and another man steps out. Together they walk back toward the

cubes. “Hey, everyone, new people, can you come meet us over here?” he calls out. I stand up and freeze. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I have to blink and rub my eyes to make sure that I’m not dreaming at my desk or something, but it’s not a dream. Standing next to Karl is Mr. Drake. He’s ten years older, so probably in his late thirties, a bit older than Karl. But he doesn’t look a day of it. In fact, he looks even better: more rugged, more handsome if that’s even possible. He looks like he has even more experience. He’s wearing a suit that fits his muscular frame perfectly and he looks like he needs a shave. I finally get ahold of myself and join the others. We’re gathered in the break room of our department. Mr. Drake looks at me and recognition flickers across his face. I stare at him but he looks away as Karl starts speaking. “Everyone, this is Jacob Drake. He’s the founder and CEO of our little company. Jacob?” “Hello, everyone,” he says, and a familiar chill runs down my spine. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. Deep, rich timbre, like a radio personality. “It’s nice

to meet you all. I like to try and come down and meet every new person we bring on board.” He hesitates and grins. “Helps when we can do it as a group.” We all laugh nervously. I can’t believe it’s him, it’s really Mr. Drake. We do introductions, and when it comes to my turn, I almost don’t know what to say. “Uh, hi, I’m Sofia---“ “Sofia Wolf,” he finishes for me. “I remember you.” There’s an odd moment where we’re shaking hands, staring into each other’s eyes, and I feel it all over again. That head-rushing, stomach-flipping spark of desire that I felt almost every day in high school when he was my teacher. I haven’t felt this in such a long time, I didn’t even know I could again. “Uh, Sofia and I go way back,” he says after an awkward beat, dropping my hand. “Back before Quest, when I was a substitute teacher.” The moment passes and we finish introductions, but I don’t hear anything else anyone says. When he’s finishes, he says goodbye and leaves the room. Karl dismisses us to head home for the day, and as I go back to my desk, Dar catches up with me.

“You know Jacob Drake?” she asks me, grinning like mad. “He was staring at you like you guys were close.” “No,” I say quickly. “No, he was my substitute math teacher.” “Ah,” she says. “Wow. I can’t imagine having him… oh, never mind.” I laugh a little bit. “Yeah, he looked like that back then, too. Imagine being a teenage girl.” “I can’t,” she says, a little dreamy. “I’d be a mess every day.” “Yeah,” I say. “Well, that was a long time ago.” “Good point. Still, pretty cool you know him. Could come in handy.” “Doubt it. I wasn’t a great student.” She laughs and waves. “Have a good day.” I watch her go for a second before dropping down into my chair. I take a deep breath and have to calm myself down. My heart is pounding and my fingers are tingling. I was just thinking about him today, which is the craziest part. Like somehow I knew I was going to see him again. He looks good, really freaking good.

I had no clue he was the founder of Quest. I probably should have done more research, but this all happened so fast. I lean back in my chair before finally grabbing my bags. Well, at least this was the most interesting first day I’ve ever had. I doubt I’ll even be seeing him, anyway. He’s too important around here to bother with a small fry like me. I’m sure that was the only time I’ll talk to him while I’m working here. Besides, there’s no way he remembers what happened between us. Everything’s going to be fine, I’ll concentrate on my work and forget all about him. If that’s even possible.

3

JACOB

P

art of me thought it couldn’t possibly be her. I mean, after all this time, I couldn’t imagine that I’d end up seeing Sofia again. But once I was in that room, looking her in the eye, it suddenly became real. There’s the girl I still think about sometimes, the girl I knew I could never touch, the darkest desire I’ve always tried to keep hidden inside of myself. She was just a teenager back then, a girl in high school, and even though she was eighteen when we kissed it was still so incredibly wrong. Sometimes I’m ashamed of it, but I can’t help myself. There’s something about her, and she still has it. I can see that intensity in her eyes, although she’s all grown up now. Gone is any semblance of

young softness, replaced by the full warmth of being a woman. She’s got curves in all the right fucking places, basically. She’s even more gorgeous now than she was back then. A single photo didn’t do her justice. I couldn’t stop staring at her, I had to force myself to act normal and to look at every other person in the room. But I couldn’t help but notice that look of surprise and recognition in her eyes, and I know she remembers me. I know she was thinking about the same thing I was. That moment we shared. That kiss, how fucking hot it was, how fucking wrong. And it’s still wrong to want her. Maybe not in the same way, but she’s my employee. I’m not supposed to get involved with employees at all, especially not right now when things aren’t exactly stable for me in the company. Karl would use any excuse to try and get me fired, and he does have some support in the board. I just can’t stop thinking about her though. It’s dangerous as hell, but I’ve never been the kind of man to back down from something that I want. The next day, after seeing Sofia again for the first time, I have a meeting with the board first thing in the morning. I come into the office, get my usual

coffee, check my messages, and head down to the boardroom. I figure it’s going to be another boring ass meeting. I’ll pretend to give a shit as the old idiots drones on about sales figures and income, completely ignoring the important parts of our company like how many people we’ve helped and how many lives we’ve changed. With them, it’s all bottom line and nothing else. But as soon as I get into the room, I know something’s off. Maybe I’ve been too distracted with Sofia this past day, but I’m not expecting this at all. Standing at the head of the room is Karl. He has a PowerPoint presentation up on the projector and he’s in the middle of talking about a slide when I walk in. “Ah, there he is,” Peter Booth says. I glance over at his white hair, his ruddy face, the wrinkles on his jowls. He’s heavyset with the look of a man that’s been drinking his whole life. And he happens to be Karl’s biggest supporter. “We thought you weren’t going to show.” “This was scheduled for nine thirty,” I say, frowning at the group.

“It got moved,” Peter says. “Karl here has a very interesting presentation to give. We did wait, you know.” I glance over at Byron Teller, one of my earliest supporters, and he just shrugs. “My secretary must not have been updated,” I say, taking my seat. “I’ll have a word with her.” “Anyway, as I was saying,” Karl continues, falling back into his presentation. I didn’t know he was speaking today. I’m supposed to be updated on any board activities, but clearly this was kept from me. I bet the timing change was kept from me too, just to make me look weak in this moment. And as Karl speaks, I can tell why. Immediately I’m uncomfortable and more than a little angry. Karl’s talking about changing metrics and demographics, and how we can more easily leverage them. He’s talking about variable pricing, increasing things like hidden fees and taxes, and cutting costs by utilizing older, out-of-date books and materials. “As you can see, gentlemen,” Karl concludes, “there is a lot more money out there for us. We simply need to be brave enough to grasp it.” The board claps, though Byron throws me an

uncomfortable look. I’m seething in my seat, horrified about what I just witnessed, but the rest of the board seems happy about it. “Well, that was wonderful,” Peter says as Karl takes a seat on the periphery of the table. “Any comments?” “Just one,” I say quickly, and the table goes quiet. “If we forget our mission, we will be lost. Cutting costs and increasing revenue is all well and good, but if we fail our students, we will fail as a company.” “Agreed,” Byron says immediately as the board members murmur to each other. “Thank you, Jacob,” Peter says. “We all know your views. Anyone else?” The board launches into discussions of textbooks and other boring and useless details. I glance over at Karl, and the smug look on his face makes me so angry I can barely stand it. This was a fucking ambush. They purposefully kept me from coming here on time to knock me off guard and didn’t tell me about Karl’s presentation to keep me ignorant of it all. This was all done on purpose, and I fucking know it. Things are happening in this company that are

beyond my control, but I need to do something before we’re all ruined. Quest Education is about helping people by providing them inexpensive education opportunities. If we start gouging them on pricing and providing them with an inferior product, we’re going to not only lose our humanity, but we’ll lose all our customers. Providing a quality service is a huge part of what this company is all about. I wish the others could see that. The meeting ends and we filter back out. Byron is in conversation with another member and gives me an apologetic look. Apparently even he doesn’t want to speak with me right now. I head toward my office, seething, not in the mood to get bogged down in conversation with these backstabbing bastards. I shut my office door and sit down in my chair, sighing as I lean back. As soon as I close my eyes to try and calm myself, a memory comes back to me, completely unbidden. It’s the first time I met Sofia. She was sitting in the back of the class on my first day, and I remember skimming the faces of my students. I remember seeing her bright, sharp eyes, and the little smile that crossed her face. My heart started beating so fast as she leaned forward, eyebrows raised, meeting my gaze. It was this incredible moment, so

unguarded and intense and seductive, and I’ve never forgotten that. Sofia is so incredibly sexy, and I don’t think she realizes it. There’s something subtle about her, not in your face or flashy at all. It’s a little smile, the quirk of an eyebrow, the hint of cleavage, the promise of curves. It’s the suggestion that beneath her exterior, there’s something so much more. I got a glimpse of it every day in class with her. And for a brief moment, I broke down and I tasted it. Now she’s back in my life. I’m under assault in my own house, and maybe she’s the perfect thing for me right now. Maybe Sofia can help me release some of this pent-up stress and anger. It’s a bad idea. If I get caught with her, my enemies may pounce and fuck shit up even worse. But just thinking about her now, her curves, her lips, I can’t control myself. My cock gets hard and I want to march down to her cubicle right now, drag her away from her boring computer, and fuck her senseless right here in the office. I press my intercom button. “Minnie,” I say. “Can you clear my morning?” “Of course,” she says. “Anything else?”

“No disturbances or distractions,” I answer. “Thanks.” “Sure. Have a good morning.” She clicks off and I smile to myself. There. Minnie, my secretary of many years, will keep the vultures away. I unbuckle my belt and reach down my slacks. I grasp my cock and slowly stroke myself, root to tip, imagining what I’d do to Sofia. Maybe I can’t actually fuck her. But at least I can picture what it would be like. Sliding my fat cock between her legs. Spanking her perky ass. Making her get on her knees and beg for it as I slowly tie her hands behind her back. I have a feeling she’d love to moan with my cock halfway down her throat.

4

SOFIA

M

y first week at the new job passes without any issues. Like any new job, getting used to everything is stressful and difficult but also pretty boring. I don’t have a full workload yet, so I find there’s a lot of downtime in between tasks. Which means I spend a lot of time Googling Jacob Drake. I can’t believe what I find out. While he was subbing back in the day, he was working on his Quest Education software in his free time. When he turned thirty, he started the company with the backing of a wealthy investor names Byron Teller, and together they built Quest Education into one of the leading online education companies in the world. Their software and their teaching staff are second to none.

I hadn’t heard of this before simply because Quest Education is a niche company, but they’re quickly expanding. Apparently Jacob is filthy rich now, and highly successful, but there are rumors online about some issues within the company. Apparently his style of management is being phased out and replaced with a more aggressive, profit-driven method I’m frankly amazed by Jacob. Not only is he gorgeous, but now he’s rich. And he gives a ton of money to charity apparently. He’s one of the biggest philanthropists in the country, certainly the biggest in this city. This is the same man that I’ve been daydreaming about on and off for years, the same teacher that kissed me in that classroom ten years ago. I keep thinking about him as the days pass. I keep seeing his handsome face, older but still incredibly attractive. He looked at me with a moment of unbridled passion, just a very brief moment before he was all business again. Darlene pressed me for more details about my past with Jacob, and I told her some stuff about him as a teacher, but I carefully kept the truth hidden. I wanted to have an affair with him, and we almost did. I can’t imagine what things would be like now if we

had really acted on those impulses back then. Now though, my desire for him is totally awakened, but I know it’ll never happen. He’s important, rich, and busy as hell apparently. I doubt I’ll ever hear from him again except at company functions. He’s probably ashamed of me anyway. The first week finally ends and the weekend comes. I distract myself from thinking about Jacob by hanging out with some friends, basically filling time, but he’s still always in the back of my mind. When Monday rolls around, I’m surprised to find that I’m excited to go into the office. When I get to my desk and log into my computer, my heart skips a beat. There’s an email I’m not expecting, sent just a few minutes before I sat down. It’s from him. It’s from Jacob. Heart hammering, I double-click and open it up. Hi Sofia, it was good running into you again. I can’t believe it’s been ten years since I last saw you. I was wondering if you’d like to have lunch, say this afternoon? Meet me out front at one. Jacob. I read and reread the message twice before typing a reply. Jacob, I’d love that. I’ll see you at one.

Sofia. I hit send and feel completely breathless. I wasn’t expecting this, and maybe it’s stupid to accept. He’s probably just being polite. Truth is though, I want to see him, want to talk to him. I’m curious about his life and how he ended up here. And I’m still intensely attracted to him, just like I was back when I was a teenager. It’s an amazing feeling, having this intense crush again. I haven’t felt it in so long, and it feels good. The morning flies past, mostly because I’m so distracted daydreaming about Jacob’s strong hands all over my body. I want to call him Mr. Drake again and let him spank my ass with a ruler, let him pull my hair and fuck me while I’m wearing a short little skirt like I wore back in the day. It’s messed up and totally inappropriate but I don’t care. I’m soaking wet just imagining what he could do to me. When the time finally arrives, I gather my stuff and head toward the door. “Hey!” Darlene says, catching up with me. “Wanna have lunch?” I frown and shake my head. “Can’t sorry,” I say. “Meeting a friend.” “Ah,” she says. “Have fun!” “Thanks,” I answer and get on the elevator. I feel

bad lying, but I can’t have her know the truth. I get downstairs and head outside. I don’t see Jacob anywhere when suddenly a dark car pulls up in front of me. The window rolls down and there he is, smiling at me. “Glad you showed,” he says. “Get in.” The door pops open and I climb inside. Jacob slides over to give me room. It’s a gorgeous town car with dark leather seats and a divider between us and the driver. As soon as I’m inside, the car starts going, and I turn to look at Jacob. We’re sitting inches apart and I can still barely believe that it’s him. Jacob looks at me sideways, a little grin on his face. “Been a while,” he says to me. I take a sharp breath. “I wasn't sure if you recognized me,” I admit to him. “I knew it was you the second I saw you,” he says. He’s wearing his usual suit, perfectly tailored to his tight, muscular body, and I can’t help but shift slightly closer. He definitely does look older than the last time I saw him all those years ago, but it’s older in a good way: distinguished, rugged, experienced. He’s tanned and healthy with deep blue eyes and a slight beard. His hair is clean and

close cropped, clearly cut recently, and I want to reach out to run my fingers through the longer wavy strands at the top. “Been a long time, Mr. Drake,” I say, heart pounding. He laughs at that. “Nobody calls me that anymore,” he says. “Just Jacob these days.” “Hard to believe you’re the founder of this company. I mean… I had no clue.” “I bet,” he says, grinning. “I wasn’t always planning on being a sub.” “You were a good teacher though,” I say. “I’m sure you’d think so,” he says softly, and I swear he has a knowing smile on his face. I’m not sure if it’s a reference to that moment, but he doesn’t give me time to think about it. “I didn’t teach for very long, anyway.” “I know everyone really liked you,” I say, feeling awkward and not myself. “High school kids like anyone that’s remotely young. It was tough though, teaching you guys and building Quest at night.” I watch him, but my attention is pulled away as the car suddenly stops in front of a building. Jacob gets

out, walks around the back, and lets me out. As I step onto the sidewalk, he instructs the driver to wait nearby. “Ready?” he asks. I nod and follow him into what looks like a plan little diner from outside. But as we move in through the doors, I realize that the façade is totally misleading. “This place is called Aunt Bee’s,” he says, smiling at the way I’m looking around. “It’s run by a Japanese friend of mine, Toshiki Kadomatsu. He’s an incredible chef. Come on.” The entranceway is all marble flooring with deep, rich mahogany walls and exposed beams in the roof. It looks like an ancient steakhouse from the fifties mixed with a New Jersey diner, part old world charm and new world futurism. As we pass the hostess, Jacob nodding at her with a smile, I notice that the tables are all rounded with gleaming edges to them. The bar looks just like a counter at a diner, with low stools and more chrome edges, but the wood frames everything. “He’s something of an Americanophile,” Jacob says as we head to the back. “Obsessed with vintage American culture. You should see his collection of jeans.”

“Jeans?” I ask him, totally bewildered. The place is crowded, every table packed, and there were more people waiting to be seated. But Jacob is just walking through it all like he owns the place. “Sure, denim,” he says. “Vintage stuff, you know, when America was still manufacturing it. Japan loves vintage American stuff. Motorcycles, denim, rock ’n’ roll, Elvis. All that stuff.” I hurry to catch up to him as we move through the back dining room, more wood and chrome, before he finally stops at the side of an empty booth. It’s the best booth in the house, close to the kitchen and the bathrooms, but with a good view of the whole room. “Here we go,” he says. “My favorite.” He sits down and I sit across from him. “Did you have a reservation?” I ask him, totally off guard. He laughs and shrugs. “Something like that. I just called Toshiki up and let him know I’d be coming, he always saves my favorite booth.” I shake my head and laugh, at a loss for words, as a waitress appears with menus. Before she can leave though, Jacob orders a sushi platter and a few other small plates.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he says. “I’m starving and gotta get back soon.” “No, sushi’s great,” I say. “This place is amazing.” “Glad you like it.” He smiles at me, his eyes meeting mine, and I feel that chilling excitement hit me again. “So, what have you been doing all these years?” I take a breath, at a loss for where to start. “Nothing as interesting as this,” I admit to him. “I doubt that’s true. How’d you end up working for me?” “Well, boring story, really.” He smiles as the waitress returns with waters. “Tell it anyway,” he says, sipping from his glass. “I was working at a law firm, opposition research sort of thing, and got a call one day from your recruiter.” “Billy?” he asks. I nod. “Yep. Gave me a really good pitch. I came in for the interview, got an offer on the spot that I couldn’t turn down, and here we are.” He smiles at me. “Sounds like they’re doing their jobs.”

“Well-oiled machine,” I say. He laughs. “I’m glad you’re here. It’s always good catching up with old students.” That phrase, “old students,” jabs at me a little bit. I don’t know why, but it bothers me. We fall into small talk after that, catching up on what he’s been doing. He tells me about struggling to create Quest while teaching during the day. “It was a bunch of kids that didn’t want to learn math during the day, and mindless programming all night long.” “Frustrating,” I say to him. “Unbelievable,” he says, shaking his head. “Really, I don’t know how I did it. But I built a prototype, pitched it to Byron, and here we are.” “Byron?” I ask him. “My first investor. Member of the board. He’s a good man.” I nod and the waitress comes a second later with the first course. It’s a sushi plate, with a bunch of different rolls I don’t immediately recognize. But it’s delicious, and we talk comfortably as we eat. More dishes arrive. A bowl of amazing mac ’n’ cheese, little savory pancakes, fried dumplings,

fried chicken. We picked at it and eat as we talk. He asks me about classmates, people I haven’t spoken to in a long time. We reminisce about the old days a little bit, though we never mention the topic that’s hanging between us. “Remember Georgie?” he asks me, popping a dumpling into his mouth. “Georgie Kettler?” I ask him. “That kid was…” “A total moron,” he finishes for me and I burst out laughing. “Seriously, the kid was more muscle than brain. It’s a good thing that he was a good football player.” “I think he’s still back home working for his dad now,” I say. “Good for him. Glad someone gave that idiot a job.” I laugh, delighted in hearing a teacher talk shit about his ex-students. “And what about me?” I ask him, leaning toward him across the table. “What kind of student was I?” “Very attentive,” he says, keeping a straight face. “Always happy to stay after and lend a helping hand.” I grin at him, a flash of excitement running through

me. “What can I say? I guess I was a teacher’s pet.” “Something like that,” he says, looking at me with a small smile on his face. But the moment is interrupted when the waitress comes and starts clearing off plates. I want to ask him about that moment. I want to tell him that I understand why he stopped, and that it didn’t really affect me in the long run. I don’t know if he feels guilty or strange about kissing a student, but it didn’t mess me up or anything like that. Really, it just gave me something to think about while touching myself. But the check comes and soon we’re up, walking back through the strange diner. He texts the driver and we chat on the curb for a minute before the car pulls up. We get inside and off we go, heading toward the office. “That was nice,” he says to me. “Seriously, it’s good seeing you again. I’m glad you’re all grown up.” I raise an eyebrow. “I’m all grown up? You’re practically ancient now.” He laughs at that. “Sorry, I meant it in a good way.”

“Oh yeah? How did you mean it?” He glances away, and I know what he’s trying to say. “Just strange, is all. You’re not that high school girl I remember.” He looks back at me. “But in some ways you are.” “I know what you mean. You’re not the cute young teacher I remember anymore, but you are.” He grins at me. “I’m still cute, I assume you mean.” I blush. “Not what I meant.” “Sure it is. You think I don’t know?” “Know what?” “How hard you were flirting with me,” he says, making my heart hammer in my chest. “And maybe you don’t know it, but keeping my hands off you back then… well, you know how hard that was for me.” “You weren’t so successful,” I say. I can’t believe we’re talking about this, and he seems so totally nonchalant about it. But my heart is beating fast and I feel like I may pass out at any second. He goes to say something, but the car stops and I realize we’re in front of the building already. “Anyway, your stop,” he says. “I have some

meetings to get to. It was nice catching up.” “Yeah, thanks for lunch,” I say. “See you around.” He grins at me and it hits me hard how attractive he is. I climb out of the car and watch as it pulls back into traffic, taking Jacob off to some other amazing, special location. I can’t believe he brought it up. I figured we’d never talk about it, pretend it didn’t happen. But I’m happy he said something. Maybe he’s been thinking about it. Maybe he’s been thinking about it as much as I’ve been thinking about it, which is pretty obsessively on and off for ten years. I shake my head and turn away. I can’t give in to this. I have to keep it professional. I head back inside, back into my cubicle, and I do my best to forget about that conversation for the rest of the day.

5

JACOB

I

’m buzzing with excitement even into the next day. Every step I take it’s all Sofia, Sofia, Sofia, more with every breath. It’s a weird feeling, this headlong rush into a woman from my past, although she was nearly a girl back then. We’re totally different people, and yet… There was the hint of the girl I wanted back in my classroom. Just the hint of her, a subtle suggestion of that flirtatious eighteen-year-old. She looks like her still, of course, but it’s in the small quirks. The smiles, the way she makes eye contact, the way she leans toward me when I speak. It’s the cadence and rhythms of her speech. That night, after work, I went home and found the

yearbook from ten years ago. I found her picture and smiled, a stupid grin: she looks almost no different. Better figure now, since she’s a woman, but basically the same. I come into work this morning with a smile on my face. I haven’t felt this energized in a long time. I can’t believe I broached it with her, the subject I was dreading. Part of me was afraid that she would remember it negatively, like her creepy teacher tried to make out with her one day or something. But when I brought it up, she didn’t seem upset at all. In fact, she blushed and seemed excited by it, which makes me think she has the same memory that I do. It was one of the most erotic, sexual, intense moments of my life, and all we did was kiss back then. I bet she’s been imagining what else I would’ve done to her all these years. I bet she still wants to find out. It’s an insane thought, but I can’t help myself. Instead of going to my office, I head down a floor and walk right past Sofia’s cube. She’s not in yet, since I come in early, but I’m not looking for her. I knock on Karl’s office door. “Yeah?” he calls out, and I open it up. He’s at his computer, bent slightly forward, reading something on the screen. He looks surprised when I step in.

“Morning,” I say to him. “Morning, Jacob,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” “I’m here to ask you a favor.” I stand in front of his desk, refusing to sit down in the chairs. He has them purposefully low, to make him sit up higher than his guests. It’s a cheap power move. “What’s that?” he asks. “I figured you were here to yell at me for the board meeting.” I hesitate a second. “I don’t need to yell,” I say to him. “You know how I feel about it.” “I do,” he says. “And you know I disagree. And so do certain other board members.” “Yes,” I say to him, inwardly chafing, but I can’t let it show. Not when I want something from him. “Well, at any rate, I’m not here about that.” “What can I do for you?” “It’s about an employee.” I hesitate, not sure how to go about doing this. As soon as I start, I know it’s a mistake, but it’s way too late to back out now. “Someone mess something up?” he asks me, raising an eyebrow. Of course he assumes someone made a mistake. He

always assumes the worst. “No, actually. I know someone from your team, from back in the day. I was hoping I could have her transferred over to my department.” Karl looks surprised. “Sofia?” “That’s right,” I answer, remembering how we were first introduced. He doesn’t say anything at first. His eyebrows shoot up to the top of his head and I can see the wheels spinning. “She’s a good worker,” he says finally. “Really highly paid recruit. We did a lot to get her. I was under the impression that the two of you were only passing acquaintances.” “I’m sure she’s great,” I say, ignoring that last part. “I’d be happy to have my people assist in finding a replacement.” “Ah,” he says. “That’s just it. I don’t think there is a replacement, not for her. You understand, don’t you, Jacob?” I understand perfectly, I realize. He knows now, he knows that I want Sofia. Maybe not sexually or romantically, but he knows she matters to me in some way, and he’s going to use that against me.

Before, she was just someone I happened to know. Now though, she’s someone I want around, and that makes her important. This is a stupid mistake. I’m distracted by my sudden renewed desire for Sofia and clearly not thinking right. I should have known as soon as I had this idea that Karl would see through me instantly and use this against me. That’s the kind of man he is. Karl is a hard worker, bright and creative, but he’s also ruthless and emotionless. He only cares about results and success above all other things. He’d tear apart absolutely anyone or anything to get what he wants. And he wants my job. He wants to take this company in a new direction. He’s wanted that ever since I first hired him eight years ago. When we first started growing and expanding, about a year after the company was funded and founded, he was one of my first new hires. He was bright and impressive back then, and he’s moved up through the ranks ever since. Now, he’s an upper level manager, as close to upper management as you can get, but he wants more. He thinks he can make this company as profitable as possible, and he’ll do anything to get us there.

He’s tough on his employees, notoriously tough, but he gets results. I should have fired him years ago, but now he has support from the board and protection, so I can’t make a move anymore. I hoped that I could get Sofia out from under him. I was thinking I could make her life at the company easier. Now I see that I just tipped my hand to Karl without thinking. “I understand,” I say to him. “Can’t blame you. She was a good student when I knew her. I’m sure she’s a good employee.” “Very good, very good,” he says, nodding, a big stupid smile on his face. “I’ll let her know you were asking after her.” “Sure,” I say to him. Without another word, I nod and leave the room. I don’t want to spend another second standing in front of that snake bastard. I’m kicking myself all the way back to my office. Fortunately there are few people in this early, so I don’t have to smile and pretend like I’m not in a black mood. I’m a fucking moron. I’m a Georgie-level idiot. I should never have gone to him. I just wanted to help Sofia out, maybe get her close, maybe get to taste her one last time…

And there it is. I was blinded by my own stupid desire and made a dumb mistake. I need to be careful, way more careful. I can’t just do whatever I want to do. I need to start thinking two moves ahead. Karl is dangerous. He’s coming after me. That stunt with the board is proof that I’m under attack, and if I want this company to keep moving in my direction, I better shape up. I can’t be complacent anymore. I’ve had a lot of good years at the helm of this place, but the tides are changing, and I better change with them. I can’t afford to get distracted by Sofia. And yet every time I think that, I just let myself get sucked further into her orbit. I need to find a way to do this, a way that won’t distract me from my work.

6

SOFIA

O

ver the next few days, changes.

something

At first, I can’t put my finger on it. I’m not sure what’s happening, but it’s subtle. Slowly though, it becomes really obvious. “Why the hell does Karl hate you?” Darlene asks me Friday afternoon in the break room. “Oh my god, you notice it too?” “Notice it?” She shakes her head. “It’s crazy, Sofia. Everyone’s talking.” “Wow. I honestly thought it might just be me.” Darlene pops open a soda and leans toward me. “I mean, he’s giving you twice the workload. And this

morning, he stops by your desk to criticize you loudly for, what, misplacing a comma?” “I couldn’t believe that,” I whisper to her. “I know for sure I’ve made little mistakes like that since being here, but he hasn’t said a word. You have one tiny error and he’s coming down on you hard.” She shrugs and leans back in her seat, sipping her drink. “Must have done something wrong.” It makes me feel better that Darlene noticed, on the one hand, but on the other I still have no clue why Karl hates me. When I get back to my cube, I get right to work, not wasting any time on social media or anything like that. Darlene wasn’t kidding when she said that I’m getting twice the amount of work compared to everyone else. It’s my freaking second week and I’m already swamped. I don’t know why but Karl seems to hold me to higher standards, and it’s only making me crazy stressed out. I spend all day buried in work. I manage to get through everything that’s pressing, and as I’m packing up for the day, I notice Karl’s office door is open. My heart starts beating fast, and I turn to notice

him coming up behind me. His face is dour as our gazes meet. “Hi, Sofia, have a second?” he asks me. I nod and sit back down. “Sure, what’s up?” “Well, it’s about that Terrence case. Have you gotten thorough it yet?” I shake my head. “I was told that isn’t due until next week. I’ll get right to it first thing Monday.” He purses his lips. “I see.” He hesitates a second. “Look, that’s an important case. Would you mind getting on it?” I want to scream. If that were the most important thing in my queue, I would have done it first thing and made sure it was finished. Instead, he’s dropping this on me at the end of the day, and he knows damn well what he’s doing. “Of course,” I say with a tight smile. “I’ll get it done right now.” “Thanks, Sofia,” he says, and quickly heads back to his office. I turn back to my computer and want to smash it. I’m so angry and confused, but I have no other choice but to get to work.

“See you Monday,” Darlene says as she heads out, a little guilty smile on her face. “See you.” The rest of the department slowly filters out as I try and plow through it, not giving up on this. Even Karl ends up leaving after an hour, and I want to get up and strangle him as he walks past my cube, not even bothering to say goodnight. I realize that I’m alone, and I still have some stuff to do on this project. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I dive into it and get it finished. By the time I email the files out, it’s nearly seven o’clock on a Friday night and the office is deserted. I’m angry as I wait for the elevator. I can’t believe Karl just did that to me, and I know he knows exactly what he was doing. He’s not a stupid man. He knew that would take me at least a couple hours to get through. Frankly, I wasn’t as careful as I would have been otherwise, but I think it’s good enough. He can give me shit on Monday if he doesn’t like my work. The elevator doors open and I’m so distracted that I just jump in and lean up against the wall, not bothering to look at the guy standing in the back corner.

“Bad day?” I half turn, surprised. Jacob grins at me, head cocked slightly. “Oh, uh, hey,” I say to him. “Just finishing some stuff up.” “It’s late. Karl kept you?” I shrug a little. “Had a last minute job to finish up.” “On a Friday, huh.” He frowns at me. “Everything okay with him?” I hesitate a second. I know I shouldn’t say anything to him, but I’m so angry I can barely keep it contained. “Just getting my feet under me, you know?” He smiles a little and nods. “Listen, let’s go get a drink.” I sigh. “I don’t know. I’m starving.” “Drink and dinner then. I’m buying.” I look into his eyes, and I’m so angry that I’m not thinking straight. “Okay,” I say. “Let’s do it.” “Great,” he says, grinning. The elevator reaches the ground floor and I follow him out through the lobby. We get outside and there’s a car waiting for

us already. He helps me inside and leans in to tell the driver something before getting in behind me. I glance at him as the driver pulls out into traffic. He’s checking his phone, scrolling through emails. I bet he’s really busy if he’s staying so late on a Friday. But then again, I don’t think he has a family to head back home to… though that doesn’t mean he has nothing outside of work. It’s not like I have a big family, either. “You’ll like this place,” he says, slipping his phone back into his jacket pocket. “Quiet and cozy.” “Another friend of yours?” I ask him. He laughs. “No, not this place.” “What were you doing working so late?” I ask. “Not like you have a boss.” “Not exactly,” he says, frowning. “But this is just a tough time at the company.” “Want to tell me about it?” He hesitates, but dives into the story. I listen as he talks about the two different tracks for the company, and how he doesn’t think that Karl’s way is the best way for the company. Now he’s trying to work hard to prove to the board that his method is right.

When he finishes, we pull up outside of a little bar in a neighborhood I’ve never been to before. I follow him out of the car and into this little place with a big copper bar along one wall and a dining room toward the back. He posts up at the bar and I sit down next to him. “You like pizza?” he asks me. “Uh, yes,” I say. “Who doesn’t like pizza?” “Lactose intolerant people,” he answers. “They’re just potential pizza lovers. It’s not their fault their bodies disagree with cheese.” “Solid point,” he says, laughing, and orders us a pizza from the bartender. He also asks for a gin and tonic for me, and a whisky for himself. “Cheers,” he says when our drinks arrive a minute later. “Cheers,” I say in response. I drink deeply, sighing to myself. “Long week.” “Look, I think I should apologize to you,” he says, looking down at the bar. “Why?” I ask him. “Well… I did something fucking stupid.” He looks up at me with a surprising sincerity. “I did it for

good reasons.” “What did you do?” I ask, totally bewildered. “Went to Karl and asked to have you transferred to my department.” I stare at him for a second, totally surprised. “Why?” I ask. “Because you shouldn’t have to work for an asshole like him,” he says. “I was trying to make your life easier but… I think it backfired.” The story he told me in the car suddenly clicks. The competition between him and Karl, and him asking to have me transferred to my department… “He’s taking it out on me,” I say. “Yeah.” He takes a deep sip. “I fucked up. I’m really sorry.” “Shit,” I say, shaking my head. “Why the hell would you do that?” He looks at me for a second. “You want the truth?” “Of course,” I say, anger rising inside of me. I know he did it hoping that he could help me out, but clearly that didn’t work out. Because of him, Karl hates me, and now my life is twice as hard.

This is why Karl’s been treating me like crap. He’s hurting me to get at Jacob. I’m stuck in the middle of this, all because Jacob asked to have me transferred to his department. I mean, Karl shouldn’t be acting like this, of course. He’s a petty asshole, obviously. But Jacob knows that and he still messed up. But looking at him… the anger just isn’t taking off. I thought I’d flip out, but truth is, I can’t stay mad at Jacob. I’m annoyed, without a doubt, but I know he did it for a good reason. “I wanted to keep you close,” he admits. “I know you’re smart and capable. But… that’s not the only reason.” I can feel my heart beating quickly in my chest as he looks at me. It’s that same look, the one that drives me crazy, all passion and desire. I can see right through him and he doesn’t seem to mind one bit. It’s all there on his face, everything he wants to do to me, all the dirty thoughts he’s had over the years. And I share all of those feelings, even if right now I wish I didn’t. The bartender places a pizza in front of us, totally interrupting the moment. Jacob sits back and serves us each a slice. We eat in silence, and I have to admit that the pizza is really, really good, but my

thoughts are swirling. “Look—“ he starts, but I interrupt him. “We don’t have to talk about it,” I say. “Honestly, right now, I just want to eat this.” He grins a little. “Works for me.” He motions for another drink and has another slice. We fall into small talk again, mostly about the office, but a little bit about our lives before. I tell him about my college days and he talks about the first few years of Quest. We had such different lives back then, and in a lot of ways we still do, but here we are. I can’t help but smile and laugh at his jokes. He’s so handsome and charming, and although he fucked up and made my life harder, I still feel so comfortable sitting here and talking with him. Maybe it’s the drink, but I don’t think so. I felt this way at lunch. We finish eating and drinking, and I check my watch. “Shit,” I say to him. “It’s almost nine.” “Really?” He checks his phone. “Damn. Time flies, I guess.” “I should get going.” He takes out his wallet and pays for everything

before I can offer to split. “Need a ride somewhere?” he asks. I shake my head. “I’m going to walk,” I say. “You sure?” he asks. “I’m sure.” He shrugs and we walk out together. For an irrational second, I think he’s going to kiss me again, just like back then. Instead, he gives me a smile and disappears into his car. I watch as it pulls away, and I’m left standing on the corner wondering what the hell just happened. He’s my boss’s boss, the founder of my company. He’s filthy rich, he’s my old teacher, and there are a million reasons why I should steer clear of getting involved. And yet… I can’t help myself. I should be pissed, but really I don’t feel it. I’m mostly annoyed, but even that’s fading. He seemed to genuinely feel bad. As I walk through the city, I can’t stop thinking about Jacob. It’s childish and silly. He said he wants to keep me close. I can’t help but wonder what he meant by that.

I feel like I’m floating, almost happy that Karl kept me late. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have run into Jacob again. My apartment’s a twenty-minute walk, but the night feels good, and I can’t stop smiling.

7

JACOB

I

can see clear across the city from my office, but today that doesn’t seem to matter.

I can’t really enjoy the view when I’m still obsessing over Sofia. Well, obsessing isn’t the right word. I’m trying to figure out how the fuck I can help her, but I’m not totally sure. I have ideas, dirty ideas, dark ideas. They keep swirling around me in clouds, making me want to do things… making me want to take things from her. It’s like a game, except the stakes are so high right now. I shouldn’t be indulging in this distraction, not when I have my team working overtime to try and come up with new metrics and ideas to keep the company on my path.

Still, I got her into this mess. And I’m also Karl’s boss. I can order him to send her to my department, though politically that might be a bad idea. He can use that against me, try and twist it into something it’s not, although he’s probably be right. I want her in my department for my own selfish reasons. No, she has to stay where she is. I can’t work with her here, just outside my office. I’d be too tempted to do something stupid, like bend her over my desk in the middle of the day and spank her ass raw before making her suck me off in front of my big windows. I’m hard just thinking about it. Which is why I need to find another way. Maybe I can’t bring her into my department. But I can protect her. I’m still Karl’s boss, and I still have allies in Human Resources that I can call on, people I hired a long time ago who are loyal to me above anyone else. I can’t force him to treat Sofia better than anyone else, but I can make sure he isn’t torturing her too much. I can give him a little oversight, make it hard for him to take his anger out on her. It’ll cost me some favors, but it won’t be impossible.

I got her into this, and I have to be the one that gets her out of it. Making a decision, I start by placing some calls. I get Roger in Human Resources on the phone, and he brings in Cindy and Lucille. I drop some hints about Karl, the sort of stuff that won’t surprise anyone. Treating a new girl a little too tough, maybe they can check up on her, that sort of thing, and can we keep it between us, you know, as a special favor to me. Once that’s over, I make a couple other calls. And as I’m taking, I realize something. I want more from Sofia. I’m using a lot of political capital right now, at a time when I shouldn’t be wasting any of it. It’s dangerous and maybe stupid, and if I’m going to do it, I want to make sure she wants it. When I’m done on the phone, I quickly buzz Minnie. “Can you get Sofia Wolf on the phone for me?” I ask her. “Sure,” Minnie says. A couple minutes later, my phone rings, and I pick it up. “Sofia?” I ask. “Hi, Jacob,” she says. “What can I do for you?”

“Listen, I need to speak with you in person. Could you come up to my office?” She hesitates a second. “Okay, sure,” she says. “I’m just swamped down here.” “I understand. It’s about that, actually.” “Jacob…” she says slowly. “Just come up.” I hang up the phone before she can argue. I’m practically jumping with excitement. I take a deep breath and stretch out a little bit, trying to calm myself down. I don’t get like this, all giddy over a woman. This isn’t my style at all, and yet being around Sofia drives me wild. Minnie buzzes a few minutes later. “Sofia out here for you,” she says. “Send her in.” Sofia walks in through the door wearing a tight white blouse tucked into a tight black skirt. It’s totally work appropriate and also sexy as hell. She shuts the door behind her before sitting down in a chair in front of me. “Thanks for coming up,” I say. “I know you’re swamped.”

“I just hope this doesn’t get me in more trouble with Karl.” I can hear the annoyance in her voice, and that just makes me smile. I stand up and walk around the desk, staring at her as I do it. I sit down on the corner, leaning down toward her. “I have a proposal for you,” I say. She arches an eyebrow. “What’s that?” “I want to offer you something. It’s something costly and important, and so in exchange I want something important.” She doesn’t move, her eyes locked on mine. “What are you offering me?” “Protection,” I say. “I can make sure Karl has more HR oversight than normal. I can call in some favors, get some eyes on him, make sure he’s treating you well. Maybe he won’t be happy about it, but he’ll do it.” She purses her lips. “Doesn’t seem like a long-term solution. Might make things worse.” I shake my head. “It won’t. I’ll make sure of it. And hopefully, Karl isn’t long for this company.” She watches me without speaking for a moment. She crosses her legs and leans in toward me, and I

can feel my heart beating fast as excitement spikes through me. I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t offer her this. But I want it, and badly. And I know she wants it too. “And what do you want in exchange?” “You’re going to do something for me,” I say slowly. “Something outside of work. I’ll give you an address, and you’ll show up. Once you’re there, you’ll do as I ask.” I watch her and I notice her breath comes quicker and she bites her lower lip. “Do you understand?” “I think so,” she says softly. “You want me to do… whatever you want.” “Yes,” I say, smirking at her. “For a night, at least. After that, well… we can work on the details, if you’re interested.” “Just for a night,” she repeats. “That’s right. One night, you’re mine. And I keep you protected from Karl.” We stare at each other a moment, and I can tell that she’s trying to work this out in her mind. I can see the calculations, but more than that, I can feel the passion rolling off her in waves. I bet she doesn’t

want to feel so lost in this, just like I don’t, but she can’t help herself. The idea of it, the thought… hell, the memory… “Okay,” she says. “I’ll do it.” I can’t help but smile. “Good.” I stand up and walk around my desk. I write down an address for her and slide the paper over. “Show up here tonight at eight. Don’t be late.” She nods briskly and takes the paper, folding it into her palm. She stands and looks down at me. “Will that be everything?” “For now,” I say. “I’ll see you tonight, Sofia.” She nods once, turns on her heel, and heads to my door. Before she can leave, I call out her name again. She turns to look at me. “Yes?” “Wear that,” I say, gesturing at her. “That exact outfit.” She hesitates and nods. “Okay. I will.” “See you tonight.” I watch her ass as she turns and leaves, and I can feel my excitement spike all over again. I lean back in my chair, the ghost of her still

lingering. I know what I want from her tonight, but I don’t know if she understands what she’s in for. But I’m not worried. As soon as she feels it, as soon as she tastes it, I know she’ll want more. I’ll have her just as addicted as I am.

8

SOFIA

T

his might be the craziest thing I’ve ever done… or the most exciting.

Probably both. At eight sharp, I’m standing outside of a gorgeous row home in the most expensive part of the city wearing the same outfit I had on at work. Well, almost the same outfit. I showered and I have on fresh underwear and a fresh shirt, but the skirt is the same. He won’t be able to tell either way. Nervously, my heart aching, I walk up the stoop and ring the bell. After a minute, the door slowly creaks open. I push it and step inside, looking around. “Hello?” I call out. I’m standing in a large entrance

foyer with a high ceiling, a steep wooden staircase, and a gorgeous chandelier casting light in patterns all across the walls. “Up here,” he calls out. I shut the door behind me and walk toward the stairs. “Jacob?” I ask. “Come upstairs,” he says. I think his voice is coming from the back room. I climb the steps, my excitement mounting. I don’t know what’s going on, but I have a pretty good idea. I don’t know how I should feel about this. I’ve never traded my body for anything before. I’m going to fuck Jacob tonight and then he’s going to protect me at work. I know this is ethically wrong, very freaking wrong, and yet I don’t care about that. I just want to taste him and feel him again. I don’t care if he’s somehow coercing me into this. Maybe HR would call it blackmail, but I don’t see it that way. I see it as a fun game. And there’s nobody I’d rather play with than Jacob. Except I don’t know the rules yet. I get to the top of the steps and look down the hall. There are multiple doors, but they’re all closed. The only

open door is all the way toward the back of the house. Paintings and sculptures line the walls. I notice a few ancient-looking sketches that I think are Rembrandt. There are expensive oil paintings on the walls, seeming modern, but most of them look very, very old. The lighting is subdued, yellow and weak. I reach the end of the hall and the half-open door. “Jacob?” I ask. “Come in,” he says, just inside the room. I push it open and step inside. The first thing I notice is the bed. It’s an enormous canopy bed, with big, ornate posts at each corner draped with a thick white fabric. The covers are huge and pillows are tossed at the top almost casually. The next thing I notice is Jacob. He’s sitting crosslegged, ankle over knee, in a chair to the right of the bed. It’s a wide, computer chair, and he has a glass of whisky in his hand. He’s wearing the same suit he wore at work, and there’s a maddening grin on his face. The rest of the room is bare. Bare white walls, bare floors. Just a chair and a huge bed. There are two

more doors, though they’re shut. “I’m glad you came,” he says, not standing. I step toward him, not sure what to do. “Well, I’m here,” I say to him. “What did you, uh… what did you want?” He smiles at me. “Go to the bed.” I hesitate then walk over to it. I look at the covers and right in the middle is an outfit. “What’s that?” I ask him. “Put it on.” I step forward and pick up a skirt. It’s a plaid skirt, like something a schoolgirl would wear. And the shirt is white and crisp with a low collar. “You want me to put this on right here?” I ask him. He nods once. “Right here.” I hold the skirt and hesitate a second before taking a sharp breath. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. My pussy is dripping wet, and I’m not going to let fear beat me. I kick off my shoes and unhook my skirt. I let it drop to the floor and I step out of it. I go to put the plaid skirt on, but he stops me.

“No panties,” he says. I look at him and I can feel the blush in my cheeks, but I’m not going to let him see me whine. I slide my panties off. “Bring them here,” he says to me. I pick them up and carry them over to him. He accepts the panties. “Continue,” he says. I put the skirt on. It fits me perfectly and falls down just above my knee, like a real uniform would. He takes the panties and he smells them. I stare at him, surprised as hell, and he frowns. “You changed,” he says. “I wanted to be clean,” I answer, looking away. “I told you not to change.” He drops the panties on the floor and sighs. “We’ll have to do something about that.” I hesitate before unbuttoning my top. No use in hesitating now. I get it off and toss it aside. I go to unhook my bra but he shakes his head. I can feel his eyes on my skin, raking me up and down, and I feel so exposed.

This is the most erotic moment of my life and he hasn’t even touched me. It’s so filthy that he’s going to make me wear a schoolgirl outfit, especially considering our past. It’s dirty, absolutely filthy and wrong. He’s my ex-teacher, my current boss, and yet he’s using me like a little toy. I finish putting on the top and I turn to him. He inspects me, smiling, before standing. He finishes his whisky and puts the glass on the floor. I watch as he walks over to me, hands in his pockets. “Turn around,” he says to me. I turn my back to him and I hear him tsk. “Such a shame,” he says. “What is?” I ask. “The punishment you’ll have to have for changing.” He steps up behind me and I feel his hands on my hips. “And you have to be punished,” he whispers. “What will you do to me?” I ask him, shivering with desire. He pushes me over to the bed and bends me over. I gasp as I support myself on my elbows. He lifts my skirt up, exposing my bare ass. I can feel my pussy

dripping wet on the cotton of the skirt. He squeezes my ass before slapping my left cheek. I gasp as he does it again. He spanks me five times, each time harder than the last, until my ass is stinging and red. I look at him, eyes wide, as he steps away. “You can stand up,” he says. I stand, stinging and so incredibly aroused. The skirt falls back down around me. “Next time, do exactly as I say.” He steps up to me and tips my chin up toward me. “This is my deal. Are you listening?” “Yes,” I say to him. “Good.” He reaches around my head and takes a handful of my hair, pulling it back. “If you want my protection, you’re going to call me Daddy. You’ll do as I say when I say it without question. You’ll be mine, and I’ll be your Daddy. I’ll always keep you safe, and you’ll always obey me.” He pauses, eyes locked on mine. “Do you understand?” “Yes,” I say to him, my voice a strangled whisper. “Do you agree to my terms?” “Yes,” I repeat without hesitation.

A smile crosses his lips. “Now tell me what I am.” “Daddy,” I say, strangled with desire. For a second, I think he’s going to kiss me. I want him to kiss me so badly I can barely breathe. I want him to bend me over again, spank me even harder. I want him to fuck me, slide his thick cock in my tight cunt, call me a dirty girl. I want him to use me like the bad, filthy schoolgirl I am. I feel so sexy, so dirty, and so aroused. I can barely think. Instead, he steps away. “You can go home now,” he says. I stand there, shocked. “What?” “Go home,” he says to me. “Walk the whole way.” I stare at him, a little annoyed. Did he really invite me here, get me all worked up, just to kick me out? I bend over to gather my things, ready to storm out. “No,” he says. “In that. You will not change.” I gape at him. He wants me to go out in public in this schoolgirl outfit? I don’t even have panties on, though he did let me keep my bra at least. My tits would be spilling out if he didn’t. “What are you waiting for?” he asks, eyebrow arched. “I think there’s only one thing you have to say right now.”

I know what he wants to hear. I’m almost too angry to say it. He’s teasing me, playing with me. I’m his little toy now, and I can tell that he’s not always nice to his toys. Sometimes, he’s very rough, and he doesn’t always let them have what they want. Except… except I want this. I want more. If this is just the start, I want to see what else he has for me, what else he’s going to make me do. I want him to push my boundaries. I want him to destroy me. “Yes, Daddy,” I say to him. He nods, a big smile on his face, clearly approving. It makes me feel good as I turn away from him. I slip my feet back in my shoes and quickly walk back out the door. I hear him following behind me. I walk down the steps and he pauses at the top, watching as I get to the door. “Straight home,” he says to me. “I’ll be watching you the whole time.” I look up at him, my hand on the doorknob. “Yes, Daddy,” I say again, and he gives me that approving smile. It sends shivers down my spine. I open the door and step out into the night. I feel so exposed as I walk home. Fortunately, it’s a

nice neighborhood. Unfortunately, it’s a really gorgeous night, and a lot of people are out. I get more than a few double takes. I know how I must look. I feel so dirty and I’m probably blushing the whole time, but I do as he says. I walk straight home. I don’t run, but I don’t take it slow. He says he’s watching. I don’t know how, but I believe him. I want to make him proud, which confuses me and excites me all at once. I reach my apartment building and head inside. I glance back over my shoulder, and I think I spot a black car parked across the street. I step inside and head upstairs, mind racing, heart beating fast. As soon as I’m inside, I slam the door, throw myself down on to the couch, and spread my legs wide. I press my fingers deep inside of me, rubbing my clit, and I have one of the most intense orgasms of my life. All I have to do is think about him spanking my ass and giving me that approving look, and the orgasm overtakes me, sending my entire body into spasms. Later, after I change into normal clothes and shower, I can’t help but wonder how it’ll feel when he finally touches me and gives me what I desperately want.

9

JACOB

A

ll weekend I’m trying not to let myself obsess about Sofia, but I’m finding it impossible not to keep thinking about her ass in that skirt. I know it was a risk inviting her to my house like that and giving her that outfit. Part of me expected her to run away, maybe even make some kind of complaint against me. I didn’t care, though. I can see the way she looks at me. I know what it means. And I was right. As soon as she walked into the room, she knew what was going on. She didn’t run away, didn’t hesitate. She did as I said. And it gets my blood up, drives me fucking wild. It’s like the old days again: dirty, forbidden, but this time with a little something extra. I’m not sure what

it is. Maybe it’s because we’re both adults now, and we’re more equals than we were before. Though I’m still very much in charge. But there’s the possibility of something. When I was her teacher and she was just a teenager on the cusp of becoming a woman, it was pure lust between us. There was no thought about what she was like outside of the classroom, what her feelings and interests were. Now though, I find myself wanting to know her, to actually see her for the person she’s become. I want to peel back the layers of her, not just the layers of her clothing. When I get into the office Monday morning, I spend an hour answering emails before I make a call to Josh. He’s the IT specialist at our company, the head of the department, and I can remember hiring him a long time ago. I made him a very rich man, all because I brought him on and trusted him, and now he’s a good, loyal friend. Josh is in his late thirties, thinning hair, wiry frame. He’s a serious competitive runner and apparently has done some crazy distances. Minnie buzzes him into my office not long after I call him. He sits down in the chair in front of me. “How’re the kids?” I ask him. “Ron and Tammy?” “They’re good,” he says, smiling. “Good of you to

remember their names.” I shrug. “You’ve been with the company for a long time now.” “True,” he says, frowning. “Since the start.” “I actually called you in here to ask a favor,” I say. He nods. “Sure, Jacob. Whatever you need.” “Here’s the thing.” I need to do this delicately. What I’m about to ask isn’t strictly legal, and although we’re friendly and he definitely owes me, I don’t know how he’ll react. “I’m having issues with Karl Slay.” He doesn’t look surprised. “I’ve heard rumors,” he admits. “So you know all about him then. About what he’s been doing.” “Sure,” he says, looking a little uneasy. “I mean, he’s pretty vicious. I hear he’s been trying to undermine you.” “Trying very hard,” I say, nodding, glad he knows this much at least. “Look, I need a favor from you. Just something simple.” “What is it?”

“I need you to watch him for me. I don’t want you to spy on him,” I add quickly when his expression gets dark. “But I do want to make sure he’s not attempting anything behind my back.” Josh looks down at the floor. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I’m not supposed to keep any personal information, let alone share it.” “I know,” I say to him. “And the fact that you take your job so seriously is why you’re so important to this company. But consider this a favor to me. Besides, I’m your boss, and all information on these systems is mine by law.” He looks up and meets my gaze. “You don’t want all his emails?” he asks. “Just the ones about you?” I nod, smiling. “Just if anything pertains to me.” “That could be simple,” he says slowly. “Just a little filter on the back end. We wouldn’t even see anything else, just the stuff that mentions you.” “That’s all I’m asking,” I say, smiling big. He hesitates a second. “Are you sure we can do this?” he asks. “Yes,” I say. “I’m positive. Look, it’s for the good of the company. Karl is up to something and I need to know what he’s doing.”

“Okay,” he says finally. “I’ll do it. But nothing more, okay?” “Deal,” I say. Josh gets up and we shake hands. He nods as he heads out of my office, already mumbling to himself, trying to figure out the problem. I feel pretty good about how that went. I didn’t expect him just to agree to help me outright, but he did seem more willing than I thought. And the fact that he knows so much about the situation with Karl is pretty telling. Plus, anything done on company networks is technically company property, and so I have a right by law to view it all. Still, it’s a little uncomfortable for IT to pass along emails, I understand that. I lean back in my chair and sigh. I hate resorting to this sort of fucking shit. I don’t like spying or being tricky if I can avoid it. I’d rather confront Karl out in the open, but that’s not how he operates. I have to meet him fire for fire and hope I can best him in whatever game he’s playing. I open my bottom desk drawer and pull out a box. Last night I had a little present for Sofia rush delivered to my office as soon as the store opened. It’s all wrapped up already in very simple paper so as not to look too much like a present, as per my

instructions. I suspect she’s going to enjoy it, but I have to be careful. I don’t know how she’ll react to this, either. I know she accepted my proposal, but I don’t know if she fully understands what she’s getting herself into. I want to push her, test her boundaries, really take her further than she’s ever been before. I should probably be concentrating on my work issues, but this Sofia thing is far more interesting. Frankly, if I could just hide away and ignore everything else, concentrating all my energies on her, I would. I’d do it in a heartbeat. And I bet she’d enjoy it. For now though, I’m stuck with juggling two things at once. “Minnie?” I ask, buzzing her desk. “Yes?” “Can you deliver a little package for me?” “Sure.” She comes in a second later, bold eye shadow, gaudy earrings. I’m a big fan of Minnie. She’s been with me since the early days, before we got big funding, and I’ve been paying her great ever since. She’s as loyal as they come, probably because she makes more than most middle managers do. “What is it?” she asks as I hand over the package.

“Something for Sofia Wolf. She’s in Karl’s department.” A little smile crosses her face. “Is this…?” I shake my head. “No.” “Clay mentioned something about her. Said you seemed to recognize her.” I glance away. “It’s none of his business.” “Oh, I’m sure it’s not. But you know him.” “And I know you.” I look back at her. “Just deliver it, okay?” “Okay, boss,” she says. She gives me a little knowing smile and heads out without another word. I probably shouldn’t involve Minnie in this, but I know I can trust her. Of everyone in this building, Minnie is probably my closest friend, aside from Clay, of course. I doubt she would care if she knew about Sofia and I, but it’s better not to even put her in the position. I lean back at my desk and take a deep breath. I feel so excited I can barely think as I log into our instant messaging platform and add Sofia to my list. I can’t wait to start my little game, and although she doesn’t know what’s coming, I know she’s going to like it.

10

SOFIA

A

nother Monday rolls around, and I’m still swamped. Karl doesn’t mention anything about the job I rushed out the door on Friday, which is fine by me. I’m not really thinking about him, anyway. The only thing on my mind all weekend had been Jacob. That moment in his bedroom was one of the most intense moments of my life. I don’t know what I expected to happen, but I knew it would be sexual. I figured he wanted to sleep with me, and of course I wanted that, too. But I should have guessed it wouldn’t be so simple. He spanked me, but we didn’t exactly do anything physical. We didn’t kiss or really touch, aside from his hand on my ass. Still, it was so intense and

erotic, I can barely control myself when I think about it. Although I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed. I expected something else from him, but the weekend came and went and I haven’t heard a thing from him. As I slog through my work, I’m starting to think he forgot about me. I glance at the time and it’s only nine in the morning. I’ve only been here for a half hour, though it feels like it’s been forever already. I wonder what he’s thinking. I wonder what he’s doing. So far, his protection isn’t helping me all that much. I still have a mountain of stuff in my queue. Although Karl hasn’t spoken to me yet today, which is a plus. I haven’t gotten any angry emails or instant messages from him, and the work I have is just the same work that I had already, nothing new. So maybe Jacob is doing something behind the scenes. Hard to say. I’m antsy and I know why. I want to see him again, want to feel him again. I want to see what else he has in store for me. As I lean back in my chair, I notice a woman getting off the elevator. Heavy eye shadow, midfifties, gaudy earrings, jangly bracelets, flowing

skirt. She walks through the cubes and I realize that she’s heading right toward me. “Sofia?” she asks, stopping just outside my cube. “That’s me.” I stand up and shake her hand. “Minnie, Jacob’s secretary. He wanted me to deliver this to you.” She holds out a box, wrapped and plain. I take it from her and she smiles at me and winks. I don’t know what it is. “Thanks,” I say to her. “Of course. Have a good day.” She walks quickly away. I glance around but nobody is paying any attention. I sit down quickly, glad that Minnie was speaking quietly. I don’t want everyone to know that I have some kind of relationship with Jacob, even if they don’t know the extent of it. That’s how office rumors get started. I tear open the paper and place the box on my lap. It’s black and simple with a gold logo in the middle, but I don’t recognize it. I slowly open the lid and push back the white tissue paper. I slam the lid back down, heart rate spiking suddenly. I look around, making sure nobody was standing behind me. I slowly open the lid again and

yes, sure enough, there’s a small vibrator nestled in the middle. I shut it again, heart beating fast. There’s no way Minnie knew what she was bringing to me, but I can’t believe Jacob would have her do that. Hell, I can’t believe he would send me something like this at work. Then again, I only recognize it from seeing one online. It’s a small model, the kind you slip inside a pair of custom panties and leave there, pressed against your body. Sure enough, the panties are there, folded neatly under the vibrator itself. It’s wireless and you can control it from a remote or maybe even from an app, depending on the model. Okay, maybe I did a little research. In my defense, I had a dry spell for a while there after college and I needed a little distraction. I didn’t end up getting one. Well, not this kind at least. I bite my lip and shove the box into the bottom drawer of my desk. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do with this. If anyone finds it on me, I’m totally screwed. Maybe Jacob’s just messing with me. As I turn back to my computer, I notice a new IM flashing on my screen. I click it and realize that it’s from Jacob. I hit accept, adding him to my instant

message list. “Did you like my surprise?” I quickly type back. “I’m not sure that was the best thing to send me,” I say. “Oh no, it’s perfect. It’s part of your training.” I quirk an eyebrow. “Training?” “You know what I mean.” “Yes,” I type back, leaving off the most important word. Daddy. “I want you to put it on.” I stare at his message, not sure what he means. “When?” I type back. “Right now. Go put it on.” I lean back in my chair, eyes wide. I bite my lip, not sure what to do. He must have gone insane if he thinks it’s a good idea for me to put a wireless vibrator up inside myself right now. We’re at work. This is the most inappropriate place imaginable for this kind of thing. “Do it,” he types again. I sigh and shake my head. I told him I’d obey him no matter what. He must know what he’s doing if

he’s asking this of me. “Okay,” I type back. “I’ll be back.” I grab the box again and quickly take out the vibrator. I slip it into my bag before heading to the bathroom. Fortunately, it’s empty in there. I get into a stall, shut the door, lock it, and put down a toilet seat cover. I drop my skirt and panties, sit down on the toilet, and take out the vibrator. I stare at it for a second, heart thumping. This is stupid, so stupid, what if I get caught, what if this ruins me forever? But he told me to do it… and I want it. I want to do it. I want to wear it for him. I won’t get caught. Nobody will know it’s there, not if I can control myself. With a sharp breath, I slip the vibrator into its custom panties and slide the panties on. I adjust it, making sure it’s pressed tight and it’s secure before pulling my skirt back on. It’s surprisingly slim and comfortable as I flush the toilet and leave the stall. I can feel it down between my legs, pressed against my pussy, but it’s no worse than wearing a pad. I move around a little bit,

smiling like an idiot. I can’t help myself. It’s secure in there and I know it’s not going anywhere. I quickly leave the bathroom and head back to my desk. I sit down and pull up Jacob’s IM. “Done,” I type back to him. “Are you sure?” he asks. “I’m very sure,” I say back. “Good.” And then it turns on. It surprises the hell out of me and I yelp a little bit before quickly stifling myself. I have to bite down on my lower lip to keep from letting out a stupid moan. And it turns off just as Darlene appears at the end of my cube. “You okay?” she asks. “Yeah, sorry,” I say. “Uh, I just rolled over my toe.” She grins at me. “With your chair?” I nod, clearly flushed. “I’m clumsy.” “Obviously. Be careful, these chairs are pretty dangerous.” I laugh stupidly as she smiles and heads back to her desk. I whirl on the computer and type furiously.

“You asshole,” I say. “Warn me next time.” “No,” he answers. “I’ll do that when I please. Make sure you’re always wearing it.” “You can’t just turn it on at random. I’m at work!” “I know you are,” he says, and I can practically see his grin. “And I can do whatever I want.” With that, it turns on again. I grab the arms of my chair as pleasure floods through me. The vibrator is shockingly smooth and quiet. He must have gotten the top-of-the-line model, because of this were my vibrator, it would be buzzing like mad and everyone would hear it. Instead, I’m left feeling the intense pleasure of it flooding my body while desperately trying to keep myself under control. I take a deep breath and finally it turns off as I release it. I’m dripping wet and dizzy with pleasure and I hate him so much right now, but god damn do I love it. This is so dirty, so forbidden, and it’s our little secret. “Jerk,” I type back to him. “Have a good day.” With that, he signs off. I sit there, staring at my screen, a rush of conflicting emotions threatening to tear me apart.

On the one hand, I’m scared as hell that I’ll get caught. I’m terrified he’ll turn it on at the wrong moment, when I’m in the middle of a conversation with Karl or something like that, and I’ll be unable to control myself. Or I’ll make some kind of noise, or it’ll make a noise and give me away, or it’ll fall out at the wrong moment and embarrass me. But mostly I love it. I love the excitement of it, how at any moment he can make me feel good at the press of a button. He has total control over me and there’s nothing I can do but submit to his whims and hope that he takes care of me. Because god, I want him to take care of me. I want him to take care of me so badly. I don’t even care if he gets me off right here at my desk. I want it badly, need it so badly I can barely breathe. I’m on the edge of my seat, ringing with desire, and it’s all because of him. He’s my Daddy, and I have to submit to him, or else.

11

SOFIA

I

’m on edge the rest of the day, waiting for him to turn the vibrator on, but he never does.

Part of me is relieved, but mostly I’m disappointed. I expected him to torture me all day long, but as the hours slowly slipped past, nothing happened. I expected it, over and over again, but nothing. Not even a buzz or a message from him. I mean, maybe he’s busy, but still. I leave the office at the usual time. Karl doesn’t bother me fortunately, and actually he didn’t come to my desk once today. Last week he was berating me on a daily basis, but not apparently he’s giving me some space to actually get stuff done, which is a nice change of pace.

Maybe Jacob’s protection is actually working. So while he didn’t tease me with the vibrator, at least he kept Karl off my back. I can appreciate that much. Still, I wanted it… I wanted to feel it. I wanted him to mess with me, press my buttons, make me have to squeeze my legs tight and keep my mouth shut. All day I’ve been living in a haze of anticipation and yet nothing happened, nothing at all. I leave the office and head down the block. I take the subway to and from my apartment, so I head down the steps and underground, keeping with the flow of other people. I like this rush of bodies at the end of the day, a moving sea of people, each of them leading individual lives and with individual feelings, but now all crushed into this place, trying to get home. I probably don’t need to take the subway, but I like it. I like imagining what everyone does, both for fun and for work. I like being a part of that mass of people. As I’m standing on the platform, I feel my phone buzz. I pull it from my bag and stare at a text from a number I don’t recognize. “Going home?” I hesitate before typing back. “Who’s this?”

“You know who it is.” As I start to type back, I suddenly feel the vibrator turn on. It hits me like a jolt, surprising the hell out of me. It only turns on for a couple of seconds, and I manage to keep my composure. “Still not sure who this is?” “How did you get my number, Jacob?” I’m typing fast, blushing like crazy. “I have my ways. I’m sorry I haven’t been more attentive today.” “It’s okay. I’m a little relieved.” “Why?” he asks. “Didn’t you want me to play with you?” “Yes…” I type back. “But it would have been hard to concentrate.” “That is the point.” The vibrator turns on for a second again. “Are you on your way home?” “Yes,” I say. “I’m in public now, you know.” “Good. Do you think you can control yourself?” I bite my lip, heart beating fast. I know what’s about to happen, and I have to make a choice. I can go with his game and be a good girl, or I can run

upstairs, find the bathroom, and take the vibrator out before he can push me too far. I take a deep breath. “I don’t think you could push me too far even if you tried.” I hit send on that message and wait, anxious and excited. Nothing happens. I stand there on the platform, lost in my own little world, surrounded by people, waiting for my Daddy to get me off. But nothing happens. Several minutes slip by and it’s silence from him. As the local train starts to pull up and I get ready to board, I figure he forgot about me again. I’m a little annoyed and frustrated as the train pulls up to a stop and I get into line with everyone else, a mass of people trying to crush into this single car. Fortunately I’m toward the front, so I know I’ll get a seat. As the doors open, the vibrator suddenly turns on. I nearly jump from surprise as pleasure washes over me. I bite my lower lip. “Come on,” someone says behind me, and I realize that people are starting to board. I quickly move forward, trying to keep steady as the vibrator continues, pulsing in a heartbeat pattern.

I manage to get on the train and I quickly make a beeline for the back. I get a seat in a corner and slide in against the window, trying to hide my face from the rest of the car. The vibrator stops and I’m breathing deeply, trying to get myself under control. I get my phone out and type a message to Jacob. “Asshole,” I say. “The train was boarding.” “That was the plan,” he types back. “Did it feel good? Having me massage your pussy from a distance?” “Maybe,” I say. “Someone yelled at me when I didn’t move.” “I told you I could distract you if I wanted. Now imagine what I could do with my lips and tongue.” “Probably not much, considering I’m in public.” “I don’t know,” he sends back, and the vibrator turns on. This time, the setting is low, a gentle pulsing motion. “I think I could get you off, even with all these people.” “How?” I type back, heart beating fast. “I’d put a jacket over your lap and slide my hands down the front of your skirt.” The vibrator increases in intensity. “You’d have to be quiet, of

course. We don’t want to get caught.” “No, we don’t,” I type back. “I’d press my fingers inside of you, nice and deep. I’d whisper in your ear, tell you how badly I want to fuck you. How dirty you are for letting me finger your tight pussy on the subway.” The vibrator starts to go faster and pleasure is building inside of me. I’m staring out the window of the train, trying to pretend like nobody else is around, but I’m intensely aware of them: businessmen in suits, one woman with her two kids, some teenagers just a seat ahead, older people with canes and white hair. “That’s not your lips and tongue,” I say to him. “Okay then. I’d spread your legs wide and suck your clit until you screamed. Right in front of everyone.” I smile but quickly stifle it as the vibrator spikes in speed. It quickly tapers off, but I can tell he’s punishing me. “You like to pretend like you’re good, don’t you?” he asks me. “Have you ever gotten off in public before?” “No,” I admit.

“I think you’re about to.” “Jacob,” I write. The train pulls up to a station, and I’m three stops from home. The vibrator continues, now in a new pulsing pattern. It feels so fucking good and I’m dying here, struggling to keep my composure. I don’t think anyone is looking at me, but then again, I’m paranoid as hell. Every new person that walks into the train seems like someone that’s going to stare at me the whole time. I’m terrified someone’s going to know what I’m doing and yell at me. And yet I love it. It’s driving me absolutely insane with desire as pleasure floods me. A man sits down in the empty seat next to me, an older guy in a nice looking shirt and slacks. He’s holding a briefcase and he has his nose buried in a book, but he’s inches away from me as Jacob’s vibrator buzzes between my legs. I turn back to my phone. “Someone just sat next to me,” I say. “I can’t do this.” “Yes, you can,” he types back. “You think you’re too good to get off right now, Sofia? You’re not. You’re my dirty girl and I’m your Daddy. You do what I say, right?” “Yes, Daddy,” I type back. “What do I do?”

The vibrator steps up a notch. “Picture my hands on your breasts, my lips against your neck. I’d rub your clit in circles until you’re soaking wet before plunging two fingers deep inside of you. I’d bend you over, spank your ass, make sure there’s sweat curling down your skin.” I’m breathing hard and fast as the train comes up to the next stop. The guy next to me seems oblivious as more people pack onto the train. I’m losing it as the vibrator keeps going, pulsing and buzzing and sending waves of pleasure through my body. “What else?” I send to him. “I’d drop to my knees, lick your cunt from behind. You ever have a man eat you like that before? I’d spank your ass raw and as the pain peaks, I’d slide my thick cock between your legs. Pleasure and pain, Sofia. I’d give you that mix, make your whole body tingle with confusion as the two meld and move through you.” “Jacob,” I type to him. “I’m so close. Holy shit. I don’t know what to do.” The vibrator picks up and I’m practically biting my lip, close to drawing blood to keep from moaning. I want to scream so badly, throw my legs wide open, feel my breasts and nipples with my hands, but I can’t. I’m in public and I have to keep it all tight

inside of me. He’s not making it easy. “Good. I want you to come for me, baby. I want you to feel it, really feel it. Like my big cock spreading you open? Like doing exactly what Daddy says? So come for Daddy, you dirty fucking girl.” The vibrator peaks, this time buzzing with a frequency that hits the right spot for me. “Keep it here,” I type to him. “Shit, just a little faster.” He listens, and the vibrator steps up a bit. It’s working right against my clit, driving me insane, and I can feel it lingering. I can feel myself on the edge. “Come for Daddy,” he types to me. “Go ahead, come for me.” It washes over me. I have to dip my head down and look at the floor of the train as my whole body clenches. I want to scream as the pleasure crests and washes over me, intense and incredible, but I keep it all in. My eyes shut and my whole body twitches once, just one spasm. I’m able to keep it in otherwise. It feels so fucking good. I lean back in the seat as it passes, and I notice the guy next to me glances

over. I look away and pull out my phone. “Okay,” I send to him. “Stop, please stop. I’m finished.” Mercifully, the vibrator turns off. “And did you get caught?” he asks. “No,” I say. “The guy next to me is giving me a look though.” “Good. Let him know. I bet he’ll go home and jerk his little dick off thinking about how sexy you are.” “Stop it,” I say, smiling to myself. “But I’m the only one that gets you, isn’t that right? Because you don’t share yourself with anyone but Daddy.” “Yes, Daddy,” I type back, and when I look up, the train is pulling into my station. “I’m almost home,” I say to him. “Good. You can take it off when you get home.” “Okay,” I type, standing up. I shift past the man sitting next to me and he gives me another strange look. I just ignore him and hurry toward the door. The train comes to a stop and I fall into the mass of

people exiting. I hurry up to street level and take a big, sharp breath of cool air into my lungs. “Have a good night, darling,” Jacob sends to me. I smile and slip my phone back into my bag. I’m buzzing with energy and pleasure and all I want to do is to take a bath and relax. I can’t believe I just did that. I’m smiling the whole walk to my apartment, unable to help myself. That was so wrong, but felt so damn good. I could easily have gotten caught. Hell, I think the guy next to me knew, or at least suspected something. But I don’t care, which is amazing. I’m not normally a confident person, but I feel amazing about myself right now. I’m honestly shocked that I just let that happen. I can’t believe I had the stupid confidence to go through with it. That’s how Jacob’s making me feel. I don’t know why he ignored me all day, but I’m glad he did, because that just made the orgasm so much more intense. He pushed me way further than I thought I could go, and now I just want more. No, I need more. I need way more. I’m smiling the whole way up to my apartment.

12

SOFIA

H

e disappears again, although this time I know why.

“Traveling to London,” he texts me early the morning after he got me off on the subway. “Won’t be back all week.” “Should I keep the vibrator on?” I ask, mostly joking. “Only if you want. I’ll send you the remote.” “Thanks,” I say, grinning to myself. But sure enough, later that day, a courier arrives at my apartment with a box. Inside, I find a note from Jacob, the controller to the vibrator, and another pair of panties.

I open up the note and read it cross-legged on my couch. Sof, sorry I’ll be out of touch, but use it with my blessing. And think of me when you do. Here’s an extra pair of panties too, since I know the others are probably ruined. Thinking of you. Daddy. I bite my lip and glance at the things. The controller is purple with big round plastic buttons. I pick it up and wonder if this is what he used, or if he has some other app or something like that. I’m guessing app, but who knows. He surprises me at every turn. I don’t know how he got my number, probably from the files at work. The way he timed it down in the subway amazes me, almost like he knew exactly where I was and where the trains were. He seems to have total control over every single situation I find myself in, and I don’t know how I feel about it. I don’t know if I should be nervous or excited. I think I’m a little bit of both. The weekend crawls past, my mind still buzzing with Jacob, and finally work comes around. That week is a total wreck of complete monotonous boredom, but at least there’s one upside. Karl doesn’t bother me.

“What did you do?” Darlene asks me on Wednesday, standing at the bathroom mirror. She’s fixing her hair while I wash my hands. “What do you mean?” She looks at me through the mirror. “Karl’s been almost… nice to you this week.” “I don’t know if ‘nice’ is the word,” I say to her. “Well, for him, at least. He hasn’t been trying to embarrass you every day.” “You’re right,” I admit. “I don’t really know why.” That’s a tiny little lie, but I can’t exactly admit that the CEO of the company is using favors with the HR department to keep Karl under control. “Guess you’re just lucky,” she says. “Now you’re like the rest of us.” “Lucky me,” I say. She grins at me. “Well, maybe not like me. I’m awesome.” “You’re okay.” I pull out some paper towels and dry my hands. “Not the best, but okay.” “I’ll take it!” She grins and we walk back out to our cubes together.

Back in front of my computer, I can’t help but wonder what Jacob’s doing. I want to text him but I know I shouldn’t. I need to let him have his space. If he wanted to contact me, he would. I know he’s busy out in London, doing whatever it is he’s doing. Maybe he’s sleeping with someone else right now. That thought just randomly pops into my head and I frown down at my keyboard. Would that be against the rules? I know I’m not allowed to be with anyone else right now, which is more than okay with me. But we never defined his role and if he’s going to be exclusive. Maybe he’s not, and that’s part of it. He gets to fuck whoever he wants while I have to obey his every command. But that doesn’t feel good. That doesn’t feel right or okay to me. If we’re going to do this, we have to have some level of equality, if it’s only that neither of us can cheat on the other one. I shouldn’t even be thinking about this, to be honest. I dive back into my work, forcing myself to forget all about it. But it lingers all through the rest of the week. Thursday and Friday come and although I’m busy, I’m not swamped. Darlene and I have lunch together most days, sitting in the break room and

chatting amiably. We both bring our lunches, while most of the guys in the department go out together and grab something downstairs. It’s easier this way, and I’m starting to really like Darlene. “Let me guess,” she says, eyeing me on Friday afternoon over a little salad. “You’re not dating anyone.” I nearly choke on my soda. “Why?” I ask. She just shrugs. “I can tell these things.” “Well, uh, no,” I say. She raises an eyebrow. “I sense a complication.” I laugh. If only she knew. “Something like that,” I admit. “What about you?” “Oh, I have a boyfriend,” she says casually. “Been together for years.” “You don’t sound excited about that.” “What can I say? His family is rich, he has a nice job, I love his dog and his apartment, but… it’s been years.” She shrugs a little bit. “A gal gets bored, I guess.” “Sounds like the ideal situation to me.” She sighs and leans back in her chair. “I know it is.

So why am I always so restless?” “I don’t know,” I admit. “I’ve had boyfriends and stuff but we’ve never worked out. I mean, I never wanted to marry any of them and I never really felt like I was losing much when we broke up, so…” “Right, that’s how I think I feel,” she admits. “Brian’s gorgeous, and nice to me, and I love him to death. But I don’t know. I’m antsy.” I like this about Darlene. Not her boredom with her boyfriend, but how familiar she is, how open and honest. I wish I could be more like that. “Have you mentioned this to him?” I ask her. Her eyes go wide. “Oh god, no,” she says. “Can you imagine?” She sits up straight and her voice gets lower. “Oh Dar, please, don’t talk like that. Can you imagine how upset mommy would be?” She laughs and slouches back down. “Calls his mom ‘mommy,’ for real.” “That’s weird.” I purse my lips. “How rich is his family?” Her eyes go wide. “Rich.” “Huh. I think that mommy thing is a very, like, upper-crust sort of affectation.” “I think you’re right, but it’s still weird. I mean, I’m

from Nebraska. We don’t talk like that.” We laugh together but I can’t help glancing at the clock and wondering what Jacob’s doing. All of this, my friendship with Darlene and work, it’s all going well. Normally I’d be more than happy about all of it. Except now the only thing I can think about is Jacob and what he’s doing. The rest of Friday crawls by and I end up finally packing my things. Just before I can leave, Karl appears at my cube. “A word?” he asks, and turns to head back into his office without waiting for me. I make a face and catch Darlene’s eye as she’s heading to the elevator. She gives me a little shrug and a wave before leaving. I sigh and follow Karl back into his lair. He shuts the door and sits down behind his desk. “I’ll keep this short,” he says. “I know you’re being protected. And I just want you to know that it’s not going to work.” I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you mean,” I say to him, my anger rising. “Right,” he says, his expression not changing. “Just tell him that I’m onto him.” “Tell who?” I ask.

He sighs. “Have a good weekend.” He looks away, back to his computer. I hesitate before leaving. Anger flows through me. Karl is such an asshole. He’s not wrong, but he’s still an asshole. I gather my stuff and head out, glad that I won’t have to see him again until Monday. I get downstairs and walk quickly out onto the sidewalk. I head toward the subway, my mind still back in that office, wondering what I could have said to him to make him feel like an asshole, when I suddenly hear my name. I look up and spot a black car rolling beside me. Jacob’s grin catches me off guard. “Sofia,” he says again. “Get in.” The car stops as I step over toward him. “You’re back,” I say, shocked to see him. “I am. You hungry?” I nod a little. “I could eat.” “Good. Come on.” He slides over as I open the door and get in. He looks good. He’s wearing a three-piece suit and his watch is enormous, metal, and shining. He cocks his head at me, a cocky little grin on his face.

“Missed me?” he asks as the car pulls out into traffic. “Not at all,” I say with a smile. He laughs and leans toward me. “I can make you miss me,” he says softly. I feel my heart miss a beat and I look into his eyes. “How about you tell me about your trip instead?” He grins at me and launches into the story of his London trip. It’s mostly meetings and boring business stuff, and I wish I could ask him if he’s sleeping with other women, but I know that’s a bad idea. Instead, I smile and nod, listening as he talks. When he’s done, we arrive at a nice little Italian place. It’s not too crowded, since it’s relatively early, and we’re seated quickly at a good table toward the back. I notice he’s carrying a briefcase, which I’ve never seen him do before. “What’s with that?” I ask, nodding toward it. “Carrying a bomb?” “Something like that,” he says, smirking at me. “Actually, it’s another present.” My eyes go wide. “I don’t know how I feel about your presents.” “You love them. Did you use the remote I sent

you?” I nod and blush. “A little.” “That means every night, doesn’t it.” I bite my lip. “Maybe.” He laughs and puts the briefcase on the table. He pops it open and takes out a little box, sliding it across the table. “Here,” he says. “I want you to go put that on.” “What is it?” I ask him. “Go into the bathroom and find out.” His face is serious and intense. “That’s an order.” I raise an eyebrow, my pulse jumping into my throat. “Yes, Daddy,” I whisper, taking the box into my hands. I stand and quickly walk to the bathroom. I’m so happy he’s back, although things are complicated, and I’m somewhat afraid of what I’m getting myself into. But I’m not going to stop, not for anything.

13

JACOB

A

s I watch Sofia walk toward the bathroom, I shut my briefcase and slide it back under the table. London was boring as hell without her. I was there on business, living out of a suitcase, trying to expand into the UK education sector. Things are going well on that front, and I was mostly there just to show my face to potential clients, make them feel like they’re the most important people in the world. The whole time I was thinking about Sofia. Normally, I’d be out on the town between meetings, getting drunk and trying to fuck some cute little British thing with shitty teeth and a stupid accent. This time though, none of that seemed even slightly

tempting. I kept to myself most of the time, only going out once or twice, and only then because the clients wanted to have a good time. I don’t know what the hell is with me, but I have Sofia lodged so deep in my mind that I can’t shake it. Which means I’m acting somewhat unlike myself. I’m normally more… outgoing, but lately, all I want to do is sit around and think of different things to push her with. The vibrator was a stroke of genius, and getting her off was incredibly erotic. I was stroking myself the whole time in my office just thinking about her. Of course, I had to track the trains, but that was no problem. The waitress returns and I order some food and drinks for us. As Sofia returns to the table, the waitress comes back with a whisky for me and a glass of white wine for her. Sofia quickly takes her glass and takes a big drink. I grin at her huge as the waitress leaves, sipping my own whisky. “Well?” I ask her. “I’ve never…” She trails off, adjusting herself. “It’s a little uncomfortable.” I raise an eyebrow. “You’ve never worn one before?”

“No,” she admits. “I like it, but sitting in it…” She shrugs a little. My grin gets huge just picturing her wearing it. “Good girl,” I say to her. “I’m proud of you.” She makes a face. “It doesn’t vibrate, does it?” “No,” I say. “Not this one. But we can get you one of those, if you want. I’ll make you wear it into your next meeting with Karl.” “No,” she says, her eyes wide. “But I did see him today.” “And?” I ask, not wanting to get off the subject of her little surprise, but this seems important. She shifts again. “He was a creep. Said he knows you’re protecting me and it won’t work.” I frown at that. “He said that to you, straight up?” “Straight up,” she confirms. “I couldn’t believe it.” “That rat,” I say, anger flowing through me. “I’m keeping him in check and I’m sure it’s pissing him off.” “He just wants to torture me to get to you,” she says. “Maybe it’s better if we let him.” “No,” I say firmly. “Absolutely not.”

“I’m just saying…” “Sofia,” I say, shaking my head. “This is the deal. I make your work life a little bit easier while I solve this Karl thing.” “I know,” she says, sighing. “I just don’t want to make it harder for you in the process.” I grin, sipping my drink, an eyebrow quirked. “Believe me,” I say. “You’re making it well worth my time.” She blushes and sips her wine, saying nothing. The meal starts coming then, little appetizers, a bunch of small plates. She picks at a few things as I dig in. I ask her questions about the people she’s working with, pleased that she’s making friends. I make a mental note to look up Darlene, just to be sure she’s not somehow involved with Karl or something like that. Maybe it’s paranoid but I can’t help but be careful these days. As we get through the meal, Sofia leans back and sips her wine. I finish my whisky and order a second, feeling mellow and good. I keep smiling at her as I remember what she’s wearing. She shifts her weight form time to time, trying to get comfortable, but I know that’s a losing battle. “Do you like it?” I ask her in a lull.

She hesitates. “Like what?” “What I have you wearing,” I say. “I know sitting isn’t the most comfortable thing, but…” “It’s… interesting” she admits. “I didn’t think I’d be into it. Honestly, I thought it was going to hurt.” “Does it?” I ask. “Not at all.” “Good,” I say. “I didn’t think it would.” “It’s just a new sensation.” “I understand.” I smile and lean toward her. “Sometimes, new sensations are good.” “Sometimes,” she admits, smiling back. “How does it look?” I ask, heart beating fast. She shrugs. “I couldn’t get a good look.” “That’s a shame.” I frown at her, a little disappointed. “I want to see it. Her eyes go wide. “Right now?” “Yes,” I say. “Right now.” This wasn’t part of my plan, but I don’t care. I’m improvising. I can’t help myself. She looks so fucking sexy and just knowing what she has on… I

have to see. I can’t wait another second. I stand up and take her hand, practically dragging her after me. We go to the back of the restaurant together and pause a second as a waiter walks past, heading toward the kitchen. Fortunately there are three unisex bathrooms, the sort of things that are big and lock. I open the last one and we go in together, quickly before anyone can see us. I shut the door and lock it behind me, the light flicking on. She stands there, looking down at the floor. “Now, time to show me,” I say softly to her, stepping close. “Someone might knock,” she says. “That’s okay.” I stop inches away from her and tip her chin up toward me. “You’re doing as I say.” I kiss her then. This wasn’t part of the plan either, but I’m so hungry for her taste. I’m giving in to my impulses, my desires, and I’m rushing my timeline just a little bit. I wanted to tease her more, build up her desire for another day or two before finally kissing and touching her. But I can’t help myself. I’m so fucking hard I can barely breathe. She kisses me back intensely, sharing my passion.

Desire rolls down me in waves and it takes all of my strength to slowly break away, her taste still lingers on my buzzing lips. “Now,” I whisper. “Take off your skirt.” She stares into my eyes and without another word, she obeys me.

14

SOFIA

I

drop my skirt down around my ankles and step out of it, heart beating fast. I’m blushing like crazy and although I know he can’t see it yet, he’s going to ask me to turn around any second. And I want to. I want him to see it. But I’ve never felt this before, never had something… up there. I’ve never had something up my ass. “Show me,” he says, just like I knew he would. Slowly, I turn around. He lets out a soft groan as I show him the little white and brown fox tail protruding from my ass. “Fuck,” he says. I look at him over my shoulder. The plug is

surprisingly comfortably, curved with a slim front and a flared base. The tail part is connected to the base, so it hangs down between my legs like a real tail would. It’s short and fluffy and actually really cute. He steps closer to me. “Bend over.” I do as he asks, spreading my legs and bending forward. I support myself with my hands on the front of the sink as he grabs my ass and slaps it. I gasp and bite my lip. He smirks at me. “You like your little tail?” he asks. “Maybe,” I say. He runs his hands down along it, tugging it slightly, sending a chill down my spine. “I think you look fucking sexy with that up your ass,” he says softly. “You like it, don’t you?” “Made sitting difficult,” I say. He smirks. “That’s just part of the fun.” I bite my lip as he grabs the tail and slowly pulls it back. I can feel the plug sliding out, but he pushes it back in, fucking my ass a little. He reaches around and grabs my chin and throat, pulling me back against him as he slides the plug in and out of my ass, gripping the soft tail portion in his fist.

“I’ve been thinking about fucking this cute little ass ever since I spanked you,” he says softly. “I want to feel every single inch of you.” “You can,” I say back. I’m surprised that I like the feeling of the plug fucking my ass. I like that he’s gripping me hard and sliding it in and out, taking me, making me his. It’s a strange sensation but it sends pleasure rolling through my skin. “Spread wider,” he commands, and I obey, opening my legs. He drops down to his knees and lifts up the tail. I feel his tongue start to explore me. “Jacob,” I gasp, and then I moan as he finds my slick pussy. “Just like I imagined,” he says. “Dripping wet and delicious.” He laps at my pussy from behind, licking every inch of me. He reaches up and around. I keeps my against the sink. He and out again as his pussy from the front.

grabs my hips, spinning me legs spread, my back pinned grabs the tail and slides it in tongue sucks and licks at my

I grab onto his hair. My legs are shaking but I don’t care, pleasure fills me like nothing I’ve ever felt before. He’s fucking my ass with the plug and sucking my pussy masterfully, alternating lips and

teeth and tongue, sucking and sliding along my soaking clit. He sucks me and I gasp, head tossed back. I can’t believe we’re doing this in the bathroom of a restaurant where anyone might hear me. I struggle to keep my moans under control, only letting out the softest noises possible, but he’s relentless. He takes two fingers from his free hand and slides them up inside of my pussy as he nibbles my clit and fucks my ass. Everything is filled, every fucking hole, and his tongue laps up my clit faster ad faster. “Oh my god,” I moan. “You have to stop. I’m going to come.” “Do it,” he says to me, not slowing down. “I want to taste you come in my mouth.” “Fuck, Daddy,” I moan. He fingers me deeper, two fingers sliding knuckles and all, moving faster as he tongues me. He presses the plug up my ass and I’ve never felt so full before, so utterly controlled. I don’t think I could move even if I wanted to. I’m at his complete mercy. I grip his hair, moans escaping my lips, and I feel it come on. I feel the orgasm wash over me as he finger-fucks my pussy, fucks my ass with the plug, and licks my clit up, sucking and lapping fast.

“Fuck, Daddy,” I moan again as the orgasm wrecks me. I can barely keep myself standing and when it finishes, he releases me, letting me lean up against the wall. He smirks as he stands up, licking his fingers clean. “Good girl,” he says. “I’m proud of you.” I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re crazy.” “Get dressed,” he orders. “We’re not finished.” I stare at him, sweating slightly, totally flushed. “The… tail?” “Leave it in,” he says, and without another word, he leaves the bathroom. I stand there alone for a second before locking the door again. I quickly wash up the best I can before putting my skirt and panties back on. I stand in front of the mirror composing myself before following him back to the table a few minutes later. When I arrive, he stands up and tosses a couple hundred dollar bills down. I gape at it. “Big tip,” he says, leading me away from the table. We go out into the night and he calls his car. Not long later, we’re pulling up in front of that same beautiful house I’d been to before.

“This is where you live?” I ask him. “Yes,” he says. “Home sweet home.” “It’s really nice,” I say, following him up the stoop. “Thanks. Can’t take credit, though. I had a decorator.” He pulls the door open and we step into the familiar place. I look around again, picking up new details I hadn’t seen before. A closet to the left where he hangs up his jacket. French doors to the right, leading to another room, shut at the moment. And a hallway twisting further back into the house. “This way,” he says, leading me upstairs. He takes my hand and pulls me along. “I’ll give you a tour another time.” “Okay,” I say, doing as he tells me. We move upstairs and back into the same room I was in the other night. He pushes open the door and turns on the light. It’s just like I remembered: big canopy bed, single chair by the side. But this time there’s a large bureau pushed off to one side. He leads me over to the bed and pulls me down on top of him as he sits on the edge. I straddle him, feeling the weight and the heft of the plug in my ass

as he pulls my hair back and kisses me deep. This is our third kiss, and it tastes even sweeter. Maybe because I know what’s going to happen, but I can’t help myself with him. Every new moment is better than the last. He releases me and his lips slide down to my neck. “Are you nervous?” he asks me. “Yes,” I admit. “Why?” “Because…” I trail off, not wanting to say it. “Because you’ve been picturing this for so long,” he says. “And you’re worried it may not live up to what you’ve been dreaming.” I pull back and look at him. “How did you know?” He smirks and kisses me softly. “I can read you,” he admits. “And maybe I had that same thought myself.” “Dreams can be better than reality,” I say to him slowly. He grins. “You’ve never had me yet then.” He pulls my hair back, making me gasp. He’s right. I haven’t actually felt his cock between

my legs. I haven’t been fucked. But he has gotten me off, once without even touching me. Earlier he so masterfully worked my body, pushing all my buttons, walking me to the edge. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten off that fast before, well, except for the time in the subway. But I’ve never had a man get me off so easily with just his fingers and his mouth. Slowly he unbuttons my blouse and pulls it off my skin, letting it drop to the floor. He unhooks my bra and pulls it off before kissing my breasts, teasing my nipples with his tongue. He breathes me in and kisses my lips again as soft moans escape my lips. I reach forward and push him back. He smirks as I unbutton his shirt, my fingers fumbling, but soon I get it off. He sits up slightly to toss it aside and I marvel at his chiseled chest and abs. I run my fingers down the lines between his muscles and he laughs softly. “Not what you expected?” he asks. “No,” I admit. “Even better.” He suddenly stands up, lifting me so easily in the air. He puts me down and I feel the tail press up against me, pushing the plug deeper. He pulls my skirt and panties off, leaving me naked, just the tail dropping down between my legs.

Slowly he unbuckles his belt and pulls off his slacks. He folds his pants and tosses them over the back of the chair as I watch him. His cock is thick and large, pressed up against his black boxer briefs as he walks back over to me, a small smile on his face. Instead of stopping, he moves over to the bureau and pulls open the drawer. “I’ve been thinking about what I want to do to you,” he says to me. “Do you know what I decided on?” “No,” I admit. “I want to tie you up. Make you unable to move a single muscle.” He pulls two long black strips of cloth out of the drawer and looks at me. “Could you handle that?” I stare at him and shake my head. “I don’t know.” “I don’t think you can, not yet,” he says, walking toward me. “We have to work to that. But we can start with something fun.” He stops and bends forward. He grabs my hair and pulls me to my feet before turning me around and pushing me forward, bending me over. “Look at that cute fucking tail,” he says and then he slaps my ass.

I gasp and look over my shoulder. “Daddy,” I say, eyes wide. He slaps my ass again, a smile on his face. He grabs my wrists, forcing me down onto the bed, and quickly he ties them together. The ropes are made of silk, soft but firm against my skin, and he ties me up expertly. When he’s finished, he turns me around again and forces me to my knees. He steps back and admires me. “Good,” he says. “Very good. Look at you. Hands tied behind your back. Cute little tail hanging down between your legs.” He pulls off his boxer briefs, his thick, enormous cock in his hand as he strokes himself. He walks up to me and grabs my hair, tipping my chin up. I open my lips as he slides his cock into my mouth, pressing it deep down into my throat, making me gag. He groans and slides himself out. “That’s a good girl,” he whispers. “I want you to suck your Daddy’s fat cock.” I take him into my mouth again, sucking him hard, making him groan. I can feel the plug up in my ass as I move forward, taking him deeper into my mouth and throat. He’s huge, the biggest cock I’ve ever seen in my life, and it drives me crazy that I’m tied up like this, on my knees in front of him. I feel

so helpless, and that only makes it feel so much better. I suck him faster, getting greedy and wanting every drop from him. I press forward again, feeling him slide into my throat, and I love the groan that slips from his lips as he presses me even further. I gag again but I don’t back down this time as he releases my head. I let him fuck my throat and mouth as I press further down, wanting to take every single thick inch. “God damn, girl,” he groans. “You’re fucking impressive.” I pull back and slowly tongue his tip, tasting his salty precum as I look up in his eyes. “Get up,” he says. He helps me to my feet as he takes me over to the end of the bed and shoves me over again. He slaps my ass and pushes the tail up, showing off my glistening wet pussy. He slides the head of his cock along my slit as he slaps my ass. “I’ve been dreaming about this pussy…” he says softly before pressing himself inside of me. I gasp, shocked at the size of him and amazed that I finally feel him. I’ve never had something in my ass and my pussy before, and it’s almost too

overwhelming. He slides himself nice and deep, slowly getting me used to the feeling, before pulling the plug out of my ass. I gasp as it leaves, pleasure and pain welling up inside of me. “Don’t worry,” he whispers. “I’m not done with that pretty hole.” He grabs my bound wrists and slowly starts to fuck me, big cock whipping into my pussy. I look over my shoulder at him, watching his thick, muscular body slam into me, and pleasure rocks through my skin. I can’t think as he works deeper and rougher into me. He slaps my ass hard as his cock roots between my cheeks. “This is what I pictured,” he says to me. “Even when you were my student, I wanted to bend you over my desk and fuck your little virgin cunt. You were a virgin back then, weren’t you?” “Yes,” I moan. “I was a virgin for you, Daddy.” “Fuck,” he groans. “I regret not taking you back then. You would have given me anything I wanted, wouldn’t you?” “Anything,” I repeat, short gasping moans escaping

my lips. “I’ll give you anything now, Daddy.” “I know you will.” He grabs my hair with his other hand. “You’re a good fucking girl. You’ll do whatever your Daddy wants.” He fucks me harder, pulling my hair back, making me groan. Pleasure rolls through me in waves and I can’t breathe before he finally lets my hair go. I feel him thrust deep into me and then I watch as he presses the plug back into my ass. I groan, loving the feeling of his cock in my pussy and the plug in my ass. He fucks me with the plug, sliding his cock in and out slowly, letting me take them both at the same time. “I want to fill you up with my cum,” he whispers to me, leaning over my body. “Think you can take it? Every single drop?” “I can take it,” I say to him, leaning over my shoulder as he kisses me. He leaves the plug in as he starts to fuck me rough. I clench my hands, gripping the velvet rope as he rocks into me, pounding and slamming against my ass. I can feel pleasure building up in my core as I picture him taking me like this. I wish I could watch him fucking me, his big, muscular body dominating

my petite frame. He’s being so rough with me, fucking me like this with my ass filled up, the little tail pressed up. He’s splitting me in half and we both know it, but I don’t care. I want it so badly. I start to rock my hips, getting into it, and I can tell he’s close. He grunting, fucking me faster, and I want it. I want him to come inside of me. I twist my hips and press back against him as he rips harder and harder into my pussy, long rough strokes, filling me up. I can feel my orgasm come on faster than I thought possible. He slaps my ass and pulls the plug out as the orgasm starts building, my moans getting louder. “Go ahead, girl,” he groans. “Come for Daddy.” I come hard, the orgasm ripping through me. And just as it peaks, he shoves the plug back up my ass, pushing the pleasure even further. Tingles run down my fingertips, and I swear I think I nearly black out, but he doesn’t slow down. He doesn’t give me any mercy. He grabs my wrists and fucks me even harder. And he comes not longer after, our sweating bodies pressed together. I can feel his hot cum fill me, spurting deep inside my pussy, making me scream out in pleasure.

When he’s finished, he slowly cleans me up. First he takes out the plug, and then he unties me. There’s a bathroom through one side door, and together we get into the shower and wordlessly clean each other. We kiss and caress each other, gently and almost lovingly. When we’re done, we collapse into his big bed together, his arms wrapped around me. I didn’t expect any of this to happen tonight, but I’m buzzing with pleasure and I can feel a seed of desire still ringing inside of me. I keep thinking about the way he handles me, rough and direct, taking what he wants when he wants it. This is the kind of man I’ve always wanted, the kind of man I’ve always needed, but never knew it. “Are you going to keep doing what I ask?” he whispers in my ear, the room dark, his body close. “Yes,” I whisper back, and I know I couldn’t answer any other way. Even though this may be a mistake, I’m so deep into him I can’t do anything else.

15

JACOB

F

or the rest of the weekend, Sofia is mine.

We start out easy. I test her limits, tying her up and making her suck my cock, eating her pussy from behind while she’s completely bound to the bed, getting her off multiple times before I come in her mouth. Saturday and Sunday, we do nothing but explore each other. We eat when we’re hungry and we basically don’t leave my bedroom. It’s one of the most intense weekends I’ve ever had in my life. Neither of us wants it to end, and she doesn’t even mention wanting to go home. I have some clothes for her, stuff I have tucked away in the back of my closet, but mostly she just wears old gym stuff of mine.

And it’s not all just fucking. I’m learning about her, about who she is as a woman. She’s not just the girl I used to have as my student, the sexy teenage girl that nearly seduced me back when I was younger and weaker. No, she’s a grown ass person with her own interests and desires and goals. And I’m fascinated by her. I want every detail about her life, every single boring little thing, and I can’t get enough of it. In return, I share everything with her, although most of my life has been spent building this company for the last ten years. But all good things must come to an end, and soon enough Monday appears over the city. I’m up early, showered and dressed, as Sofia grumpily stretches. “We have to go to work, you know,” I say to her. She sighs. “I know. I just don’t want to.” I grin. “Of course you don’t. Come on though, get up, lazy girl.” She sighs. “Yes, Daddy.” I laugh and open the closet. I pull out her outfit from Friday, freshly dry cleaned. I also produce a new pair of shoes, a new bag, and a selection of other new clothing for her to try on. She gets up and walks over. “What’s all this?”

“Your clothes,” I say. “When the hell did you have time to do this?” she asks, blinking in surprise. “I’m so sore, I can barely walk.” I laugh again and shrug. “I’m a man of many talents.” “Clearly,” she says, looking at everything I got for her. “Seriously though.” “I paid someone to do it,” I say. “Arrived when you were in the shower last night, which worked out perfectly.” “I see,” she says and stops. “This is too much.” “Maybe,” I admit. “But it’s all yours. Pick something to wear for today and leave the rest here. Just in case.” “You even cleaned my stuff,” she says, shaking her head. I grin and pull her against me. She’s wearing a pair of panties and nothing else. I kiss her neck and feel my cock starting to rise. “Down boy,” she says. “Work, remember?” “Right, work.” I pull away. “Get dressed before I fucking make you use a sick day.”

She laughs and I head back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. About an hour later, my driver drops us off in front of the building. “We probably shouldn’t go in together,” I say to her. “Might look bad.” “Good point,” she says. “You go first?” “No, you,” he returns. “I’d rather watch that ass walking away.” She laughs and kisses me quickly. “Have a good day, Daddy.” “You too.” She climbs out the door and I wait until she’s inside before I follow. I’m totally distracted as I head into the building. I mumble my normal hellos to the staff and to the few employees I notice. I have to wait for an elevator, and I guess Sofia caught the one just before. Finally, a car opens up, and everyone piles in. We ride it up in silence. I get off and start toward my office, but I don’t get ten feet before Peter Booth appears out of nowhere, his old man paunch jiggling and wheezing. “Jacob, hold on just a second,” he says, coming at

me. I want nothing more than to ignore him. I want to go into my office, text Sofia, and pretend this fucking old windbag doesn’t exist. But I’m back in reality now. I got to step into a fantasy world with Sofia for two days, a world of fucking and sweat and pleasure. But that’s over now. “Yes, Peter?” I ask him. “Come with me. The board wants to see you.” I pause, surprised. Ice fills my veins. “The board?” “Yes,” he says, slightly annoyed. “We’re meeting. Please, come on.” I follow him stiffly, not sure what the fuck’s happening. I didn’t know there’d be a board meeting today, and there’s never a meeting without me. I follow him into the boardroom. Everyone is there, though mercifully Karl is absent this time. All eyes fall on me and I look at Byron, wondering what the fuck is going on, but he doesn’t meet my gaze. He’s staring down at his notes resolutely, acting like I don’t exist. I know this is bad as soon as I enter in the room. Peter gestures for me to sit, and I take my normal

spot at the head of the table while Peter sits down to my right. “Well, Jacob, we’re here to speak with you,” Peter says. “This is highly unusual,” I respond. “Normally I like to know what’s on the docket for these meetings.” Peter has the decency to look a little embarrassed at least. “Ah, you see, we couldn’t do that this time.” “And why’s that?” “Because we’re here to tell you that the board has decided to follow Karl’s plan.” I stare at him for a second, not sure if I heard him right. “Excuse me?” “Karl’s plan,” he repeats. “The one he presented to the board. We plan on adopting his strategies this coming quarter.” I feel like the room’s spinning. “When?” I ask him, before turning to the rest of the room. “When did you all decide to turn against this company?” “Now, Jacob,” Peter says, his voice dripping with joy and condescension. “You know that’s not true.”

“You know it is.” I turn toward him. “If you follow that heartless mockery of a plan, this company is going to implode. Sooner or later.” I stand up and stare at the men gathered in front of me. Byron still isn’t meeting my gaze, which isn’t a surprise. “I built this company,” I say to them. “And Byron funded it. You all trusted me so far. I built what we have, and now you’re going to turn on me for some unproven man.” I shake my head, disappointment rolling through me. “Shame on you all. You’re making a mistake.” “Now, Jacob,” Peter says, clearly undeterred. “You’ll have time to give the board some counterproposals. And maybe we’ll adopt them. But at the end of the day, our goal is to adopt whatever strategy we see fits Quest Education the best. We thank you for your many years of service, and you know you’re very important to us.” “Yes,” I say to him. “I see that.” “Please, we don’t want this to be an issue within the company. We want you to continue on in your current role, but you’ll have to begin to adopt our new strategies.” I can hear the unspoken words: Or you can resign and save us the trouble of forcing you out.

“We’ll see,” I say to him, and before he can say anything else, I leave the room. I’m practically spinning as I head to my office. I don’t know what the fuck to do. I spent all weekend locked away with Sofia, having the best time I’ve had possibly ever, and now suddenly it looks like my company is being stolen from me. They aren’t kicking me out, oh, not exactly, but they are taking the company in a direction that they know I disagree with. I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know how they got to Byron and the others that used to support me. Maybe they still do, but something changed. I’m distracted. I’m fucking weak. I’ve been playing Daddy with Sofia while my company is slowly taken from me. I sit down behind my desk and slam my hands against the wood. I need to get my shit together. I’m not weak. I’m not a loser. I’m going to win this, but I need to start taking it seriously. No more fucking distractions. It’s time to work.

16

SOFIA

I

’m practically floating on air all Monday morning.

Flashes and snippets of the weekend keep coming back to me. Jacob behind me, tipping my chin back with his palm cupping my cheek, a deadly smirk on his lips. Jacob’s cock buried in my pussy as my hands are tied behind my back. The first orgasm he gave me Friday night in the bathroom. The soreness between my legs just keeps reminding me about what we were doing, and it keeps making my smile. “How was your weekend?” I look up to see Darlene leaning against my cube, smiling. “Good,” I say, turning to face her.

“Do anything fun?” I shrug a little, a smile on my face. I wish I could tell her, but I know it would destroy me. The boss’s little pet? I can’t imagine what people would say. I’m a professional. I’ve always been serious about my jobs. In a lot of ways, they define who I am. I’ve never done anything inappropriate to try and get further in my career, though I’ve heard rumors of plenty of girls doing that. It’s just never been something I’ve wanted. If people knew about me and Jacob, they’d assumed that any accolades I earn in this company will be because I’m fucking him. I won’t be taken seriously at all. I’ll become just another rumor. So no, I can’t tell Darlene anything. And in fact, it makes me a little sick, just imagining how people might react to it. “Oh, you know,” I say. “Hung around with some friends, saw a movie. What about you?” “Went to this amazing Hungarian place over on Spruce. Otherwise, I sat around with my cat and pretended I have a life.” I laugh and lean back in my chair. “I’m sure your cat’s a lot of fun.”

“Oh, she’s a little bitch.” She rolls up her sleeve and shows me scratch marks. “But I love her anyway.” I laugh and shake my head as Darlene heads back to her cube with a little wave. I turn back to my computer, grinning to myself. Inwardly though, I can feel something starting to creep into my mind. This relationship with Jacob feels good, hell, that weekend was absolutely incredible. He taught me things about myself that I didn’t know. But it’s dangerous, really dangerous. I plan on being at this company for at least a year, hopefully longer. I’d like to get promoted at some point, or at least earn a better title and a better salary before moving on. And I’m afraid I won’t be able to do any of that if this relationship becomes public. I’m afraid I’ll become a professional laughingstock. And I can’t handle that. I’ve always taken myself seriously. I can’t imagine the world not seeing me as I see me. That feels like the absolute worst fate imaginable. I need to be careful. I’m so wrapped up in him from the weekend, but there are a lot of pitfalls to being the boss’s plaything. It feels good, really good, but I’m afraid it might ruin me if I’m not careful. I know Jacob would never do that on purpose or

want that to happen to me, but he can’t control absolutely everything. Even if sometimes he wants to. I lose myself in work for the rest of the day, I try not to think about him. He doesn’t text or message, which does make me a little curious, but it’s probably for the best. I know he’s a busy man, especially now with everything happening. Around noon, I take my lunch with Darlene. We talk about nothing really, just chatting like old friends, and that feels good. When we’re finished and I head back to my desk, I find Karl already there and waiting for me. “A minute?” he asks. “Sure,” I say. I put down my things and follow him to his office. Karl settles down behind his desk and I stand awkwardly near the door. “Shut it,” he says and gestures for me to come inside. Slowly I shut the door, my stomach a mess of nerves. The look on his face isn’t helping anything: cold and unnatural. “Sit,” he says.

Slowly I sit down in the chair in front of his desk. He stares at me for a second, like he’s trying to get a measure of me. “I warned you against this,” he says finally. “I don’t—” I start, but he interrupts. “Enough,” he says. “I know you have a relationship with Jacob. It’s the sort of relationship that I’m sure HR would frown upon.” My insides seize up suddenly. This is like my worst nightmare playing out in front of me. Karl is just the kind of petty asshole that would tell HR and the entire company just to shame Jacob and me. He can do some serious damage if he wants to, and I’m terrified he will. I sit there with a straight face, unmoving, trying not to let him know how angry and afraid I’m feeling. “Fortunately for Jacob, there are people in Human Resources that still feel loyalty toward him, though I suspect that’s changing.” He glances toward the window and back to me. “They’re the only ones protecting the two of you right now.” I take a breath. So Jacob’s right, he still does have influence in this company. That’s a good thing. He still Karl’s superior. I feel a spark of hope ignite in my chest.

“Things are changing around here,” he says to me. “I don’t know how or why you’re involved with Jacob, but I’m telling you to end it now. Break yourself away from him. You may be safe today and tomorrow and the day after that, but who knows how long that’ll last?” He smirks at me and leans forward. “And you don’t want this to become common knowledge.” It’s like he can read my mind. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I manage to say. “This is highly inappropriate.” He purses his lips and leans back in his seat. “Yes, well. I’m sure it would seem that way if what I were saying wasn’t true. Unfortunately, we both know it is. And you need to choose a side, and quickly.” I look away from him, unable to stomach it. I never wanted any of this. I had no clue taking this new job was going to bring on so much stress and difficulty. But on top of that, there’s Jacob. What we shared over the weekend, I’ve never felt anything like that before. It was incredible and intense, and it made me feel more alive than I ever could have expected. Now we’re back in real life, and things aren’t so simple. This stuff with Karl and the company, it’s

way more than I ever asked for. I know Jacob means well, but it’s intense and it’s terrifying. This is my career and my future. I don’t know what I am to Jacob. I could just be some toy for him to play with. I mean, I feel like I know him, but I really don’t. He hasn’t been in my life in a long time, and when he was, we were practically strangers. There’s an intense sexual attraction between us, but I don’t know how long that’ll last. One day, he might get tired of protecting me, and he might throw me under the bus. He could easily betray me at any time. I never asked for any of this, it was just all forced on me. All because of this war between Jacob and Karl. “I don’t know what you mean,” I say to him again. “You do. Pick sides, and pick wisely. I’m giving you a chance.” “Is that a threat?” I ask him. “Yes,” he says, smiling. “As a matter of fact, it is. When I get rid of Jacob, you’ll be next, unless you get smart.” I stare at him, shocked. He’s straight up threatening to fire me now, which is outrageous. “I’m going back to work,” I say, standing up,

seething and afraid. “Go ahead,” he says. “We won’t talk about this again. I’ll play nice. But the warning is there. Think about it.” I turn away and leave his office. It feels like exiting the den of some slimy creature. I feel used and dirty and disgusting, and I wish I could take a shower. Instead, I’m wearing clothes Jacob bought for me and I feel like I can still taste him on my lips. I head back to my desk and sit down at my computer, head reeling. It’s incredible how quickly my mood is shifting. This morning, I felt invincible, lighter than air, happier than I’ve been in a long time. Just being with Jacob was like a gift, and I didn’t want to leave his arms for a single second. Now though, I’m afraid of what this all means. I’m afraid that if this comes out, I’ll look like a whore and my professional reputation will be destroyed. I know Karl won’t hesitate to do it, too. He’s the kind of man that revels in the destruction of others, and I bet he gets some special perverse excitement from hurting women. He strikes me as the masochistic asshole type.

I want Jacob and I know he’s doing his best for me. But I’m afraid of when that’s going to end and he’s going to leave me alone like everyone always does. I’ve never had a man stay by me when things get tough, and I’m used to it by now. It’s part of why I’m so self-reliant. I don’t want to give too much of myself to another person and risk losing all of it. I can feel myself giving in to Jacob, and it scares me. I don’t know where it ends. For the rest of the day, I do my work. I chat with Darlene at lunch, I say hello to my coworkers, and I keep my head down. I don’t message Jacob, and he doesn’t message me. And it scares me how much I want to see his name pop up in my email or on my phone.

17

JACOB

I

’m more furious than I’ve ever been in my life.

This is all happening so quickly. I know that my control over the company has been slowly eroding over time, but I had no clue how quickly things were shifting toward Karl’s point of view. All day, I stew in my office, planning and trying to figure out where to go from here. “Can’t you just fire him?” Clay asks me, leaning up against the wall and looking out the window. “Not that easy,” I say. “Members of the board protect him. They can override me if it comes to that.” “Are you sure they will?” he asks.

“Maybe,” I say. “But I can’t risk it. If they do decide to override me, basically all of my authority is gone at that point.” “So you’re stuck with him.” Clay sighs, shaking his head. “He’s such a vindictive fucking prick.” “No kidding.” I watch as Clay moves away from the window and sits down in front of my desk. “You still have our support, you know,” he says. “Far as I’m concerned, this is your company.” “Thanks,” I say to him. “We just need to convince everyone else now.” He grins. “You make it sound simple.” “It’s not.” I sigh and stretch. “I need some way to discredit him. Make his whole plan look flawed…” I trail off, shaking my head. “You’ll come up with something. You always do.” I hope Clay’s right. I spend the day banging my head up against the wall, trying to come up with some semblance of a solution to this problem, but I can’t see it. From my perspective, the board simply prefers Karl’s way of doing things, and I have to either give in and accept it, or I can move on. I don’t want to move on and I don’t want to accept it. There has to be a third way, I just need to find it.

The afternoon comes and goes. I have a couple meetings that don’t last long, and otherwise Minnie holds my calls. I stay locked up in my office, staring out the window, trying to reason with myself, trying to figure it all out. “You staying late?” I look over and Minnie is standing in my doorway. I shrug. “Guess so.” She frowns. “Don’t wear yourself thin,” she says. “Go home. Get some rest.” “I’m fine.” I look back out the window. “It’s six, you know,” she says softly, before leaving and closing the door behind her. I look at the clock, surprised. She’s right, it’s already six in the evening. I am a little hungry. Most of the office is probably gone by now as I stand up and slowly gather my things. Instead of taking the car, I decide to walk. I like to walk through the city sometimes. The crush of postwork traffic is already starting to abate, although there are still plenty of people out. The sun is strong and clean, although the wind is a little crisp as I walk slowly past second-hand stores, stationary places, fancy bars, expensive workout boutiques.

I didn’t speak to Sofia at all today. I don’t know why, I don’t have a real reason. I was too upset and too obsessed with work stuff, but now that I’m out of the office and on the street, I can’t help but think about her again. I don’t know what this is going to mean for her. If Karl does somehow get more power than me in the company, I’m afraid he’ll fire her or do something worse. I’m afraid he’ll try and destroy her simply to get back at me for resisting him. Karl’s that kind of guy, and although she didn’t ask to be involved in any of this, it’s too late to go back. I can’t undo what’s been done. He’s aware of this relationship, and he’s going to use it against us as soon as he can. That only motivates me more. I need to do something about this, if not for myself, then for Sofia. As I’m walking, a high-end antiques shop catches my eye. In the window is a gorgeous, simple necklace with a thin, almost gossamer silver chain and a basic diamond pendant at the end. On a whim, I go into the shop and buy it, not worrying about the price. With the necklace in my pocket, I catch a cab and ride it to Sofia’s apartment. I get out and walk up her front stoop. I ring the bell and wait.

“Yes?” she says over the intercom. “It’s me,” I respond. There’s a short pause. “Jacob?” “Yes,” I say. “I want to see you.” Another short pause before she buzzes. I push open the door and walk up the stairs. Her apartment door is slightly ajar so I walk right in. She’s standing in the kitchen, a glass of wine in her hand, frowning at me. “I didn’t expect to see you,” she says. I cock my head at her. “Why?” “We didn’t talk all day, I guess I thought…” She trails off, shrugging. “Something happened.” I walk over to her and stop, the island counter between us. “The board’s taking Karl’s proposal.” She doesn’t seem surprised. “What’s that mean for you?” “Means I have less time to make something happen,” I admit. “But I’m not finished yet.” “Good.” She sips her wine and I can feel something’s strange between us. There’s a tension

that wasn’t there this morning. “I brought you something.” I reach into my pocket and take out the necklace. Her eyes brighten a little. “Where did you get that?” I shrug. “Just some shop on the way over. Put it on.” She takes it tentatively and clasps it around her neck. It looks perfect hanging down between her breasts, just inside her cream-colored blouse. “You should know something,” she says quietly, looking down at the counter. “Karl called me into his office. Told me to end things with you or he’ll fire me.” I stare at her, surprised as hell. “He straight up said that?” “Yes,” she says, not meeting my gaze. “That fucking…” I shake my head, at a god damn loss for words. “He’s scum. You know that?” “Of course,” she says. “But what if he actually does it? I mean, what if he tells people? Jacob, it’ll destroy me. The way people treat women who have affairs with their boss, I don’t know if I can survive it.”

“Sofia,” I say, stepping toward her. “Wait,” she says. “I just don’t know what to do.” “Listen to me.” I walk over to her and press her back. She looks at me, surprised, as she bumps up against the countertop behind her. She places the wine glass down as I take her hips and hold her chin up, making her eyes meet mine. “I told you I’d get you through this,” I say softly. “I brought you into it. You didn’t ask to be in the middle of it, but you are. And I’m going to make sure you’re okay.” “How?” she asks quietly. “The board is going with Karl’s proposal.” “Don’t worry about that,” I say. “I’ll figure it out. Just understand that nothing’s changed.” She blinks a little and nods once. “I believe you,” she says. “But I’m still worried.” “I know.” I kiss her lower lip. “I’ll take care of you.” She sighs and kisses me. I hold her like that, tight against me, feeling the warmth of her body. It’s like a drink of water for a dying man. This kiss is exactly what I needed. I was floundering all day, lost in my own anger and misery, trying to figure

out some way to get around all the fucking red tape and politics threatening to drown me. But this here, this is pure and good and right, and I know that I have to get past it all. I have to do it for Sofia. I let her go and step away. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say. “Where are you going?” “Home,” I answer as I walk to the door. “I have some work to do tonight.” “Okay.” She watches me go, idly fingering the necklace. “Wait, Jacob.” I pause at the door and look at her. “It’s going to be okay.” She looks at me for a second and nods. “Yeah. Okay.” “See you tomorrow.” I leave her apartment, shutting the door behind me. I head back downstairs and out into the night, heading to my apartment. I have some calls to make, some favors to call in. But I’m not down and out, not yet at least, and I’m going to keep fighting until it’s over.

18

SOFIA

I

’m torn as I come into work the next day, Jacob’s necklace dangling between my breasts.

I was ready to run away, or at least I was afraid that he was going to run away on me. I had all these negative thoughts, and that meeting with Karl scared the crap out of me, and yet… as soon as Jacob shows up at my apartment, all of that is gone. Kissing him was exactly what I needed. It didn’t take all of my fears away, but at least it reminded me of how good it feels to be with him. I’ve never touched a man like him, such a dominant and serious man. His eyes cut through me every time he looks in my direction and I feel that tightness in my chest as my heartbeat picks up, fluttering and

skipping along. It’s desire, pure and simple. But I don’t know if that desire means something more, or if what we have is purely physical. The weight of the necklace he gave me is reassuring. It’s the first gift he’s given me that’s entirely without function and isn’t sexual. He gave me clothes, but I needed those for work. This necklace is something else. It means he was thinking about me, and wanted to do something nice for me even though it wasn’t expected of him. It makes me feel special. It makes me feel like he might actually give a shit. I’m thinking about him all morning and I’m not ashamed of it. Karl leaves me alone, doesn’t bother to come out of his office, and that’s fine by me. “You look happy,” Darlene says as I’m grabbing a coffee from the break room. “I guess,” I say to her, shrugging and smiling. “What is it?” she asks. “Got a new man?” If only she knew, I think to myself. “Just in a good mood, I guess.” “Well, good for you.”

Back at my desk, I’m lost in thought. I’m getting work done, but it’s only secondary to the feelings that are swirling around inside of me. Around noon, I get a text. I pull my phone from my bag and turn on the screen. “Are you wearing it?” It’s from Jacob. I type back to him. “Which thing do you mean?” “The necklace, though if you’re wearing the vibrator…” “I’m wearing the necklace,” I confirm with a smile. “I want to see it. Take lunch and come to my office.” “Right now?” I ask, biting my lower lip. “Right now,” he confirms. “You’re still doing what I say.” I hesitate a second. It’s right around lunchtime for me, though I usually eat with Darlene. But forget it, I can skip one meal. She won’t mind. I’m sure she’ll read too far into it, like she always does, but whatever. I think she’s a good friend. I doubt she’d go talk about it with Karl or something crazy like that. I grab my bag and stand up. I quickly walk to the

elevator, heart hammering in my chest. “On my way,” I send to Jacob before slipping my phone into my bag. I ride the elevator up to Jacob’s floor and head back to his office. Minnie smile as I approach. “He’s waiting for you,” she says. “Go right on it.” She’s standing up and grabbing her things. “Going to lunch?” I ask her. She nods, glancing at her watch. “Got a hot date with a new sushi place down the street.” I smile at her. “Have fun,” I say. “You too.” She smiles back and heads off. I pause for a second. Did I detect a little knowing smile from her? No, I’m probably just being paranoid. I push open Jacob’s office door and head inside. He’s sitting at his desk and he looks up as I enter. A smile crosses his face, genuine and real. “Glad you came,” he says, standing. As soon as he comes around the desk and I catch the look in his eye, I know why I’m here. I step back until I run up against the door, but he just keeps coming, a small smirk crosses his lips. “Why do you look nervous?” he asks.

“I don’t know,” I admit, but I am nervous. I’m a little afraid of him. Of what he can do to me. “You don’t have to be scared,” he says softly, stopping inches away from me. “I just want to see you wearing my necklace.” I bite my lower lip and go to lift it up out from my blouse, but he stops me. Instead, he reaches up and unbuttons my top slowly until it hangs loosely in front of me. He looks at my chest, the necklace hanging down between my breasts. I’m wearing only a black bra and I swear he can see my heart beating. He moves back a step. “Now, take off the rest of it.” My eyes widen. “What?” “I wanted to see you wearing the necklace, and only the necklace.” The smile on his face is maddening. “Now, do as I ask.” I hesitate, but only for a second. “Yes, Daddy.” I slide off my blouse and let it fall onto the floor beside me. He watches with that smug grin. I reach back and unhook my bra, exposing my breasts for him, and I drop that on top of the blouse. He steps forward then and pushes me back against the door,

crushing his lips against mine as his hands palm my breasts. I moan into his mouth and wrap my arms around him. I had no clue how badly I needed this but it all comes rushing back for me. He kisses me hard, the necklace pinned between us, as his one hand grabs my hair and the other squeezes my ass. He pulls me against his hips and I can feel his cock already hard through his slacks. He pulls me back away from the door and steers me over to his desk. He clears a spot at the edge for me, knocking some things onto the floor before hopping me up onto the edge. He spreads my legs wide and slowly slides his fingers up my inner thigh as he kisses my neck. “I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I first saw you,” he whispers. “I bet you do it all the time.” He smirks at me. “No,” he says just as his fingers find my soaking pussy, my panties dripping wet and useless. “Never in my office. Never on my desk.” He deftly slips my panties aside and slides his fingers along my slit, finding my clit, sending waves of pleasure through me. I gasp as he kisses me again. “I find that hard to

believe,” I admit to him. “I’ve been waiting for you.” He bites my lower lip and pulls my hair. “Waiting for a girl like you.” “Like what?” I ask him. “A girl that I can take care of.” He presses two fingers inside of me. “Say it.” “Yes, Daddy,” I whisper, and he buries his lips against mine. I know this is the pinnacle of stupid. Doing this in his office is basically the most dangerous thing possible. Anyone could walk in and catch us, and if that happened, we’d be done. It’s not like his door locks, and Minnie isn’t even out there to keep people away. We’re exposed in here, although I don’t feel exposed. I feel good. He pushes my skirt up over my hips and pulls my panties off. He dives down, spreading my legs wide, and starts to suck and lick my clit, not holding back or being gentle. He teases me, sucking and teething on my clit before licking me top to bottom, lapping me up. It feels so freaking good, him between my legs, but I love it even more because he seems to love it so much. He groans about my taste, always telling me how good I smell, how badly he wants to lick every

single inch of my skin. It drives me wild, how badly he wants me, because I feel the same way about him. He presses two fingers deep inside of me and nibbles on my clit. I’m totally naked, except for the skirt shoved up over my hips and the necklace dangling down between my breasts. Part of me should be nervous, especially with those big windows all around us. Someone in another building might be able to see… but that only makes me hotter. I love the idea of someone watching Jacob working my body like this. He pulls back, fingers still buried inside of my pussy, and kisses my lips. I can taste myself on him, which only drives my kiss harder. He pulls back from me, sliding his fingers out, making me gasp. “I know this is hard for you,” he says, taking his slacks off. “I know you’re trying to be good.” I nod, my mouth hanging open. I’m pulsing with him, throbbing for more. “But I’m proud of you,” he says, stepping out of his pants and folding them over a chair. He takes off his briefs and strokes himself as he stands in front of me. “I’m so proud of you.” He pulls me down off the desk and yanks my hair,

kissing me. I take his cock in both my hands and slowly stroke him, loving how hard he is for me. He’s rock hard, practically jumping as I squeeze and roll along his skin. He pulls me around and bends me over his desk. He slaps my ass and slips himself inside of me in one smooth stroke. “You think I don’t know how dangerous this is?” he whispers in my ear, pulling my hair back, his thick cock buried inside of me. I’m shocked all over again that I can even handle him. “I know this is fucked. I know I’m risking everything on your sweet little cunt.” He strokes into me, fucking me slow and deep. Pleasure tingles down my spine, washes over my skull, takes me to another place. “I can’t help myself. This firm ass, this tight cunt, the way you call me Daddy… it’s perfection. I’ve never tasted a pussy like yours before, Sofia. And I’m going to do everything to make sure you’re mine.” He punctuates this by slapping my ass. “Please,” I moan, desperate. “I’m all yours, Daddy.” “That’s right.” He slides out of me and pulls me away from the desk. He pushes me over to the glass

window and presses me up against it, one hand on my throat, the other teasing my pussy, finger pumping into me. My breasts are flattened against the cool glass as he fucks me like that from behind, really working into me. He’s jiggling my thick ass as his fingers pump into my pussy. “I want the city to see this,” he whispers in my ear. “I want them all to see my little whore.” His fingers slide out and I feel his cock press against me again. He pushes inside, spreading me wide again, and I gasp. My hands press flat against the window, leaving prints, as he starts to fuck me from behind. He fucks me rough, mercilessly, like he’s proving to the city that he can destroy me if he wants to. And I love it, love it so much, it’s exactly what I want. I need him to fuck me rough until I come, make all my insecurities go away, at least for a little while. And I feel it melting into the back of my mind, disappearing with every rough stroke. He pulls my hair back again, kissing me over my shoulder as he grinds inside of me. I push back against him, wanting every single inch of his massive cock, rocking down along his hard length. He grunts and groans, slaps my ass hard, hard

enough to leave a mark and I love it. He wrecks me, slamming into my pussy. He reaches around my hip and starts to work my clit fast, rubbing as he fucks me. “I bet there are a hundred men in those buildings jerking their cocks off, watching me fuck you right now,” he says in my ear, driving me wild. “But this tight cunt is only mine.” “That’s right,” I moan. “It’s all yours.” “I love this tight pussy, this juicy ass, these firm tits.” He squeezes my breasts a little rough. “Every inch of you is sexy. Every fucking inch.” He slides his hand down my back and spanks me again, sending tingles of pain through me. I love the way he pushes me, makes the pleasure and the pain meet in the middle, making something else. He rocks me deep, filling me, splitting me in two. Pleasure overwhelms me and my whole body starts to twitch and split, the orgasm building inside of me. “Come for me,” he says in my ear. “Let everyone fucking watch.” The orgasm rips through me like lighting. I can’t keep myself upright, so he supports me, fucking me

mercilessly. He tears into me as the orgasm bursts in my skull and I can barely breathe. Slowly it passes, but he’s not done with me. He’s fucking me harder, grunts and groans escaping his lips. Suddenly he pulls out. “On your knees,” he says, stroking his cock. “Now.” I obey him without thinking. I get on my knees and look up at him just as he starts to come, thick spurts covering my face. I gasp, surprised, and he comes into my mouth. I taste him, salty and warm, as he groans loudly. “Fuck, girl,” he says. “Come on my face, Daddy,” I gasp for him. It’s a thick load and slowly he finishes. It covers my face, impressive and massive. I take two fingers and wipe some off my nose before putting it in my mouth. He groans. “Fuck, girl, you’re so sexy.” He helps me up and we walk to a side door, stepping into a private bathroom where he helps me clean up. We laugh together, for seemingly no reasons. It’s almost uncontrollable, but it comes over us both. We laugh and laugh as I wash his cum off my face

and he helps me with a towel. “It’s in my hair,” I say, and we just laugh harder. It feels so good. It’s almost as good as the orgasm, just laughing with him. It’s a release, an incredible release. We clean my hair and when we’re done, he wraps his arms around me. “Next time, warn a girl before you come on her face,” I say to him. He chuckles and nods. “Sorry. Lost in the moment. “It’s okay,” I say to him and kiss his chest. “Daddy.” He tips my chin up and kisses me deep and slow, a passionate, hungry kiss.

19

JACOB

I

’m still ringing with Sofia, even the next day.

I sent her back to her cube after our little afternoon meeting, and I tried my best to get back to my own work. But even with everything happening, some of them pretty fucking important, Sofia still is the biggest thing on my mind. I can’t stop seeing her, feeling her, tasting her. She’s everything around me and it’s so distracting and maddening, and I love every second of it. I know I’m infatuated, maybe even more than that. Frankly, I didn’t think this was going to happen. I assumed I’d get a taste of her, that forbidden desire that I’ve always thought about, and then move on. I’d keep her safe, of course, make sure she’s

comfortable and happy at the company, but I didn’t expect…. this. Whatever this is. This dizzying, intense, mindless desire that I feel every time she’s around. And I always think it’ll go away after I’ve gotten what I want from her, but it doesn’t. The longer we spend together, talking about nothing, about our lives and everything around us, the more I realize just how much I actually like being around her. She makes me smile. It’s pretty simple. She makes me feel good in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this way about a woman. It’s intense and it’s terrifying. Everything about this, the way I’m willing to throw everything away for her, scares the fuck out of me but I love it. I need it. Back in my office the next day, I’m desperately trying to keep my mind off Sofia. As much as I want to call her in right now and fuck her senseless, feel her body until I’m left on the floor gasping and tingling, her body pressed against mine, I know I can’t do it. I have to keep my mind looking forward and focused on the goal of figuring out how to get my damn company back. “What’s this Minnie says about a girl?” Clay asks

me, grinning. “It’s nothing.” I look away, back down at the stack of papers in front of me. “Just an old friend.” “Not how Minnie talks about it.” “She shouldn’t be talking about it at all.” I raise my eyebrow at him. He rolls his eyes. “Come on. You both know I’m the only person she can really talk to about this stuff.” I sigh. “Okay, fine, fair enough. Yes, there’s a girl.” Clay leans forward in his seat. “You’re serious about her? The Sofia girl? “I don’t know,” I say, not wanting to talk about this. “Can we get back to work?” “I guess.” He sighs and leans back in his chair, all dramatic. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it with anyone. I’m not ashamed of it. But I don’t know what it means yet, and I’m afraid that if I start to talk about it then I’ll lose whatever it is we’re building. I don’t want to risk this thing.It feels so fragile. But he’s right, Clay’s the only person I can actually

talk about it with. Maybe I could go into more detail with Minnie but I’m just not ready, not yet. They’d never rat me out to HR or something like that. Lunch comes and goes and I find myself alone in my office again, looking over some spreadsheets Clay left behind. I’m distracting myself with busywork and I know it, but I don’t know what else to do. As I get through one sheet and start the next, my phone starts to ring. I glance at it and for a second, I want to tell Minnie to pretend like I’m not here. But I pick it up anyway. I’m surprised that it’s ringing directly on my phone instead of going through Minnie, which means it’s someone inside of the company. “Yes?” I ask. “Mr. Drake? This is Lane Upton from Human Resources. How are you today?” I freeze, looking out my window. I don’t know a Lane Upton. He must have been hired later on. “I’m good. Please, call me Jacob.” “Okay, Jacob. I’m calling about something very, uh… sensitive.”

I can hear the tension in his voice. “What’s going on?” I ask. “I was just given a, ah, a tape recording.” He pauses. “I’m sorry, this is really difficult to say.” I have such a bad feeling. I want to hang up the phone and find one of my friends in the department, but I’m worried that’ll only look bad. I know they’re recording this conversation, and whatever I say now will be part of the official record. And it can be used against me. “Please, speak candidly,” I say. “Well, ah, I received an anonymous tape. It seems to be a recording of you and a female employee engaging in inappropriate physical contact.” He sounds incredibly uncomfortable, and I don’t blame him. He rushes to add, “This sort of thing is highly unusual. And I think it’s illegal.” I stare out the window and shut my eyes tight. This is a fucking nightmare. “An anonymous tape?” I ask. “When did you get it?” “This morning,” he says. “It’s literally a tape. Honestly didn’t know what it was until I popped it in my radio player, happens to have a cassette spot.” He’s rambling a little bit, the nerves getting

to him. “And you say it sounds like me and a woman having sex?” He hesitates. “Yes,” he admits. “Very much. You use her name but, ah, I’m not going to repeat it.” “This is absurd,” I say simply. “An anonymous tape? How could someone have something like that?” “I honestly don’t know,” he admits. “It seems so farfetched, but it sounds real. Though like I said, this sort of thing is illegal so I have no clue if it’s even something I’m supposed to mention.” I try to think back to yesterday, trying to decide if we mentioned being in the office at all. I think we might have, but I can’t be sure. “And you’re positive it sounds like we’re in the office?” He pauses. “No,” he admits. “I’m not positive about that at all.” “Okay, so let me get this straight. You have a random illegal tape that seems to be a recording of me having sex with a woman, but you’re not sure where that’s taking place?” “Pretty much,” he admits. “I’m really sorry about

this. I know it sounds insane. But I thought it was best to come straight to you about it.” “Well, listen, I’m glad you called me first,” I say, quickly deciding where I’m going with this. “Do you know about what’s happening right now? In the company?” Anther pause. “Yes,” he admits. “I suspect someone is trying to blackmail me.” “Blackmail you?” He sounds skeptical, but he’s not denying it outright. “Let me ask you something else, Lane,” I say quickly. “When were you hired?” “Recently,” he admits. “Just a few weeks ago, actually. I have a lot of experience in HR though.” “I’m sure you do,” I say. “We usually only hire good people. But my point is, you’re not comfortable here yet, right? You don’t really know much about the lay of the land, so to speak?” “Yes,” he admits, sounding uncomfortable. “If someone were going to blackmail me, who do you think they’d give that tape to? Someone that knows the company, or someone new?” Another pause, and this one feels like it lasts

forever. I can tell he’s trying to calculate where to go from here. I’m the big boss, the founder, but he’s clearly aware of the little tug of war for control. Right now, he has to decide what side of the fence he’s on. The strange part of this is, he didn’t go to his supervisor. If he did, I’d be in a better position. I’m closer with the head of the HR department, and if he had this tape, I wouldn’t be so worried. But the mere existence of this tape is horrifying… and I think it’s real. “I see what you’re saying,” he answers finally. “It doesn’t look good.” “No, it doesn’t.” I let out a breath. “Why don’t we sit down with your supervisor and figure out what to do from here?” “Yes,” he says, sounding relieved. “I think that’s a good idea.” “Good. We’ll schedule something for later today or tomorrow. Talk with my secretary.” I hesitate a second. “And Lane?” “Yes?” he asks. “Please don’t speak of this or share it with anyone else. You’d just be hurting me and doing exactly

what they want you to do.” “I won’t,” he says quickly. “I’d never. I take professional ethics very seriously.” “Thank you, Lane. Now, I’ll see you soon.” “Thank you, Jacob. Have a good day.” With that, we get off the phone, and I sit there totally stunned for a second. But quickly I get myself under control. I grab my cell phone and head into my private bathroom. I turn on the shower and the sink before I call Sofia. “Jacob?” she says, answering. She’s speaking quietly, so I know she’s still at her desk. “What’s that noise?” “Listen, this is really important,” I say, ignoring her question. “Okay, what’s up?” “Do not contact me through any office channels. Only call me on your cell, and make sure you leave your desk when you do it. Go somewhere you don’t normally go.” “What’s going on?” she asks, sounding worried. “I know this is weird. I’ll explain more later. Can

you do that for me?” “Okay,” she says. “Thank you.” I pause a second. “Don’t stress. I’ll see you soon.” “Okay,” she says again. I hang up the phone and stand there, staring into the mirror as the truth really hits me. Someone bugged my fucking office. I know it was Karl. I don’t know how he did it, but he has a recording of Sofia and I having sex. It must not be a good recording, since he could have simply released that to the whole office to destroy me instead of going to HR with it. That’s probably why Lane was so quick to believe my half-baked story, and relieved that he gets to pass this off on someone else. But still, he’s listening to everything I say in here. I feel a chill run down my spine. My first instinct is to remove the bug, but I stop and take a breath. I have an opportunity here. I can use this knowledge to feed Karl bad information. It’s like a fucking spy movie, but this is real life, and I’m dealing with a paranoid psychopath. I don’t know what kind of man actually bugs someone’s

office, but Karl did it, and now I have to find a way to handle it. Deeper and deeper. I feels bizarre, but it’s my life. I need to be very careful with Sofia, and we basically can’t do anything anywhere near my office. To be safe, we should avoid her cube, and anywhere else Karl could have planted bugs. I turn off my shower and my sink and head back into my office. I text my friend in the IT department and ask him to meet me down in the cafeteria. I’ll have him go over the whole damn building and hopefully he’ll locate the bugs, but I won’t have him remove them. I just want to know where they are, just to be safe. I lean back in my chair, starting to plot and figure out how to beat this.

20

SOFIA

J

acob’s call has me on edge for the rest of the day. I don’t know what it means but my mind runs through a list of things, although I can’t help but concentrate on the most insane possibilities. “Busy today?” I jump a little bit and spin around in my chair. Darlene smiles a little uncertainly at me. “You okay?” I try and laugh it off. “Sorry. You just scared me.” “I can be very sneaky,” she says, looking concerned. “You a little overworked? Karl giving you crap again?” I shake my head quickly. “No, not at all. I’m fine.” “Okay,” she says, patting the top of my cube. “Let

me know if you need anything.” “Sure,” I say, and Darlene heads back to her spot. I feel stupid but I’m so on edge. I turn to my computer and jump back into work, trying to distract myself, but that doesn’t really work. The day rolls by so slowly it’s like torture. At one point, I feel like someone is creeping up behind me, and I swear it’s Karl coming to fire me, but when I turn around nobody is there. Eventually, the day ends. Relief washes over me as I pack up my things and head for the elevator. It’s packed tight, but I don’t mind. Everyone’s quiet and tired, like people always are at the end of the day. Once I step outside, I finally feel like I can breathe. I was cooped up in there and felt like I couldn’t move an inch. I grab my phone and quickly dial Jacob’s number, letting it ring. “Look to your left,” he says as he picks up. I look down the street and spot him leaning against his car, a smile on his face. I quickly walk over to him. “Get in,” he says. I walk around the other side and climb in. When

we’re together, knees pressed together, the driver starts going. “Are you okay?” I ask him. He nods, a smile on his face. “I’m fine.” “That phone call freaked me out.” “Sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to worry you.” “What’s happening?” Another smile. “I’ll tell you soon.” “Where are we going?” “Back to my house.” I hesitate a second, my heart beating faster. “What are we doing there?” “I need a little stress release.” I feel a sharp spike between my legs and I know exactly what he means by that. The driver drops us right out front. We head inside and Jacob directs me upstairs, not bothering to wait a single second. We go right back into his bedroom and he slams the door behind him, loosening his tie as he walks over to me. I drop my bag and sit down on the edge of the bed,

looking at him. I slip my heels off and cross my ankles, leaning back on my hands. He takes off his tie and smiles at me as he removes his jacket and folds it neatly over the back of the chair. I watch him as he takes off his shirt, revealing his muscular body. “You know what kind of man we’re dealing with?” he finally asks me. I shake my head. “I don’t know what you mean.” “Karl,” he says as he begins to take off his pants. “He’s sick and sadistic. But we both knew that already.” I nod my head. “He’s a bastard.” “Yes, he is,” Jacob agrees. “But it gets worse.” When he’s finished undressing, he’s wearing only his black boxer briefs. I can see the outline of his cock as he walks over to the bureau and removes several long black velvet ropes and a single, flatter piece of cloth. He walks back over to me and slowly begins to undress me. It’s almost businesslike, although it drives me wild. “I got an interesting call,” he says as he pulls off my skirt and panties. “One I never imagined I’d get.”

“From who?” I ask him, shivering. My pussy is dripping wet and he hasn’t even done anything yet. “A new guy in Human Resources,” he says. He removes my top and my bra, folding them on the chair along with his clothes. When he’s done, he walks over and climbs onto the bed behind me. He takes my arms and he crosses them behind my head. My right arm is overtop my left, and my hands are on the undersides of the opposite upper arms. He takes one of the ropes and uses a complex series of knots and twists to wrap my arms together, locking them above my head. “His name was Lane,” Jacob says. “The HR guy. Seemed in over his head.” He gently guides me back onto the bed, and when I’m down, my head is resting on my arms and it’s surprisingly comfortable, though I can’t move an inch. He leans forward and kisses my cheek. “Say the word ‘weather’ if you want me to stop.” “Okay,” I whisper back, excitement starting to build despite his casual tone. He steps back and looks at me, more cloth in his hands. “He had a tape,” he says, continuing his story as he takes my right leg. “The sort of tape he shouldn’t

have, but I could tell he wasn’t sure about it.” He wraps the rope around my right leg, pinning my heel against my butt, pushing my knee into the air. When he’s done, he wraps it around again and runs it to the corner of the bed, tying it off to the post. “What kind of tape?” I ask him, heart hammering. He repeats the process on my other leg. When he’s done, my knees are up and spread wide, and I can’t move a single inch. “He says it was a tape of us fucking.” I stare at Jacob, shocked. “What?” “I think Karl bugged my office, and he has a recording of me fucking you the other day.” “No,” I say. “Yes,” he answers. “But it’s okay. I met with Lane and the head of HR, and we straightened it out. Just some prank, Lane’s going to forget all about it.” Jacob walks to the end of the bed and looks at me, my legs spread wide for him, slick pussy totally exposed, arms tied behind my head. “But I’m not letting it go.” “What are we going to do?” I ask him, breathless with tension as he steps closer to me. “Assume everything in the office is bugged,” he

says. “Nowhere is safe. Except here with me.” He crawls up on top of me. “Comfortable?” he asks. “Yes,” I say. “Good.” He kisses my lips gently before sliding down my body, kissing as he goes. He teases my nipples and it feels incredible being completely tied and bound. He moves further down, kissing my ribs, my soft belly button, the swell of my hip bones, before finally stopping just at my pussy. “This is what I’ve needed all day,” he says just as he dives down between my legs and starts to tongue my pussy. I’m dripping wet as the pleasure explodes through me. I can’t move a muscle, my legs tied up tight but not painful, my arms bound behind my head. I’m exposed for him to do whatever he wants with me, and I’m having a hard time concentrating on what he just told me. I should be upset and scared, but I’m not. Instead, I feel shockingly comfortable and aroused under his incredibly competent hands. Jacob knows what he’s doing. I have to give myself to him, trust in him. I have to let him bind me completely to this bed and let him have complete control over my body.

I try to squirm but there’s not much give in the ropes. I look down at him, pushing my head up slightly to watch his head move, his tongue and lips working my clit, hungrily lapping me up. He slides two fingers deep inside of my pussy, fucking me with them as he sucks my clit. I groan and try to move out of reflex, but I can’t. “That’s right,” he says to me, smiling, his fingers buried inside. “I love when you try to struggle. But you can’t, can you?” “No,” I say. “I can’t move at all.” “Good.” He slides his fingers out and stands. He walks over to the bureau again and comes back with a thick, skin-colored dildo. “What do you think of this?” I bite my lip. It’s about the same size as his cock, actually. He pulls off his boxer briefs and slowly teases my pussy with the tip before pushing it inside of me. I moan, deep and low. “Oh shit,” I say. He smirks and moves up around me. He uses one hand to keep sliding the dildo in and out of my pussy but he brings his thick, hard cock up to my lips, kneeling next to me.

I let him press the tip of his dick between my lips and I lick him, running my tongue down along the back of his tip. He groans as he presses the dildo inside of me. At the same time, he pushes his cock deeper into my mouth. I let him fuck me like that, dildo in my pussy, cock in my mouth. I’m moaning as he fucks my lips and I can tell he loves it. “Look at you, tied up and filled to the brim,” he says to me. “Moaning with a cock in your mouth. I wish someone could listen to you being such a filthy whore.” I gasp as he presses his cock deep into my throat, the dildo filling me to the brim. He groans and pulls himself out. “Fuck, girl, this is what I wanted,” he says. “That tight pussy ready for me. This mouth sucking my dick. And you all tied up, unable to move a muscle.” He slides the dildo out of me and tosses it aside as he moves down between my legs. He holding my hips as he teases me with his cock, and I want it so badly. “Fuck me, Daddy,” I say to him. “Please, I want it.”

He groans and slides himself deep inside. I gasp as he fills me, loving the feel of his warm, hard cock. This is what I needed, not the dildo, but this man’s perfect body. He teases my breasts, squeezing my nipples and massaging them as he slowly fucks me. I’m tied up with my legs spread wide and I can’t move at all, but I still try and struggle a bit, wanting more. He smirks and starts to fuck me faster. “I want to come all over those perfect breasts,” he says to me. “I want to cover you in my cum. But first, you need to orgasm all on this dick, girl.” “Yes, Daddy,” I moan. I can feel how close I am already from all the teasing. “I’ll do whatever you ask.” “I know you will.” He leans forward, rocking into me. He puts one hand on my throat, firm but not too hard as he grinds his cock inside. I gasp, completely dominated, at this man’s mercy, and I want more. That’s all I keep thinking. I just want more, more, so much more. He starts to fuck me faster. “You’re my little toy,” he says. “My fucking doll. I can wreck you, use you up, leave you stripped bare and covered in my cum whenever I want. I’m your fucking Daddy, girl.” His cock slams into me, working into me,

building that pleasure faster, higher. “Look at this tight cunt just sucking on my cock. You were born to take dick, weren’t you? Born to get fucked and used up by me. This is all you need, isn’t it? The only thing you want is to get tied up in my bed and fucked until you come.” “Yes,” I gasp. “Yes, that’s right. That’s all I want. I just need your big dick, Daddy, please.” He rams into me, fucking me faster, riding my pussy as I lie there, completely bound up. He leans into me, putting more pressure on my throat. “Go ahead,” he says. “Come for me.” The orgasm rocks then, building in the core of my cunt. I can feel it slide up through my body and explode into my chest. I spasm and twitch, pressing against the taut ropes, but I can’t get anywhere. He doesn’t back off, just keeps fucking me, hand firm on my throat. He releases his hand as my orgasm peaks and the pleasure doubles, sending me into pure ecstasy. I’m so deep in my orgasm but he doesn’t hold back. He keeps fucking me, his gorgeous body sweating, and as the pleasure starts to slowly fade away, he pulls his massive cock out from inside my pussy and strokes himself.

He comes in thick spurts. He covers my tits and stomach, groaning and coating me. I watch him, a big smile on my face, and I can tell it feels so good as he comes all over me. “Fuck,” he says, sitting back on his feet. “God damn.” “Yeah,” I say, and laugh a little. He grins and slowly unties each leg, first the left and then the right. Next he moves up and unties my arms. He gets up and retrieves a towel from the bathroom, cleaning me off as I stretch my limbs. “I’ve never been tied up like that before,” I admit, admiring the dull red lines where the ropes twisted around my skin. “You liked it,” he says. “Yeah, I really did.” He grins and kisses me gently on the lips. “Good. There’s a lot more where that came from.” I feel a spike in my stomach. “I want you to teach me.” “I will.” He kisses me again. “Just be patient.” I kiss him full and deep and all thoughts of his bugged office, the tape of us having sex, and my

horrible manager are all gone. The only thing I can see is Jacob, and that’s all I need.

21

JACOB

I

keep having flashbacks.

Sofia’s legs spread open, a small smile on her lips as I tease her wet pussy. The feeling of her throat expanding to take my cock. Ropes flexing as she strains against them. My cum covering her chest and stomach. I try and concentrate on my work. But just knowing she’s out there, waiting to be taken again, whenever I want to have her, is driving me insane. I can barely think about anything else right now. It’s all Sofia, all the time. As I’m bending over a stack of papers, signing a

bunch of routine documents, I get a buzz from Minnie. “Josh Lasko, here to see you,” she says. Josh is the IT guy. “Send him in,” I say. He looks a little harried and tired as he comes into my office. His shirt is untucked and there are big black bags under his eyes, like he hasn’t slept in days. He closes the door and sits down in front of me. “You look exhausted,” I say to him, frowning. “It was an interesting night,” he admits to me. “What did you find?” “Well…” He sighs and shakes his head. I nod, understanding immediately. “You want to show me. Come on, let’s take a walk.” We stand together and leave my office. Minnie gives us a strange look but I smile and tell her to hold my calls. We head down to the end of the hall where there’s a large window overlooking the city. Clay’s office is to the left, though his door is shut. Josh stands close to me. “Should be safe here,” he says.

“What did you find?” “Bugs.” His eyes go wide. “Everywhere.” He proceeds to tell me the story of last night. He started out simple, just searching the obvious places, but the more he searched, the more he found. There are probably fifty of them, all told, and they’re all transmitting. “Local,” he says. “I’m sure of that. Someone is receiving them locally. They’re not good quality though. Don’t get a lot of detail. You have to be right on top of them to hear anything.” “Where’s the bug in my office?” “Behind the filing cabinet.” I nod grimly. That makes sense. It wouldn’t pick up a lot of what Sofia and I did then, since we weren’t near that part of the room. “Where else?” I ask him. “Here’s a map.” He hands me two printed pages with blueprints of the office. “Bugs are marked with a little ‘x’.” He hesitates a second. “Jacob, this is serious stuff.” “I know,” I tell him. “But you did the right thing.” “Shouldn’t we get rid of them? I mean, if someone

is spying on us…” He trails off, shaking his head. “No, I know who this is.” It’s Karl, I’m absolutely positive of it. “Let me take care of it.” “Okay.” He sighs. “I have one more thing.” He hands me more printed pages. “You told me to watch Karl Slay’s emails, and I did. He sent these last night.” I take them from him and skim the headers. They’re all emails to the board. “Thanks Josh,” I say. “I won’t forget this.” “Please, just be careful.” “I will be.” I shake his hand and hold it a second longer than normal. “Thank you. Go home and take the day off.” He nods. “I will. I appreciate that.” I watch as he walks away before I lean up against the window and start to read the emails. It’s what I expected. Karl is slandering me, telling the board that I’ve been making inappropriate advances on members of his staff, suggesting that I’ve been misappropriating company funds and assets. He even goes so far as to say that my personal car is somehow stealing from the company, though I pay the driver and it’s my damn

car. I didn’t think I’d be angry, seeing this. I expected him to make this move. But rage flows through me anyway. I hate that he’s out there fucking lying about me, telling these half-truths, trying to destroy my reputation. He already took enough from me, already took the confidence of the board, but now he wants to completely destroy me. Without thinking, I start walking. I get into the elevator, and as I ride it down, I text Sofia. “Meet me outside.” I sit down on the rim of the fountain that’s in front of our building. There aren’t many people out, since the morning rush is over. I read over the emails again, wanting to tear them apart, wanting to punch Karl in his smug fucking asshole face. Instead, I keep it together. “Hey, Jacob.” I turn around and Sofia’s striding toward me, gorgeous Sofia. After our little session, I dropped her back off at home. She’s wearing tight, dark dress slacks and a navy blouse that makes her skin look gorgeous. “Hey, you.” I stand as she approaches. “I’d kiss you, but…” “I know.” She frowns. “What’s wrong?”

Wordlessly I hand her the emails. She takes them with a quizzical look, but that confusion is quickly replaced by anger. “That fucking asshole,” she says. “He can’t do this.” “He can and he did.” “How’d you get these anyway?” I grin at her. “I have an IT guy watching him.” “Clever,” she says. “He also found the bugs. Lots and lots of bugs.” I show her the maps. “Your desk is bugged along with the break room and your friend Darlene’s desk. So keep that in mind.” “God damn,” she says, eyes wide. “He’s insane.” “I know. But we can use this.” “Can we?” “Probably,” I say. “Maybe if I don’t break his fucking jaw first.” “Jacob,” she says softly. “I hate him,” I answer, fierce rage flowing again. “I’ve never met someone so willing to lie and to manipulate to get what they want. He’ll say or do

anything to embarrass me, just to make himself look better.” “He’s beneath you,” she says. “You know that.” I turn away, so angry I can barely stand it. “I want to break him.” She puts her hand on my back. “Jacob. You will. You have so much on him already. Why not show the board this?” I turn back to her and sigh. “I don’t know if I can, not yet at least. Not with all these accusations against me. I’m going to have to go on the defensive for now.” “He’s the guilty one,” she says. “He’s the one that should burn, not you.” “I know.” I sigh again. I can feel the anger slowly draining out of me. Sofia steps closer and I want to pull her against me, kiss her lips, get a taste of what I really hunger for. But I know I can’t. Karl could be watching, that creepy fuck. “Come on,” I say to her. “Thanks for talking me down.” She shrugs a little. “I didn’t do anything.” “Yes, you did. You showed up.” We walk back toward the building together.

It feels good, having her by my side. I wish we could be closer right now, but this feels like enough. Besides, after work I can do anything I want with her, and I will. We head back into the building and we ride the elevator together. She gets off at her floor with a small smile and a quick hand squeeze, and I head back to my office. Once I’m inside, I close the door and pull out the filing cabinet slowly. Sure enough, there’s a black device taped to the back. I slowly push the cabinet back and sit down at my desk. I stare at the map in front of me. I know what I have to do, but it’s going to take some maneuvering and a little bit of luck. But this is a start, a damn good start. Karl thinks he has the upper hand, but I know his secrets, and I’m going to bring it all down.

22

SOFIA

I

can’t believe how vulnerable Jacob seemed. It surprised me, but maybe it shouldn’t have. He’s going through a lot right now, and this thing about bugging the office is just… insane. I knew Karl was a monster. But to bug most of the office… it’s unimaginable. Of course Jacob’s going to be upset and angry. On top of that, he’s sending those horrible emails accusing Jacob of things I know he never did. Sexual harassment, abusive workplace, the sort of things I know he absolutely never did. Everyone I’ve talked to that’s worked directly with Jacob has nothing but good things to say. So it amazes me that anyone on the board would

believe Karl, let alone follow through with his business plans. I don’t understand those people, but they must see him completely differently than we do. To me, he’s a total and utterly inhuman monster, but to the board he must be the person they’ve been looking for. From what I can tell, Jacob’s done an amazing job with Quest Education. It’s been growing every single year, and has cornered some big, important markets in the US. They make a profit every single year, and that profit’s been increasing and increasing. However, they haven’t been meeting profit projections. They’re always close, but never quite there. While the company is making a ton of cash, apparently they’re not making nearly enough. And they’re not expanding internationally as quickly as people expected them to, which I think is probably another reason the board is looking for a new direction. But Jacob’s playing the long game, and I don’t think Karl really understands what he’s doing. Men like Karl enter an industry with the idea of getting every single last penny out of it as quickly as possible, and in the process they don’t care if they destroy an entire ecosystem. Karl’s going to tear apart the online education industry, make it into

something cheap and awful, and destroy its reputation, all to make a little more money. I can see how it’ll play out, and I think Jacob does, too. Nothing good will come of squeezing their students for every last penny. As I leave work that day, I glance over at the fountain. I can see Jacob’s face all over again: the anger, the anguish, the despair. He wanted to scream, tear apart the whole world, but he held it together. We talked a little bit and he got control of himself. It’s impressive, to be totally honest. I don’t think I could have. Once I’m on the subway, I text him. “Are you OK?” He answers when I’m climbing the stairs and heading to my building. “Fine. Tough day.” “Still at the office?” I ask as I head inside. “Working late,” he says. “I think I’ll be at this office for the rest of my life.” I smile as I drop off my bag and get changed into something more comfortable. As I start to take off my top though, an idea hits me. I press my breasts together, get just the right lighting and angle, and I take a picture. I text it to

him, heart beating fast. He responds right away with one simple word: “More.” I slowly strip off my shirt, taking more pictures. When I’m in my bra, I take even more, until I’m finally topless. I go through them, pick out the best, and start sending them. I sit back on my bed, biting my lip, waiting for him to answer. “God damn, you’re so fucking gorgeous,” he says. “Do you know how hard you make me? I want to fuck you right here, right now. Let fucking Karl listen in.” “I bet you would, too,” I type back with a smile. “What else would you do to me?” I take off my pants and take a couple pictures of my ass for him. I make sure to put on a cute pair of panties first, though. When I’m done, I send them over and climb into bed. “Fuck,” he types back. “That ass. I wish I were down on my knees, forcing you to bend over while I lick that pussy and ass from behind. You know how much I love your taste.” I bite my lip, sliding my hand down my panties.

“What else?” I type. With my left hand, I slowly start to massage my clit. I’m wet already as I work myself in slow circles. “I’ll tongue your clit until you’re moaning,” he says to me. “But before you’re finished, I’ll slide a gag between your teeth. Make you be nice and quiet for me while I start to fuck your tight pussy with my fingers.” I bite my lip, hand rubbing faster. Pleasure blooms through me as I press two fingers inside. My fingers aren’t as big as his, and I wish he were here to do this for me. I take a picture down the length of my body and send it to him. “You’re thinking about my big fat cock, aren’t you?” he sends. “Can’t help yourself.” “More,” I type back. “I’ll grab your hair rough, make sure that gag’s tight as I fuck you from behind. I want to make you scream, girl.” I press my fingers deeper, faster, fucking myself and sliding back to my clit, working my pussy. I can feel my orgasm building as I go faster. “I’ll spread you wide open and push you over my

desk. I’ll slam my cock deep between your legs, fuck you deep, take your pussy and make it mine. I’ll grab your arms, pull them behind your back, and dominate you.” I take another picture, sending it to him. I can practically feel what he’s saying, his hands on my body, his palm flat against my back as his cock slams into me. My moans come out long and slow as my fingers slide in and out and I’m soaking wet, practically dripping. “I’ll spank your ass until it’s bright pink,” he writes to me. “Fuck your pussy until you can’t walk. I want to hear you struggling to moan through the gag, and if you’re not, I’ll fuck you harder and spank you more. I’ll make you try and scream and when you finally do, I’ll give you more.” My orgasm tears through my body like a fire. I can see him in my mind fucking me, taking me rough, making me his dirty girl as his cock tears into my pussy. I keep teasing my clit, pressing against it as I come. I gasp and tense before slowly collapsing back into my pillows. “Thank you,” I type to him. I take a picture of me with my fingers in my mouth, my breasts in the background. “I wish I could leave right now,” he types back. “I

want to be there with you. I want those fingers in my mouth.” “You can have me whenever you want me.” “Soon,” he says, and that’s the end of our conversation. I relax for a few minutes before finally getting out of bed. I clean up and get dressed, though I can’t stop imagining Jacob in his office, alone late into the night. I wish I could go there and keep him company, but I feel like that’s crossing some unspoken line. We have this strange distance that’s still between us, and I’m still not sure if this is meant to be purely physical or something more. I can’t tell with him, and with everything that’s happening at work, I’m not sure he’ll be opening up anytime soon. I just have to wait and support him. That’s the best I can do right now. If I’m good to him, I know he’ll be good to me.

23

JACOB

I

t’s around midnight, I’m exhausted, but I’m not ready to go home. Not yet, at least.

I keep looking at the pictures Sofia sent me. Every time they get me excited, but that’s not really the reason I keep looking. I could go into my bathroom and get myself off whenever I want. No, I just want to see her face. I want to think about Sofia out there, picturing me fucking her, making her my dirty little slut. I love to think about her acting like I’m her Daddy. There’s nothing I want more in this world. Except maybe to get past this shit with Karl, but I don’t know. As I lean back in my chair, I’m starting to think that’ll never happen.

I look out over the city, at the lights sparkling all around me, and I’m starting to feel like this might be too much. I built this company. I fought for it, made it the thing it is today, but maybe I’m finished. Maybe it’s time to step aside and find a new project. It wouldn’t be so bad. I’m rich as hell already. If I never made another dime in my life, I’d still live very, very comfortably. I could travel the world with Sofia. We could go all over the place, anywhere we wanted, a new city every night. We could experience things together we’d never feel otherwise. Then when we get sick of travel, we could settle down somewhere, maybe make a family. The idea of a family hits me like a jolt. I didn’t know I wanted something like that, but when I see myself with Sofia in the future, I see children and a house and maybe a dog. I see myself in a domestic space, happy and content. It’s such an attractive and powerful thought, the idea of making a bunch of kids with Sofia, that I’m almost tempted to drive over to her apartment right now and propose to her. But I can’t do it. I just can’t. I can’t pull myself away and let a bastard like Karl win. I won’t let him have this place that I built, even if the alternative is so fucking attractive I can practically

taste it. I look at my phone again, at Sofia with her fingers in her mouth, and I want to kiss those lips. But an idea suddenly hits me like lightning. I stare at her face and I feel a chill run down my spine. I put my phone away, stand up, and pace around my office. This is what I need to do when I think, I need my body to be moving as quickly as my mind is. Soon, I have a plan. It’s rough but I think it could work… and quickly. We could do this as soon as possible. And if Karl doesn’t see through it… So many possibilities. I don’t even know if Sofia will be up for it, but I think she will. I grab my jacket and my briefcase and hurry back home. I can get a few hours of sleep still, and I think I’m going to need it.

THE SUN ’ S just peeking over the horizon when Sofia finally comes out of her building. I lean forward and tap on the divider. “Stay here,” I say to the driver. He nods and puts

the car in park. I check the street then step out of the car. Sofia looks at me, surprise clear on her face. “Jacob,” she says. “What are you doing here?” “Came to see you.” I walk around the car and toward her. I walk up and kiss her on the cheek, letting my hand linger on her elbow. “You look tired,” she says with a frown. I grin at her. “That’s okay. Didn’t sleep much last night.” “Are you okay?” “I’m great, actually.” I hesitate, letting my hand drop. “I actually wanted to see if you’d be willing to skip work today.” She raises an eyebrow. “Skip work? Both of us?” I nod, grinning. “We can have a little fun.” “Like what?” I shrug. “I don’t know. Whatever you want to do.” She chews her lower lip. “That seems like a bad idea.” “Trust me, it’s okay. I already called you out,

anyway.” She looks surprised. “How?” “Called Karl, let him know I was borrowing you for the day.” I grin and enjoy the surprise evident on her face. “That’s… what? Why would you do that?” “Trust me,” I say to her. “He won’t mind.” “He’ll use it against you. More evidence of our… relationship.” I shrug a little. “Maybe that’s not so bad.” “Jacob, are you okay?” she asks me again. I laugh a little, feeling lighter than I’ve felt in a long time. “I feel great. Come on.” I lead her over to the car and usher her inside. “This’ll be great.” She reluctantly gets in and I head around the other side. I give the driver directions through the front window before climbing in. We speed off into traffic, heading across town. “I still don’t get how this is a good idea,” she says. “Just trust me,” I tell her. “I’ll explain soon.” “Do you have a plan?” she asks a little suspiciously.

“Maybe.” I grin at her. “Let me spoil you first, okay?” She sighs. “Okay.” She gives me a little strained smile, and I know this is going to be good. We finally end up outside of this old Jewish deli called Sam’s. The line’s not too long, so we grab some breakfast and coffees for ourselves and the driver. I tell him to head off and park somewhere and kill a couple hours. We sit down on a bench while the driver heads off to eat breakfast. I keep conversation light and easy, just talking about TV shows we like and music we’ve been listening to. “Where are you taking me?” she asks as we finish breakfast and head off again. “You’ll like it,” I say to her. “Come on,” she says, getting up next to me, a smile on her face. “You might as well say.” I grin. “It’s right here.” We stop in front of an antiques shop, a place I like to come sometimes. I take her inside and we start going through the stuff. I say hello to the owner, an old guy in his late sixties that clearly doesn’t care much anymore. He’s smoking a cigarette, which is the worst thing

you can do to antiques, but I don’t mind. “Oh, check this out.” Sofia hold up an old bowler hat. “I do say, I find myself to be quite attractive in this.” I laugh and put a gaudy costume jewelry necklace on. “How’s this look?” “Beautiful,” she says. We laugh and put our stuff away, moving further into the shop. Things are piled on top of each other, a literal pile of junk that stretches into the back of the room. There are no racks or shelves, except for old furniture that’s being used as displays for other old furniture. Sofia sits in a rocking chair while I dig through a pile of old used toys, most of it junk. “Oh, here we go.” I pull out an old, brightly colored tin car. “I bet this is from the thirties,” I say. “It’s pretty.” Sofia gets up and walks over. “Do you like this stuff? I mean, old things?” “Love it,” I say. “Always have. People see junk, but I see history. People made all this, people owned it, every piece has a story no matter how boring or mundane.” She frowns a little. “Never thought about it like that.”

“Most people want new, but I want old… older the better. I like to try and fix stuff up, too.” “The furniture in your room. Is that all old?” “Antiques,” he says, nodding. “I probably shouldn’t be using it, but what’s the point of a bed if you can’t sleep on it?” “How old is that bed?” she asks, eyes wide. I shrug, grinning. “Early American. Probably worth, I don’t know, fifty thousand at this point.” She gasps a little bit. “You were tying me to those posts.” She gasps again. “I was pulling against them!” I laugh and pull her against me. “Like I said. What’s the point if it’s not getting used? Just part of the story.” I kiss her gently on the lips. “Not like it’s museum quality or something. That’d run us into the six digits.” She laughs as we move back through the things. Eventually I end up buying a little locket for her, this pretty gold thing with a beautiful carved inlay. She thanks me with a kiss as we head back out into the afternoon. That’s how we spend the day: shopping, flirting, laughing, kissing. It’s such a simple afternoon date,

but I haven’t been out on anything like it in a long while. I’ve just always been too busy, but now I feel like I should take the time. After I tell her my plan and we go through with it, I think it’s all or nothing. Either we’ll discredit Karl or we’ll be playing directly into his hands. I want to be ready for either outcome. In a lot of ways, this could be our last adventure together, or at least before things get complicated. Because what I’m going to ask Sofia to do, there might be consequences for her. If it goes wrong, she may look just as bad as I do. Hopefully I’m setting it up such that I’ll take the inevitable fall, but she’ll for sure have to leave the company if we mess this up. I can’t imagine she’d want to stay, but still, it’s asking a lot of her. I’m buttering her up in some ways, although really I think this is more for me than for her. I think she’ll do it no matter what. All I have to do is ask, but I don’t want to just ask. I want to spoil her while I still can. I end up buying her shoes, a new dress, a new purse, a new exercise watch (“I really don’t need this,” “Sure you do.”), a new laptop, and a bunch of other small things throughout the day.

Finally, we end up on a bench in the park, watching people walk their dogs. It’s almost five o’clock, so the place is going to fill up fast in the coming hour. I know I’m out of time, but I wish I had more. I always want more when it comes to her. We watch an old lady and her two yappy dogs walk past. Sofia leans up against me, puts her head on my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her. “This is nice,” she says. “I haven’t done something like this in… well, a long time.” “I don’t think I’ve ever skipped work just to mess around with someone,” I admit. “Really?” she asks. “What about all your other girlfriends?” “Girlfriends?” I laugh, shaking my head. “Never had one of those.” “You’ve never actually been in a relationship before?” I grin at her. “Well, okay. That’s not true. I’ve had relationships. It’s just… they tend not to last, or at least they haven’t.” She makes a face. “Can’t say I’m shocked.” “Why’s that?”

“You’re married to your job.” I nod and go silent for a second. Fact is, she’s not wrong, but it’s more than that. I’ve been with some beautiful, amazing women in my days, but I’ve never met one that’s made me want to actually settle down. At least until her. “I need to ask you something,” I say finally. “It’s for work.” “I figured we’d be getting to this eventually,” she says softly, sitting up and leaning away. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be. I want to hear it.” She sounds so calm and composed. “Look, it’s simple. I just need you to go to Karl and tell him I’ve been forcing you to do outlandish things.” She raises an eyebrow. “Like what?” “I don’t know. Like making you dress up in men’s clothing. Something totally unbelievable.” She sighs. “Why would I do that? It feels like you’re trying to ruin yourself right now.” “I’m not,” I say, shaking my head. “Trust me. I have a plan.”

“Okay,” she says simply. “I’ll do it.” I nod and look away. I knew she’d say yes, I knew she’d do it. Without a single thought, she’s going to trust me and follow along. I’m not sure she’s even thought it all the way through. If this goes bad, she’ll look awful. The whole company will probably find out these sordid details, or at least I’m sure Karl will make sure they do. “There could be consequences,” I say to her. “I know. I’ll still do it.” She reaches forward and touches my face. “I’ll do it for you, Daddy.” I can’t help but smile at that. I take her hand and kiss it. “Let’s talk details then,” I say, and she leans back against me. “Maybe later,” she says. “Right now let’s enjoy ourselves, okay?” I can’t help but smile huge at that. “Okay,” I say. “Business later. Pleasure first.” She grins at me. “Exactly.” And so we go silent, watching people march past us, both of us knowing that we might be going forward into a horrible situation, but both of us willing to do it for the other.

24

SOFIA

I

have a rock in my stomach and I don’t know where it came from.

That’s not true. I know exactly where I got it. I’m nervous as hell, waiting for Karl to come into the office. My head is buzzing, swirling with Jacob’s plan and the potential blowback I might have to deal with. In the end, this could make me look as bad as him, if not even worse. I’m risking a lot for him. And I have no issues with it. I’d risk a lot more, if I could. I knew what yesterday was about. I could see it written all over his face from the second he ambushed me outside of my apartment. He feels guilty, but he shouldn’t. I know what I’m getting myself into. I know that I’m taking a risk,

helping him like this, but I can’t help it. I keep seeing him as the man that used to be my teacher, but he’s so much more than that now. He’s a boss and a good person. All of his employees love him, and everyone else speaks highly of him at Quest. The only people that seem to have any issues with Jacob are those that have something to gain by opposing him. Truth is, I don’t know what I have to gain from any of this, except maybe him. And maybe he’s the best thing of all. But I do have a lot to lose. I could ruin my reputation, destroy my career. I could be torching my whole future, all because I knew this man so long ago and had such a powerful crush on him. I’ve gotten to know him. I believe in him, more than just physically. It’s become something more, and I think yesterday proved that to me. After the park, we went back to his apartment and we slept together twice. The first time, it was gentle and loving and incredible because of that. The second time it was dirty and dark and dangerous, the way I like it, and that’s the dichotomy of our relationship. We have both of those things, those intense feelings, but also the very taboo nature of things.

None of it matters anymore. The only thing I’m concentrating on is this next moment, and the moment after that, and hopefully we’ll get through this. Hopefully he’s right, and I have to believe in that. I’d be doing this no matter what. All of the gifts yesterday, they were nice, but they weren’t necessary. I’d do this if he just asked. That’s all he had to do. I spot Karl open his office door and slide into it. I take a deep breath and decide not to waste a single second. I march right over, knock, and enter without him answering. He looks up from his desk, a frown on his face. “Surprised to see you here,” he says. “Why?” I ask, shutting the door behind me. “I thought you’d be with Jacob. Since apparently he can simply call you out of work whenever he wants.” I nod and look at the carpet. “That’s what I want to talk about.” I have to be careful. I can’t play this up too much or else he’ll see through me. Karl isn’t stupid, but I hope he’s as greedy as Jacob thinks he is. Otherwise, I think he might laugh in my face.

“Go ahead,” he says, looking bored. “You know we’ve been doing… things,” I say to him, and the blush that jumps to my cheeks is real. “Inappropriate things for the workplace.” He perks up at this. I know he has bugs in his own office recording everything I say right now. “You’re admitting that?” “Yes,” I say before looking up to meet his gaze. “But it’s not what you think.” “What do I think?” he asks softly. “He’s been making me do things…” I trail off. “This is really difficult.” Suddenly, his whole demeanor changes. “Sit down, Sofia,” he says softly. “If there’s something inappropriate going on, you can tell me. We can handle this together.” I notice that he’s not offering to bring HR into this, which is really what he should be doing immediately. I sit down and fold my hands in my lap. “What’s going on?” he asks me. “He’s been making me… do things for him,” I say. “He says I have to do it or else he’ll fire me.”

“Like what?” he asks. “Disgusting things. I don’t want to say.” I can’t meet his gaze, I feel so embarrassed and awkward, but I’m pushing forward. “It’s okay, you’re safe here,” he says, and it makes me want to vomit. “What is he doing to you?” “He makes me wear his clothes,” I blurt out. “He says I look good dressed as a boy. And he makes me steal office supplies so that we can use them.” “Use them?” he asks. “He’s sadistic,” I say, looking up and meeting Karl’s gaze. “I don’t know what to do. He’s making me put things inside of me while I sit around at work.” For a second, I think he wavers. I think the absurdity of that is just too much, but the moment passes, and he nods. “I’m glad you came to me, Sofia,” he says. “I think I can help you.” The rest of the meeting is a blur. It doesn’t really matter, though. He makes me promise that I’ll tell more people so that he can help me get rid of Jacob. Instead of filing reports to HR, he talks about getting revenge, and he says he can help me. He goes on and on about how he knew Jacob was a bad person and now we can destroy him together.

I feel sick, but not because Jacob actually did any of that stuff. Although maybe I’d like it if he did. That’s beside the point. I’m sick because Karl is so willing to use a woman who’s potentially being blackmailed and abused by her employer just to further his own career. It’s disgusting, but Jacob was right. Karl can’t see beyond his own paranoid plans. He thinks he can do this himself, and he’s not going to go through the proper channels. Which is going to be his downfall.

25

JACOB

I

look down at the stack of paper in my hands and I take a deep breath.

“Well?” Clay asks me. “What do you think?” “It’s good,” I admit. “It’s really good.” He grins, clearly pleased. “We worked hard on it. All of us.” “I’m worried it won’t be enough.” That seems to take the wind out of his sails. “You said we had a chance,” he points out. “I know,” I admit, looking away. “But the board already said they’re adopting Karl’s ideas. I’m not sure what we can do now.”

“Damnit, Jacob,” Clay says. “You’re just giving up?” “Not at all,” I respond, looking back at him. “This proposal is good, really good. And I think it’ll help. But I’m not sure how much.” “I gotta admit, I’m surprised,” Clay responds. “Never thought I’d see you so pessimistic.” “First time for everything,” I grumble. He stands up. “Read over it again. It’s good and if you sell it, I think they’ll buy it.” I nod to him. “I promise I’ll try.” “Good enough.” He walks to the door and hesitates. “If anyone can get out of this, it’s you.” I can’t help but smile at that. “Thanks, Clay.” “Sure. We’re rooting for you.” He leaves my office and the door shuts quietly behind him. Maybe I was too hard on Clay. The proposal really is good. It’s just too late and it doesn’t fit into my plans, not exactly at least. But then again, if this all works, the company is going to need a new direction. I flip through the pages again, musing to myself, though I’m only half paying attention.

I’m worried about Sofia. She’s supposed to be talking with Karl this morning, and I don’t know how it’s going. This moment is critical to what happens next, and Karl needs to believe her. I think he will. I think he’s too blinded by his own selfish needs to actually think about what she’s saying and doing. But it’s a risk, like everything’s a risk, and I hate taking it. I distract myself with the proposal again, going through the details. I have an amazing team and they did a fantastic job on this document. If they had given this to me a week or two ago, I think we might be in a totally different position right now. But they didn’t and we are, so we’ll keep going forward. Still, it’s very thorough and I think it’s actually a beautiful new direction for this company. It’s a compromise between Karl’s aggressive bottom line and my belief in the customer. It takes the best parts of his plan and mixes them in with my own ideas, creating this new vision for the company that’ll be both profitable and good for the customer. It’s a win all around, and I think I can convince the board. First though, they have to see the kind of man they’ve decided to follow. And I’m going to show them.

My intercom buzzing pulls me from my thoughts. “Sofia here to see you,” Minnie says. “Send her in.” I stand up, my heart beating fast. Sofia comes into my office, wearing a navy blouse and a pair of dark pants. Her heels are lower today, and her hair is piled up on top of her head. And she doesn’t look happy. “How’d it go?” I ask her as she shuts the door. She sighs and shakes her head. She stays closer to the door, arms crossed over her chest. “He bought it.” I let out a breath. “That’s good,” I say, coming around the desk. She shakes her head quickly. “No, it’s not.” I stop and cock my head. I can see the stress on her face and in her posture. “What’s the matter?” I ask. “Jacob, he’s going to come after you now,” she says. “I mean, he wants me to testify…” I laugh, grinning huge. “That’s fantastic!” “Jacob,” she snaps. “Why aren’t you taking this seriously? Do you have any idea what that was like?”

My smile fades and I take a step closer. “You’re right,” I say. “I mean, I’ve never said anything like that to anyone, much less to my boss. He’s a stranger, and I had to tell him some personal stuff.” “I can’t even imagine,” I admit. “No, you can’t, because I had to do it.” She turns away from me and walks over to the full walllength window. “He didn’t even give a shit about me.” I come up slowly behind her. “I’m not surprised.” “I mean, I basically told him that you’re abusing me, and you know what he talks about?” She turns to me, her eyes wide. “He talks about hurting you. Not about helping me, but about hurting you.” “He’s scum,” I say softly, stopping near her. “Which is exactly my point. He’s dangerous, and now he thinks he has the ammunition to put you down.” “But he doesn’t.” I take a deep breath and cross the threshold, putting my hands on her arms gently. I can feel the anger in her. I can be such an asshole sometimes, only thinking about what’s best for me. I didn’t even imagine how hard that conversation

must have been, how incredibly awkward. And to have someone that should have her best interests at heart basically blow her off and think about how to use her for his own gain… I realize with a start that I might be doing the exact same thing. “Listen,” I say softly. “I don’t want to make you do this.” “You’re not making me,” she says, meeting my gaze. “I wasn’t thinking about how it would be for you. I wasn’t thinking at all… I’ve been a selfish prick. Sofia, if you want to back out, nothing will change between us.” “I’m not backing out,” she says seriously. “Listen though. I won’t hold it against you. I know I’m your boss, but—“ “Stop,” she says, stepping away. “Okay? Just stop. I’m not backing out. I’m a part of this now. I just want a little sympathy.” I watch as she walks over to my desk and takes a breath, her eyes closed. I’m angry with myself, angry that I don’t know how to comfort her, angry that I put her in this position. I’m not going to let her down like Karl did, though. I’m not going to let

her do this and not get something out of it. When we’re through and Karl’s gone, he’s going to need a replacement. And I’m going to use all my favors to make sure she gets the job. It’s going to look bad, but after the scandal around Karl, I doubt anyone is going to question it too much. “This is all going to mean something,” I say to her finally. “I promise, what you did matters. It’s going to work.” “I’m just frustrated,” she says. “That conversation was awful. I mean, it worked the way you said it would. He completely bought it, but that didn’t feel very good.” She shakes her head again and walks over to the door. I watch as she pauses and looks back at me. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” she says. “Me too,” I admit. She gives me another look before leaving my office, shutting the door behind her. I’m left alone, standing at the window. I put my hands behind my head and take a deep breath. I’ve never seen her like that before. She was so angry and upset, and I did a shit job trying to comfort her. I’m really out of practice with this

stuff. I want to be better at taking care of her, but all this shit keeps getting in the way. It’s like one second I want to hold her and tell her how I feel, and the next I’m obsessing about Karl and my company. I can’t let this distract me from what matters, and the more I’m with her, the more I know that Sofia matters. I’ve never felt anything like this before, and I can’t risk letting it go. We’ve come so far together. There’s not much more to do. I just need to follow through and win, or else I’ve ruined myself. Worse, I might ruin her.

26

SOFIA

K

arl gives me this awful, pitying smile, though there’s a hunger behind his expression. I smile back and keep my head down as I walk back to my desk. It’s been a few days since I told him about Jacob and me, though nothing’s happened. Jacob keeps telling me to wait, but I’m so sick of waiting. Now he’s on some business trip, left yesterday morning, and I’m all alone. Sitting at my computer, I’ve never felt so alone in my life. It’s irrational, because I do have people on my side: Jacob and Darlene, for starters, though Darlene doesn’t know much about what’s going on. Still, Darlene is my friend and I trust that she’s at least on my side.

I can feel Karl plotting something in his office. People keep coming in and out, people I don’t really recognize. I think some of them are board members, white-haired and wearing expensive suits, but I have no clue. Some of them glance in my direction as they leave, but I can’t tell if that’s just my imagination or not. Karl hasn’t said a word about what I told him, and I have no clue what he’s doing about it. Jacob seems to think it’s okay, but I’m worried. I’m afraid that if I’m pressed at the wrong time, everything I told Karl will unravel, and he’ll know I’m a liar. That would ruin what Jacob’s trying to do. “Hope you’re having a good trip,” I text him. To my surprise, he responds right away. “Utah is boring. Coming back ASAP.” “Good,” I type. “Thinking about you.” “I bet you are.” He sends me a winking emoji and I smile to myself. Jacob doesn’t strike me as the emoji kind of guy. Work crawls along. My load is actually pretty light, and most of what I have to do is simple. I suspect Karl is going easy on me and only sending me the best tasks, but I can’t be sure, and I’m definitely not about to ask him. When lunch comes, Darlene

and I sit outside in the sunshine, watching the people in their suits walk past. “Isn’t it strange,” she says to me. “Just a floor or two up or down and we’d be in a totally different company doing a totally different thing.” “We’d have different lives,” I say, shrugging. She picks at her salad. “Not that I’m complaining. I mean, Karl’s a creeper and a weirdo, but this job’s actually pretty decent. And I hear your load’s been light lately.” “The guys talking again?” I ask. The guys are all our other employees. We typically talk about them collectively. “Yep, complaining like always,” she says. “You know how they are.” I sigh. “First Karl’s burying me in work and everyone feels bad. Now he’s taking it easy on me and everyone’s pissed. The guys’ll complain no matter what Karl does.” “Pretty much,” Darlene agrees. “Though I don’t know what you did to turn things around.” “No clue,” I say. “Maybe Karl has a conscience after all.” We both laugh at that. It feels good to have simple,

normal moments with another person, moments I can pretend that all this craziness isn’t happening around me. I get back to my desk and log back into the network. I screw around for a little bit, and just as I’m about to dive back into my work, my desk phone starts to ring. I frown at it. Nobody ever calls me. Tentatively, I pick it up. “Yes?” “Hello, is this Sofia Wolf?” “Yes it is,” I say. “Hi, Sofia, Resources.”

I’m

Kreyshawn

from

Human

My heart basically stops. Fear spikes through me like a knife, and I don’t know what to do. This is it. Karl went to HR with my story and now they’re going to call me down and grill me. They’re going to make a whole paper trail about what I said and it’s going to bury Jacob. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Karl went to HR with the tapes once before, and I thought he’d do it again, although Jacob disagreed. He insisted that Karl would keep it to himself and go over HR’s head. “Karl’s a control freak,” he said. “He’s going to use

this himself, not risk getting anyone else involved.” And now here I am with HR on the phone, and I’m totally screwed. If I admit to lying, it’s going to destroy my reputation and potentially my career. But if I keep up the lie, it might destroy Jacob, and I don’t know if I could live with that. “Ah, hello,” I say. “What can I do for you?” I feel overly formal, constrained. I’m sweating already. “So I was looking over some paperwork and I noticed a little discrepancy,” Kreyshawn says. I pause. “Paperwork?” “Yes, for your benefits. I was processing you, getting it all finished, and I realized that you hadn’t signed form three, the eligibility release.” I blink, head reeling. “I didn’t sign it?” “No,” she says. “Not a big deal. I can bring the papers over for you, if that’s okay?” “For my benefits?” I ask. “I just have to sign something?” “That’s right,” she says, laughing. “It’ll just take a second.” “Okay, great,” I say. “Bring it on over.”

“See you soon.” We hang up and relief washes over me. I feel shaky and sick but so incredibly happy. Kreyshawn shows up not long later, a pleasant woman in her thirties. We chat for a second, I sign the form, and off she goes. When she’s gone, I go into the bathroom and lean against the sink, water running full blast. I think I might throw up. My heart is racing and terror arcs through me. That was so close, it could have ruined everything, but it was just about my benefits. Karl didn’t go to HR, or at least that I know of. But I know I’m on edge. I can feel it deep down inside of me. I splash my face with cold water. I need to get ahold of myself. I head back to my desk and check my phone. No messages from Jacob. I turn it off and shove it in my bag before forcing myself to turn back to my computer. I work the rest of the day. I don’t mess around or take any breaks. I actually get through my queue completely, and by the time five thirty rolls around, I’m all done. Most of the floor is gone or heading out, and I stand up to stretch.

“Good day?” I turn around and Karl’s standing there, smiling at me. It looks like he just learned how to smile yesterday. “Uh, yes, thanks,” I say. “Good. I saw HR here earlier. What did they want?” “Benefits,” I say. “Forgot to sign a paper.” “Ah,” he says, that smile still plastered to his face though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Bureaucratic paperwork. Always a nuisance. Have a nice night.” He walks off without another word. I let out a breath and slowly gather my things. I don’t want to get stuck on the elevator with him. As I head down a few minutes later, I replay that short conversation with Karl and I realize something. He was worried. He didn’t want me to tell HR. He was checking to make sure that I wasn’t talking to them for that reason. Which means he doesn’t plan on telling them himself. When I get down to the bottom floor, I feel relieved. A little weight lifts from my shoulders. I hate all this lying and sneaking around but maybe

it’s actually going to work out. As I walk out front, I grab my phone from my bag and turn it on. As I get near the fountain, it boots up and starts to buzz. I have missed calls from Jacob. I call him back right away, and he answers on the second ring. “Everything okay?” I ask, worried. “Everything’s great,” he says. “I’m back.” “You’re back?” I’m surprised. I didn’t expect him until tomorrow. “I grabbed the first flight after my meeting, got lucky actually. My driver’s waiting for you around the block.” “He’s waiting for me?” “I want to see you.” I hesitate, but only for a second. Even though I’m stressed as hell still, I want to see him too. No, I need to see him. “I’ll be there,” I answer, and I hang up the phone. Heart beating fast, I head around the block.

27

SOFIA

T

he driver drops me off in front of Jacob’s house and I thank him before heading up the stoop. I ring the bell and Jacob answers right away, a small smile on his face. “Glad you came,” he says. I shrug a little. “Guess I’m a glutton for punishment. That makes his smile a little bigger. “I’m glad to hear that. Come in.” I follow him into the entry hall, expecting to go right upstairs. Every time I’ve come to his apartment, he basically keeps me up in his room. We don’t leave and don’t really need to, he has everything we need up there. When I leave, I go

straight back out the front door, but I know there’s a lot more to his house. But instead of going to the stairs, he walks toward the back of the house. “Come on,” he says. I follow him, surprised but happy. He’s wearing workout clothes, a tight gray t-shirt and slim sweatpants that fit his muscular body perfectly. His feet are bare as we walk down the dark wooden floors, polished to a mirror-like shine. “I told you I’d give you a tour,” he says as we go into the back of the house. “And here it is.” He gestures at the kitchen and I grin at him. “It’s just a kitchen.” “Ah,” he says. “That’s where you’re wrong. It’s the best kitchen in the world.” I laugh as he shows off a little bit. He has a smart refrigerator, brand new fixtures and a gorgeous gas stove. Everything looks expensive and immaculately maintained. “Too bad I never cook,” he says. “I have a private chef that uses this stuff sometimes, but mostly…” “Mostly you let it go to waste.” I laugh and shake my head. “Not surprising. You’re just a lazy rich guy.”

He grins. “Got me. Come on.” I follow him through the rest of the downstairs. There’s a living room, a gorgeous office, a perfect little patio out back, plus another bathroom off to the side. “What’s down here?” I ask, stopping in front of a door as he leads me toward the upstairs again. “That… that’s the end of the tour. Come on.” We keep going but I’m drawn back to that door for some reason. He shows me a music room with stereo equipment and a piano in the front room off to the right of the stairs, through the French doors. He plays a few bars of a Bach piece before we head upstairs. “Guest room, guest room, bathroom, bedroom.” He opens each door in turn, letting me see. “And here’s a closet.” “Amazing,” I say. “All that mystery, and it’s just a normal house.” “Pretty much.” He stops closer to me. “Are you disappointed?” “Yes,” I say. “Very.” He smiles softly and tips my chin up. “There’s more. One last place.”

“That door downstairs.” He nods and kisses my lips softly. “It’s not something I normally share with people.” “What could you possibly have to hide?” He reaches around and grabs my hair softly. “Nothing,” he says. “But that space is my private space. I like to keep it separate.” “You don’t have to show me if you don’t want to.” “I do want to,” he says quickly. “But you have to do something for me.” My heart quickens. “Anything.” “Tell me I’m your Daddy.” “You’re my Daddy.” The words come out quickly, almost rushed, and I feel a tingle run down my spine. “But more than that… I’m your Dom.” “Dom?” I ask, surprised. “That’s right. I’m in control at all times. I’m the dominant one, and you submit to my every whim. Do you understand?” “Of course,” I say.

“Okay.” He kisses me again, releasing my hair. “Let’s go.” I follow him, heart hammering, nervous as hell. We head down the steps and toward the door and I don’t know what I’m walking into. This could be his murder dungeon. Maybe he’s a serial killer luring me into his lair. But no, that seems silly. Maybe he collects dolls or something totally weird. Or maybe this is his sex room. Maybe it’ll be all black lights and pillows and cum stains on the carpet, plus whips and chains and handcuffs. That last thought actually excites me. He stops in front of the door, opens it slowly, and flips on the light. “Down here.” I follow him down some stairs. I can’t see into the room just yet. “Don’t judge it yet until I explain.” We move down into the basement… and it looks like a normal finished basement. Well, normal for our parents, at least. The walls are covered in wood paneling and all the furniture looks like it’s straight from the 1970s. The television is old and there’s even an old desk with an ancient computer on top of it over in the corner. The carpet is shag and the couches are orange.

I look around and can’t help but laugh a little bit. “Okay, it’s a little dated, but why is this weird?” He lets out a sigh of relief. “I thought you’d think I’m weird.” “No, but what is this?” “It’s my basement,” he says. “The basement from the house I grew up in. Well, it’s close, not exactly. I made some modifications for myself.” He walks over to a bar in the corner and pours himself a drink. I walk over, a smile on my face. “This is what your old house looked like?” “My parents’ house, yeah,” he says. “Lots of memories down here. I even have all my old gaming systems and stuff. Sometimes I come down here and I feel like I’m home again.” I stare at him, totally shocked by this. “This is really amazing,” I say. “Really? I thought it might be weird.” “It’s a little weird, but it’s also sweet. And I’m jealous. I wish I had something like this, a place I could escape to and feel…” “Home,” he finishes for me.

“Yeah. Like home.” He smiles and sips his drink. “There’s a little more.” “Show me,” I say eagerly. “Well, this part you might like even more.” He comes around the bar and walks over to a door in the far corner. He pulls it open and at first, I think it’s a normal closet. But then he turns on the light. Inside, the 1970s styling disappears, replaced by modern displays. It’s a walk-in closet and it’s full of sex gear. I can’t help but gape. There are outfits, whips, chains, handcuffs, paddles, ball gags, dildos, vibrators, all sorts of things I don’t even recognize. “Wow,” I say finally. “This explains a lot.” “Does it?” He comes up behind me, hands on my hips. “Do you like it?” “Yes,” I admit as I realize that this feeling in my chest is pure excitement. “I knew you were into this… I mean, the ropes and stuff…” “These are my toys,” he says. “Not many people have seen this.” I turn around and face him, our lips inches away.

“Does that make me special?” “It means I’m your Daddy. And I think you’re ready to take this to the next level.” “Okay,” I say, and he kisses me. Our tongues touch as he pulls me tight against him. “We’ll take it slow,” he whispers as we move into the closet. I look around at all the things and I have no clue where to start, but he seems to know. He grabs a ball gag, a small paddle, and some ropes, the velvet kind he had upstairs, before bringing me back out into the main room. “Strip,” he says, staring at me. “Right now?” “Strip,” he repeats. “Or I’m going to punish you.” He smacks his hand with the paddle, making a loud thwack. Heart beating fast, I take off my clothes. I remove my top and bra first before I do my pants and panties. When I’m done, I’m standing in front of him, completely bare. “Say the word ‘Nebraska’ at any time if you want to stop,” he says, looking at my body. “For now, I’ll go easy on you. But in the future…” I nod my head, excitement pulsing through me.

“Turn around,” he says. I obey him, feeling oddly shy. I know he’s seen every inch of me, but I feel so exposed here, so incredibly naked. I feel every bit of it. “Hands on top of the bar.” I glance over my shoulder at him. “Here?” I ask. He takes the paddle and smacks my ass. It stings, but not too bad. He grabs my hair, tugging it back. “You’ll say only ‘Yes, Daddy Dom,’ from here on out. Understand?” “Yes, Daddy Dom,” I whisper, heart hammering in my ears. “Good girl.” He kisses my lips. “Now, hands on the bar. I do as he says, hands flat on the bar. He takes the ropes and walks around to the other side, facing me. He takes one wrist, wraps a rope around it, and ties it off to a pipe down toward the floor. He does the same thing with the other wrist, and I’m bound to the bar, bent over it slightly. He walks back around behind me. “Look at that pretty, perfect ass,” he says. “Do you have any idea how gorgeous it is? Perky and round.” He slaps me with the paddle again. “God fucking damn, do I

love this ass.” He spanks me with his palm and grabs my hair, leaning up against me. I feel his fingers sliding down my skin, up my inner thigh, and toward my dripping pussy. “A little pleasure to go with the pain,” he whispers in my ear. “I take care of my girl.” I feel his fingers down my pussy as they slowly start to massage my clit. I gasp and a moan escapes my lips as the slight sting from his spank disappears completely, washed away by his deft touch. “Do you like being tied up by me?” he asks. “Completely at my mercy?” “Yes, Daddy Dom,” I moan. He pulls his fingers away and he slaps my ass with the paddle. “Too perfect,” he says. “I need to dirty you up. Do you want to be dirty for me?” “Yes, Daddy Dom.” He paddles my ass, both sides, stopping to rub my clit between each hit. The pleasure and the pain are so mixed up inside of me that I barely know what’s happening. He’s tied me up and smacked me before, but this… this is something else. He’s in total control, almost a different person, and I like it.

I want to be his little slave. I want to be his submissive. I know a little bit about BDSM, but clearly not as much as he does. I want him to teach me so badly I can barely breathe. “You’re such a good girl,” he whispers in my ear. “Now I want to do what I brought you here to do.” He suddenly pulls the ball gag around my face. I open my mouth for it as he attaches it behind my head. It’s not too tight, but I couldn’t get it out if I tried. He slaps my ass, hard this time, and I moan through the gag. He drops down to his knees and spreads my ass wide open before plunging his face against me. I feel his tongue start to lap me up, licking my every inch, exploring every part of me. It feels so fucking good. My ass stings and I barely moan with the gag in my mouth but the pleasure is almost overwhelming. His tongue goes everywhere, absolutely everywhere, licking my ass and my pussy, lapping me up. I’m so dripping wet I’m practically soaking his mouth but he seems to love it, grunting his pleasure as he licks and sucks me. He pulls back and slaps my ass, this time harder, before pressing his fingers deep inside of me. I gasp and moan through the gag.

“Delicious,” he says, and I can hear the smirk on his lips. “Perfect and delicious. I need to dirty you up, but you’re doing so good.” I moan and let him fuck my pussy with his fingers. He stands and gets them deep inside of me, sliding them in and out, jiggling my ass as he goes. I groan and move but he pulls my hair with his other hand, keeping me there. I’m tied to the bar, a ball gag in my mouth, and he’s tugging at my hair. This is even more control and domination than the night that he tied my legs open and gagged me. I like that he’s pushing me, spanking me, giving me pleasure to mix in with the pain, making it all so much sweeter. I realize now that this is the next level. He’s always been my Dom, but now he’s being open about it, making me understand. He gradually brought me into this world, giving me taste after taste, getting me addicted. Now I’m fully into it, so deep I can barely see myself anymore, and I love it. I want to be his little girl forever. I want him to be my Daddy, my Dom, to control me, take care of me, and to make me feel good. I feel his fingers slide out of me and I look over my shoulder. I can just see him undressing behind me, slipping off his shirt to reveal his gorgeous body, pulling down his pants to reveal his hard cock. He

wasn’t wearing any underwear, and I can see his thickness as he slowly strokes himself, a smirk on his face. “Do you want to come, girl?” I try to say, “Yes, Daddy Dom,” but it comes out muffled. “I’m sorry, what?” I try to say it again, but can’t. He picks up the paddle and slaps my ass. “Say it, girl.” “Yes, Daddy Dom.” But I can’t get the words out. He smirks and slaps me. I think my ass must be red and raw, but he’s not content and he’s definitely not holding back. He drops down to his knees and starts to tongue my pussy again. I moan as he slaps my ass, his tongue fucking my wet pussy. I feel him slowly slide a finger in my ass. “I know what I want tonight,” he says. I can only let him do whatever he wants to do. I moan, a finger in my ass, and then two fingers, and then maybe three. I’m stretched out but I relax, loving his fullness.

“Tonight, I’m going to come in your ass.” He pulls his fingers back and I moan. I don’t want him to stop, I’m desperate for him, but I’m nervous. I don’t know if I can fit his whole cock in my ass. I’ve never felt that before… but I want to try. I feel him start to tease my pussy with his cock. He slides himself up and down before leaning forward, pulling my hair. “Tell me you want me to fuck you,” he whispers in my ear. “Yes, Daddy Dom,” I mumble, words stifled, and he presses himself inside of me with one clean thrust. I gasp and moan as he fills me. He grabs my hair with one hand, looping it over his palm, and puts his other hand on my hip as he starts to fuck me. Pleasure moves through my body. I’m his to do with whatever he wants, and he wants to wreck my tight cunt with his big, thick cock. He fucks me slowly at first but quickly gets faster, pulling my hair back and rocking into me. “You’re my fucking girl,” he says to me. “Every inch of you is mine to use and abuse however I want. And right now, I want to fuck this pussy until you come.”

He moves faster, fucking me senseless. I was so on edge before, pleasure building and building each time he sucked and licked me, but now he’s pushing me closer and closer. I can feel my orgasm building, but he’s changing tempo and pace, not letting me get there. I moan with frustration and I know he’s teasing me. He pulls at my hair again and teases my breasts with his other hand, squeezing my nipples, being rough. My ass is raw and tender, so when he slaps it, he doesn’t hit me too hard. But the pain still makes my pleasure build, his cock buried deep between my legs. He moves faster, slamming into me, fucking me like an animal. I’m his whore, bent over the bar, tied up and gagged, my holes gaping for him to fuck and use however he wants. I’m his dirty thing, his toy, and I love it. He’s my Dom, my Daddy, my man. “That’s right, girl,” he grunts, fucking me faster, making me scream. “You’re dripping wet. You’re screaming through your gag. But nobody can hear you. Nobody can help you. You’re all mine down here.” He rocks into me and the excitement starts to crest. The danger feels real, although I know he’d stop if I said the magic word. I don’t want him to stop. I want more, so much more. I move my hips back and he gets the picture. He

stops teasing, stops holding back. His thrusts deep and long and he starts to work my clit with his fingers. Pleasure starts to flood me, overwhelming, rising and falling through my skin, and I know I can’t help it anymore. I come, moaning into my gag, practically screaming. I want to be loud, but I can’t. It feels so good, almost too intense, as he presses into my clit and fucks my pussy, pushing me deep over the edge. “God damn,” he groans. “You’re so fucking sexy.” My orgasm slowly ends and he pulls himself from my pussy. “Now it’s time to feel every inch of you.” He moves away for a second and I watch as he grabs a bottle from the closet. He pours something into his hand and then rubs it along his cock. “Normally I’d just fuck your little throat until you spit all over my big dick, and that’d be enough. But for now, we’ll use this.” He puts the bottle away and I can see his cock is shining with lube. He steps up behind me. “Let me see that ass open,” he says, and slowly presses his cock against me. I groan as he fills me. I can’t believe how it feels. I stay calm and relaxed as his cock slowly slides

inside. I feel so full, so intense, and he takes it slow at first. I love his groans, love the way he’s enjoying my body, using it however he wants. “I’m deep,” he says finally. “God damn, I’m all the way in your tight little ass.” He starts to fuck me then, slow at first, but soon the pain starts to morph into something else. It’s a mix of pain and pleasure and desire, because I want him to come inside of me so badly I can barely stand it. “I want to fuck your tight ass until you scream,” he says. “You’ll never forget this cock buried deep inside you, my dirty little toy.” He works faster, fucking my ass, burying himself in me. My moans come deep and low and I want it, I want to feel his hot cum in my ass. He keeps going, grinding and fucking, and I can see the sweat dripping off his body. He’s so sexy, dominating me, destroying me. His thrusts get faster and deeper and he starts to groan. “Fuck, girl,” he grunts. “I’m going to come.” I feel it, surprising and fast, and it actually feels good. He comes hard in my ass, fucking me through it, cock thrusting in and out and grinding deep inside of me. His groans are low and loud and I can tell he’s coming hard. I’m going to be so full and I

love it. Slowly he pulls himself out, breathing deep. “Fuck, Sofia,” he says. He removes the ball gag, tossing it aside, and I groan. “Shit,” I say. “That was… wow.” He walks around in front of me, smirking. “Yeah, it was.” He slowly unties me, and when he’s done, I collapse onto the thick shag rug. He walks into the closet and comes back with a towel. He gently cleans me off before sitting down next to me, breathing deep, back up against the bar. “I want more of that,” I say to him, meeting his eye. He grins at me. “There’s a lot more.” “Good.” I crawl over to him and put my head in his lap. He strokes my hair and kisses me on the forehead. “I want to feel it all.” “I’ll teach you,” he says softly. “You’re my girl. My Sofia.” “Yes, Daddy Dom.” He kisses me again and we stay there awhile, my head in his lap, his fingers gently stroking my hair.

I’m in no rush to get up. I think I’ll stay here forever.

28

JACOB

I

can’t help but smile when Byron shows up at my office a week later.

“Jacob,” he begins, and his nervousness only makes me happier. “What’s up, Byron?” I can tell my casual demeanor is putting him off a little bit, and I like it. Byron helped me at a time when I really needed it. I didn’t have anyone else that believed in me when I was creating Quest, and there was no way for me to make my vision a reality without financial help. Byron took a risk and made everything happen. Without him, I don’t know where I’d be. For years he’s been a stalwart ally on the board, but these last few months… well, things are changing.

And I don’t think Byron wants to be left behind. I can’t blame him. I think he sees Quest much the same way I do: he helped build this place, and he cares about it, doesn’t want to get pushed out like I am. He’s playing ball even though that makes him a traitor. “There’s a board meeting today,” he says. “Another surprise meeting?” I ask. He nods and doesn’t meet my gaze. “It’s about you, actually.” I raise an eyebrow, heart beating fast. “Really?” “There were some… allegations,” he says. “I’m sorry, Jacob. I don’t know what to do. I tried to defend you but the tides have turned, and I…’ “If you want me to forgive you for not helping me, I forgive you,” I say to him. That takes him by surprise. He looks at me, a deep frown on his face. “I appreciate you saying that.” “But I won’t forget it,” I continue. “Jacob, I’m not sure you understand what’s happening here. These allegations are serious.” I grin at him. “I know. I’m the one that created

them in the first place.” He stares at me, his eyes a little wide. “What are you talking about?” “Do you really think a wart like Karl could take my place?” I ask him softly. “You know me better than that, Byron. You saw something in me all those years ago… that something isn’t gone. Not yet, at least.” Byron stares at me, at a total loss for words. I smile at him and check my watch. “I appreciate you stopping by, but I think the meeting is about to start. We don’t want to be late, do we?” I stand up and he wordlessly follows me. We head out through the office and stop outside of the boardroom. “You go ahead,” I say to him. “Don’t want the others to think you’ve switched sides.” I give him a vicious smile. I may forgive him, but I won’t forget. He sighs. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” He heads into the room without another word. I wait a minute before following. Inside, the board is sitting around the table and all eyes snap to me. Karl is standing at the head of the table and Sofia is

sitting on a chair off to the side, looking nervous as hell. I smile at her and nod. She gives me a little smile back. “Ah, just the man we were talking about,” Peter says. “Hello, everyone,” I say, standing in front of my chair. I can feel the tension in the room, thick and sticky. Everyone is staring at me but nobody meets my eyes, except for Byron. He looks more curious than anything else now. He’s probably finally putting it all together, or at least he’s realizing that I have a plan. I look over at Karl and smile. “What are you doing here?” I ask him. “Karl here was just telling us something very disturbing.” Peter frowns and glances at Sofia. “This young woman says you’ve been, ah, having inappropriate relations with her.” I raise an eyebrow. “Really?” “This is serious, Jacob,” Karl snaps at me. “We know you’ve been phoning it in for a long time, but this? It’s borderline illegal.”

“Interesting,” I say. “Very interesting.” “We can’t tolerate this sort of thing from you,” Peter says. “The board was just discussing what do you with you, and we believe we will allow you to resign and keep this scandal from the news if you’re agreeable to that.” I shake my head. “No, thanks.” Peter looks surprised. “This is a good deal for you,” he says. “If what this girl says is true, she could press charges, although I don’t think that’s her plan. Is it, dear?” Everyone looks in Sofia’s direction and she looks so uncomfortable. I feel horrible for her. I know this part of the plan sucks, but it’s almost over. “I’m not pressing charges,” she says. “And why would you?” I ask her. “You forced her to do lewd and awful things,” Karl says to me, hate burning in his slimy little eyes. “You’re a disgusting cretin and you took advantage of your employee.” “No, I didn’t,” I say to him and turn to Sofia. “Right?” She nods. “That’s right.”

The board starts to mumble. “Sweetheart, it’s okay,” Peter says. “You can admit the truth.” “The truth is, I lied to Karl.” A murmur goes around the table. “No, you didn’t,” he says, his fury cold and intense. “I definitely did,” she continues. “None of that was true. I’m sorry for all the confusion I caused.” “What’s going on here?” Peter asks Karl. “Don’t listen to her,” Karl says. “It’s true, believe me. If you heard the tapes, you’d see.” I have to control myself with every ounce of my willpower. I want to burst out laughing and scream with joy. That idiot Karl just played right into my hands. I expected him to be off guard enough that I could blindside him here, but he just confirmed what I’m about to reveal to the board. “Recordings?” I ask him. “Since when is it company policy to record an employee, especially when it’s about something so private?” “I didn’t know it was going to be that way,” he says. “So you record everything that happens in your office?” I press him.

He hesitates. “Yes,” he says finally. “I do. I find it useful.” “What’s the meaning of this?” Peter asks, looking between the two of us. “The girl is lying,” Karl says. “There’s something going on between the two of them.” “There’s definitely something going on, but it has nothing to do with Sofia.” I turn to the board and look at them each individually. “Gentlemen, I had Sofia lie to Karl here to prove a point.” “What could that possibly be?” Peter asks, clearly annoyed. “I’ll show you.” I walk over to the phone at the center of the table and pick it up. I pop off the bottom easily, since I unscrewed it last night, and I gently pull out the bug that Karl had planted. Everyone stares at the tiny recording device. “This is a bug,” I say. “And Karl here planted it.” He stares, clearly surprised. He didn’t know that I knew, and this moment is so fucking delicious. That snake deserves this. Everyone looks at Karl. “Is this true?” one of the other members of the board calls out. “Are you planting… bugs in this office?” Peter

asks, completely at a loss. “No,” Karl answers, anger flaring through his face. “This man is a liar.” “Am I?” I grin at him and walk over to the door. I open it up and Josh walks in with a gray plastic bucket. He upends it on the table and spills out a bunch of bugs. “Josh here has been combing through the offices and he found all of these.” “I have nothing to do with that,” Karl says. “And yet you just admitted to taping all your conversations in your office.” I look at Sofia. “Did you know he was taping?” “No,” she says. “You bugged your office. You bugged the boardroom, and the break room, and a ton of other spots all over the office. You’ve been spying on people, breaking all kinds of ethical standards, laws, and company policies in the process.” Karl looks totally fucking speechless as this hangs in the air. “Why wouldn’t he report what Sofia told him to Human Resources?” I say softly to the stunned men. “Because he wanted to use it against me. He doesn’t care about the people that work here or

even this company. He only cares about himself. This is the man you want to follow?” “You’re lying!” Karl shouts, red with anger. “You lying bastard!” Karl rushes at me, anger in his eyes. He tries to tackle me to the floor but I manage to fight him off, wrestling him down into a chair. People start shouting and for a second, the room is total chaos. Karl is trying to fight his way out of my grip, probably so he can try to murder me, and everyone is shouting. A few minutes later, security arrives and they jump on Karl. After a short struggle, he calms down and they drag him outside. Slowly the group calms down. Everyone looks shaken as they sit back in their chairs. “Are you okay?” I ask Sofia. She nods. “I’m okay.” “Good.” I smile at her and head to the front of the room. As the board settles back into their seats, I watch them and wait. I can’t help but smile as finally, one by one, they turn their attention back to me. “I’m glad he did that,” I say softly, making them lean in to listen to me. “That’s the kind of man that creates vicious, brutal, inhuman business plans like

the one you were all going to follow.” I let that sink in for a second. Byron gives me a little nod, a surprised look on his face. “I have an alternative,” I say. “And I hope you’ll all give it a chance.” With that, I open the door one more time, and Clay comes in. He hands out copies of his proposal to each member of the board. “What just happened here?” Peter asks me after getting his copy. “Karl bugged this office. He’s paranoid and unstable and I proved it.” “How can you—” Peter asks, but he’s interrupted. “Enough, Peter,” Byron calls out. “Your boy was a mistake. Jacob got us to where we are, and it’s time to trust him again.” I give him a nod, thankful. The other board members all seem to agree, and Peter sinks back into his seat, defeated. “Read that,” I say to them. “Tell me if you don’t think that’ll work much better than what Karl was proposing. If any of you have any doubts, you know where to find me.” Without another word, I turn and leave the room. Sofia follows me out.

We walk in silence together back to my office. Once in there, I shut the door then throw myself at her, wrapping her in a huge hug and pulling her tight against me. She laughs, a seriously happy sound, like all the tension and stress is slowly leaking from her body. “Is this seriously over?” she asks me. “Karl’s finished?” “You saw him in there,” I say to her. “He flipped his lid. He’s done. No way the board will keep him on.” She laughs and kisses me. I return her kiss, deep and full, pleasure rolling through me in waves. She doesn’t need my protection anymore. I don’t have to be her Daddy. Karl is gone and the threat is over. We can go back to work and be normal again if we want to. But I don’t want that. I don’t want it at all. The more I’m around her, the more I know this is real. It’s not just a fun little thing from the past we both decided to revisit. It’s dirty and fun and maybe a little taboo, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever had. “Sofia…” I say softly. She looks at me, her eyes wide. “I’m in love with you. I need you to know that.”

She doesn’t answer right away and I can’t read the look on her face until she kisses me again, deep and full. “I love you too,” she whispers. “I don’t want this to end.” “It won’t,” I say to her, and I pull her tight against me. This is what I’ve needed, what I’ve always been looking for. I thought Quest satisfied me, gave me purpose, but that was nothing compared to how I feel around Sofia. She gives me meaning again, makes me look forward to every single second I have with her. She’s my girl, she’s mine forever. I’m never going to let her go. I’ll always be her Daddy, always be her protector and her Dom. I’ll make her feel things she’s never even imagined before, and in return she’ll make my life so much better. I never want this moment to end. And I realize that it never will.

29

SOFIA TWO YEARS LATER

I

cross my legs and frown. “And you think that’s acceptable?”

Mike looks like he’s shaking with fear, and I do feel a little bad for him. But he fucked up the North Pike accounts beyond recognition, and I can’t let that slide. He’s just a kid, barely graduated college, and I think he has potential. But he needs to try harder. “I’m sorry,” he says to me. “Really, Sofia. I didn’t mean to—“ “No excuses,” I interrupt. “You messed up big time. But I’m not firing you. I’m giving you another chance, because that’s what we do here.” I lean toward him and speak louder. “But if you screw up this bad again, you’re gone. Try harder, do you

understand?” “Yes, I get it,” he says. “Thank you so much.” “Get to work.” He stands and hurries out of my office. I can’t help but smile to myself a little bit. It’s been a little under two years since I was promoted into Karl’s old job, but it still feels a little weird. As Mike leaves my office, Jacob steps past him and comes inside. He grins at me, glancing at the door. “He was in a hurry,” he says. “That’s the kid that pissed off North Pike,” I say. He laughs. “No wonder he’s shitting himself. Did you tear him a new one?” “No,” I say. “I gave him a second chance and told him that it’s his last.” “That’s my girl.” Jacob walks over to me and kisses me softly on the lips. “You’re running the hell out of this department, you know that?” “Thanks, boss,” I say, grinning. There were some strange looks and comments when I was promoted two years ago. But after what happened with Karl, and the way things went down with Jacob, everyone basically gave Jacob a pass to

do anything he wanted for a little bit. He made some changes in the company, many of them based on the proposal this team wrote up, and ever since then Quest has been growing like crazy. Which means my department has been growing like crazy. I’ve already brought on six new people this year, and we’re interviewing four more. We opened a new office in Japan, and Darlene was tapped to run it. Overall, things have been good. “How is he today?” Jacob asks me, putting his hand on my pregnant belly. “Good,” I say, grinning. “Kicking like crazy.” The company isn’t the only thing growing. My family with Jacob is about to get bigger. For a little while, we liked just being the two of us, but soon we both wanted to start making a family. Jacob’s nearly forty, after all. We can’t wait all that much longer. Which is why I’m now seven months pregnant with a little baby boy. “I hope the maternity benefits are good here,” I say to him, sighing. “I hear the boss is a real hard-ass.” “You know he is,” he says, grinning at me. He kisses me again, this time slow and deep. In the first year of our new relationship, we did nothing but explore our limits together. Jacob

taught me things about myself that I never knew before. He opened up wide new worlds of bondage and domination. He’s still my Daddy, although he’ll be the father of my child, too. No matter what, he’ll always be my Daddy. That was part of the vows we took when we got married a year ago. Now here we are. I’m moving up in the company, and he’s steering it forward. We’re doing this together, building a family and an empire. Jacob’s my Daddy, the center of my world, my husband, the father of my child. He’s everything I ever dreamed about, handsome and gorgeous. It’s funny how life can go sometimes. What was meant to be an innocent flirtation almost turned into something more. And then years later, it turned into a family. Things happen and then they happen again, the same motifs recurring again and again. That’s the way the world happens: cyclical, patterned. Jacob is my cycle, my pattern, the center of my universe. “What are you thinking?” he asks me, head cocked. “Nothing,” I say, standing. “You hungry?” “Sure am,” he says. “Let’s do it.” We walk out of my office, hand in hand. I feel

blessed, joyous, that I’m a part of this man’s life. I never want to leave. I’m never going to walk away. He’s my everything, and I’m his. Soon we’ll have a baby together, and our family will just keep growing. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a bunch of babies for him, and we’ll make a huge family together. That’s the beauty of the future. You never know what’s going to happen, but the possibilities are so amazing. I just can’t stop smiling, thinking about my life with Jacob. Nothing could be better, nothing could be more real. He’s my Daddy, always will be.

YOUR DADDY: A DARK ROMANCE

PROLOGUE: KYLIE

I

’m stripped down to my bra and panties and I can see snow stretching in every direction all around me. But the cold doesn’t bite my skin, it doesn’t even touch me. I’m distanced away from it all, melting on the inside, breathing deep but trying to hide it. He smiles at me and steps across the room, forcing me to move back, closer to the snow. Eventually I’m pressed up against the enormous glass window, back suddenly cold despite the heat still radiating through me. My smooth skin slides against the perfectly spotless glass and he stops, watching me. I know what he wants. It’s clear. He hasn’t pretended otherwise. “Say it,” he commands.

I shake my head, afraid of what it would mean. He saved me. He picked me up and offered me a life line when I needed it the most. I thought I might die, actually freeze to death out on the street, but he made sure I was safe. He gave me a home. He gave me protection. He made me feel things I never imagined were even possible. All he asks for in return is one simple thing. One easy thing, something I should want. He’s so handsome. He’s much older than me, over ten years older, but that only adds to his rugged charm. The slight scruff along his chin, the piercing seriousness in his snow blue eyes, and his gorgeous full lips all make me want to drop to my knees and give in to his demands. But I can’t. I’m too afraid. “Say it,” he commands again, coming closer, that smile so wicked. I can’t believe I’m standing here in his living room, surrounded by snow on all sides and yet not feeling it at all. The only chill is from the glass against my back but I’m quickly warming up to that. “I can’t,” I say finally, looking away.

“You can and you will.” He stops inches in front of me and touches my cheek. “I know you want this. I know you want me to take care of you.” I nod slightly, avoiding his gaze. If I look into those eyes, I know I’m doomed. “I want to take care of you,” he says into my ear, whispering so deliciously. A chill runs down my spine, but it’s not because of the glass. We’re alone out here in the wilderness. He owns everything I can see for miles. He could give me the kind of life I never imagined. All I need to do is call him daddy. “Let me protect you,” he says, hands on my hips. “Let me spoil you, take care of you. Let me be your daddy and you’ll never have to worry again.” I turn my head toward him. I feel his breath on my neck. Just open my mouth and say the words. Then it’ll be over, and he can have me however he wants. “Let me be your daddy,” he says again, commanding me, urging me to take that step. I feel his lips press against mine and I know I’m going to say the words.

1

CARSON ONE WEEK EARLIER

I

glance at the clock on the dashboard and sigh before leaning back in my seat. The driver doesn’t seem to notice how late it is, easily past midnight, and I feel a little guilty. He’s been waiting for me since four, eight hours spent in this town car while the snow piles up all around him. He has a family, two little girls, and a pretty young wife. I met them at the company party two years ago. Doesn’t matter, though. He’ll sacrifice anything for the Price family, just like I will. If I asked him to pull over and buy me crack cocaine, he probably would and wouldn’t ask questions. That’s the power of the Price family. Being the richest family in Alaska has its perks, but it’s all

smoke and mirrors. Underneath it all, we’re as fucked up as any other family. We just happen to own the most profitable oil wells in the state and have thousands of people reliant on us for their livelihoods. I glance out the window as we pull slowly through downtown. We’re heading out to my house, which is normally a half-hour drive, but will probably take an hour tonight in the snow. I was stuck all night in a meeting with my father, Jason Price, and my younger brother, Elliot Price. My father is not a well man. He’s in his mideighties and was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, probably from his years of smoking. The doctors aren’t optimistic, and Jason Price is nothing if not practical, and so we’re beginning the process of transferring the family’s power away from my father and into my hands. I knew this day would come sooner or later. I’ve been groomed for it my entire life, told that one day I’d take over, and I played my part. I took leadership roles in our company, Price Oil, and thrived under the pressure. I’m thirty-eight years old now, and am beginning to realize that I’ve already spent the bulk of my life doing nothing but sacrificing for my family.

That’s what’s expected of a Price man. I live and breathe oil and Alaska, and I don’t know anything else. I don’t have time to form relationships, and the women I’ve had all lasted one single night. I’ve been pressured to marry for the last fifteen years, but I have no interest in it. Why bother? I don’t need that stress in my life. I’ve never met a woman that I believe could keep up with me, let alone keep my attention. Maybe I have a bad reputation because of it, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is the company, and if I keep performing as I’ve always performed, then the CEO position will be mine. I glance out the window, trying to get my mind off work, at least for a little while. We pull through a cross street and up ahead I spot the old train station. Something catches my eye. Huddled in the doorway of a closed hunting store is a girl, young as far as I can tell. Juneau has its share of homeless people, though not all that many, but what catches my attention is the fact that she’s not wearing a jacket. I frown as we pull level with her and suddenly she looks up. Deep green eyes and beautiful full lips

make my breath catch in my chest. Her lips are slightly blue and she’s clearly shivering. It’s maybe twenty-five degrees out, and there’s no way she’ll get through the night with just a backpack, a sweatshirt, and a pair of dark jeans. “Albert,” I say, “pull over.” He looks in the rearview mirror. “What’s that, sir?” “Pull over,” I say again. “Yes, sir.” He pulls the car over to the side of the road. “Sir, we might get stuck here.” “I’ll be back in a second.” I open the door. “Sir?” he calls after me, but I just ignore him. The girl watches me as I approach her. I pull my jacket off and carry it over, holding it out. “Here,” I say. “Take this.” She looks suspicious and eyes me strangely. “Why?” she asks. “Because you’re going to die tonight if you don’t get warm.” She frowns, but there’s no surprise in her expression. She knows it as well as I do. “That jacket won’t help,” she says, looking away.

I sigh. “Put the jacket on and come with me.” “I don’t need your help.” I crouch down in front of her. “Listen, I don’t know you, but you’ll die out here in the cold if you don’t come with me. Understand? Nobody else is going to help you.” She looks at me again and her expression softens. I can see the scared girl behind her eyes, despite her desire to seem tough. I stand up, still holding out the jacket. Slowly, she unfurls herself and stands up too, taking the jacket. Before she wraps herself up, I catch a glimpse of her beautiful body. She’s absolutely stunning, with long dark hair, bright green eyes, and hips that make my fucking cock hard. I don’t know what the fuck a girl like her is doing outside on a cold night like this without a jacket. “Come on,” I say. She follows me wordlessly. I’m starting to get fucking cold in just a suit, and so we hurry into the back of the waiting car. Albert already has the heat blasting and he looks back at me, his face carefully composed. “Where to, sir?” he asks.

The girl glances at me. “My place,” I say. “Right away.” He puts up the divider and starts driving again. I can’t help but smile slightly before I glance back at the girl. She’s staring at me wordlessly, a slightly angry expression on her face. I sigh and hold out my hand. “Carson,” I say. She pauses before taking it. Her skin is smooth but freezing. “Kylie,” she says. “You’re welcome.” I grin at her. She pauses then sighs. “Thanks.” I release her hand and lean back to get a better look at her. She’s still shivering slightly, but the color is coming back into her cheeks and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have frostbite or anything, but we’ll have to make sure when we get back to my cabin. I want to ask her what the hell she was doing out in the snow without a heavy coat on a night like this, but I decide not to press. Not now at least. She’s looking out the window, trying to ignore me, which is fine for now. I don’t mind riding in silence with her. For some reason, I feel very protective of her,

but also very comfortable. Normally I’d be annoyed that she’s not talking to me, but right now I don’t mind. I’m just glad she’s out of the cold. I’ll get her to open up back home, when she’s warmed up. Maybe I’ll let her stay at my place for a day or two before she figures out what she needs to do. I don’t know her story, but she’s clearly down on her luck and needs a hand. I’ll be that helping hand. It doesn’t hurt that she’s absolutely beautiful. I’ll get to the bottom of her sooner than she thinks.

2

KYLIE SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER

I

step off the plane, surprised at how freaking cold it is.

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. It’s Alaska, after all. People talk about how cold it is in Alaska, and the light lasts longer than it does down south, although in the winter it’s the opposite. But even knowing it’ll be cold, I just had no clue how to prepare. I’m from Los Angeles. The sweater and sweatshirt I’m wearing are the heaviest articles of clothing I own. I’ve basically never experienced a cold day like this in my entire life, and it’s actually pretty surprising. I’ve never left the city before. I’ve always wanted to, though I never pictured the first place I’d go

would be Alaska. I always pictured Paris or London, not the frozen tundra, but here I am. I head inside, following the crowd. Most people go toward baggage claim, but I have nothing to claim. I follow signs toward the busses and get in a queue of people waiting for a ride into the city, or at least that’s what I assume. I don’t know anything about Alaska. I don’t have any money and I don’t know anyone here, but it’s far from home and it was the best I could afford with the money I had. All that matters is that I’m not at home anymore. It was a long trip. First we flew into Seattle, and from there we flew up to Juneau’s airport. As I climb up onto a bus and give the driver my last two dollars, I’m suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. But it’s not time for me to sleep, not yet at least. I need to get into the city and figure out what I’m going to do next. I feel like a little girl as the bus heads down the road. There are so many trees, and there’s so much snow. I shiver slightly but fortunately the bus is heated. I know I need to get a heavier jacket, but I can’t afford one, not yet. I stuff my hands into my

pockets and watch the trees flash by. I’ve never seen so much wilderness in my whole life. It’s amazing, and it only gets more incredible. Soon the road bends its way toward the main city which sits on either side of a large river. I stare at it, almost amazed. It’s a port city, which I didn’t really realize at the time. There are tons of boats in the water and a large bridge across the narrow portion. There’s more city across the way, and little houses dot the area. It’s nothing like LA. Usually there’d be hundreds of cars on the road back home, but out here there are barely any. Juneau looks tiny compared to the crazy sprawl that is LA, but I actually love that about this place. It’s not some enormous place full of awful people, it’s just a small city making its way in a hard environment. Mountains rise up over one side of the city and the water borders the other, with Juneau nestled right in the middle. I’m excited as the bus finally finishes its seven-mile drive and we’re dropped off in downtown. It’s about five in the afternoon though it’s already starting to get dark. I step off the bus and look around, trying to get my bearing. It’s surprisingly cute despite the ugly weather. My shoes are definitely inadequate for this place, which

is another thing I’ll have to upgrade once I get some money. That’s the first thing I need to figure out: where the heck I’m going to sleep and how I’m going to feed myself. The first person I approach is an old man in a cable-knit sweater and a black jacket walking down the street. I head toward him, smiling and give him a little wave. “Excuse me?” I ask him. He pauses. “Yes?” “Is there a shelter in Juneau?” I ask him. “I mean, someplace I can sleep for the night.” He frowns and starts walking away. “Sorry,” he mumbles. I watch him go, surprised. Maybe he just doesn’t know where the shelter is. I know it’s a strange question to be asked by someone, but I don’t know what else to do. I can’t afford a hotel and it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to sleep outdoors tonight. As the hours slip past and my fear and panic start to rise, I realize that sleeping outdoors might be exactly what I have to do. Nobody wants to help me. Either that or nobody knows where a shelter might be. The sun begins to dip in the sky and the snow starts up sometime around ten that night. The stores all close their

doors and people head inside, out of the ugly weather. Which is how I find myself huddled in the doorway of a hunting store, trying to stay warm, terrified and alone. This isn’t how I thought this would go. Truthfully, I didn’t really think too much about it. The only thing I knew was that if I stayed home, I was going to die. My father was going to come home drunk like he always does and he was going to beat me to death. I still have bruises on my body from the last time he decided to take his anger out on me. I’m only nineteen. I barely graduated high school, and I definitely wasn’t going away to college. My mother died young and my father never really got over that. He works at the Post Office, trudging through his days and then getting drunk as hell at night. It’s only bad on the weekends though when he has time to stay out really late and get a real good load on. Then he likes to come home and take out his frustrations on me, his daughter. At least he used to do that. For years I lived under his roof, taking his abuse, and I survived. My friends all went off to college, leaving me behind, and I endured another year of him. I got a part-time job and saved up some money, and the second I could afford a plane ticket, I bought one and left.

But I didn’t plan this very well. I was too upset, too angry, and my only thoughts were centered around getting out. Now that I’m out, I don’t know what I can possibly do to survive. All I know is I won’t go home. Maybe I’ll freeze to death out here, but I won’t go back. I can’t let myself do that. And so that’s how I spend my first hours in Juneau, huddled in a shop doorway, hoping I don’t die overnight, but knowing I’d rather freeze than face my abusive father again. When the car stops, I watch it with suspicion, but I don’t for a second think it’s someone coming to help me. Too many people turned their backs on me already today, and I can’t get my hopes up. But the man that gets out of the car and walks toward me is striking. He has snow blue eyes, a five o’clock shadow, and is incredibly handsome. He takes off his coat and offers it to me, and although I’m afraid and not sure I can trust him, I take it. My heart is hammering when I get into the car with him. He doesn’t ask me what I was doing out there, which I really appreciate. I’m too cold to talk much. His name is Carson, and he’s gorgeous. I can’t tell

how old he is, probably in his thirties or maybe early forties. Either way, he’s fit, very fit. I can see the muscles underneath his perfect tailored suit. He clearly has money, since we’re being driven around in a gorgeous town car with an actual driver, and his clothing looks very expensive. I’m too grateful to press him though, since not long ago I was thinking about freezing to death out in the open. We drive in silence for a bit and I keep stealing glances at him, trying to figure out what he wants. We’re getting deeper and deeper into the wilderness, heading up away from Juneau and into the mountains. I’d be afraid if this were anyone else, but for some reason Carson doesn’t strike me as a dangerous man. Capable and powerful maybe, but not dangerous to me. That sort of bad person wouldn’t help a stranger who was clearly in need the way he did. And yet I can’t help but feel suspicious. I still don’t know him and I realize slowly that I don’t even know where we’re going. He says we’re going to his house, but I don’t know where that is. After about a half hour of driving, I turn toward him. “How much farther?” I ask him. He looks at me and smiles. “So now you’re talking.”

I shrug. “I was cold.” “I bet you were. It’s probably another half hour.” He shrugs and looks outside. “We’re going slow because of the snow.” I nod and watch him carefully, trying to look for any signs of danger, but there are none. “Do you live alone?” I ask him. He nods. “I do.” “No family?” I blurt out, a little surprised. He smiles. “I have a family, but no wife or kids, if that’s what you meant.” “Sorry,” I stumble. “I didn’t mean to, you know.” “Imply that I’m weird for not having a wife and kids?” He grins at me, leaning closer. “No, I mean, yeah. I guess.” “No offense taken.” “Thanks for doing this,” I say. “You wouldn’t believe how many people ignored me today.” “I would believe it,” he says. “Juneau is a hard town full of hard people. You don’t live out in this damn wilderness if you don’t have a little crazy in you.”

“Do you have a little crazy?” I ask. He laughs softly. “A little, though probably not like what you’re thinking.” “I don’t know what I’m thinking,” I admit. “I was too cold to do anything. I feel like I’m just coming alive now.” “You look better already,” he says, studying my face. “Your color is coming back. Your eyes are beautiful, you know that?” I blush a little bit. I’m used to that compliment, but it seems more real coming from him. “Thanks,” I say. “Your eyes are pretty too.” “Oh, I know.” He grins at me again, so cocky and confident. I blush again and look away, not sure what the hell I’m doing with this man. He’s a lot older than me, not quite old enough to be my dad, but definitely older than I’m used to dealing with. He’s handsome and smart in a way that I’m not used to. The boys I was interested in back home all look like insecure children compared to this man already, and I feel a thrill run down my spine. We lapse back into silence as the car winds its way up through the mountains. He doesn’t press me for information and I realize that I’m still pretty cold

and not interested in talking. Maybe I should be a little more grateful and friendly, but my toes are tingling and I’m just so exhausted from the trip. I’ll make it up to him soon. For now, I just need to rest. Finally, there’s a slight break in the overwhelming claustrophobia of the wilderness. The trees press in on all sides, unrelenting in their ancient size, but soon they part. I look out the front windshield and blink, surprised at what I see. Set in the side of the mountain is a gorgeous house. The front side of it is mostly glass, and the rest of it is constructed of modern looking wood and other materials. It’s the sort of house you only see in magazines and on the internet, and we’re slowly winding our way up toward it. “Home sweet home,” Carson says. “It’s amazing,” I say, genuinely shocked. “Thanks,” he says. “It’s one of the perks.” I cock my head at him. “Perks of what?” “You’ll see eventually.” He turns back toward the window and doesn’t elaborate. My heart beats faster in my chest and I look back at that beautiful glass house. It’s in the middle of nowhere. We haven’t passed another house for at

least ten minutes, maybe even longer, which means we’re totally secluded out here. I’m stuck with this man whether I want to be or not. I can’t get away from him, and the snow is coming down heavily enough to make it impossible for me to get away. If he ends up being some kind of killer or rapist or something, I’m totally screwed. Maybe I just went from one bad situation to another. But as soon as his eyes lock onto mine, I’m not sure what to think. Maybe he’s a killer, but he’s the most handsome killer I’ve ever seen. This is what’s happening. I can’t escape. I bet he’d let the driver take me back to the city, but there’s nothing back there for me. At least here I won’t freeze to death. And plus, I’m interested in this man. What kind of person can afford a place like this? I want to know who he is and why he’d help me like that. I feel drawn toward him in a way I can barely explain. The car pulls up toward the house and ahead there’s a garage door slowly opening up, set back into the rock underneath the main building. I feel like we’re being swallowed up by something, and it only makes me that much more excited.

3

CARSON

“T

hanks, Albert,” I say, leaning down to talk through the open window. “Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night here?” “No thanks, sir,” he says. “The wife expects me home. And it’s not so bad out.” I laugh and shake my head. Typical native Alaskan, thinks a snowstorm is no big deal. “Be careful,” I say. “Of course. Someone will be here for you in the morning, and I’ll see you tomorrow evening.” “Thanks again.” He nods and rolls up the window before pulling out of the garage. I look over at Kylie and she’s

watching me silently. I can’t tell what she’s thinking. “Shall we go inside?” She nods. “I feel like I’m just getting warm.” “I’ll start a fire. How’s that sound?” “Sounds great,” she says, sounding genuinely grateful. “Good. Come on.” She follows me through the garage. I have a few cars stashed away in here, the sort of things I don’t bring out during the winter. I head over to the back door and enter a security key code into a pad and the door unlocks. I open it up and we step inside. This house was one of the first things I purchased back in the day. It cost every dime I had plus a little loan from my father, but it was worth it. The place was designed and built by a famous local architect, and over the years I’ve expanded and improved it here and there. The property itself is about four acres. Most of that is just wild forest, which is how I like it. The house itself has six bedrooms and four full bathrooms, which is actually modest compared to some of the absurd places my family members live.

We head down a short hallway that spills out into the large kitchen and living room area. The enormous glass wall dominates the north part of the house, and it still takes my breath away every time. I watch Kylie closely as she steps into the room and stops, staring at the glass. “This is amazing,” she says, walking toward it. “Thanks.” I take off my jacket and drape it over a chair before removing my tie and unbuttoning my top button. As Kylie looks out the window and over my property, I roll up my sleeves and get to starting a fire. “I’ve never seen this much wilderness before,” she says. I raise an eyebrow at her. “Really?” “I’m from LA,” she says. “Ah,” I answer. “Does that explain the lack of a jacket?” She nods. “Yeah, it does. I’ve never felt cold like this before.” I concentrate on building the fire for a minute, getting the wood started. The fact that she’s never felt cold before suggests that this is her first time outside of the city, which is interesting. I still don’t

know why she’s here or what she’s doing, but I sense that she doesn’t want me to press. Once the fire is going nicely, I join her at the window. “Don’t you feel... exposed?” she asks. I shake my head. “With the lights on in here at night, it’s hard to see outside,” I say. “Still. It’s so large.” “There’s nobody around here for miles.” “I don’t know. I feel like I’m being watched.” I laugh softly. “Trust me. The only things out there aren’t interested in us. Besides, you get used to it.” I head over into the kitchen as Kylie moves over toward the couch. She sits down in front of the fire, sighing audibly, and finally takes off my coat. I pour myself a glass of whisky, watching her closely. She smiles to herself and looks comfortable for the first time since we met. “Want something to drink?” I ask her. She shrugs. “Sure.” I pour her a glass of white wine and a cup of water. I bring them both over to her, which she accepts gratefully, before returning to the kitchen for my own glass. Finally, I end up sitting in the chair

across from her, my feet up on the ottoman, sipping my whisky. I feel content and relaxed finally. It was a stressful day full of infighting and disagreements, which is the hallmark of my familial relations. My brother Elliot believes that he should be getting the CEO position, despite the fact that it was promised to me for a long time. Elliot has always followed father’s rules perfectly. He married the daughter of another business magnate, closely allying our two companies and strengthening us both. He threw himself into his work, much the same way that I did, but where I partied and slept around as much as I wanted, he kept his nose clean and was a good boy. Now, he thinks it’s time that our father paid him back for years of loyalty. He’s a delusional, vindictive prick. Just because I fucked what I wanted to and drank as much as I felt like, doesn’t mean I can’t do the job. Our father knows that, though he’s a traditional man, and he sees himself in Elliot. It’s all such a fucking headache. I sigh and sip my drink again and realize that Kylie is watching me. I cock my head at her and smile. “I’m sorry. I’m being a shit host.”

“It’s okay.” She sips her wine. “Two hours ago, I thought I might die out there. I can sit in silence, if you want.” “No, I’m being a dick. It’s just been a long day.” “Can I ask what you do?” I smile at her. “You don’t know much about Alaska, do you?” “Not at all,” she admits. “I just got here this morning.” “Well, my family owns an oil business, which is a big deal up around here.” “Trouble at work?” she asks. “Something like that. My father is sick.” “I’m sorry,” she says. “That’s hard. Are you close?” I cock my head at her, considering. “Not really,” I say finally. “My family isn’t like that. He’s a fine man, gave me what I needed, but there was never any warmth there.” “I know that feeling,” she says. “It wasn’t bad, either,” I quickly add. “There were just always... expectations.” I trail off and shrug. “I

don’t know why I’m telling you this.” “Feels good to talk about things.” I laugh. “How old are you, Kylie?” “Does it matter?” “Not really. I’m just curious.” “I’m nineteen.” I laugh softly, shaking my head. “You’re young.” “Maybe I am,” she says. “But that doesn’t mean a thing.” “Maybe you’re right.” I watch her for a second and notice the strength in her face and the beauty. She’s been through something, I can see it so clearly. I’m betting she ran away from whatever it is and now she’s here, a survivor trying to figure out how to get through a world she’s never been in before. She’s smart and beautiful and capable, but if I hadn’t found her tonight... well, who knows what would have happened. I did find her, though, and now she’s here. She yawns slightly and covers her mouth. I smile and finish my drink, realizing that she must be exhausted.

“Come on,” I say, standing. “Want to see your room?” “Okay,” she says, putting her glass of wine down on the table. I lead her back through the house. I take her back toward my room and lead her into the biggest, nicest guest room in the place. She looks around, clearly impressed, but she tries hard not to show it. “Towels and such are in the closet,” I say. “There’s a bathroom attached, over there. TV works, WiFi password is on the table, and I think that’s it. Whatever you need, help yourself. I’m a bit down the hall, last door at the very end.” She turns to me and nods. “Thanks so much, Carson,” she says. “You really saved me.” “I’m happy to help.” I stand there for a moment, looking at this beautiful, young girl, and I feel something tighten in my chest. I don’t know what it is, not exactly at least. I know it’s part desire. I want this girl, and I can feel it plainly. Just looking at her excites me more than I thought it could. I want to press her down on that bed and fuck her, make her really thank me for bringing her home. But it’s not just desire. There’s something else

there, another impulse that I haven’t had before. As she watches me, I realize that I’m staring, and I quickly turn away. “Night,” I say. “Night.” I leave the room and softly shut the door. “What am I doing?” I whisper to myself as I walk down toward my room. I brought a strange runaway girl into my house without really knowing her. She could be crazy and dangerous for all I know, though I really doubt that’s the case. And to top it all off, I want this strange girl, despite the fact that she’s so much younger than I am. It’s wrong. I shouldn’t want to fuck her. But I want to taste her young skin, feel her tight little pussy, suck her hard pink nipples and make her beg me for more. I want to fuck her, take care of her, and spoil her rotten. For now, I’ll have to settle for giving her a warm bed to sleep in. Maybe tomorrow I can give her more.

4

KYLIE

I

’ve never been so cold in my entire life.

In the dream, I’m standing in kneedeep snow in the middle of a field. At one end, my father is screaming my name, and at the other, I can see Carson’s house up on a hill. I start trudging away from my father, toward the house, but I can barely move. I’m so cold, frozen to the core, and he’s coming closer. He’s stumbling like he always does when he’s drunk, and I know what he’ll do when he catches me. He’s going to beat me to within an inch of my life like he has in the past. I try to run, but I can’t. I’m so cold. My muscles are stiff and frozen and my skin is numb but beginning to burn, which I know means frostbite.

My father is getting closer and closer, and I know I’m going to die, he won’t hold back, he’ll kill me. Instead, I wake up in an unfamiliar bedroom. It takes me a second before I realize that I’m safe in Carson’s house, wrapped in sheets and a comforter. I still feel like I’m cold from the night before, although I feel so much better. The clock on the nightstand says it’s eight in the morning, which isn’t enough sleep, but I know I won’t go back down after that dream. I get slowly out of bed and look around the room. It’s large and spacious with an attached bathroom. It’s very nicely furnished, and I think that was the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept on in my life. I go into the bathroom and find a toothbrush and toothpaste. I go through my morning routine, using the face wash he set out, before deciding to say screw it and take a full shower. I don’t know when I’ll get to wash my hair next, so I go through the whole thing, cleaning myself top to bottom. I feel like a new person when I step out and get dressed again, wrapping a towel around my hair. When I’m finally finished, it’s nearly nine. I step out into the hallway and instantly the smell of cooking bacon hits me. My stomach rumbles and I realize that I haven’t eaten in almost a full day now.

I walk back down the hallway, trying not to stare all around me. I was in a haze the night before from exhaustion and cold. I didn’t really take this place in, but now I feel refreshed and alive. It’s such a beautiful house, impeccably decorated, with gorgeous art on the walls, the sort of pictures that I’m sure cost thousands of dollars. My breath is taken away when I step into the main room. I remember the glass wall from the night before, but it’s so much more incredible during the day. Juneau spreads out down below in the distance and I can see unspoiled wilderness between here and there. I walk up to the glass wall, oblivious of anything else except how amazing the view is. “Even better during the day.” I turn around, a little startled. Carson smiles at me. He’s standing in the kitchen, clearly cooking something, and I realize that I walked right past him in my amazement. “Good morning,” I say. “Morning.” He grins at me. “I’m glad I got to see your reaction.” “Why?”

He shrugs. “It’s cool at night. But it’s better in the morning.” “Yeah,” I say, putting my hand against the wall. “Want something to eat?” he asks. “I’m cooking you bacon, eggs and pancakes. I don’t know what you’re into, but when I heard the water get started, I went nuts.” “You cook?” I ask him, walking toward the kitchen. “Sure. Just because I’m rich doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” “That’s a complicated sentence,” I say, laughing. He grins. “I’m a complicated man.” “Well, I am starving. I can’t turn down food right now even if I wanted to.” “Good. Sit.” He gestures at the island counter. I pull out a stool and climb up. He places a mug of coffee in front of me. “There’s also OJ if you want it.” “Coffee is great,” I say, sipping it. “What’ll you have then?” he asks, gesturing at the food. “Everything,” I say, and blush immediately.

“Please.” He laughs. “I like that. Okay, one full breakfast coming up.” A minute later, he places a plate down in front of me that’s piled with bacon, eggs and three big fluffy pancakes. He gives me a little bottle of syrup and finally sits down across from me. “Aren’t you eating?” I ask him. “Ate earlier,” he says. “Got some work done this morning so I could take the rest of the day off.” “You worked already?” “I’m an early riser.” “Sorry I slept in. You didn’t need to take the day off. You didn’t need to do any of this.” He smiles at me then reaches out and takes a slice of bacon from my plate. “Eat,” he says, “before I do.” My stomach rumbles so I dig in gratefully. I’m acutely aware of him watching me, but I don’t care at this moment. The food is so delicious and I’m so starving that this is probably the greatest meal of my whole life. He’s even more handsome than I realized last night.

In the morning, he looks fresher, more muscular, but still mature and distinguished. I know he’s much older than me, but I still have this strange attraction to him that I can’t quite explain. I’ve never been interested in a man his age before, but then again, I’ve never met a man like him before. I’m used to the men from my neighborhood, men like my dad. Hard working men, of course, but men that the years haven’t been kind to. They all went soft in the middle, but not Carson. He clearly takes care of himself and cares about his appearance, and it shows. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here, but it doesn’t matter, not in this moment. The food is too good and Carson is too handsome for me to overthink this. I know I’m going to have to leave sooner rather than later, but right now I want to let myself enjoy the first bit of kindness I’ve ever really been shown in my life. “Listen,” he says as I am halfway finished. “I just want to say that you can stay here for a little bit, if you need to.” I pause, looking at him. “I can’t do that.” “Sure, you can. Look at this place. It’s just the two of us.”

“I know. But it’s your home. And you don’t know me.” “Sure, I do. You’re Kylie. You’re from LA and you don’t own a jacket because you didn’t realize how cold Alaska is this time of year. You’re running from something, though I’m not sure what yet, and you used every dollar you had to get away, which means it’s probably pretty bad. How am I doing so far?” I stare at him, genuinely surprised. I didn’t tell him that stuff last night, except for the part about being from LA. Somehow he figured out the other bits, about me running away, about my past. It’s impressive, but I’m not ready to open up to this guy, not yet. I don’t want him to think that I’m just some weak runaway kid. “Not bad,” I concede. “Can I give you a shot?” “Please do,” he says, grinning huge. “You mentioned oil last night. You’re the rich son of an old school oil man. Probably have more money than you know what to do with. But you live alone, which means you work too hard. Your job is your life. How’s that?” He laughs, crossing his arms and smiling broadly. “Not bad. Not quite right, but close.”

“Which part?” “My job isn’t my life. But I do have more money than I know what to do with, that’s true.” I can’t help but smile a little bit. “I’m going to finish eating now,” I say. “Good. Go ahead. I’ll let you eat while I clean up.” I go back to eating, a little bit slower, but I watch him out of the corner of my eye. He cleans the dishes, whistling softly to himself, almost like I’m not even here. His movements are graceful and precise, like an athlete’s, and he’s wearing a pair of heavy jeans and a light denim shirt with paint spots all over it. He looks like he really does work in those clothes, though the selvedge line on his cuffs suggest that those aren’t just some cheap denim pants. This man has layers to him, that’s for sure, and I want to get to know them. Though maybe that’s presumptuous. But he did invite me to stay here, totally unprompted. I don’t know if I can take him up on that. I barely know the guy, and although he’s handsome and rich and kind, I don’t know how much of that is true. He could still be some psycho axe murderer that just lured me up into his secluded mansion to kill

me. Isn’t that the movie cliché? Maybe he’s fattening me up and he’s going to try to cook and eat me. I give him a little look as he cleans a knife in the sink, a very large and very sharp knife, and a shiver runs down my spine. I’m being stupid, though. Just because I’m in Alaska doesn’t mean every nice person is some kind of axe murderer. He could easily be a regular murderer. He might not even own an axe. I shouldn’t stereotype Alaska like that. I finish up my plate and he takes it from me. I thank him and watch him finish up. When he’s done, he leans against the counter, drying a dish and eyeing me. “What?” I ask him. “You look different today.” I glance down, self-conscious. “Is that a bad thing?” “No, not at all. You just look a lot less... “ “Frozen?” He grins. “Frozen. That’s it. Speaking of frozen, how are your toes feeling?” I shrug. “Fine. No frostbite.”

“Let me take a look.” “Really, I’m okay.” He walks over to me then drops to one knee. “Just stay still.” He grabs my ankle then slides my sock off. I blush a little bit and feel strangely exposed as he checks both my feet. Satisfied, he stands. “You’re good,” he says. “Are you some kind of doctor?” “No. You just need to know the signs of frostbite out here. We had that drilled into us at a young age.” “By your father?” He nods. “My father the oil man.” He leans against the counter and looks at me. “You need a coat.” “I’ll figure something out,” I say. “I have coats, but they’re all for men.” “That’s okay. Thanks anyway. You’ve been too nice already.” “Stop. You won’t survive long here without the right clothes, and you clearly don’t have the right clothes.” I sigh. He’s right and I can’t deny it, but he’s been

too nice to me already. “I’ll figure something out,” I say again. “Come on,” he stays, standing. “Let’s go into town. We’ll get what you need.” “No, really. I can’t do that. You’ve done too much.” “Kylie.” He looks at me seriously. “I want to buy you things. Are you really going to stop me from getting you what you need?” “I just... ” I trail off when I see the way he’s looking at me. It’s intense, both protective and sexual, and it makes me feel strange. I can’t exactly describe what he does to me, but it’s something I never anticipated before. “Okay,” I hear myself saying, which is so outside of my character. I’m not used to getting things from people, much less actually taking them. “Good girl. Go get dressed. Layer up, it’s cold out. I’ll give you one of my coats for now until we can get you something else.” “Okay,” I say again, then stand. I go to walk back to the room but I stop halfway and look back at him. “Thanks for this, Carson. You really don’t need to help me, you know.”

“I know I don’t. But I want to.” I nod and then turn back toward the bedroom. I walk down the hall and head inside. I layer up, just like he told me to, and when I’m finished he meets me in the kitchen again with a jacket that’s way too big, but at least I can tell it’s warm. He’s dressed stylishly but practically, with heavy looking boots, a down jacket, and a black beanie cap. Everything looks well-worn like he’s used to being outdoors in this weather, which is so strange. He’s a rich guy, probably works in an office, so I can’t really understand him. But he wants to take care of me, or at least he wants to help me, which is the strangest thing of all. Where I’m from, people don’t have enough to give to their neighbors, much less would be willing to help a total stranger. And yet here he is, basically saving my life and making sure that I don’t freeze to death out in this unforgiving place. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here, but I can’t seem to turn away. I could refuse him, make him take me to town, but I don’t want that. I want to know him, to figure out what makes him tick. I want to know why he lives in this big house all alone and why he’d want to help a girl like me. I follow him out into the garage and we climb into

one of his cars, a big black truck. He fires it up and we head out into the snow, winding down toward the city.

5

CARSON

T

he road is covered in snow, and so I decide to skip calling my usual driver in. I have my own cold weather trucks and can handle the drive myself, so there’s no reason to make someone come and pick us up. I don’t want to become a rich man like my father. I have the money, but I don’t want to be totally helpless, reliant on all the people that I hire to do things for me. Which is why I don’t have a cook, I don’t have a maid. I cook and clean myself. I take out my own garbage, do my own laundry, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes I give in to the perks and let Albert drive me around, but mostly I take care of myself. Which is maybe why I partially understand Kylie’s

reluctance to take my help. She’s probably not used to people doing things for her, because she’s always been on her own. Or at least partially on her own. Whatever she’s running away from is still there, still inside of her. I heard her screaming in the night. I considered waking her up, but I decided just to let her sleep. I don’t know what kind of dreams she was having, but it unnerved me. Clearly she’s escaping something, but whatever she left behind is still lingering inside of her. As much as she hates to admit it, she needs my help. She clearly has nothing but the clothes on her back and a small little carry-on bag stuffed with a few essentials. She needs money, clothes, a place to live, even a job. And I can give her all of that. The real question I’m trying to avoid is why I’m doing all this. It’s not exactly a good time to be taking in a girl like Kylie. I should be at work today, but instead I’m skipping to be with her, which is definitely a bad idea. I’m walking a very fine line as it is, and I don’t want to jeopardize my future at all. Elliot will swoop in the second he smells blood in the water. He’ll find a way to use this situation against me, I can be sure of it, despite the fact that I’m doing something good. I should give this girl some cash and send her on her way. She’d be fine

and I could easily afford it. But I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to just give her some money and send her packing. I’m drawn to her, for better or for worse. She’s younger than I’m used to, but I feel strangely protective, and that excites me. “How long did you plan on being in Alaska?” I ask her as we head into town. “I don’t know,” she admits. “It was a last second decision.” “What made you choose here?” “It’s far from where I used to be.” I nod, not surprised. “Alaska is pretty much the opposite of LA.” “More or less.” She looks out the window. “People can be pretty shitty here, too, though.” I laugh, nodding. “That’s the damn truth.” “I don’t mean you,” she says quickly, looking at me. “It’s just, last night I must have asked twenty people for help and gotten twenty different answers.” “People in Juneau don’t trust or like strangers, especially ones that need help.” I sigh, shaking my

head. “The shit part is, this town is built on the backs of strangers coming here and working.” “Have you ever helped someone like me before?” I glance at her then quickly back at the road. “No,” I admit. “But I hire a lot of people like you. People that come here and need a job. Even if it’s just temporary.” “What do you do, exactly?” she asks. “I’m upper management for Price Oil. I guess you could say I’m next in line for the CEO spot.” “Really?” she says, sounding surprised. “What, you think only old guys can be CEO?” “Pretty much,” she says. “Well, my father is an old guy, and he’s going to pass soon. When he does, the job is supposed to be mine.” I decide not to go into detail about Elliot and the drama just yet. “I’m sorry about your dad,” she says. “That can’t be easy.” “It’s not... and it is. I don’t know. Hard to explain.” “I get it,” she says softly. “I don’t think I’d be upset if my dad died. But I’d feel something.”

I glance at her and the picture of her world suddenly grows. “You and your dad aren’t close?” “No,” she says firmly. “How much further to town?” “Not far,” I say, getting the hint. She wants to change the subject and that’s fine with me. I launch into a little monologue about the surrounding area, giving her a little history of Juneau and, by extension, of my family, since we’ve been in this town for as long as it’s existed. But really what I keep thinking about is her reaction to talking about her father. He must be the reason she ran away from home and came here. I can’t see it any other way. I don’t know what her father did to her, but I can easily imagine. I’ve lived with a difficult father my entire life, and I’m an adult. My father never outright abused me, though, but it’s very possible that’s exactly what she was dealing with back home. I pull into downtown Juneau, trying to keep her distracted with talk about the town as we park. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable around me, and I can sense that possibility in the moment. Once I get a spot, we climb out and head into an outdoors store.

“Okay,” I say to her. “Pick out what you want.” She pauses, looking around. “I honestly don’t know,” she says, laughing. “Want me to ask someone?” She shakes her head. “Let me look around.” “Whatever you want.” She starts looking through the racks, picking out jackets, checking their price tags, and putting them back with a frown. I follow her at a distance, but I don’t want to crowd her. It soon becomes clear that everything is too expensive, or at least she seems to think so. As she moves back toward the sale rack, I turn and walk up toward the front of the store and pick up a jacket she had looked at the longest. I guess her size, take it up front, and buy it along with a pair of gloves, two hats, and two scarves. By the time it’s all paid for, she’s standing near the back, shaking her head. “What’s wrong?” I ask her, approaching with the bag in my hand. “I just... ” she trails off, looking at the bag. “What’s that?” “This?” I ask innocently. “Oh, nothing.”

“Carson.” “Look, you clearly aren’t comfortable letting me spend money on you, so I just did it anyway.” I take the jacket out and hold it up. “Like it?” She nods her head once but doesn’t reach out to take it. “I’ve never had something that expensive before.” “It’s just a jacket, Kylie. Take it, put it on, think warm thoughts.” She slowly takes it, tentatively. “Are you sure? I hate taking from you.” “Kylie. Put it on.” I step toward her, eyes locked on hers. “Put it on now.” She bites her lip then slips the jacket on. She zips it up. “What do you think?” “Perfect,” I say softly. “Warm?” “Very.” “Good.” I hand her the bag. “Gloves, scarves, hats.” “This is too much.” “We’re just getting started.” She shakes her head. “Carson—“

“Listen to me, Kylie.” I stand close to her. We’re alone in the back of the store. The lights are low and the music is loud, and I know nobody can see the two of us back here, though someone could walk back at any moment. “Let me buy things for you,” I say. “You need help. And it makes me happy to help you.” “I don’t want to be the kind of person that just... takes.” “Pay me back one day when you can afford it, if that’s what you really want.” My heart is hammering in my chest as I move closer, inches away from her, and reach my hand out around her. I place it on the small of her back and pull her closer to me, lips pressed against her ear. “But I’d rather you just let me spoil you.” There’s a moment where we’re pressed together, her hands on my chest, my heart beating hard. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. She’s nineteen, a fucking stranger, and yet I’m hard as hell and I want her so badly. It’s crazy, just thinking about buying her things, taking care of her, spoiling her, fucking her deep and rough, it drives me insane. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. But the spell is broken when another shopper walks

back into the sale section. We break apart, a little too quickly, and I clear my throat. “Come on,” I say. “Let’s try somewhere else.” She nods and follows me back outside. We stop in a few different shops, and this time she doesn’t fight me as much as I expected her to. I want her to buy more, but in the end she gets a couple pairs of pants and some warm sweaters. “One more stop,” I say to her as we walk down the street. She moves close to me, holding my arm. “What’s left?” she asks, laughing. “I feel like we bought everything imaginable.” I glance down at her shoes. “You need boots,” I say. “Real, waterproof boots.” “My toes are pretty cold,” she says, frowning. “Right. And I don’t want to have to check them every day.” “Liar. You like my feet.” “No thanks. Not my thing.” She squeezes my arm. “I have very pretty feet. Men tell me that all the time.” I laugh at her mischievous look. “I almost believe

you.” “Gross,” she says, laughing. “Come on. You’re the first man that ever touched my feet.” “Really? I’m honored.” “You perv.” “Maybe I can get into feet,” I say, musing. “I do like being a first.” “Cut it out,” she says. “You’re going to make me gag.” “I feel like it’s insulting that the idea of me touching your feet makes you gag.” “Too bad,” she says. “These feet are off limits.” “Okay,” I say. “Enough foot talk.” “Thank you.” She nudges me. “Hey, do you know that guy?” I follow her gaze. Standing across the street is Declan James, the head of Elliot’s security team. “I do,” I say. “He’s been watching and following us for a while now,” she says. “Damn,” I say softly.

“Who is he? Looks intense.” “His name is Declan. And he’s an asshole.” “Looks like one.” Declan is about five foot nine, a few inches shorter than me. He’s bald and about forty-seven with a slight paunch and a graying beard. As we head toward the shoe store, Declan crosses the street ahead of us and turns toward me. “Shit,” I say softly. “What’s wrong?” she asks. “Carson,” Declan says, approaching. “Who’s this with you?” Kylie lets go of my arm, sensing the situation. “This is Kylie,” I say. “Kylie, meet Declan.” “Pleasure,” he says to her. She nods but doesn’t say anything. I step toward Declan, putting myself between him and Kylie. “What do you want?” I ask him. “Just been checking up on you. Heard you didn’t go into work today.” “That doesn’t concern you or Elliot.”

“I was curious anyway. And I’m glad I was.” Declan looks at Kylie. “How old is she, Carson?” “Watch yourself,” I say in low tones. He smiles at me. “Or what? I think you’re the one that needs to be careful. Walking around with a pretty young girl like that. You know you’re famous in this town, right?” “Fuck off, Declan. And tell Elliot to fuck off as well.” “Do you know who he is?” Declan asks Kylie. “This man has never taken a woman seriously in his life. Let alone one that’s what, half his age?” Declan laughs. I step up into his face, wanting badly to hit him, but I know I can’t. That might ruin my chances of getting the CEO job. I’m sure Declan has someone nearby, taking pictures just in case I did something stupid. “Go now,” I say to him. “Have a lovely day,” he says back, smiling. He turns and walks off. I watch him go, anger rising through me. “I don’t feel well,” Kylie says, pulling me back into the moment.

“Are you okay?” “I’m fine. I just think... you should drop me at the shelter.” “The shelter?” I ask, confused. “You’ve done enough for me. I just need a place to sleep. Homeless shelter will be okay.” I shake my head. “No.” “Please. I don’t want to cause you trouble.” “It’s winter. The shelter has been full for weeks.” “I’ll work something out.” “We can go back to my place if that’s what you want. But I’m not leaving you here alone to try and figure this out on your own.” “You’ve done enough,” she says softly. “No, I haven’t. We can stand here and argue all you want and get real fucking cold, or we can head back and sit in front of my fireplace. How’s that?” “Okay,” she says, resigned. “I guess I can suffer through another night at your place.” I laugh, pleased that she’s making a joke already. “Come on. We’ll suffer through this together.”

We head back toward my truck and get inside. I mentally make a note to buy her a pair of boots online and have them overnighted. For now though, I’m going to enjoy this. I don’t know what my brother is going to do with this information about Kylie, but I don’t care. I’m sure Declan will think of something suitably shitty. I can’t let that bother me. I don’t know why, but I found something that interests me, even makes me happy. I’m not going to let that go, not yet at least.

6

KYLIE

W

e don’t talk much on the drive back. I can tell that Carson is lost in thought about something, and I don’t want to disturb him. Besides, I have a lot to think about too. That moment out on the street was very strange and said a lot about Carson’s life here. That man said that Carson is famous in this town. I can tell that Carson is rich, and his family clearly runs a huge oil business, but I don’t think I really realized exactly how big and famous they are. Oil must be a big deal up in Alaska, and his company is clearly one of the more profitable and bigger ventures. And he’s in line for the CEO position. That’s a huge

deal. A man like him probably can have or do anything he wants in this place, and yet for some reason he wants to spend his time with me. Declan said he was supposed to be at work. Clearly someone is keeping tabs on Carson. There’s more to this story. Carson’s family life isn’t as good as maybe he wants it to seem. I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know that Carson being with a nineteen-year-old girl is probably not good for his reputation. Still, I’m drawn to him, and I don’t want to leave. I’ll go and stay at a shelter if he wants me to, but I find it hard to say no to him and just walk away. He’s offering me too much and seems to genuinely like buying me things and giving me things. It feels very strange, taking from someone. I wish I didn’t have to. But if I was going to take, I’m glad it’s from Carson. I want to pay him back one day, when I’m settled and have a job and can afford it. I know exactly how much he spent, and I’ll have that number in my memory for the rest of my life, or at least until I can afford it. Until then, I’ll do my best to be a good guest, and to find a job as fast as possible. We pull into Carson’s garage and he kills the engine. I follow him into the house. “Go get

comfortable,” he says, nodding at the kitchen. “Make a drink if you want.” “Do you want anything?” I ask him. “No, thanks.” He steps toward a closet and opens it up. I pause and watch as he grabs an axe from the back and a pair of gloves from a box on the top shelf. “What are you doing?” I ask him, laughing. “Splitting firewood,” he grumbles. “Forgot to do it last week.” “Are you kidding? You just keep an axe in the front closet?” He cocks his head at me. “Of course. Where else would I keep it?” I laugh as he hefts it up onto his shoulder. “You know, like the garage?” “But what if someone breaks in and I need to defend myself?” “I don’t think an axe in your front closet is going to help much.” “You assume this is the only axe I have in the house.”

My smile falters for a second. “It is the only axe, right?” He laughs loudly. “Of course!” he says, heading out into the garage. “I’m not reassured!” I call after him, and he just laughs and waves. I shut the door behind him, shaking my head, a big smile on my face. I head into the kitchen and find the bottle of whisky he drank from the night before. I pour him a drink then open up the refrigerator. I end up making him a little sandwich for when he gets back in. I have a little snack myself, sipping some seltzer water, and I gaze out the enormous window at the beautiful view. I sigh, sitting down on a stool at the kitchen counter, and prop my chin on my hands. I still don’t know how I ended up in a place like this. I went from terrified that I was going to freeze to death to living with some rich oil man that keeps an axe in his front closet. Fifteen minutes later, Carson comes back in, stomping snow from his boots with an armload of split wood. “Fucking cold!” he shouts. I get up and shut the door behind him as he carries the wood over to the fire. “Look at you,” I say. “What a man.”

“If you’re impressed by this, you’re in for some surprises.” He grins at me as he sets about starting the fire. I get his whisky and his sandwich and bring them over. He grunts his thanks and eats the sandwich absently as he finishes up the fire. I sit down on the couch and watch him, amazed at how skillfully he moves and how intensely he concentrates. When the fire is up and roaring, he finally stands and sips his drink. “Well, now,” he says. “That’s better.” “Where’s your axe?” I ask him. “Left it in the garage. Don’t want to spook you city ladies.” I laugh. “City lady?” “Sure. Never left LA before. You don’t know a thing about living out here.” “That’s true,” I admit. “I’ll need someone to show me.” He walks over and sits down next to me, stripping out of his outer layer and tossing it aside. I watch him carefully, trying to pretend like I’m not, but I can’t help it. The muscles in his arms are bulging from his work and I can see that his hands are a

little rough, like he actually works with them, despite being a rich office worker. “That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about,” he says to me, gazing back intently. I raise an eyebrow. “Okay,” I say. “I’ve been thinking. You need someone to help you... to take care of you. And I live in this big house.” I watch him, not sure where he’s going with this, but strangely excited anyway. The way he’s looking at me makes my palms sweat and the butterflies in my stomach work overtime. “I have a proposition for you,” he continues. “You can live here for as long as you want. I’ll feed you, clothe you, give you whatever you want. I’ll spoil the hell out of you. In exchange, you’ll be mine. You’ll be all mine. Do you understand what I’m saying?” I nod slowly, and I can feel the excitement pooling between my legs. “You want to be my... sugar daddy.” “That’s right,” he says. “I want to be your Daddy. I’ve lived in this big house alone for a long time, and I can’t pretend like I’m not drawn to you, Kylie. This can be good for both of us.” I watch him, not sure what to say. I’ve never had a

man proposition me like this before, let alone a man like Carson. Truth is, I’m totally out of my depth. I don’t have any experience having a daddy, let alone having one like Carson. He’s so much older than I am. I know that should matter... but it doesn’t. It makes him more attractive, if anything. He’s mature, strong, he has experience. He can teach me much more than I even realize, and all I have to do is let him take care of me. But it’s more than that. If I let him be my daddy, I’ll be reliant on him. Everything I’ll have will come from him. I ran away from my home, left everything I knew behind, just for some freedom. If I enter into this with Carson, I don’t know how free I’ll really be. I’ll always owe him at some level. I don’t know how I’ll ever pay him back. Maybe he’ll expect things from me. Maybe even he’ll expect me to do things, though that’s not what he’s saying. And truth is, I don’t think I’d mind touching him, feeling him, letting him touch me. In fact, the more I look at him, the more I’m sure that I want it. But I don’t know if I can give in to this. I’ve never had a man want to actually take care of me before. What if he gets bored and throws me out? I won’t have anything at all, no skills, no way to take care

of myself. I’ll be back where I am right now, no better off, and maybe even a little worse for wear. “You don’t have to decide now,” he says, sipping his drink and watching me. “Truth is, I’ve never had a woman like you before. I’ve never felt so protective. But I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I want you to obey me... but I want you to want it.” I nod. “I understand. It’s just, I don’t know. I have to think about it.” “Okay,” he says, putting his hand on my leg. “Think all you want. Just know, I’ll never hurt you. I’ll never let you be where you were last night, no matter what happens. I’m going to take care of you, even if you say no.” “Thank you,” I whisper, a sudden surge of feeling running through me. “And if you say yes, I’ll make you feel good,” he says, his hand moving further up my leg, getting close to my soaking and heat-filled pussy. “I’ll make you feel better than you ever did. I think I can teach you more than how to survive in Alaska, Kylie. Much more.” My heart beats hard in my chest as images of his toned and ripped body pressing up against mine fill

me. I can barely control myself and I have to look away from him or else do something I might regret. “I’ll think about it,” I say quickly, afraid to say more. “Good.” He leans toward me, taking my hair in his hand and tipping my head back. I gasp softly but don’t move to stop him as desire floods through me. “Think as long as you want.” He releases me and stands. I stare at him, eyes wide, breath coming in deep and ragged. I’m so excited I can barely sit still. I want more of him, so much more. “I’ll be in my study. I have some work to do. It’s the first door on the left in the upstairs hallway. Let me know if you need anything.” I nod, afraid to speak. He gives me a smirk and then leaves the room, glass in hand. My heart is beating hard in my chest and I can barely breathe. I wanted to jump at him so badly, kiss his rough lips, let his hard hands explore my soft body, but I didn’t let myself. I’m afraid to give in too easily. If he gets bored with me, I don’t know what’ll happen. Maybe that means I’m playing the game, but I’m not sure. All I know is right now, I don’t have any other choices.

And I don’t really want any other ideas. My desire for freedom and my fear of getting tangled up with an older man are both being beaten out by my sheer desire for Carson. Even if he weren’t rich and couldn’t provide for me, I’d still want him, still be attracted to him. The fact that he can be my daddy and take care of me only helps. I lean back on the couch and stare at the roaring fire, trying to figure out what the hell to do.

7

CARSON

A

s soon as I get up to my office to check in, there are at least ten emails that need an urgent response. I quickly realize that I can’t do all this from home, and a trip into town is going to be necessary again. I dress in my normal suit, explain to Kylie that the house is hers for a few hours while I go into the office, and then head out. The snow has let up and the roads are mostly clear, so it’s pretty easy going back into town. I hate to leave Kylie alone after our conversation, but she clearly needs some time to process. She didn’t look disgusted or upset by the offer, but she didn’t immediately accept. I could tell that she was excited, and I bet she wanted me to kiss her in that

moment, but I didn’t want to rush things. I don’t want her to think this is just about sex, because it’s far from that. I feel a strange kinship with her, although she’s much younger than I am. More than that, it excites me to think about taking care of her. I love the idea of spoiling her, giving her everything she could want and more. The idea of having a young, beautiful woman dependent on me for her money, her food, her clothing, her shelter, it drives me wild. I like the control it suggests. I don’t want her to feel like she’s stuck with me, but I do want to feel like I’m the one who’s protecting and taking care of her. There’s something incredibly sexual about that, although there’s not technically any sex involved. Though I do want to touch her, and I will. We both know that’s just a matter of time. I won’t rush it, because I know better than to push too hard, but she’s going to come begging for it sooner or later. I pull into the lot and park in my spot. Our office takes up three floors in the largest building in downtown Juneau. My father actually owns the building, and we could have more space, we simply don’t need it. I head inside and ride the elevator up. I get off at our uppermost floor and head into my corner

office, nodding and saying hello to everyone I come across. I’ve made it a point to know all of my employees, and the people that don’t work directly under me, though there are very few of those. I know that I’m one of the biggest and highest ranking bosses in the company and nobody expects me to know them all by name, but I make it a point to do that anyway. I don’t want to become like my father and like Elliot. I don’t want to be some out-of-touch rich asshole that cares about nothing but the business. This job is all about people, and people rely on our success. And I also care about things like the environment. I know oil has a bad reputation, but it doesn’t need to. I want to innovate new, environmentally friendly ways to do business, and move our company into the future. But I’m up against stubborn and backwards thinking men like my brother. Once I get into my office, I start making calls. A couple of hours pass quickly as I deal with a few issues related to a new well we’re planning on drilling plus a pipeline that’s being constructed through federal lands. I need to take a break, and so I buzz my secretary and ask her to come into my office. Judy is in her

forties, a few years older than me, and she’s been my assistant and secretary for years. “What’s up, Carson?” she asks, shutting my door behind her. “I have a task for you,” I say. “Something that has to stay between us.” She nods, putting away her notebook. “Of course. What can I do?” “I need you to buy some gifts for me.” “For who?” “A young woman.” A little smile crosses her lips. “A special young woman?” I nod, keeping my face composed. “Yes, a special young woman.” “What sort of gifts?” “Dresses,” I say. “Maybe some jewelry. Something like that.” She nods, giving me a knowing smile. “Understood. Do you know her size?” I pause, cocking my head. “She has a body similar to Cindy in accounting. A bit thinner.”

Judy grins. “Good for you.” “Cut it out.” She laughs. “When do you need them?” “Before I leave today. Take the rest of the day for it. And get yourself something nice, too.” I hand her my card. “I’ll be back soon,” she says, waving as she leaves my office. I lean back in my chair and sigh. This isn’t the first time that I’ve sent Judy to buy a present for a woman, but this is the first time I’ve actually cared about it. I trust her taste though, and I know she’ll do a good job. I just hope I got my sizing right. I usually have a good eye for that sort of thing, though. I get back to work for maybe ten minutes before there’s a knock at my office door. I lean back but before I can respond, the door opens and my brother barges in. Elliot is tall and thin, maybe an inch taller than me, but he never works out so he’s very thin. His suit is pitch black and his hair is slicked back, just like a stereotypical eighties business man. He shuts the door behind him then faces me, a smile on his face. “Carson,” he says.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” He sits down in front of my desk, still grinning. “I heard you ran into Declan.” “Of course you did.” “Who’s the girl?” I sigh and shake my head. “Fuck off, Elliot.” “Oh come on. I just want to make sure you’re not going to do something to embarrass the family.” He leans back in his chair, arms crossed. “How old did you say she was?” “I didn’t say. But I’m sure Declan guessed.” “He said twenty by the looks of her.” I stare at him. “Still none of your business.” He laughs again, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable. Seriously, Carson, do you want to hand me the CEO job? Father is going to lose his shit when he finds you with a girl half your age.” I frown, because I know that’s likely true, but I don’t back down. “What I do at home doesn’t affect the company.” “Of course it does and you know it. That’s why you were so annoyed to see Declan.”

“I was annoyed that you have your dogs follow me around.” “Either way, you got caught. Now what?” “Now you get out and I get back to work.” “You’re going to destroy yourself,” Elliot says, standing. “And I’m going to love it.” “Like I said earlier,” I respond, staring at him blankly. “Fuck off.” He laughs again and leaves my office. The rest of the day is spent trying to concentrate on the task ahead. With about an hour left before business closes, I call Judy up and tell her to head back. I know I’m finished for the day, even though I have more work to do. After my brother’s little visit I just can’t really concentrate. As soon as Judy gets back, I get my card and the bags from her, and then I head back home. I should be more worried about my brother’s threats. I know he’s right, at least to an extent. I think my father doesn’t care as much about what I do as Elliot seems to think he does, but I could be wrong. Things are volatile right now, and my father isn’t exactly in his normal mindset. He’s dying, and he’s drugged up, and he could do anything at any

moment. I should be playing it safe. But I don’t want to be safe. I want Kylie. And I’m going to have her.

8

KYLIE

O

nce Carson leaves for work, I’m left alone in his house. I look around the place, and for a second it occurs to me that there’s more money in art and other stuff in this place than I’ve seen in my entire life. Leaving me alone here like this is a seriously trusting move on his part. I want to live up to that trust. And it says a lot about the kind of man he is, and how he feels about me, that he’s leaving me here alone. But I need to explore this house. I’ve been itching to look around, and now’s the time. I get up and pad softly into the kitchen. I go through the drawers, familiarize myself with the layout, before going back down the hallway. There’s a bathroom, two bedrooms, the bedroom

I’m sleeping in, and a master bedroom back there. I pause at his door before slowly pushing it open. I know this is maybe a little bit of a violation but I can’t help it. I poke my head in and am surprised at how nice it is, although I shouldn’t be. It’s similar to my own room but more modern and surprisingly clean. I pull back out of his room, not letting myself go all the way in, and head back to the staircase. The stairs are bare wood covered in a clear gloss and they’re a bit cold under my feet as I head upstairs. On the right is an open loft area with another couch, a cabinet with a record player on top, and an enormous bookshelf covered in records and books. I take a second to look at all of his things before heading back down the hallway. In the back there’s another bedroom, another bathroom, and an exercise room. Finally, I step inside of his office. It looks about like what you’d expect. A large monitor on a sleek and modern-looking desk. The whole place looks like it was designed by Ikea, except the furniture all looks completely custom. I step into the room and glance at all the books on the bookshelves, more books than I’ve ever seen in a person’s home before. There are a few pictures on his desk and I can’t

help but pick them up and take a look. They’re of his family, or at least I assume they’re his family since everyone looks alike. They’re all old pictures from his childhood, which surprises me. He doesn’t seem to love his family or feel very close to them, and yet here are a bunch of pictures of them in his private study. That says a lot about him. I think his past is important to him, especially his childhood. Things probably got harder as he got older, since he had to take on more responsibility. Maybe his father was nicer to him back then and he was closer to his brother before they got competitive about the business. His mother looks so young and beautiful, and I’m reminded that he hasn’t said much about her yet, if anything at all. I put the picture down and head back downstairs. Just as I get to the bottom of the landing, there’s a knock at the front door. I pause, standing there like a scared deer, before creeping up to the door and looking out the peephole. It’s a delivery man. I open the door. “How you doing?” he asks. “Good,” I say. He hands me a package. It’s not too heavy. “Have a

good one,” he says before leaving. “You too,” I say and look down at the box in my hands. I’m surprised to see that it has my name on it. I slowly take it inside and shut the door behind me, wondering what the heck this is and how Carson got it up here in this snow. I take it into the living room and open it up, then laugh. It’s a pair of snow boots. I take them out and sure enough, they fit. I shake my head, grinning. Carson is an impressive man. I can’t deny that. How he got these boots to me so quickly is a mystery, but I’m guessing it cost him a lot of money. “Well,” I say out loud to myself, “better put these to good use.” I head into the bedroom, grab my new coat, put on a new pair of gloves, a scarf, and a hat, and finally head outside through the garage. The land slopes down toward Juneau in front of the house. There’s a driveway that wraps around it and it’s mostly a field for maybe the length of a football field before the forest starts up again. There’s a path that heads into the trees behind the house, and I decide to follow that. As I walk, I spot a stump with a more beat-up

looking axe sticking out of it, which makes me smile. That’s probably where he splits wood, and apparently he has another axe. The forest is so quiet and it’s surprisingly nice. The snow stopped and the wind died down, so it’s comfortable walking around outside. The path slowly leads uphill away from the house, so I just keep following it. There’s nothing around except trees and more trees. I can hear birds calling, but otherwise, I’m incredibly alone. I don’t think I’ve ever been this alone before. Even in the city late at night, there’s someone nearby. But out here, I feel like I could scream and nobody would hear me. It’s absolutely beautiful. I’m struck breathless at the sheer incredibly beauty of what I’m looking at. I’ve never been in a forest like this before, let alone walked around on the paths. And I’m living with the man that owns all of this. I think I’m starting to get it. I understand why he lives out here secluded like this, away from the city. It’s beautiful, but there’s more to it than that. I feel like I can actually think out here. There’s nothing driving me to do the next thing, to buy some new product, to get on the latest social media site. Out here I can just walk and be alone, and that’s perfectly fine.

I walk for a while. I’m not sure how long. But eventually the path forks right and leads along a little flat area. The mountain continues up, but the path skirts along the flat spot. Through a clearing of trees, I spot a little bench and I walk up to it. I’m amazed at what I see. The bench is in a small clearing near the edge of a cliff. Down below me, much farther than I would have guessed, I can see Carson’s house. And below that is Juneau, spread out against the water. I brush off the bench and then sit down, looking out into the distance. I feel like I’m at the height of something. I don’t mean literally at the top of a mountain, which clearly is what I am, but something else, something more abstract. I ran away from home and nearly died in the freezing cold that night, but now I’m here, warm in my new clothes, looking out over the city I barely know. And it’s all thanks to him. It’s all thanks to Carson. I sit there for a while, though I’m not sure how long. I’ve probably been outside for a few hours now, and I’m finally starting to get cold, so I start back down the path toward the house. I feel good. I feel damn good for the first time in a long time. And as I get closer to the house, I hear a

car pull up the drive and Carson’s garage door open. Without thinking, I start running. I run as fast as I can toward the house, wanting to see him as soon as I possibly can. I come around the bend and spot him getting out of his truck. “Carson!” I call out. He looks up and smiles. I slow down to a walk as he comes out toward me, a confused grin on his face. “What are you running from?” “Nothing,” I say breathless. “I just wanted to catch you before you went in.” “You got the boots,” he says, looking down. I nod. “They’re perfect.” “Good. I’m glad.” “Carson—“ “Yeah?” He steps toward me, head cocked. “I’ll do it,” I say. “I mean, I want to do it. I want to stay here. And let you take care of me.” His grin gets bigger as he gets closer to me. “I want to hear you say the words first.”

“Say what words?” I ask, looking down. He stops in front of me and tips my chin up, making me look him in the eyes. “Say you want me to be your daddy.” “I want it,” I whisper. “Say it,” he commands. Excitement floods through my body. “I want you to be my daddy.” “Good girl.” And then he kisses me. His lips feel perfect against mine, pressed into a soft kiss as his tongue softly slides against mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and press myself closer to him. I feel his hands on my hips as he kisses me, deep and full. I feel dizzy when we finally break apart. He looks down at me with a big smile on his face. “Now I have some things for you,” he says. “More?” I ask, a little breathless still. “There’s much more.” He turns away and takes my hand. “Come on, let me show you.” I follow him, heart beating fast, afraid of what’s happening but excited to let it happen.

9

CARSON

I

can’t believe how excited I feel as I lead Kylie into the living room. I leave her there to go get the bags from the car, and I have to pause a second outside. I never feel this way about women. I’ve never cared about what they feel before so long as they want me to fuck them. I’ve gone through so many one-night stands in my life that it’s hard to even keep track of them all at this point. But it’s different with Kylie. Normally all I’d be thinking about is how I’m going to taste that tight little pussy of hers, how I’m going to press her up against the wall and fuck her tight cunt until she screams. But along with all that, I’m thinking about taking care of her, making sure she’s comfortable,

and giving her gifts. It’s strange. It’s not something I ever thought I’d want to feel, but it’s actually exciting. It feels good to want someone that way, to actually want them entirely, not just her body. It would be better for me if she were just a onenight stand. Elliot is going to find any means necessary to destroy me, and he won’t hesitate to use Kylie against me. The fact that she’s only nineteen might look bad to some people that don’t understand this relationship. A man like my father might disapprove, and I can’t even guess how my mother will react. Their opinions don’t matter, but they do, because I need them to get the company. In the end, I’m embracing this. I walk into the living room and place the bags down in front of Kylie, who laughs. “Seriously?” she asks. “I told you I was going to spoil you.” “This is too much.” She opens one bag and takes out a box. “Seriously, I can’t afford shops like this.” “You can’t, but I can.” “We can’t even pretend like I’ll pay you back one day if I take all this.”

I shrug. “So don’t pay me back.” She looks at me, frowning. “Listen, I need to say something.” “So say it.” I sit down, crossing my legs ankle over knee. “If we’re going to do this, I need to be able to pay you back one day. Okay? There have to be some rules.” “Okay,” I say. “No crazy presents.” “Consider these a loan, then.” “Loan?” “You’ll borrow them.” I gesture at the bags. “You can wear it, but you can’t keep it.” “That could work,” she says softly, eyeing the box, before looking back at me. “I can leave whenever I want, right?” I laugh. “Of course you can. I’ll give you a number you can call to have my driver bring you back to town.” “I have no phone,” she says, frowning. “That small bag on the left,” I point. “New phone.”

She gives me a look and I laugh. “Consider that a loan, too.” She surveys the bags and then looks back at me. “Okay,” she says. “Where do I start?” I smile at her, heartbeat quickening in my chest, and point at a black box. “That one.” She picks it up and sits down on the couch. She unwraps the ribbon and opens the box, pulling out a beautiful black dress. She looks at me, an eye raised. “It’s gorgeous,” she says. “Try it on,” I answer. “What about these other boxes?” “We’ll get to those,” I say, leaning toward her. “Try that on first.” A small smile crosses her lips and I know she’s as excited as I am. “Okay,” she says, and stands. She walks into the kitchen and stands behind the counter, draping the dress over a stool. I watch as she takes off her clothes. The counter blocks most of her body, but I can see her beautiful full breasts covered by a small black bra. She blushes slightly when she meets my gaze and covers herself a little bit, but she doesn’t stop. She picks up the dress and steps into it, pulling it up

over her hips. When she’s done, she walks over toward me. “Zip?” she asks. I stand and walk over to her. I pull the zipper up then take a step back and admire her. She’s blushing while she does a little spin. She looks absolutely fucking perfect. The dress is black and sleek, hugging her breasts and hips, ending a few inches above the knee. The front is cut low enough to give a hint of her breasts, but doesn’t show too much. When she finishes turning, she cocks her head, smiling and embarrassed. “What do you think?” “I think you look perfect,” I say, stepping toward her. “What else is in these boxes?” she asks quickly, stepping away. I grin but don’t pursue her. If she wants to play dress up, I sure as fuck won’t stop her. “How about this one next?” I ask, picking up another box. And so I watch as she tries on three more dresses. One is formal and two are casual, and she looks fucking amazing in each of them. Each time I want to rip the fabric from her body and take her right

there, but she’s dancing away from me, pushing the tension forward, heightening the experience. I can’t tell if she’s doing it on purpose, but I suspect she knows exactly what she’s doing to me. And I like it, I really like it. I love that she’s playing this game, pushing back against me, and not just giving in to what I want. It makes the chase so much better, and when I finally have her, everything will be that much more intense. We go through a few more bags. There are shoes, more gloves, scarves, and hats, and a more formal jacket. There’s a necklace and matching earrings, which she tries on with a gleeful laugh, and mentally I make a note to tell Judy how well she did. Finally, I pick up a red box with a pink bow on it. The box isn’t large enough to hold a dress, but it’s not small and it’s beautifully wrapped. “Try this one,” I say. “What is it?” she asks, taking it from me. “I’m not sure.” She unties the bow and gingerly pulls open the box. She looks inside and turns beet red, biting her lip. I look into the box and a big grin breaks across my face.

Inside is a lingerie set, black and lacy. There are stockings, straps connecting to the black panties, and a sexy black bra. I raise an eyebrow at her. “Well?” I ask. “Try it on.” She pauses. “I don’t know.” “Go ahead,” I say softly. “Try it on for me.” I don’t know if she’s as swept up in the game as I am or what, but she doesn’t argue anymore. She carries the box back to the kitchen and slips out of the dress she’s wearing. When she’s in her bra and panties, she looks at me, biting her lip, but I don’t look away. She puts on the panties and stockings first, which I can’t see. I watch as she bends over, pulling the stockings up, and slides the panties on. Finally, she straps the stockings to the panties. When she’s done, she glances at me before turning her back and removing her bra. I watch the beautiful, graceful lines of her back as she half turns, one arm covering her full breasts, and picks up the bra. She turns back and slides it over her body, putting it on. When she’s finished, she steps out from behind the island and looks at me, blushing madly. “What do you think?” she asks.

My heart is beating so hard in my chest that I can barely hear her. I walk toward her and this time she doesn’t move away. I stop inches away from her and slide my fingers up her thighs, stopping to pull at the straps. “Perfect,” I say. “You like it?” “You look fucking perfect.” I slide my fingers up her body and she shivers as I gently graze her breasts. I stop, one hand tangled in her hair, the other dropping back to her waist. She gasps as I tip her head back and kiss her neck. She groans slightly as I kiss her breasts. My other hand moves around to cup her ass. She stands up on her tippy toes, her whole body taut and tense, as I move slowly back up toward her lips. When I kiss her, I can feel her whole body tense and shiver. It’s like a wave of pleasure comes through her. I’m rock hard and barely able to contain myself, but there’s only one thing I want in this moment. I press her back up against the island, kissing her furiously. The hand that was on her ass moves up her body, cups her breasts, before sliding back down the front of her.

She gasps slightly as my hand slides down the front of her panties. She’s smooth and perfect as I find her little pussy. I smile when I feel her soaking wet spot and gently begin to work her clit in slow circles. “Shit,” she gasps when I move away from her lips to kiss her neck. “Carson. Was this your plan the whole time?” “Of course,” I whisper. “I’ve been thinking about you wearing this lingerie since the moment we met.” She smiles. “I bet you have.” “But you don’t know what I want.” “I don’t?” “No. What have I been saying since the start?” “You want to spoil me,” she whispers. “That’s right. I want to spoil you.” My fingers slide inside of her and she gasps. She’s tight and wet, soaking and ready, but I don’t want to fuck her. Not right now, not yet at least. “What do you want?” I ask her. “I don’t know,” she moans, my fingers sliding in and out of her tight pussy.

“Then I’ll show you.” I slide my fingers out then grab her hips with both hands and lift her up onto the kitchen island. She stares at me, legs spread wide.

10

KYLIE

I

stare at him, my ass on the marble countertop, as he spreads my legs wider. He slowly unfastens the stockings from my panties then kisses down my inner thigh. Excitement rages through me. I’m not sure this is the right thing to do, but I can’t help myself. I want him so badly I can barely think. He’s so sure of himself, so confident and strong, plus he’s so incredibly handsome. I want him to take care of me, want him to do whatever he wants to me. I’ve never had man touch me the way he does, with such skill and intensity. My skin feels like it’s on fire as he takes my panties in both hands and slides them off my body.

He bites his lip and teases my pussy with his fingers. “You’re fucking perfect,” he says. “Look at this tight little cunt. And dripping wet, too. Fuck, Kylie, I don’t think you know what you do to me.” “I’m the one on the counter,” I moan back. “That’s right. You’re not moving an inch. You’re all mine.” He presses his mouth between my legs then and I gasp as his tongue begins to lap at my swollen clit. Desire rolls through me in waves. I can hardly think as his tongue and teeth lap and nibble at my clit. He works me skillfully, unlike anyone before him. I didn’t know a man could do that with his tongue and mouth, sucking on my clit like that, but he clearly knows what he’s doing. It drives me wild. I grip the edge of the counter as he works his magic, tongue and lips on my clit, strong hands on my thighs. I’ve never experienced something like this before, never had a guy go down on me like this. Carson licks and sucks me like he’s starving, like he loves the way I taste and can’t get enough. That only makes me so much more excited. He moves one hand away from my thighs then presses two fingers deep into my pussy. I moan, deep and low, as he continues to suck my clit,

fingers sliding in and out of me, fucking me. I release the edge of the counter and grab his hair, pressing him tighter, rolling my hips. He goes with me, licking and sucking, fucking with his fingers, making my body tense and work. I’ve never been pushed like this, never been brought so close to coming with a man’s tongue and fingers alone before. It’s an amazing feeling, incredible, and it builds deep in my core. I don’t know if I can hold back. “Carson,” I moan. “I’m close. Oh god, I’m going to come. Please, you don’t have to.” “I want to taste you,” he grunts. “Come in my fucking mouth, Kylie.” I gasp, tossing my head back, as he sucks and licks and fucks me with renewed intensity. I love his dirty mouth, can’t believe that he actually loves making me feel this way, and I lose myself to the moment, lose myself completely. I’ve never felt so naked and so free yet so controlled before. It’s a contradiction of feeling and intensity, but it’s all true inside of me, as the pleasure overloads and washes over me. I come and he doesn’t let up. He keeps working my pussy as my muscles tense and the orgasm explodes

through my body and my mind, overwhelming me with pleasure. He never lets up, not until it slowly subsides. And then he licks me up, lapping up every drop, before stepping back, his face flushed, admiring me. I prop myself up on my elbows, breathing deep. He helps me slide down from the counter and wraps his strong arms around me, pulling me tight against his chest. I breathe his smell in deep and let out a contented sigh. I never pictured this happening, at least not at first. I was too busy worrying about surviving in this place to think about what he could make me feel. But now that it happened, I already know that I need more. I can’t stay here and not let him touch me, not when he can make me feel that. I know I can’t hold back, not anymore. “That’s what you wanted,” he whispers in my ear. “Maybe you didn’t know it. But you do now.” I nod against his chest. “You’re right.” “My two favorite words.” He grins and looks at me then kisses me softly. I pull myself closer to him and relax, enjoying the

glow of the moment. Eventually, I get dressed and he helps me put my presents away in my closet. The rest of the night is spent eating a good meal and talking about our lives. But I can’t stop thinking about the way he held me. I felt so safe and secure in his arms, like the world outside his embrace doesn’t exist. It was a strange and good and terrifying feeling all at once. I don’t know if it means that I’d be willing to forget the world for him, but I’m not going to question it too much, at least not now. I’ll worry about that when the time comes.

11

CARSON

K

ylie goes to bed relatively early that night which isn’t a bad thing. The next morning, I have to get up and go to work. I write her a little note letting her know where things are, in case she needs anything, and then I head out. I can’t stop thinking about her all day. I’m distracted at work, which is unusual for me, but I’m enjoying it. As far as I’m concerned, the drama with my brother and my father doesn’t exist, and the only thing that matters is the beautiful woman back at my house. Beautiful younger woman. I can’t let myself forget that. It doesn’t really matter but it does in a lot of ways. As much as I hate to admit it, her age does

present something of a problem. I’m trying not to think about it, because for the first time in my life I feel happy and content in a relationship, but I can’t help but wonder. It’s inevitable that my father will find out about this. Most likely he’ll learn of it from my brother, and Elliot is going to present me in the worst light possible. I should get out ahead of this and try to tell my own story, make my own narrative the important one, but I don’t know if it’s time for that. I don’t know where I’m going with this thing. I want to be her daddy, buy her things, spoil her, and take care of her, but I don’t know how longterm this is going to be. Then again, I don’t know how much longer my father even has, so it might not matter. But if I introduce her, and then back out before my father passes, that could look bad. I don’t know why I care so much about this fucking CEO job to begin with. I should just take what I want and forget about the rest, which is what I’m doing, more or less. But I want the CEO position just like I want Kylie, and so I have to figure out a way to get both of them. I won’t accept that they’re mutually exclusive. Maybe a normal man can’t have both, but I’m not a normal man. I know how to get what I want. I’ve been finding ways to get what I need for as long as

I can remember. Although I was born rich, I’ve still worked hard and earned everything I have. I don’t want to be the kind of weak rich kid that just gets handed everything in his life. Which is why I’ll figure this out. I want her, and I’m going to have her. I just need to figure out how to beat my brother at this fucking game. Work passes quickly. Normally, I work until eight or nine at night, but today I clock out promptly at five. I don’t want to leave Kylie alone for too long. Albert meets me in the parking garage and he drives me back toward my house. When we’re halfway there, I call the phone I left out for Kylie. “Hello?” She answers on the second ring. “I wasn’t sure you saw the phone.” “I didn’t until it started ringing.” She laughs softly. “I want you to do something for me,” I say. “Of course. Anything.” “Go pick out one of your new outfits. We’re going out tonight.” “Where to?” “Nothing special or fancy. Just a local place I like.

I’ll be home in ten minutes.” “I can be ready by then.” “Perfect,” I say, laughing. “But I want to get changed first. So take your time.” “See you soon,” she says, and hangs up the phone. I smile and shake my head, slipping the phone back into my jacket pocket. I don’t know the last time I felt like this. I actually want to see her and take her out with me. I know I probably shouldn’t take her out in public, since being seen with me will inevitably get back to my father, but I don’t care. I want to be seen with her. I want to show her off a little bit. She’s funny, and beautiful, and so full of vitality, and most importantly she makes me feel good. That’s what’s important. She makes me feel good. Fuck all the rest. Albert drops me off and I instruct him to wait out front. He gets comfortable as I head inside. “Kylie?” I call out, walking toward the bedrooms. “In here!” I walk up to her room and push the door open. She’s standing in the middle of the room, a dress half on her body. I pause and stare at her, a small

smile on my face, and she blushes slightly. “How was work?” she asks, and finishes pulling her dress on. “Boring,” I say. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” She walks across the room and kisses me lightly on the mouth. “Good. I like that.” “I thought you would.” I grab her waist and pull her against me, kissing her mouth harder. She smiles. “Come on, let me finish getting dressed.” “Fine.” I kiss her again then head back into my room. I change out of my suit and into a pair of expensive jeans I’ve been wearing and fading over the years, plus a Henley undershirt and a flannel over-shirt. I roll up my jeans, put on a pair of thick socks, and finally slip on my trusty Iron Ranger boots. When I’m done, I look at myself in the mirror. When I’m at work, I’m a suit. It’s part of the world I live in. The suit stands for power, and I wear expensive ones to show that I can afford them. It’s a status thing, basically, although I do look damn good in them.

But when I think of myself, my actual self, I’m always wearing this outfit. Work clothes, basically, the sort of stuff I wear around the house when I’m doing projects. I love to work with my hands, and would probably have been a carpenter in another life if I hadn’t been born into what I do now. I do woodworking projects all the time anyway, and fill my free time fixing things. I walk back out into the kitchen and pour myself a drink. By the time I’m finished, Kylie joins me, standing in the kitchen entrance. “What do you think?” she asks, and gives me a little spin. I smile huge at her. “Perfect,” I say. She’s wearing a short dress with heavy tights on underneath and leather boots. “Think I’ll be too cold?” I shake my head. “We won’t be outside long.” “Good.” She walks over to me and leans against the refrigerator. “Where are we going, anyway?” “A place I like,” I say. “You look different out of a suit.” I grin at her and sip my drink. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No, not at all. You just... look like an Alaskan.” “I am an Alaskan.” “I know, but my stereotypical view of one. You know, manly man lumberjack.” “I’m not manly in my suit? I’m almost insulted.” “That’s not what I meant.” “You wound me deeply, Kylie.” “Oh get over it, you big baby.” I laugh and grab her. She tries to get away, laughing, but I pin her up against the refrigerator door and kiss her. She kisses me back like that for a second before finally breaking off. “Come on,” she says. “Let’s go. I’m tired of being cooped up in here all day.” “Okay then.” I let her go. “But I was going to do unspeakable things to your body just then.” “I’m sure.” She gives me a look and then laughs. I grin, knock back my drink, and then we head out front. Albert has the car running, the hot air on full blast, as we climb into the back. She’s flirtatious and happy as we head into town. The roads are clear and it hasn’t snowed again,

which is a small mercy. Juneau is usually covered in snow at this point, but it’s not too bad right now, fortunately. Albert still drives carefully, like he always does, but we’re parking outside of The Walker only a half hour later. “What is this place?” Kylie asks as we climb out of the car. “It’s an old fisherman bar,” I say. “Or at least it used to be. My father bought it years ago. It’s something of a family place now.” “Family place?” she asks. “I mean, my family.” I laugh a little. “I know, it’s absurd. But it’s one of my favorite places.” “I’m excited to see it,” she says. The outside of The Walker is more or less unchanged from the way it was when my father bought it. The sign is handpainted and peeling slightly, despite having been touched up a few years ago. My father could renovate, but he likes that The Walker retains its “rustic charms” as he says. I personally think it looks a little too old school, but I wouldn’t change it, either. It’s just been a part of my life for so long that I can barely think of it any other way.

We step in front and shut the door, closing out the cold air behind us. The Walker is one large room with pillars breaking it up. Booths ring the main room, and there’s a small stage in the far corner. A massive bar takes up the entire north wall of the place. “Carson!” I grin and wave at Brenda, the bartender. She’s been working the bar for maybe the last ten years. I head over to her and she comes out from behind it, giving me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. “How are you, Brenda?” I ask. “Doing great. Haven’t seen you in here lately.” “You know how things are. Always busy.” “Of course. How’s your dad?” “Not great, but thanks for asking. I’ll tell him you said hi.” “Please do. I’d love to visit him sometime.” “I’ll pass that along as well.” Brenda laughs long and loud then looks over at Kylie. “Who’s this now?” “Brenda, this is Kylie.”

“Good to meet you,” Kylie said. “You too,” Brenda answers then gives me a look. I grin at her and shrug. “Well, you can have the corner booth,” Brenda says. “Thanks. Can I get the usual when you have a chance, and some wine for Kylie?” “Sure thing,” Brenda says, then says a little lower, “you sure she can legally drink?” She laughs and winks at me and I just shake my head, grinning. Brenda always speaks her mind, even when it’s not something I really want to hear. I take Kylie’s hand and we head off to the corner table. A minute later, an old fashioned appears along with a glass of white for Kylie. “Cheers,” I say, and we toast, sipping our drinks. “Nice place,” Kylie says. “I can see why you like it.” I shrug. “It’s a little old and falling apart, but I like it anyway.” “I mean it, I really like it here. And Brenda seems nice.” I sip my drink again. “She’s pretty great,” I say. The Walker isn’t crowded tonight for whatever

reason. I can’t tell if I’m pleased with that or a little disappointed. I want the people that I’ve known my whole life to see Kylie, even if that’s a dumb idea. Juneau is a small place and the locals all know each other, even though it’s the largest city in Alaska. There are strangers constantly coming in and out, but the locals are always here, always coming to the same places over the over, and The Walker happens to be an affordable and popular spot. “Has she been working here long?” Kylie asks. “Sure,” I say. “Forever, basically.” “It must be nice. Having a place like this.” “It is and it isn’t,” I say, trying to be honest. She cocks her head and sips her drink. “What’s bad about it?” “Everyone knows me here,” I say, glancing around the room. “Isn’t that what everyone wants? A place where everyone knows your name?” I grin at her. “I’m surprised you’re old enough to make that reference.” “Cheers is famous. And I’m not that young.” I lean toward her. “Yes, you are. But to answer

your question, there are no secrets here, not when you’re in my family.” “Can’t hide me,” she says with a slight frown. “If I wanted to hide you, I wouldn’t have brought you here.” “It’s funny,” she says, shrugging. “We come from such different worlds, but they’re similar in a lot of ways.” “How’s that?” “Back in my neighborhood, there was no such thing as privacy. Everyone knew everyone. And everyone knew your business.” I laugh softly. “Yeah, that’s Juneau all right.” “It’s good and bad.” Her face suddenly gets dark, like she’s remembering some far off bad memory. “It’s a sense of community, but sometimes people try and protect their own, even when their own are fucking scumbags.” “Is that why you ran away?” I ask her. “My father.” She says it simply. “He was... abusive.” I nod slowly, understanding. I remember seeing bruises on her body when she was getting changed,

but I didn’t make note of them until now. “He’s why you ran away. That’s why you came here.” “That’s right. It was between here and Philadelphia, and I chose here. I guess Alaska felt further away.” She shrugs a little bit. “I had no choice but to run. Everyone knew what he did when he was drunk, but nobody cared. He’s good ol’ Jimmy, can’t do anything wrong.” “Assholes,” I murmur softly. “Nobody raised a hand to help me. So I had to run away on my own.” “You got away though. That’s pretty amazing on its own.” “Maybe. I don’t feel amazing.” “I’m sorry you had to live alone with that for so long.” “It’s nothing,” she says, trying to brush it off. “It’s not nothing. It’s a heavy burden to bear. It’s amazing you got away at all.” “Thanks,” she says softly. There are slight tears in her eyes and she wipes them away.

I reach out and take her hand. “Listen to me,” I say. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again, you hear? I’m sorry your asshole father did that to you. But you’ll never go back.” “You’re right,” she says. “I won’t go back.” “I guess we have a lot in common. You have an asshole dad and I have a crazy shitty family.” “Bad families,” she says, smiling. “And yet we both turned out so great.” “I know. We really beat the system.” She laughs and I can sense the darkness move away from her, at least for the time being. I don’t let go of her hand though. I note that there are people looking at us, noticing what I’m doing, but I don’t care. It’ll get back to my father one way or another, and I’m not hiding this. I sip my drink and as I put it down, Brenda comes over and sits in the booth next to me. “Shove over,” she says. I grin and Kylie laughs a little bit. Brenda smiles at Kylie. “Don’t you have a bar to watch?” I ask her. “Sure,” she says. “But it’ll survive without me a few minutes.”

“Aren’t you getting paid right now?” She glares at me. “Sure am. Gonna fire me?” I grin. “Maybe.” “Good luck finding a bartender as attractive and competent as I am.” “Very good point,” I say, putting my hands up in surrender. She looks back at Kylie, her smile softening. “So dear, what do you want to know?” Kylie looks surprised. “What?” “About Carson here. What do you want to know?” “I... I don’t know.” Brenda laughs and I sigh. “I’ve known this boy for years,” she says. “I’ve seen it all. Go ahead, ask me. I’ll tell you.” “She’s bluffing,” I say to Kylie. “Don’t listen to her.” I can sense danger in this moment, but Kylie doesn’t seem to mind it. Brenda isn’t kidding when she says she’s seen it all, and part of me is afraid what she might tell Kylie about me. There have been some moments in my life that I’m not too

proud of. I don’t think Brenda will air my dirty laundry and low moments right here, but I can never be sure with that one. “Tell me about his last girlfriend,” Kylie says. Brenda laughs loudly. “Girlfriend? You hear, that Carson?” “I heard it,” I say, shaking my head and smiling. “Girlfriend!” Brenda laughs some more. “What?” Kylie asks. “Carson here has never had a girlfriend in his life,” she says. “Plenty of girls, sure, but never a girlfriend.” Kylie gives me a little knowing grin. “Is that so, playboy?” “What can I say? I’m a very eligible bachelor.” I grin at her and wink. “Please!” Brenda says. “This is Juneau, boy. Out here you’re a catch only because you’re competing with toothless rednecks and a bunch of poor fishermen. You look like a king in comparison.” “Thanks, Brenda,” I say, wincing. “You really make a guy feel good.”

“Please, like you need the ego boost,” she says, grinning at Kylie again. “Does he have a big ego?” Kylie asks. “Oh please, the biggest!” I groan and shake my head. “Okay, that’s enough.” “Aw, I’m teasing.” Brenda leans toward Kylie a little conspiratorially. “Listen honey, truth is, Carson is a damn fine catch. The man needs to settle down. I don’t know if you’re the girl to make him figure it all out, and maybe you are, but give it a shot.” “Okay,” she says simply, looking at me. “I think I will try.” I smirk at her. “Bring it on,” I say. “Well now, that’s my damn cue,” Brenda says, standing up. “You two behave. I’ll be right over there, doing my job.” “Back to work with you!” I say, laughing. Brenda gives me a little smack on the shoulder then waves and heads back to the bar. Kylie is smiling and laughing, which makes me feel good. Brenda took it easy on me, which is nice. And I liked the way Kylie said she was going to try and make me settle.

The idea of settling seems strange to me, but the situation I’m in with Kylie feels more settled than anything I’ve ever been in before. Normally I’d be bored already and looking for something new, but Kylie isn’t letting my attention stray. Truth is, I want to see where this goes. I want more from her. I haven’t gotten what I want, not nearly enough, not yet. “I like her,” Kylie says. “I do too,” I say. “Although she can be an ass sometimes.” “I bet she says the same thing about you.” I grin. “No way. I’m an angel.” “Not according to her, playboy.” I reach out and squeeze Kylie’s hand, and am about to make a killer and hilarious retort, but my phone starts ringing. I sigh. “Sorry,” I say, checking it. “I have to take this. It’s work.” “Go ahead.” I answer the phone, lifting it to my ear. “Yes?” I say. “Carson, it’s Melissa from accounting,” she says.

“I’m sorry. I know this is a bad time.” “What’s the matter?” I ask. “Well, I just got a report from your brother. And there are some seriously strange numbers on here regarding your Lower proposal.” I pause, frowning. “I thought those numbers were set.” “So did we. But I was double-checking, and there are some big errors. I think you need to take a look at this.” I frown and check my watch. “I can be there in ten minutes.” “Okay. I’m so sorry to do this.” “Not your fault. The job is what it is.” I hang up the phone and frown at Kylie. “You have to go?” she asks. “I do,” I say. “I’m really sorry.” “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.” “Albert is outside with the car. Finish your drink, have something to eat, do whatever. Head on back when you’re done.” “What about you?” she asks.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get a ride back,” I say. “I might be late. So don’t wait up.” “Okay,” she says. I go around the booth and kiss her softly on the lips. “See you soon,” I say. “See you.” I shrug my jacket on and head out toward the entrance. I stop at the bar and catch Brenda’s attention. “Take care of Kylie,” I say. “Gotta go to work.” “Will do,” she says. I nod and wave, then head out, annoyed, but feeling good. That was a good date. And it was a date, a real date. I hate that it got cut short, but that’s just the nature of my job. It never ends, and there are no real days off. As much as I want to stay, I’ll see her again soon. I head out into the cold and walk over toward the office, trying to think about the job, but my mind stays back with Kylie.

12

KYLIE

A

fter Carson leaves, Brenda brings me over a big bowl of soup with a smile and a wink. I accept it gratefully and dig in. It’s a fresh and delicious clam chowder, and I bet the clams are all locally sourced, probably barely a few days old. I didn’t know clam chowder could be this good. I take a few bites then lean back and look around the room. I’m not surprised that Carson loves this place. It still has a rustic and local feel to it, but it’s not seedy and rundown. It’s clearly lovingly maintained. I notice people glancing at me, but I don’t let that get to me. Carson warned me what it would be like to be with him, although he didn’t come out and say it. He insinuated that people would stare, since he’s very

well known, and he’s right. I can feel eyes on me. But in this moment, I feel too good to care. It felt great to talk about my father. I didn’t think it would, but the way he handled it made me feel like every choice I made was right. There’s a part of me that still thinks I should have stayed back home and figured out some way to get by there, back where I know people. But he’s right, I got away, and that’s more than most people in my situation do. It’s impossible to imagine what the kind of constant abuse can do to a person. It beat me down, physically and mentally, and it broke me. For a long time, I felt like a shell of a person. Now that I’m away from it and with Carson, I’m starting to come back to myself. I feel like I’m finally waking up again after a long nightmare. And it’s thanks to him, to Carson. He took me in, gave me a place to stay, and then decided to give me so much more. He makes me feel something I never dreamed I’d feel. I always assumed I was doomed to sadness, maybe moments of happiness, but never anything lasting. But my time with him so far has been incredible, and is nothing short of a miracle. It’s strange how much we have in common. We’re from two different worlds, but our stories are similar. We both come from small towns, although

in my case its more like a small neighborhood, and we both have very difficult parents. He’s luckier than I am though, and he was given a lot that I never saw. Still, I know how hard he works, and it’s remarkable. He seems like his own person, despite all of the pressures from his family to conform. He doesn’t talk about that much, but I can see it all around him. He loves his family and wants to make them proud, but he’s his own man and will do what he wants to do. That’s something I admire in him, something I want more of. I finish my meal and my glass of wine and lean back in my seat, content. As soon as I do, though, I notice more people are coming into the bar, and it’s quickly filling up. With each new person, there are more people staring at me. Word must be spreading fast. I frown and start to feel a little uncomfortable. At first the attention was interesting, a little strange but not menacing at all. Now though, without Carson around, I feel completely uncomfortable. The people around me look more dangerous than they did before, and I know that I don’t know a single person I this room. The only person in town that gives a shit about me is Carson, in fact, and I can’t rely on him all the time.

I slide out of the booth, deciding to be done for the night. I don’t want to stick around and get stared at for any longer than I have to. The people in the bar are starting to look rougher, meaner, and more intense, although that might just be my perception changing. The memory of my first night in town, and how everyone ignored me so callously, comes back to me in a hurry. I move up to the bar and manage to catch Brenda’s attention. She walks over with a smile and leans up against the counter. “How was it, darlin’?” she asks. “It was great,” I say. “What do I owe you?” But as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize that I still don’t have any money. Carson takes care of everything, and despite all the expensive gifts he bought me, I still don’t have any cash. I’m totally mortified. But Brenda just laughs. “It’s on Carson’s tab,” she says. “Which he never pays, and is probably half a million by now.” Relief washes over me. “Thanks so much,” I say, smiling. “Of course. I’ll be seeing you again,” she says, waves, and then heads off to help another

customer. I leave the bar, feeling better, but something is nagging me. The fact that I have no money for myself is still worrying. Did Carson do that on purpose? Maybe he’s trying to make me completely reliant on him. Or maybe I’m just being completely paranoid. So far, he hasn’t done anything to suggest that he wants to control me or keep me from doing something. But I am keenly aware that I’m totally reliant on him. Maybe that’s the point. I’ve never had a daddy before, and maybe this is part of the deal. He gets to take care of me completely, and I have to sacrifice some of my freedom in exchange for all the luxuries he can provide. I’m not sure how I feel about it. I want him and like him, but I ran away from one place to get my freedom, and now I’m in a new place with restrictions all around me. Or maybe that’s just absurd. Feeling confused, I walk out into the cold night and find Albert sitting in the car, the engine running. I wave to him and climb into the back. “Heading home?” he asks. “Yes, please,” I say.

“Right then.” He turns the radio on softly then rolls the center divider up before pulling out onto the road. I feel physically content from the meal and the wine, but I’m still stuck in my own little world trying to figure out what I’m doing in this situation. There’s no clear and easy answer here. It makes me feel good, but there are things that I’m not sure about. Maybe that uncertainty is part of the attraction. There is something thrilling about this relationship. It’s something new, something I never expected, and Carson is a particularly singular type of man. He’s mature in a way I didn’t know that I needed, but now that I have it, I can’t imagine being with someone else. I watch as the city disappears and we get deeper into the forest, winding up the mountains, heading up toward Carson’s house. We leave the main road after about ten minutes, and the remainder of the drive is on back roads. As we pass up a hill and go around a sharp turn, the car suddenly lurches to a stop. It scares the hell out of me, and I look forward, terrified that we hit something. Up ahead in the road are two cars parked end to

end. Six men stand in the road, and horror pierces through me when I realized that five of them are carrying guns. The divider suddenly drops and Albert looks back at me. “Stay calm, ma’am,” he says. “I’ll do the talking. Please stay calm.” “What’s happening?” I ask him. “The man in the center there is Carson’s brother, Elliot. They aren’t going to hurt us. Just please don’t panic. We’ll be okay.” But Albert’s face is drawn and scared, and the fear in his voice doesn’t comfort me at all. The man without the gun, standing in the center of the group, steps forward. “Come out of the car,” he yells. “Or we’ll drag you out.” Albert rolls down his window. “Just let us pass,” he says. “Carson wants her home.” “Carson can go fuck himself,” Elliot sneers. “Get out, Albert.” He glances back at me then does as he’s told. He climbs out of the car and walks forward, hands in the air. As he approaches the group, two of the men walk toward him, slinging their rifles back over their chests.

Albert says something that I can’t hear, and then one of the men punches him in the gut. I gasp, covering my mouth, as another slugs him in the face. The men kick him a few times before Elliot stops them. They drag him off and throw him into the back of one of the cars. Elliot turns back and looks at me. Our eyes lock through the front windshield and a creepy, vicious smile lights up his face. Panic tears through me. I throw open the back door and jump out. Blindly, I start running away, out into the woods. “Don’t run!” Elliot calls after me. “You’ll die out there!” But I don’t listen. I just keep running, horrified and scared. They could have killed Albert. He looked limp as they dragged him off, and who knows what they did to him once he was in the back of that car. I can’t even imagine what they’d do to me and I don’t want to find out. I’m in full-on survival mode, though I don’t realize it. All I can think about is getting away. My heart is pounding and my breath comes in ragged gasps, and I can hear the men coming after me. Elliot

keeps yelling my name, but I don’t stop. I keep running blindly through the forest, my legs pumping as fast as they can. As I come around a tree and burst through a bunch of bushes, a blinding pain tears through my chest and I’m suddenly airborne. My body slams onto the ground and I gasp, groaning as pain rushes through me. It takes a second before I can roll onto my side. I look up and see the branch I ran directly into is slightly broken. I slowly get to my feet, and I don’t think anything is hurt seriously, just bruised. I stand there for a second, getting my breath, when I realize that I don’t hear the shouts anymore. I don’t move, straining to listen, and then I hear something. It’s the snap of a twig. “Hello?” I ask, backing up against a tree. “Don’t run.” Three men materialize around me. I scream, but one of the men grabs me. I struggle, but their hands grasp me and hold me, lifting me off my feet and dragging me. As we walk, I realize how pitifully far I got. It doesn’t take long before we’re back on the road. The three men dump me down onto the ground in front of Elliot. I groan, shaking my head. I’m so

stupid and pathetic. I got caught by a tree. Elliot walks over to me and crouches down in front of me. He forces me to look up at him, taking my chin in his hand. He doesn’t look like Carson at all, and I don’t really believe that they’re brothers. Elliot grins at me wickedly. “I told you not to run,” he says. “What do you want?” I ask him. “Just to talk.” “You didn’t have to hurt Albert,” I say. Elliot laughs. “Sure, I did. That guy is a fucking prick.” He lets go of my chin and stands up. “Let me go,” I say. “I’m not part of this.” “Oh, but you are part of this,” he says. “You got involved with my brother, making you very much part of this. Why are you here, Kylie Bell?” I frown and look away. He knows my name, which means he did his homework on me. “I just want to be left alone,” I say. “Too fucking bad.” Elliot looks down at me, arms crossed. “I want you to leave this town.” “Why?” I ask.

“Don’t speak again or I’ll have my men here fucking break your knees. I want you to leave this town and never come back. Do you understand? Nod if you do.” I nod once, staring at him, anger starting to replace my fear. “Good. Leave Juneau. Get out of Alaska. Never speak to my brother again.” “Why are you doing this?” I blurt out. His grin gets deeper, more menacing. “Because I hate to see Carson so fucking happy.” He signals at his guys and I cringe back, waiting for the blows. Instead, they get into the cars, leaving me there in the middle of the road. They drive off. Leaving me alone with the town car, Albert nowhere in sight. I gasp in breaths, trying to calm myself, before getting up and staggering over to the car. My body hurts from where I ran into the branch. There are no keys in the car anymore, and I realize that I’m stranded here. I vaguely know the way to Carson’s house, or at least the right direction. I pull out my phone, intending to call for help, but I want to scream when I see the screen. There’s no signal. Of course there’s no signal.

I start walking down the road. I have no other choice. Maybe someone will pick me up, or maybe I’ll find Carson’s place on my own. Either way, I know I’m not welcome here. Things just got so much more dangerous. I knew that there was a fight between Carson and Elliot, but I had no clue how bad things could get. I keep walking, refusing to let myself cry. I’ve cried enough lately. I’m a survivor, and I’ll survive this. I keep my head up and keep moving.

13

CARSON

T

he office is pretty much empty when I finally reach it. I stomp the snow from my boots and brush the cold from my jacket as I head toward accounting. Once there, I gather up the papers I need, and then head back toward my office. I sit down in my chair with a sigh. I don’t want to be at fucking work right now, but these accounts are too important to ignore. I start poring over the data, looking at the numbers. Something isn’t adding up. I pull out the files from the cabinet next to my secretary’s desk and start comparing them to the numbers Elliot gave accounting. There are clear issues between the two copies, and it looks like Elliot’s are all wrong.

But that makes no sense. I don’t know why he’d hand in numbers that are clearly all made up and don’t match the original contracts. I stare at the numbers for a second before getting out my phone and calling Elliot’s number. It rings a few times before he finally answers. “I was wondering when you’d call,” he says. I pause. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He laughs softly. “I assume you’re looking at my numbers.” Something feels off. He’s not trying to pretend like nothing happened. In fact, he seems like he knows exactly what happened. The implication there is he did it on purpose, but I can’t imagine why. “What’s your game this time, Elliot?” I practically growl at him. “You can throw away all that data,” he says, and the joy in his voice disturbs me. “I’ll submit the real numbers tomorrow. If I were you, I’d get on the road.” “What did you do?” I ask him softly, horror ringing through me. “Your little slut is stranded in the middle of the road and she sure looked cold. Better hurry, Carson.”

“What the fuck did you do?” I roar at him. “Get going,” Elliot says, laughing. I hang up the phone, rage boiling over, and call Albert. It rings, but he never answers. I call Kylie’s number, but it goes straight to voicemail. Finally, I call for a company car. I wish I could just get going, but I don’t have any other way to get home. I gather my things and wait a few minutes outside before the car finally pulls up. I give the driver instructions and he heads out. I’m anxious as anger boils through me. I don’t know what Elliot did, but if he hurt her, I’m going to kill him. It’s as simple as that. And I know that I can get away with it, too. I’ll hire someone to do it if I have to. But I’ll murder the bastard, slowly and painfully, and he’ll deserve it. He’s gone too far either way. Elliot has always been trying to sabotage me, but he’s never actually gone as far as attacking someone that I care about before. He usually tries to smear my image in public, or sometimes tries to sabotage my work output, but never something like this. He’s getting too erratic and dangerous. No matter what, this won’t go unanswered. I’m going to have to be a lot more careful from now on.

My own fucking brother. That’s the truly fucked up part of this, he’s my flesh and blood, my family. We used to be close a long time ago, when we were kids. Days spent playing with my brother were good days, and they still are good memories. But then we got older. My father sent us to the best private boarding school possible. I thrived there, made lots of friends, but Elliot always hated it. That’s when the resentment started. He resents my success, my popularity. He seems to think that it somehow holds him back. He wants to become the heir to my father’s fortune and the CEO position, but it’s actually much more than that. He wants to take everything away from me, because he thinks I’ve held him back for so long. For years I’ve wanted to try and mend the rift between us. I still remember the good Elliot, back before we were sent away to school and the anger started. For a long time, I missed my brother. But not anymore. As we drive up the mountain road, heading toward my house, I know that I have to let the memory of my brother go. I can’t keep holding onto the boy that my brother once was, because that boy is dead and buried. In his place, there’s this bastard man. This evil fucking bastard that will stop at nothing to destroy me, his own brother.

“Go slow,” I tell the driver as we pull off the main road. If Elliot did something to Kylie, she’s going to be around here somewhere. I lean forward, watching out the front windshield, anger and worry bubbling through me. Why did I have to leave her like that? If I were with her, things might be different. If she’s badly injured, I’ll never forgive myself, and I sure as hell will make sure Elliot dies. As we crawl forward, up ahead I spot something strange. I’m not sure what it is until we draw closer. It’s a car, just sitting in the middle of the road. “Stop,” I order the driver and then I jump out. My heart is hammering in my chest as I approach the car. There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s Albert’s. I recognize it as I slowly approach from the back. As I get closer, I realize that someone is sitting in the front seat absolutely motionless, bundled up in clothes. For a second, I think it might be a trap. I wish I had my gun with me, but unfortunately I left it at home. I creep up the side of the car, not sure what I’m about to see. Images of Kylie covered in blood flash through my mind.

I come up level with the window. Kylie looks back up at me, her eyes suddenly widening. “Kylie!” I say, pulling the door open. She jumps out and into my arms. “Carson,” she groans, hugging me tight. “Are you okay?” I ask her. “I’m okay,” she says. “Just cold. So freezing out here.” “Come on,” I say, leading her back toward my car. “What happened?” “Your brother,” she says. “He beat up Albert. Chased me. Stranded me here.” “Did he hurt you?” I look into Kylie’s eyes. She shakes her head. “I fell when I was running,” she says. “Wasn’t his fault.” “You shouldn’t have had to run to begin with.” “He had men,” she says. “Five of them. Maybe six. I can’t remember. They had guns.” I frown as I help her into the back seat of the car. I slide in next to her. “Take us back to my place and crank the heat,” I say to the driver. He nods and puts the divider up.

I realize that she’s shivering, and so I pull her close against me, trying to help warm her up. “Why didn’t you start the car?” I ask her. “They took the keys,” she says. “I wanted to walk back to your house, but I don’t know the way. I just had to hope someone would find me. So I stayed inside the car.” I nod. That was smart. She could easily have gotten lost on these back roads. If she did that, I wouldn’t have found her at all, and she might still be wandering in this cold. That could have killed her. It’s that bastard’s fault. He had men with guns with him, and poor fucking Albert. “Where’s Albert?” I ask her. “Elliot took him,” she says. “Is he alive?” She nods. “I think so.” “Okay. Tell me everything when we get back.” She nods and snuggles closer against me. I hold her tightly, trying to comfort her and warm her up, but inside I’m boiling over with rage. Once the driver pulls into the garage, I quickly get her out and inside. I instruct the driver to wait a

few minutes before heading back out, just in case it’s not safe to stay at my place. I make Kylie wait in the foyer before I go directly into my bedroom. I grab my gun, load it, and then make sure that the house is empty. Once I’m sure it’s safe, I bring her into the living room, wrap her in a blanket, and start a fire in the fireplace. When that’s done, I put on a kettle and pour myself a drink. “I’m okay, really,” she says to me as I pour her some tea. “Maybe you’re not hurt, but this isn’t okay,” I say. “None of this is okay.” I sit down next to her and she takes the tea gratefully. “Can you tell me what happened now?” She nods, sipping her drink. “We started driving down the road you found me on and there were cars blocking the way. Albert told me to say in the car and let him do the talking.” She stared into the fire, reliving the moment. “The men came for Albert, took him away. They beat him. That’s when I just started running, but I didn’t get far. I hit a tree branch and got knocked over. They dragged me back. Elliot stood over me, told me to warn you about something... I couldn’t

really listen, I was so afraid.” “It’s okay,” I say softly. “You’re safe now.” “I thought he was going to kill me. The men with guns, they just kept smiling at me. It was terrifying.” “Private security. Elliot hires them sometimes.” “Do you think Albert is okay?” she asks. “I doubt he’s dead, if that’s what you mean. We’ll take care of Albert, don’t worry.” She nods. “He didn’t deserve that. He was trying to protect me.” “I’m sure he was. I’ll reward him for this.” “Good.” She frowns, staring at the fire. “Why does he hate you so much, Carson?” I sigh and lean back into the couch. “It’s a long story. He wants my father’s position and resents everything I have. He blames me for his shortcomings. It’s... it’s a very old battle.” “I don’t understand why he’d do something like this.” I shake my head. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe he wants to scare you off.”

“He did tell me to leave,” she says softly. “It’s not you he wants to hurt, it’s me.” “Still... ” she says softly. “Maybe it would be better.” She looks at me, frowning. “If I left.” I sit up and lean against her. “No,” I say. “I won’t have that.” “If I’m hurting you. Making things harder for you. Maybe I should just go.” “You’re not hurting me,” I say softly. I take her chin and turn her face toward me. “You’re making things better.” “I don’t know,” she says. “Do you want to go? You can, if you want.” “I don’t want to,” she says quickly. I kiss her softly on the lips. “Good.” I move my hand then sip my drink as she leans against me, head on my shoulder. “I was terrified, Carson.” I shift away from her then take her shoulders, looking into her eyes. “I know you were,” I say. “I promise it won’t happen again.” “I believe you.”

“I swear.” I kiss her again. “He won’t come near you. And he’ll pay for this.” “Carson—” I interrupt her with a deeper kiss, and I feel it stir inside of me. She kisses me back, our bodies wrapping against each other, the fire crackling in front of us, and I know. I know this is what I want. Regardless of what’s happening with my family. Kylie is what I want, and I’m going to have it.

14

KYLIE

I

surprise myself by the way I respond to his kiss. As soon as his lips touch mine, my whole body explodes with an intensity I never expected. Desire wraps itself through me and I press myself harder against him. Maybe it’s because I came so close again to freezing to death or because he’s so clearly angry for me, I don’t know. But all I know is I want this man, need this man, and he’s the only thing that feels good to me right now. He groans softly as I climb on top of him, kissing him hard, letting my tongue enter his mouth. I want him to take me, have me, do whatever he wants with me, and I’m tired of waiting. I straddle him, hands on his firm chest, kissing him

hard. I can feel the heat between us, or maybe it’s the heat from the fireplace, but either way I know I can’t keep my clothes on for much longer. He grabs my hips and presses me down against him. He reaches up and takes my hair in one hand, tipping my head back, and kisses my neck. “This is what you want?” he whispers. “Yes,” I moan. His hands move over my breasts, cupping them as he kisses me again, and I feel the desire rush through me with an intensity I wasn’t expecting. He moves his hands down my body then cups my ass. I moan as he suddenly rolls to the side, putting my back against the couch, and stands. I look up at him, mouth hanging open, as he slowly begins to unbuckle his belt. “If you want this,” he says, “you’ll have to do as you’re told.” “I will,” I say, breathless, watching as he pulls the belt from his pants. He holds it in his hand, folded up, and I’m not sure what he’s going to do with it. “On your knees on the couch,” he says, “back to me.” I obey, turning my back to him, and kneeling on the

couch. I put my hands on the back of it to steady myself and I look over my shoulder at him. He steps up behind me, one hand on my hips, and puts the other on my right wrist. I feel his breath against my neck before he pulls my arm back and puts it behind my back. He takes my left wrist and pulls that back too. I lean forward, chest against the back of the couch. “If you want me to stop, say the word ‘homestead,’” he says. “Do you understand?” “Yes,” I say, and for a second I’m nervous. He takes the leather belt and wraps it effortlessly around my wrists. I watch him as best I can as he binds my wrists together, cinching the belt closed. It’s tight enough that I can’t slip out of it, but not so tight that it hurts. “Good girl,” he says, giving my ass a nice slap. “Now, get up.” He takes me by the hair and helps me stand. I get to my feet a bit awkwardly, letting him guide me by the hair. When I’m finally standing, he leads me over and stands me in front of the fire. He watches me for a second before slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He takes it off, revealing his

hard, muscular body. I watch him, desire pulsing through me, and I don’t want this to stop. He unbuttons his fly and pulls down his jeans, stepping out of them. “Perfect,” he says, stepping over to me. He runs his fingers up my legs. He cups my ass and pulls me against him, kissing my lips. I want to move my hands but can’t. I’ve never been tied up like this before, and at first I was afraid. But he’s being so gentle with me, and his body is so muscular and perfect, I can’t help but want it. He takes me by the wrists with one hand and grabs my hair with the other, pressing his body against mine. He’s so much larger than me, so confident and strong. His hands are rough from working with them, but they’re gentle and sure of themselves. And he makes me feel good, so fucking good it shocks me. “Call me daddy,” he whispers in my ear. “I can’t,” I say. He smirks at me, pulling back. “Obey me, or I’ll make you obey.” “No,” I say, blushing. I don’t know if I can actually say it to him.

“Good. I’d rather punish you.” He takes me by the wrists again and roughly pulls me back to the couch. He pushes me down onto my knees again, this time spreading my legs wide. I’m dripping wet and glistening in the firelight as he kneels down behind me. He takes my panties and slides them down my legs, leaving them around my thighs, stretched between my spread legs. I feel him grab my hips and I don’t know what he’s going to do. And then I feel his tongue between my legs and I gasp. It’s soft and warm as he slowly licks up my pussy all the way along to my ass. I moan, shocked that he’s licking me there, as he slides his tongue back down along my pussy. It feels so fucking good, shockingly good, as he licks and laps me, sucking my pussy juice, tongue sliding inside of me. I can’t help but moan and struggle against the belt. I want to grab his hair, or grip the couch, but I’m held firm. He grabs my wrists with one hand before licking my pussy again. He pulls back then slaps my ass with his free hand. He stands and I look back at him shocked. He slaps me again, this time harder. “Carson!” I moan.

“You thought this would be all fun and pleasure?” he asks, eyes intense. “You’re being punished, young lady. You thought I was just going to suck this wet cunt until you came?” “I don’t know,” I whine, and he slaps me again, harder this time. I gasp as the pain tingles up my spine. His fingers suddenly press inside of me, transforming that tingling pain into hot pleasure. It’s confusing as I wiggle back against his fingers. He slides them in and out then he slaps my ass again, even harder, before pressing them back deep inside of me. I gasp, shocked at how the pain and the pleasure mingle. There’s barely a difference between them, and it all just makes the pleasure that much sweeter. His fingers are buried deep into my pussy as he grabs my hair and tips my head back. I feel his lips against my ear. “Say it now, or I won’t give you what you want,” he whispers deliciously. “What do I want?” I ask him. “You want me to get you off. You want my thick cock between your legs.” “No,” I moan, though we both know I’m lying. He pulls my hair harder, fingers sliding in and out of

me. “Your dripping wet cunt says you’re a lying little slut,” he responds. “Call me daddy. I’ll make you feel good.” “No,” I moan, and wiggle away from him, but he pins me back to the back of the couch. “Don’t act like you want to escape,” he says. He slaps my ass again before sliding his fingers up along my pussy to my wet clit, rubbing them in circles. “I can make this so much worse for you, dirty fucking girl. Stop pretending like you’re not a slut with her panties stretched between her legs, dripping wet and moaning for me in my living room. Call me daddy.” “I won’t,” I groan, though I don’t know how much longer I can resist. His fingers on my clit make me feel so fucking good. He takes his other hand and presses his fingers into my mouth. I suck them greedily, losing myself, as his other fingers press deep inside of my pussy again. He moves back away from me suddenly then spanks my ass. He does it again, and again, and then presses his fingers inside of me. He tips my hair back one more time, and I’m losing it, I can

barely control myself. “Say it, you filthy fucking slut,” he whispers. “Call me daddy. Let me give you want you want.” “Fuck me, daddy,” I moan. “Oh shit, please. I need it. Fuck me deep.” He pulls back and I hear him slide his underwear off. “Good girl,” he says, and then I feel him press his cock against my tight pussy. I look back over my shoulder the moment he presses himself inside of me. I gasp as shock fills me. He’s huge, way larger than I thought, and his cock stretches me apart. I can barely take him, but he slides himself slowly into my soaking pussy. If I weren’t so damn wet, I don’t know if I could even handle him. But I can, and I do. It hurts at first, but he reaches around my hips to rub my clit as he slowly fills me. Gently and slowly, he spreads me apart, tears me to pieces, and rubs my clit, making the pleasure and the pain mix in my mind. “Good,” he whispers, finally fully inside of me. “I wasn’t sure this tight little pussy would take it all, but you’re being so good. You may be a filthy slut, but you’re a good slut.” I moan, loving the way he talks to me as he slides

back out. He thrusts into me again, this time a little harder, a little rougher, as his fingers continue to work my clit in delightful circles. I feel like I’m losing my mind, but he doesn’t let up, doesn’t hold back. Slowly I begin to work back against him. The pain begins to subside and pleasure replaces it as my pussy gets used to his size. He senses this and begins to fuck me harder. He takes my wrists, holding onto the belt, and pulls me back against him. His other hand teases my breasts over my shirt, feeling them but leaving my top on. I like that I’m half naked, just my slick pussy ready for him. He thrusts into me deeper, harder, and he puts two fingers in my mouth again. I suck on them as he fucks me deep from behind, loving every moment of it, barely able to control myself. I buck back against him and bite his fingers and he grunts in pain. He pulls his fingers out then slaps my ass, nice and hard, making me moan. “You like that, don’t you?” he asks. “Yes, daddy,” I admit. “Fuck,” he growls. “I love hearing that come out of your dirty fucking mouth. God, I’m going to come in this tight little cunt, fill you up.”

“Please,” I moan. “Fuck me. Go ahead. Fuck me harder.” He grabs my hair then slams into me, not holding back anymore. I gasp and it’s exactly what I want, what I need. His hands pull my hair, slap my ass, and I know I can’t go anywhere. I’m bound up with my hands behind my back as he’s fucking me rough from behind, taking me like I’m his plaything. That’s exactly what I am. He’s my daddy and I’m his little toy, ready to be fucked whenever he wants me, ready to fill. I’ll be his dirty slut as long as he wants me. I can feel the orgasm beginning to build as he thrusts into me, slamming into me with a restless power that doesn’t hold back. I feel like I can barely breathe as he pulls my hair back, like every breath is a gasp as pleasure wars inside of me, pressing against the pain, driving me absolutely insane. I know I can’t hold back anymore. I start pressing back against him wildly, needing every inch of his cock inside of me, needing to slide along his hard shaft. “That’s right,” he growls. “Ride that fucking cock.” He slaps my ass hard.

“I’m going to come,” I gasp. “Carson, please, don’t stop.” “Good,” he grunts, pulling my hair again. “Come for me, you filthy girl. You’ve been thinking about this since we met, so go ahead, come on this big fucking cock.” The orgasm explodes through me, driving me into pure ecstasy. I lose myself completely, and everything that’s happened is completely forgotten. In this moment, there’s only pure pleasure and our bodies pushing against each other, sweating and riding through the night. I feel him stiffen and his thrusts get more intense as his own groans get louder. I know he’s coming and I want him to fill me, to get every last drop in my tight little pussy. Slowly our movements come to an end and he slides himself out of me. He pulls me back and kisses my lips hard as he unbuckles the belt and releases my wrists. When I’m free, I turn toward him and kiss him hard, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. I’m totally lost in the moment. My orgasm still lingers in my mind. His body is hard and we’re both sweating. The fire feels like a million degrees, but I don’t care. I’m with Carson, in his house, in his

beautiful house, and I’m safe. I’m happier than I’ve ever been before. We collapse onto the couch together and he kisses me softly. “How was that?” he asks me. “Everything okay?” I nod once. “Everything’s okay.” “Good.” He kisses me again. “I want to take care of you. You know that, right?” “I know,” I say, and I believe him. “Good.” He kisses me again then wraps his arms around me. I refuse to let my mind drift back into the fear and uncertainty. Instead, I just enjoy this moment, this simple and perfect moment. I don’t let anything else spoil it. There’s just me and him.

15

CARSON

I

t’s still dark when I wake up the next morning. My mind instantly races back over the events of the night before, both good and bad. After getting Kylie from the car and finally sleeping together, we drank a bottle of wine and talked about our lives. She started falling asleep soon after that, though, so I took her to bed and left her in her room. I figured she’d want to wake up there, even though I wanted to bring her into my own bed. I don’t want to push it, not yet at least. And so I climb out of my bed and get dressed, plans for the day already forming. I suspect Kylie is going to sleep in. I leave her a

note in the kitchen then dress and head outside. The sun is just starting to peek up over the horizon as I climb into my truck. I sit behind the wheel for a moment before taking the gun from the waistband of my jeans and checking to make sure that it’s loaded. Satisfied, I slip it onto the passenger side seat and start the engine. Last night was about Kylie and making sure that she’s okay. I wanted to make sure I made her feel good and safe and warm. But today is about my brother and getting revenge for what he did. I don’t have a plan, not a clear one yet anyway. What he did was fucked up and illegal, and part of me wants to contact the sheriff. That might not be a good idea, though, since the sheriff’s office is so deeply tangled up with my family. I’m not sure how much Elliot has been bribing him, so he may not even listen to me. That’s one option. The other option is to drive to Elliot’s house and kill him. I don’t know how much I’d have to bribe the sheriff to cover that one up, though. I keep driving, my mind a blizzard of conflicting ideas and desires. I glance at the clock on the dash and nod to myself. Late last night, before going to

bed, I called a guy I know that works private security and hired a bunch of guys to watch over Kylie. Elliot isn’t going to get close to her, not ever again. They should have just arrived at the house. As if on cue, my phone buzzes with a text from my friend, letting me know that everything is okay back home. I feel a little bit better knowing that she’s safe, although I wish I could be back there with her. I’d rather sleep in late with Kylie in my arms, maybe take a long bath with her then go for a hike. Maybe I’d cook her breakfast in bed, or make her a nice dinner or something like that. Something fucking normal and comfortable and fun. Instead, I’m thinking about murdering my brother. I pull up outside of the house after about twenty minutes of driving. It’s a small house on the outskirts of Juneau, not a fancy place, but it’s my first stop for the day. I climb out of the truck and walk up the front walkway, feeling more nervous than I thought I would. I knock on the door and wait. After a minute, there’s some noise inside, and the door opens. Albert’s wife looks out at me. “Morning, Mona,” I say.

She frowns. “What do you want, Carson?” “I wanted to see how Albert’s doing.” “He’s not doing great.” She stares at me, her expression icy. “I know that. I’m sorry. I never expected it to go this far.” “When are you calling the sheriff?” she asks. “Albert was brutally beaten, you know. His ribs are broken.” “I know,” I say. “I feel responsible. I’m here to apologize.” “Take your apology and shove it up your—“ “Mona!” Albert’s voice cuts into the conversation. “Let him inside.” She frowns for a second then opens the door and steps aside. “You don’t deserve him,” she murmurs as I walk past her. I grunt, basically in agreement. Albert is sitting in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee. He grins at me as I step in. “Sorry about that, sir,” he says. I sigh. “Least of what I deserve,” I answer.

“Nonsense. You didn’t kick my ribs in, did you?” “No. But you were in that car because of me.” “I was in that car because I’m a driver. It was your bastard brother and his asshole men that did this to me.” I sit down across from him. “I’m going to pay your medical bills.” “Not necessary.” “I insist.” “Really, I have good insurance. Didn’t cost a penny.” I sigh, shaking my head. “At least let me pay you for the time you’re missing.” He grins. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that.” I smile a little bit, feeling better. “Listen, Kylie sends her regards. She’s sorry for what happened, but she feels like you saved her life. She’s grateful.” “I didn’t do anything but get my ass kicked.” “True. But she told me to send this.” I place an envelope on the table in front of him. He takes it and opens it. “No,” he says, shaking his head. “No way.”

“Take it,” I say. “I can’t. How much is this?” “Just a few thousand.” “Carson.” I hold up a hand. “Please, Albert. Take it.” He sighs. Mona comes into the kitchen, plucks the envelope from his hand, and looks at me. “We’ll take it,” she says, and then leaves. Albert laughs. “Woman knows what she’s about,” he says. I grin myself. “Good. I’m glad you’re taken care of.” He nods then winces in pain. He leans back in his chair and sighs. “What about you?” he asks. “Who’s taking care of you?” “Nobody,” I say. “And I don’t need it, either.” “This thing between you and your brother... it’s had the town divided for years, you know that?” I nod slowly. “I know.” “Don’t let him tear this place apart. But most of all, don’t let him take you down with him.”

“He nearly killed you,” I say, my face straight. “He nearly killed Kylie.” “True,” he says. “He deserves what I give him.” “Maybe.” He winces again and shrugs. “But you don’t deserve any of it.” I nod and stand. “Feel better. Come back to work when you’re ready.” “I will, sir.” I shake his hand and then head out of the kitchen, his words ringing in my ears. Mona gives me a look as I leave and I can’t help but grin to myself. I’ll have to avoid her for the rest of my life, I’m sure. I get back into my truck and fire up the engine before pulling back out into the road. I reach across the seat and feel the revolver I have tucked into the cushion. Albert’s right. This feud, or whatever the fuck it is, has been tearing people apart in this town for years. But that’s because I’ve let it. I haven’t pushed back against Elliot because I’ve felt guilty, but for what? For being fucking older and more successful? I won’t let him do it anymore. I just take it from him. I could roll over and let him have this whole

fucking town, but he doesn’t deserve it, no more than anyone else does. Elliot lives in a house closer to town along the water. It’s another fifteen-minute drive and the neighborhood changes drastically as I get close to his place. The houses are all larger here, farther apart, though it’s still technically the city limits. This is the rich part of town. It’s a big gated place with lots of street lights and virtually no crime. I could live here, if I wanted, with all the other rich oil men. But I choose to live up in the mountains, away from these bastards, because I never felt like I fit in. I pull up to Elliot’s place and hit the buzzer on the intercom. Usually someone replies, but today the gate just swings open, letting me in. I don’t know what I’m going to do here, but when I park the truck out front, I slip the revolver into my jeans. I cover it with my shirt before stepping out and heading inside. Elliot meets me in the entrance hall. His house is a gaudy thing, high ceilings and a useless pediment over the top of the front door. There’s an enormous staircase and a baby grand piano on the first floor that never gets played. Elliot meets me there, standing halfway down the stairs with a shit-eating

grin on his face. Rage flows through me. I reach back slightly, ready to draw my weapon, but I pause. Why the hell did he let me in like this? He knows that I know. He’s well aware that I’m going to be angry as fuck and want to hurt him very badly. He doesn’t seem upset or uneasy at all, and he should be. We’re very much alone, and I could do anything to him right now. I take a deep breath and look around. The place seems empty, but there’s something wrong about that. Elliot has kids, two little girls, but they’re nowhere to be seen. Normally they’re running around or watching television, but the place is quiet. “Where’re the girls?” I ask him. His smile falters. “They’re out with their mother.” “Why?” I ask him. “What do you care?” He grins again. “You’re here for a little revenge, I take it.” I move my hand away from my gun. This is a trap. I don’t know how or why, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a trap. He wants me to do something rash and violent right now.

“I’m here to warn you,” I say, improvising. “About what?” He takes a step down the stairs, closer to me. “If you push me again, I will hurt you. I’m done being your brother, Elliot. I’m done going easy on you.” He sneers at me, and I sense his own anger rising. “You go easy on me?” He laughs, rueful and sickening. “You’re a joke, Carson.” “You’ve been warned. I tried to ignore your shit for years. I put up with it, told myself it would all go away, that we could go back to being brothers. But we can’t, can we?” “Can we?” he mocks, coming down to the bottom of the steps. “No, we can’t, you stupid piece of shit. We haven’t been brothers for a long time.” That pierces me, and I know it’s true. We haven’t been brothers for a long time, not since we were children. Twenty years or more we haven’t been brothers, but I haven’t been able to admit it to myself. Not anymore. I can see him for what he is. “Good,” I say. “I’m glad. I don’t have to feel bad when I crush you.”

“Come on, where’s the anger, you pussy!” he says, getting hysterical. I step back away from him, looking around. “I nearly killed your beloved driver. I scared and hurt your girl. You’re just going to take it?” There’s movement in the room beyond the staircase. It’s brief, but there’s definitely somebody back there. I step back toward the door and grab the handle, not turning my back. Elliot keeps coming toward me. “You’ve been out for me from the start, always trying to destroy me, always taking what you think belongs to you. But it’s my turn, Carson. I’m going to take your woman, your driver, everything you own, and I’m going to burn it all to the ground. I’ll cut your pretty little girlfriend’s throat and I’ll make you watch.” Two men step into the hallway, both holding guns, both coming straight toward us. I push the handle down and stumble out the front door, stumbling back down the front steps. I grab the gun from my jeans but before I can draw it, the men grab Elliot and start pulling him away. “Let me go!” he screams, rage driving him now. “He’s going to hit me, just watch! We’ll get it on camera and he’ll be done. Come on, Carson, you fucking pussy, come at me!”

As the men pull Elliot away, I slip the gun back into my jeans and walk to the car. I get behind the wheel, start the engine, and pull away. As I put some distance between me and the insane and ranting Elliot, I realize what happened back there. He must have had cameras wired all over, recording everything. He probably assumed I’d attack him, beat him up, hurt him, whatever. He had men nearby to stop it if it went too far. He was going to use that tape to show our father or maybe to blackmail me in court. Doesn’t matter what he was going to do with them, but I know he was trying to provoke me. I didn’t take his bait. I’m lucky that I had such a bad feeling to start out with, because otherwise I would have fallen right into his trap. I wanted to hurt him, wanted to go after him, and the only thing holding me back was that sinking feeling. And the moment I glanced at the men in the back room. At least now I know what lengths Elliot will go to. The person that was once my brother is dead and gone, completely dead and gone, and I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I don’t have to restrain myself. I don’t feel bad. That man back there is not my brother. He’s a

person that’s going to try and do anything he can to hurt me, including coming after the people I care about. For Albert’s sake, for Kylie’s sake, for the sake of the whole town, and for my own sake, I’m going to break Elliot into a thousand pieces and piss on his grave.

16

KYLIE

I

wake up with the light streaming in through the windows, drenched in sweat, my heart racing in my chest.

In the dream, I was alone on a raft in the middle of the ocean. I knew there was something below me in the water, something big, something enormous, but I didn’t know what it was. If I stayed on the raft, I’d be okay, but it was going to swallow me whole if I got into the water. The ocean began to get violent as a storm rolled into the area. Carson was with me, and then it was my father, and then my father was the thing in the water. At some point, the raft was a canoe, and the whole ocean was trying to throw me into the water. I heard the voice of Elliot, laughing at my pain.

And then I woke up. I sit there breathing deeply, trying to get myself together. I hate having nightmares. I thought I might be past this, since I’m safe with Carson now, but apparently I’m not. I don’t know if I ever will outgrow it, but I hope that I do soon. I stretch and slowly get out of bed. I don’t remember coming into my room the night before. I was a little tipsy from the wine, and exhausted from the excitement. Carson must have carried me here. I go into the bathroom and get into the shower. Excitement runs down my spine at the thought of Carson. I finally got to know what it would feel like to sleep with him, and it was so much better than I expected. I thought he’d be good, better than good, but it was something else. Something totally unexpected. The way he wrapped my wrists up was skillful and gentle. He clearly knows what he’s doing, and I like it. He’s dominant, controlling, and the way he talks dirty to me sends shivers down my spine. It’s totally filthy and wrong, but for some reason I love it. I finish my shower and towel off before getting dressed and heading out into the main part of the house.

There’s nobody there. I expected to see Carson, but he’s nowhere in sight. I want to panic for a second, but I force myself to stay calm. He wouldn’t leave me here if I were in any danger. I check the kitchen and find the note he left me on the counter. I sigh, sitting down on a stool, and stretch my legs. He’ll be back soon, and everything will be okay. I busy myself making some breakfast and straightening up from the night before. I rinse out some glasses and toss the empty bottle into the recycling. I muse to myself that I’m starting to feel very comfortable in this strange man’s home, which I never would have guessed. I didn’t have much growing up. My father made a living, but it wasn’t much of one. He drank away any extra money he made, and so I had to get jobs as soon as I possibly could just to afford school supplies and clothes. My father didn’t care if I showed up in shoes that were falling apart, just so long as I left the house and didn’t bother him. My old house could fit twice inside of Carson’s place. My room alone is like the size of my old living room. It’s totally bizarre how I went from living with an abusive father in basically poverty to this beautiful place.

I walk across the living room and stand in front of the enormous window looking out over the snowcovered trees. Carson is out there somewhere in the city, and I wonder what he’s doing. I can probably guess, but I hope he’s being safe at the very least. I don’t want him to get hurt or to do something stupid just because of what happened. I get a tinge of fear when I think about that, but I force myself not to dwell on it. Carson has been so good to me. I can handle a little adversity in my life. I’ve survived a lot so far. I can remember one night, my father came home with a load on, drunk out of his mind. He had lost his Christmas bonus in a card game, and he was looking to blame someone for his bad luck. Of course, he blamed me. It started with him yelling, and when I tried to lock myself in my room to get away from him, he broke the door down. He blamed me for the broken door, and ended up beating me until both of my eyes were black and swollen. I couldn’t leave the house for two weeks after that. I didn’t want to explain what happened to me, and people would have asked questions. He was surprisingly quiet about the whole thing, although he did all the cleaning and cooking and shopping for once, at least until my bruises healed.

That didn’t stop him from hitting me again, of course. As soon as he got drunk and forgot about what happened, he hit me again, and again, and again. I got out, though. I don’t need to keep thinking about him and what he did to me. I got out and he can’t hurt me ever again. I take a deep breath, looking out over the landscape, and I clear my mind. I feel at peace, strangely at peace, in this place. I never thought I’d like Alaska, and at first it seemed harsh and horrible. But the more I’m in this house and with Carson, I start to see the beauty all around me. I start to understand why people want to live in this place, at the end of the world, secluded from everyone else. The trees covered in snow, the wind through the forest, it feels like we’re all alone and nobody can ever hurt us. I walk back into the kitchen, smiling, and pull out the recycling bin. I carry it with a little difficulty out into the garage. It’s freezing cold because the garage door is open as I head over to the recycling can. I dump the bin into the can and as I turn to go back inside, something catches my eye.

I freeze, motionless, fear slicing through me. I stare out into the woods and yes, that’s it, I see it again. It’s a man wearing all black. I think he has a gun, but I can’t really tell. He’s standing out in the trees, moving between them, and he’s watching me. I can’t see his eyes but I know he’s watching me. I stifle a scream. Instead, I run back inside and slam the door. I lock it before running to the front door and locking that one as well. Panic rising through me, I grab my phone and dial Carson’s number. “Come on,” I mumble as it rings. Finally, he answers. “Hello?” he says. “Carson,” I say, everything coming out in a rush, “I took out the recycling and there was a man in the woods. I think he was watching me, I think he had a gun, I think it might be your brother again. I locked—“ “Kylie,” he says, cutting into my story. “Kylie, hold on, please. Calm down.” “He’s out there with a gun. Carson, where are you?” “You’re not in danger,” he says clearly and slowly. “I hired those men.” I pause for a second. “You hired them?”

“That’s right,” he says. “I know a guy in the security business. I hired some men to watch the place and keep Elliot away. They’re there to protect you.” I take a deep breath and feel the panic subside slightly. “Are you sure?” I ask. “He had a gun. He was watching me.” “I’m sure,” he says softly. “They’ve been there since I left. I told them not to bother you, but maybe that was a mistake. I should have warned you. I’m sorry.” I take a deep breath and let it out. I stare out the window again, trying to get the calm I felt just a few minutes ago, but that’s totally gone now. My heart is still beating and I can feel the rush of adrenaline still inside of me. “Okay,” I say finally. “I’m on my way home,” he says. “You’ll be okay?” “Yes,” I say, sighing and shaking my head. “That just scared the shit out of me.” He laughs and I can’t help but smile a little bit. “Be strong, I’ll be there soon.” I hang up the phone and shake my head, annoyed but relieved. Just then, there’s a knock at the front

door, making me jump. I grumble to myself and walk up to it. I look through the little window and a man wearing all black looks back at me. He’s in his forties, in pretty good shape, with receding hair and brown eyes. “Ma’am,” he says. “My name is Nick Sloan. I’m the commanding officer assigned to your house.” I unlock the door and open it a crack. “Hi Nick,” I say. “I’m Kylie.” “I’m sorry if I scared you, ma’am,” he says. “That was not intentional. I was under the impression that you knew we were out here.” I laugh a little and open the door some more. Nick has a rifle slung over his shoulder, but otherwise he looks totally harmless, like someone’s gruff dad or something. “I had no clue,” I say. “I had a little scare yesterday that left me on edge.” “We’re aware of the situation,” he says. “And let me promise you that nothing bad will happen while we’re here.” “Thank you, Nick,” I say. He nods. “If you need us, just yell. We’ll hear you.”

“Got it. Thanks again.” He gives me a nod then turns and walks back toward the forest. I watch him for a second before shutting the door softly. As I walk back into the kitchen, I can’t help but realize that he’s probably only five years older than Carson, which is pretty strange. Instantly I thought of that man out there as an adult, as a father figure. I see Carson as an older man, someone mature and strong and capable, but not as just some random dad or something like that. It’s really hard to articulate, even to myself. Carson has all those features. He’s an older man, calmer, more in charge, dominating. He’s also handsome and in amazing shape. But I see most older men in a certain light, like they’re all just a bunch of asexual dads. I don’t see Carson that way, not at all. True, Carson is only in his late thirties, and that guy out there is probably in his forties, but still. I can’t help but see the strangeness of this situation. If I step back from it and really look at it, I can’t pretend like the strangeness doesn’t exist. But Carson somehow cuts through all of that and shines instead, makes me want to stay here, makes me want to weather the dangers.

It seems worth it, but I can’t exactly put any of it into words.

17

CARSON

W

hen I pull up to the house, I force myself to put all of my negative thoughts out of my mind. I’m still angry, fucking fuming about my brother, but I can’t take that out on Kylie. I climb out of the truck and spot one of the security guys. I give him a nod and he waves back. I smile a little bit and feel bad that they scared Kylie, but at least she’s safe and protected when I’m not around. I head back inside and stomp the snow off my shoes as I open the garage door. “Kylie?” I call out. “In here!” I follow the sound of her voice and find her

wrapped up in a blanket on the couch. She looks up at me, an annoyed smile on her face. “Hey,” I say, and sit down next to her. She puts her head on my shoulder. “You should have told me about the guards.” “I’m sorry,” I say, laughing. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack.” “Did they say anything?” “The lead guy came to the door,” she says. “His name is Nick. Seems nice.” “They’re good. You’ll be safe with them around.” “Probably. I just don’t know how safe I am with you.” For a second, I don’t realize that she’s joking around, but when I see the smile on her face I relax. “I have an idea,” I say suddenly. “Let’s get out of this house. Take a little drive. What do you think”?” “Sure,” she says. “I’m sick of sitting around in this place anyway.” “What, is my house not good enough for you?” She laughs and stands. “Nope, not at all.” She

heads back down the hallway and I hear her door shut. I smile to myself and stretch my legs out. About ten minutes later she emerges wearing an appropriately warm outfit. We head back outside and get into the truck before pulling out onto a back road that leads further up the mountain. “Did you grow up around here?” she asks me. “When I was young, I did,” I say. “We lived that way.” I point to the east, down closer to the city. “Did you come up here often?” “Sometimes,” I say. “Though my father used to say that the mountains are for the workers and the poor, and we’ll be neither of those.” She laughs a little. “Your dad sounds like a character.” “Imagine the most stereotypical rich guy you can. Now make him even more stuck up and conservative, and that’s my father.” She laughs, looking out the window. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” “It’s okay,” I say. “He sent us to boarding school so we didn’t see him much.”

“You and your brother?” I nod. “We were close back then. For a while at least.” “What happened?” she asks softly. “I don’t know,” I admit. “Something changed in him. Father always gave me more attention, more training, mostly because he assumed that I’d take over one day. I think Elliot resented that.” “I can see how he might,” she says, cocking her head at me. “But it wasn’t your fault.” “No,” I say. “It wasn’t. Maybe I could have done more back then... reached out more. But I didn’t. And now we’re here.” “Where were you earlier?” she asks, barely a whisper. I pause, not sure what I want to tell her. I don’t want her to know that I went to Elliot’s place with a mind to kill him and nearly walked right into his trap. But I don’t want to lie to her. I want her to understand the situation we’re in. “I went to see Elliot,” I say. “Oh shit,” she says. “Carson, what happened?” “Nothing,” I say, which is mostly true. “He tried to

goad me into attacking him and it nearly worked.” “But you didn’t?” “I didn’t,” I say. We come around a bend and I put the truck into a low gear. The trees start to thin out as we get higher and higher, and the spot I want to stop at is coming up. There’s a small pull-off on the side of the road that goes down a dirt path. I take the truck down it carefully and conversation stops for a second as I navigate the path. Finally, we move through the trees and I bring the truck to a stop. We sit there in silence overlooking a deep valley. Instead of Juneau spreading out in front of us, like the view from my house, this one is much different. It’s all forest. There’s a river down in the middle of the valley, and there are a few scattered homes out there, but for the most part it’s virgin Alaskan forest, populated by bears and crazy people. “This is amazing,” she says softly. “This is the real Alaska,” I respond. “Dangerous, wild, and beautiful. Nothing is easy out here. But I think it’s worth it.” She nods and looks at me. “It’s funny you say that.

I was thinking the same this morning.” I smile at her a little and lean toward her. I take her hand in mine and look into her eyes. “I want you to know that you can leave at any time,” I say. “I want to take care of you, to keep you. But I don’t know if you want to get involved in what’s happening.” “Carson,” she says softly. “Wait, let me finish. This thing with Elliot is going to get worse before it gets better. You’ve been through enough already in your life. You don’t need to get in the middle of this fight. So if you want to back out, I won’t take offense.” “I don’t want to back out,” she says, shaking her head. “I really don’t.” “I don’t know what Elliot is going to try and do. He’s going to smear you, that’s for sure. I can’t stop him from doing that, although I’ll try.” “It’s okay,” I say, laughing. “I’ve heard worse. From my own father.” “It’s going to be in the press. On the television. Lies about you, most likely. But it’ll be all over town.” “Are you trying to convince me to leave?” she asks, laughing a little.

“No,” I say. “I just want you to understand what it means when you stay.” “It means that I don’t want to leave, that’s all,” she says. “You saved me when you didn’t have to... ” She trails off, shaking her head. I reach out and take her cheek in my hand, pulling her toward me. I kiss her gently, enjoying her taste, feeling a strange sense of melancholy warping through me. I wish she understood what it means if she stays, but I can’t explain it, because even I don’t fully know. But Elliot will try to destroy her. I know he will, just as he’ll try to destroy me. He’ll use her against me, and in the process it may tear her apart. I won’t let that happen. I kiss her more deeply, tasting her, really tasting her, and suddenly I know that I need her. Right here, in this moment, I need her. I reach across the truck and grab her hair, tipping her head back. She gasps as I kiss her neck, my other hand exploring her body, slowly sliding down toward her jeans. I unbutton the top button and unzip them as she gasps. My fingers slide into her panties, finding her pussy. “I’m a little surprised,” I say softly.

“What?” she asks, already a little breathless. “You’re wet.” I smirk and kiss her bottom lip. “Very fucking wet.” “I am not,” she protests weakly. I laugh and slide two fingers deep inside of her dripping pussy. All of the stress and anger that I’ve been feeling since last night evaporates into thin air the second I feel her. She moans and I kiss her again, fucking starving for her, needing it more than I could have guessed. She suddenly moves toward me and unbuckles my belt. She fumbles at it for a second but finally manages to open my jeans. I grunt as she reaches down and finds my hard cock, gently sliding it out of my boxer briefs and stroking it. She kisses me once, biting my lip and then pulls back, moving her head down. She takes my cock between her lips and slowly slides it into her mouth. I groan as pleasure floods through me. I lace my fingers through her hair as she sucks my cock, letting it slide into her throat, or at least trying to. She wants to take as much as she can and the fact that she tries so fucking hard makes my blood pound in my ears. There’s nothing sexier than a woman sucking cock with enthusiasm, and Kylie

seems like she’s fucking starving. I press her down, making my cock slide into her throat, and she lets me. She holds back a gag as I slide into her and I groan, mind completely lost. She pulls back, gasping in a breath, and strokes my cock. “Take off your pants,” I say. “Right now. Panties too.” She bites her lip and obeys, sliding her jeans and panties off. When she’s done, she reaches over and keeps stroking me. But I’m impatient. Last night was a different kind of sex. It was slower, more deliberate, but this is just straight dirty fucking. I slide my seat back as far as it’ll go then grab her hips and pull her on top of me. She straddles me, her back to the steering wheel. She kisses me as I slowly slide her down over my cock, teasing her soaking pussy for a second before sinking myself inside of her. “Shit,” she groans as she slides down my length. “I need to get used to that.” I grab her hair, tipping her head back. “Yeah, you do,” I say.

She starts riding me, slowly at first, clearly getting used to my size. I let her take it easy, although all I want is to pound my cock into her delicious tight cunt. I hold back though, waiting for her to be ready. I kiss her neck, her lips, bite them softly, let my tongue slide against hers, as she gradually moves faster and faster. Soon I reach down and grab her ass, cupping it, spreading her open, and begin to really fuck her the way I want. She throws her head back, hands bracing herself against the roof of the truck, as I thrust into her tight little pussy. She’s so fucking wet and hot that I can barely hold myself back as I rip into her. My mind is completely lost and I need it, need it so fucking badly. She throws her head back, moans escaping her lips loudly, her hips working in time with mine. There’s nothing graceful or slow about this, we both just want to fuck until we come, because it’s the best way to forget about all the bullshit around us. She knows as well as I do, and we let our bodies do the work. I grab her hips, working her, and she leans forward, wrapping her arms around my neck. She kisses me deeply as I fuck her. Her hips work back and forth, sliding herself against mine, working in delicious circles as I fuck her.

Soon, the car’s windows are covered in fog, but it doesn’t matter. Nobody comes back here. It’s just me and Kylie and the wilderness, a wild expanse down below us. We’re completely alone in the world right now, and that idea energizes me. I grab her hair and slap her ass, nice and fucking hard, as I continue to pound into her pussy. I can feel her body respond, moving faster, bucking harder against me. I know she’s close and I don’t let up. “Go ahead,” I whisper in her ear. “Come for me, Kylie. Come on my big fat cock.” “Yes, daddy,” she moans, practically a groan, as I continue to fuck her. I watch her face go slack and her whole body tense as the orgasm washes over her. I love the expression on her face, pure pleasure and ecstasy as she comes. There’s nothing fucking sexier, and just like the night before, that look shoves me right over the edge. My own orgasm explodes through me like a rocket. I come deep inside of her tight little pussy, filling her up. I grab her hips and hold them tight as we keep working together, moving through the end of our orgasm, the pleasure slowly drifting away. When we finish, she collapses onto my chest. I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight, the

pleasure still ringing through my body. I don’t know how I can feel this good. I’ve never felt this good before in my entire life, and I’ve been with plenty of beautiful women. For some reason, they all pale in comparison to Kylie. When she calls me daddy, I feel something I can’t really explain, some kind of intense possessiveness, but it’s not just that. I’m not a jealous and crazy man. But with Kylie, there’s a sense of protectiveness and possession, and I can’t deny that. I want to own her, to make her mine completely, to take care of her and make sure nothing bad ever happens again. I don’t know how I got here. Only a few days ago I was myself, single and feeling good about it. I never wanted to get married in my entire life and didn’t care if my father looked down on that decision. I still don’t want to get married, but settling down doesn’t seem so horrible. I don’t know what I’m thinking. Maybe it’s just the post sex glow making me think these insane things. I barely know this girl, she just walked into my life, and already I’m thinking about settling down. It’s absolutely crazy. But it’s the truth. I don’t know why, but having Kylie resting against me like this is the best feeling in the entire fucking world. I wouldn’t change it for

a fucking thing. Elliot won’t take this away from me. He won’t take anything away from me, not if I can stop him. I’m going to have what I want.

18

KYLIE

W

e rest together in his truck for a while, enjoying the glow of our orgasms. I’m in no rush to get dressed again, but eventually I slide off him and pull my panties and my jeans back on. He smiles at me. “I wish you wouldn’t do that.” “Do what?” “Get dressed.” I laugh. “It’s freezing outside. And your gas won’t last forever.” He frowns like he’s just realizing that. “Good point.” “Did you really think we’d just stay here in your

truck?” “It’s a nice truck,” he says. “Where would we... you know?” I answer, laughing. “Fuck? Right here, obviously.” “No, I mean, use the bathroom.” “Oh. In the bed.” I laugh, shaking my head. “No way.” “Sure. Back seat can be the kitchen slash living room. Up front is the bedroom. The bed is the bathroom. It’s perfect.” “Okay,” I say, shaking my head. He’s surprisingly funny and silly sometimes, which I really like. “Take me home, you crazy person. I’m hungry.” “Okay, since you asked so nicely.” He grins at me then puts the truck into gear. I watch the scenery as he carefully turns the vehicle around. The view really is majestic and incredible out here. I totally understand why he’d want to live out in the mountains, away from the city, especially with views like this just fifteen minutes away.

As I stare out into the wilderness, for a second I miss some of the people I knew back home. It’s strange that I haven’t really thought about anyone but my father since leaving, but I did have some friends, some closer than others. I wonder for a second what they’re all doing, especially Maureen. She was my closest friend in LA, though I didn’t get to see her all that often. I was usually too busy with work and my father to do anything social. I had some boyfriends, but never anything serious and never anything that lasted long. That’s why I ran away, at least partly. I want to have a life, and I know I’ll never get that back home. Already I’ve lived more and done more in the last few days in Alaska than I did my entire life in my LA neighborhood. Maybe I just got lucky, but I think it has a lot to do with being free of my father. We head back down the dirt road toward the main paved road that winds back toward Carson’s house. As we pull out into the main road, a black car suddenly pulls out from the shoulder and starts to follow us. Carson keeps glancing into the rearview mirror, and for some reason I feel nervous. I don’t know why, exactly. There’s nothing wrong with the car behind us. But as soon as we drive maybe half a mile,

another car pulls onto the road, this time cutting us off and forcing Carson to slow down. “Shit,” he says softly. I frown at him. “What’s wrong?” “Put your seatbelt on.” I pause then do as I’m told. He does the same, buckling himself in. “What’s happening?” I ask. “I recognize those—“ Suddenly something slams into Carson’s bumper, causing the whole truck to fishtail. The sound of screaming tires fills the cab and Carson curses, but manages to get the truck back under control. “Hold on!” he yells and suddenly guns the accelerator. The truck jumps forward and he swings out into the other lane, pulling up flush with the car in front of us. It swerves and then slams into the side of the truck. I scream, surprisingly myself, and Carson hits the gas again, pulling forward. We come up to a sharp turn in the road but Carson doesn’t slow down. The truck screams and is almost on two tires, but it swings around and makes it, pulling ahead and free of the other car.

Carson doesn’t take it easy. The two cars behind us speed up and are right on his bumper. “Hold on!” he yells again as the one car smashes into our rear, jolting us forward. Carson gets control of the vehicle. He reaches across the seat to hold me back with his arm as he hits another sharp turn going fast. He keeps the truck under control while one of the cars behind us skids out, slamming into a tree. Only one car remains as we speed onto another main road. There’s no traffic here, not out this far in the mountains. What was a beautiful and exciting drive earlier is suddenly death-defying terror as we go screaming down a road that’s meant to be driven slow. There are sheer cliff drops to our left as we come up to a series of switchbacks. The car behind us takes the first turn fast and manages to catch up with Carson. It slams into the back of the truck again, causing it to fishtail. I scream as the truck spins, turning all the way around, but it doesn’t flip. The truck comes to a stop in the middle of the road. “You okay?” he asks me. “I’m okay,” I say. “Hold on.” He guns it again and turns the wheel,

throwing the truck around as the car comes back at us in reverse. We narrowly miss the car as Carson gets our truck back on track. We fly past it and hit the next switchback, sliding down the mountainside. The car starts back up and gives chase, but we have some space between us finally. Carson takes us through the switchbacks with the car gaining ever so slightly each turn. We hit a normal street down below and Carson guns it again. “We’re close,” he says. “Hold on tight.” I grip the dash as he drives fast. Weaving in and out of turns, the car giving chase behind us. It’s so close that I swear I could turn around and see the driver looking back at me. I can barely move though as terror flings through my body. “There,” Carson calls out, pointing. It’s the turn to his house, the dirt road that leads up to his property. “Here we go!” He hits the brakes and turns the wheel, flinging us onto the path. The truck screams in protest and we slam up against a tree, knocking against the side of the truck, but it doesn’t stop. We keep going down the path. The car behind us pulls up to the entrance to the

path but stops. It sits there for a second before slowly driving away. “Fuck,” Carson says, still driving too fast. “Slow down,” I say. “It’s okay. It’s okay, Carson.” “Fucking bastard,” he yells, but he slows the truck down. We pull into the garage area and he kills the truck engine. He’s livid and my heart is pounding in my chest. They almost killed us back there. We could have so easily gone over a cliff and lost control of the truck. One wrong move and we would have died. In fact, that’s what it felt like. It seemed like they were trying to kill us. “Go inside,” he says to me, anger visible on his face. “I need to talk to Nick.” I nod, frowning. “You saved us back there,” I say in a small voice. That seems to bring him back to the moment. He sighs and walks over to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against him. He hugs me tight like that. “It’ll be okay,” he whispers. “I’ll fix this.”

“They tried to kill us,” I say, feeling numb. “It won’t happen again.” I nod against his chest, but I’m not so sure. He finally releases me, and I walk into the house without another word. I go right up to the couch, grab a blanket, and wrap myself in it as if I’m trying to hide away from the world. Three times now I’ve almost died. Twice because of the cold, and once because of some crazy fucking drivers. I’m living, but I’m also risking my life. I don’t know what the hell is going on or what I’m doing, but I know it’s terrifying, and I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do. Maybe Carson is right. Maybe I do need to back out and get away. I don’t want to die here, I have so much more to live for, but this is absolutely insane. I don’t know what to do. I want to run away screaming, but I trust Carson, despite everything so far. I trust that he’ll protect me. I stay there, torn between two worlds, with the blanket wrapped right around my head.

19

CARSON

M

y alarm pulls me from sleep around two in the morning. I spent the rest of the day and night with Kylie, trying to keep her calm and happy, but in the back of my mind I knew that I couldn’t let what happened go. He tried to kill us. There’s no questioning that. His men rammed up against my truck on some of the hairiest stretches of road in the whole area without a second thought. It was absolute madness, and if they didn’t intend to kill us, they sure fucking fooled me. Kylie was shaken, clearly pretty upset, but she wasn’t holding it against me. I don’t understand why. If I were her, I would have run the fuck away by now. But I’m happy that she hasn’t. I’m happy she’s staying here with me, even

though I don’t deserve it. Well, tonight I won’t let it stand. I dress in black and slip my gun into my waistband before heading out into the kitchen. Kylie turned in early, and her door is still shut, so I assume she’s still asleep. I head through the kitchen and open the garage door. Nick Sloan and three other men are standing there in the garage, each of them dressed in black gear. I step outside and shut the door behind me. “Everything ready?” I ask Nick. He nods once. “All set. But are you sure about this?” “I’m sure.” He frowns slightly. “We don’t normally do this kind of thing, Carson.” “I know. That’s why I’m paying you a lot of money.” He nods once. “We’ll have men stationed here to watch the house while we’re gone.” “Good.” I pull a black cap from my back pocket and push it low over my head. “Let’s go.” We pile into two black trucks that Nick’s people provided. I’m driving one and he’s driving the

other. The guys riding with us don’t identify themselves, and I don’t ask them to. What we’re doing isn’t legal, and I don’t want to know them if something goes wrong. I figure the less I know about them the better I can protect them in the end. Maybe that’s foolish, but I’m not such a reckless guy that I’d send people on a suicide mission. Like my fucking brother did. Those guys driving those cars could easily have gotten themselves killed, and yet they were throwing themselves at our truck like it was nothing. I still can’t get over the fact that they were risking their own lives for my brother Elliot. It just makes no sense. Elliot doesn’t inspire anything but loathing in people. He must be shelling out astronomical amounts of money to get these guys to follow his orders. We drive into Juneau, keeping slow and sticking to back roads. The target is in a building at the edge of town, a little nondescript office building with nothing marking it from the outside. That’s on purpose, I assume, because this place is supposed to be a secret. But it hasn’t been a secret for a long time. We park the trucks out front and climb out. We gather up together behind the trucks.

“Inside this building, my brother keeps an office,” I say. “It’s his private office. We’re going to break in and ransack the place. Destroy everything that doesn’t look important, take anything you think might be worthwhile. Understood?” “Yes,” Nick says, and the other men nod their heads in agreement. “Good. Nick?” “I want you to watch the outside,” he says, touching one guy’s vest. “Slash the tires of any trucks or cars you think might belong to Elliot.” “Roger,” he says. “Everyone else, stay tight and close. No weapons. We don’t want any fucking mistakes here. Understood?” “Roger,” the guys all say together. “Let’s go,” I say. Nick leads the way to the building. As soon as we get to the front door, it’s definitely locked, but that doesn’t stop anything. Nick takes out a black crowbar and smashes into the glass, shattering the door. One of the men steps up and walks to a panel on the wall, clearly a security panel. He takes off the front plastic part and cuts a few wires before

nodding. “Let’s go,” Nick says. “Ten minutes, no more.” We rush up the steps. I lead the way now, past a dentist’s office, and to the back wing of the building. Elliot’s office is tucked into a three-room suite. The door is locked, but Nick’s guys knock it open and we get inside. I’ve never been in here before, but I knew it existed when Elliot was audited by the IRS and it was mentioned in his list of assets. I only saw it because I had to do some minor paperwork for the company, and just happened to see it there on the accountant’s desk. It’s exactly what I thought. There’s a conference room, a waiting room, and a large office in the back. I head right into the office and start tearing out the drawers. There are papers spanning back years. Most of it is junk and relates to various businesses and holdings he has. We start piling the paper into metal trashcans stacked on the desk. In the conference rooms, one of the guys goes to work smashing everything in sight. It feels fucking good to tear his papers apart. I stuff a few pieces into my pockets, but pretty much

everything goes into the fire. Nick lights one up, burning what we have in there already to make room for more. We smash pictures, trinkets, trophies, the usual shit someone has in their office. “Safe,” one of the guys calls out from the other room. “You go,” Nick says to one of the guys. “Crack it.” The guy nods and head into the other room. We continue burning the papers, destroying what he has. This damage is going to affect Elliot for the rest of his life, assuming he even has a rest of his life. If it were up to me, Elliot would already be dead, but Nick wouldn’t go out on a hit with me. I figured ransacking one of his offices would be easier and send him a message. I’m not fucking playing around anymore. “Four minutes,” Nick calls out. We keep working, throwing what we can onto the fire. I wish it were Elliot I was throwing into the flames, but I have to settle for precious financial reports and other important documents. This isn’t the same as trying to run him off a cliff, but it’s going to be a thorn in his side at least. “Safe’s open!” a guy calls out. I step into the other room and find the safe wide open, tucked behind

the secretary’s desk. Inside is cash. I pull it out and hand it to one of the guys. “Consider it a bonus,” I say. “Split it up.” “Roger that,” he says with a grin and starts handing out the cash. There is some jewelry and diamonds, which I slip into my pocket, and more documents. They’re deeds to properties that I didn’t know he owned. I take a picture of them with my phone and everything else in there before tossing it into the fire. “That’s time,” Nick says. “No,” I answer. “We’re not finished. It’s not all destroyed.” “We can’t risk it,” he says, motioning for his guys. They all gather and head toward the door. I stand there, torn. I know Nick’s right and we should go while we can, but I want to destroy it all. I want to kill Elliot, or at least fucking hurt him badly for risking Kylie’s life like that. I’m so angry that I can barely think, and that’s what ultimately convinces me to leave. If I can’t think, I can’t make good decisions. I finally catch up with Nick and his men as we make our way through the

dark hallways. As we get outside, the guy on watch joins us. We move toward the trucks, but before we can get there, a vehicle suddenly comes screaming down the road and pulls into the lot. It’s the sheriff’s truck, although its lights aren’t on. “Fuck,” Nick says. “Mack, you disabled the alarm?” “I thought I did,” he says. “But there might have been another silent one.” “In the office,” I say. “Of course. He’d be paranoid.” I step away from the truck and walks toward the sheriff’s truck. “I’ll handle this.” Two men climb out of the truck, their guns drawn. “Hands up!” Myron Hoover, Juneau’s sheriff himself, steps from around the driver’s seat and toward me. I do as I’m told and I raise my hands into the air. “Myron?” I say. “Is that you?” He pauses. “Carson? What the fuck are you doing here?” “Burning down my brother’s office,” I say with a grin. Myron lowers his weapon but he doesn’t put it

away, eyeing the men behind me. “It’s okay, Josh,” he says to the deputy. “Lower your gun.” Josh does as he’s told, but he looks wary. Myron walks toward me, a confused look on his face. “You said you were burning down the office?” “That’s right,” I say. “Burned his papers. Stole from him.” “Now why the fuck would you say that to me?” I laugh, grinning. “We both know why, Myron. You aren’t going to arrest me.” “Maybe.” He concedes. “But I might arrest them.” “No, I don’t think you will.” I put my hands down slowly and cross my arms over my chest. “Why are you here in person, Myron? It’s three in the morning.” “I was on duty,” he says. His deputy glances at him and I catch the surprise. “You’re lying,” I say. “You don’t fucking work overnight shifts anymore. You’re too goddamn old.” He looks pissed at that. “What do you fucking care what I do, Price?” He spits out my last name like a curse.

“I think you’re getting paid directly by Elliot to protect this place, Myron. Is it because of the shit in his safe? Some of that property looked a little sketchy to me.” Myron stares at me for a second, clearly warring with himself. “Josh,” he says finally, “get back in the car.” “Sir?” the deputy asks. “Now,” he snaps. “In the fucking car.” The deputy hesitates then obeys the order. He shuts the door behind him, looking confused, as Myron walks up to me. “I don’t know what you saw in there, but you best forget about it,” Myron says. “What I do with your brother is my business.” “It’s my business now too, unfortunately. Did you know that he tried to run my truck off the road earlier today? Two of his cars, up on the pass road.” “I didn’t know that,” he admits. “You got any proof?” “None. But we both know what Elliot is like, especially right now.” “Stay out of this business,” Myron says, shaking his head. “Go the fuck home. Make sure I never see

those men again.” “Don’t get involved with Elliot,” I say to him. “He’s going to lose. And when he does, I won’t forget this.” “Go home,” Myron snaps. “For fuck’s sake. Get out of here.” “Good night,” I say. I wave to the deputy then give Nick and his team the high sign to get into the trucks. We pile in, not saying a word, and head out again. My mind is distracted as we go back to my place, trying to work out what exactly Myron and Elliot are up to. I knew that Myron was under Elliot’s thumb, but tonight shows me a whole new side to their relationship. I didn’t see any solid proof, but there might be something in the documents I took. They’re clearly in bed together over some deal, and that might just be exactly what I’m looking for. If I can find it and prove to my father that Elliot is involved in some shady shit, then there’s nothing that will stop me, no matter how violent Elliot gets. I can just sit tight and wait him out. It has to be bad. Otherwise, Myron would never get his old, fat ass out of bed late at night to check out

a break-in at some random office complex. Elliot’s office had to have its own private silent alarm which alerted Myron and led him to check it all out. I’m going to use this to my advantage. I just have to figure out what they’re up to. I’ll hire some people to look into it as soon as I’m back home. I have far too much adrenaline and anger inside of me to go back to sleep. There’s no fighting it. As soon as we get back, Nick and his people head home, but I go into the kitchen and pour myself a drink. Thoughts of Myron, Elliot, and my father all swirl in my head. I need to connect the dots, but I’m not sure how, not yet at least. Most of all, I need something to do, something to occupy my mind. I glance at the hallway, and an idea creeps into my brain. I know what I want, and she’s sleeping maybe fifty feet away. I smile wickedly to myself and head to my room to get what I need.

20

KYLIE

I

feel something tugging at me, pulling at me, but I don’t know what it is. I’m afraid of it, but it also feels good. I try to struggle and run, but I can’t. Slowly, I wake up from my dream, the embers of it still alight in my mind. I’m confused, because the weak morning light is barely creeping in through the windows. I try to adjust myself, but I can’t. I realize with a moment of panic that my wrists are bound to the headboard of the bed. My eyes shoot open as fear and panic race through me. I struggle, but the binds are tight, expertly tied. “It’s okay. Don’t fight it.”

I turn my head and see Carson standing next to my bed, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, his muscular body intense in the weak morning light. “Carson?” I ask. “What’s going on?” “I had a rough night,” he says softly, leaning over me. “What happened? Why am I tied up?” “I decided to take my frustrations out on you.” He kisses my neck softly. “I’m sorry if I frightened you.” “I was dreaming,” I say. “A nightmare, I think.” “You’re awake now.” He reaches down and lifts my shirt up over my breasts before kissing my chest and teasing my nipples with his tongue. “I can feel that,” I say, fear slowly subsiding, replaced by excitement. The adrenaline from the momentary shock is still lingering in my body, but as I begin to feel aroused, that adrenaline only heightens the desire. His lips tease my nipples, his teeth biting them softly, as his other hand slowly moves down between my legs. I squirm slightly as he finds my pussy and slowly begins to rub me. “What am I going to do with you?” he asks, still

slowly rubbing my pussy. “I don’t know,” I say, biting my lip. “This is a good start, though.” He smirks. “You like this?” “You scared me at first.” “I know. That was intentional. You can feel it, can’t you?” “What?” I ask. He slips his hand underneath my shorts and my panties before sliding two fingers deep inside of me. “The fear,” he says. I gasp and moan slightly. “And adrenaline,” I say. “That’s right. That’s what I want you to feel.” He presses his fingers deeper, sending waves of pleasure cascading through my body. I want to move and squirm but I can’t. The ropes tying me to the bed are perfectly tight, holding me in place, which only intensifies the feeling. He reaches up with his other hand and takes me by the hair, pulling my chin back. He continues sliding his fingers in and out of my pussy, fucking me with his fingers, as he kisses my lips, my hair tight in his fist. Pleasure and pain wrack my body as I struggle

and squirm slightly, pressing against my bonds, trying to test my limits. He pulls back slightly, smirking at me. “You’re struggling,” he says. “A little,” I admit. “Are you trying to get away from me?” He presses his fingers deep inside of me. “No,” I gasp. “I want to feel how tight they are.” He smirks at me, that delicious grin. “I thought so. You like being tied up, don’t you?” “Yes,” I say, surprising myself. “I didn’t know until —ah.” He cuts me short by pressing his fingers deep again. “I want you to like it,” he says. “But I also want you to be nervous. Nothing makes this sweeter than a little uncertainty.” “You don’t make me nervous.” I say, gasping at the pleasure. “Not even a little bit.” He laughs softly. “Good,” he says, and then pulls his fingers from my pussy, making the pleasure stop. I groan and look at him, annoyed. “But you should be worried that I’ll make this stop. I can take it away any time I want.” He grabs my hair and looks into my eyes. “I’m your daddy. I’m in

control. Do you understand that?” “Yes,” I say, “I understand. You’re my daddy.” “Good girl,” he says, releasing my hair. He walks down to the end of the bed and looks at me. I’m half naked, with just some dripping wet panties, and my shirt pulled up over my breasts. My pink nipples are hard as hell and my wrists are tied to the headboard. I watch him watching me and I can’t help but notice his hard cock straining against the fabric of his cotton boxer briefs. He gets up onto the bed and comes toward me. He takes my legs and spreads them wide, pressing his mouth down against the soaked through fabric of my panties. “Delicious,” he says, and then he tears them off. “Carson!” I gasp. It hurts a little bit, but mostly it’s surprising. He rips the cotton like it’s nothing. “I liked those,” I complain. He tosses them aside. “They’re mine, just like everything else about you is mine. If I want to destroy them, I’ll destroy them.” I pout, not really caring about the panties. The thrill reinvigorates again, gets stronger in my core, as he slowly kisses up my inner thigh. I gasp when his mouth finally finds my wet pussy. He begins to suck

me and lick me gently, teasing me with his mouth, pressing one finger inside of my pussy. I groan and want to squirm and move but I’m stuck tight. He keeps at it, licking gently, sucking gently, nibbling at my pussy, teasing me, working me, pushing me closer to my limits. “Please,” I moan, losing myself in the moment. “I can’t take it, Carson.” “What’s my name?” he asks. “Daddy,” I groan. “God, please. Give me what I want.” He pulls back but idly slips two fingers inside of me, almost as an afterthought. “What do you want?” he asks. “You know,” I groan. “Don’t make me say it.” “Say it,” he commands, watching my face. “Your cock,” I groan. “Please. Just fuck me.” “Such an impatient girl.” He slides up along me, pressing his cock between my legs, the cotton fabric between us. He puts one hand on my throat, holding me there. “You should wait until I tell you that you’re ready.” “Yes, daddy,” I gasp as he tightens his grip slightly,

grinding his cock against my puss. He releases my throat then rolls over onto his side. I watch as he slides his boxer briefs off, revealing his thick, hard cock. He moves back down between my legs, spreading them wide, and presses his cock against my soaking pussy, teasing my entrance. “This is what you want?” he asks. “Yes,” I say, almost a whisper. My legs are spread wide and I’m so exposed, but I want it so badly, the exquisite pain of his cock filling my tight little pussy. Without another word, he thrusts himself deep inside of me. I toss my head back and gasp as the pain fills me, sharp and tight. He slides back and thrusts in again, hands on my hips, and the pain slowly begins to melt into an intense pleasure that I can barely describe. I’ve never been fucked like this before. He rocks into me, sliding his big cock in and out of my tight little cunt and I’m losing it, absolutely losing it. I grip onto the ties around my wrists and throw my head back, not afraid to moan loud, not ashamed of anything. He leans forward over me, supporting himself with one hand, and takes my throat in the other. He

fucks me deep, rough, not cutting off my air but holding me there. It sends a thrill through me, knowing that he could choke me if he wanted to, but he doesn’t. He fucks me rough, deep, and I grind my hips up against him, getting friction against my clit. He moves back and fucks me deep, his free hand on my breasts, teasing my nipples as the hand around my throat tightens ever so slightly. I groan, rocking in against him, and he releases my throat to tease my breasts with both hands. When he’s finished, he moves back, hooking my legs over his shoulders and thrusts deep inside me, getting even deeper. “When I’m finished fucking this tight little cunt, I’m going to come on your pretty little face,” he says. “And you’ll thank me for it.” “Yes, daddy,” I moan. “That’s right. You want to be my little cum slut, don’t you? You’ll suck my cock and swallow every fucking drop because you’ll do anything for me.” “That’s right,” I moan. I love the way he talks to me. It’s so fucking filthy and wrong, and no man has ever said these things to me before. “Good,” he groans. “I want to taste your little cunt

juice, and kiss your mouth when I’m finished so you can taste it too.” He fucks me deeper, harder, not holding back. “I want to press you up against the glass out there and let the whole fucking city see your perfect fucking tits while I work your tight little cunt from behind. I’ll grab your hair and make you stare back at that, and they’ll all know how much of a slut you are for me.” I can feel the orgasm building inside of me as his words get dirtier and dirtier. I don’t say a word because I don’t want to break the spell. I need him to keep fucking me and keep talking dirty, I’m so close. “I’ll put a leash around your throat, tie your hands behind your back, and parade you around my office. Show everyone what the boss is fucking. And if you’re good, I’ll let you suck my cock on the conference room table, but only if you deserve it. Do you deserve it, Kylie?” “Yes,” I moan, gasping. “Don’t stop. Don’t fucking stop.” “Come for me, my little slut. Go ahead, come on my big fucking cock.” I feel it burst through my mind, the orgasm overtaking me like fire. It tears me into pieces, destroys any semblance of negativity, and washes

over me like cool clean water. My whole body tenses and spasms, but he doesn’t let up and doesn’t hold back. He keeps rocking into my pussy with his big fat cock, slamming deep into me. Slowly, my orgasm passes, and he’s still slowly sliding in and out. When it’s through, he pulls himself out of my pussy and moves up the bed toward my mouth, stroking himself. “Suck my cock,” he orders, and I turn my head and open my mouth. He presses his thick cock between my lips, holding my hair, and fucks my mouth. He’s so big but I let him fuck my face. I suppress gags as best I can as he presses himself deep into my throat, groaning, and I love the way he fucks my mouth like this. He groans and grunts his pleasure as I roll my tongue around his cock, tasting my own pussy mixed with him. I love it, can’t get enough of it, as he pushes me all the way down. “Fuck,” he groans. “Suck that cock, girl.” I move back, sliding along his shaft. And then he groans and comes. He bursts into my mouth and throat, but I don’t stop. I swallow every single drop of him, letting it slide down my throat, and I keep going. He groans, holding onto my hair, and I lick him up, cleaning every inch of him.

When he’s finished, he unties my wrists and collapses onto the bed. I curl up next to him, hands on his muscular chest, feeling so content and sexy. We lay like that for a few minutes, and a smile breaks across my face when I realize that he’s asleep. I consider waking him, but decide against it. I know he’s been dealing with a lot of stress lately, and I don’t need to make it any worse. He needs some decent sleep, and I’m glad that I could help. I let myself calm and drift, and eventually I fall asleep next to him.

21

CARSON

I

wake up late in Kylie’s bed and rush to work. I feel bad about falling asleep, but I couldn’t help myself, I was just too exhausted. She didn’t seem to mind, though. I spend the whole day thinking about her, completely distracted by everything and barely able to work. Around noon, my secretary knocks lightly on my office door. “Yes?” I call out. She steps inside, smiling. “Ready for tonight?” she asks. I blink at her. “Tonight?” I ask.

“The charity event,” Judy says. “You know for muscular dystrophy?” “Shit,” I say, shaking my head. “I totally forgot.” “Your whole family is going to be there.” “It just slipped my mind. Lots going on lately.” She gives me a knowing little nod. “Do you know who you’re bringing?” I look at her, my head cocked slightly. “I didn’t know I had to bring a date.” “Oh, you don’t,” she says, looking innocent. “But I did buy a lot of beautiful dresses for a certain woman recently. I bet she’d love to wear one of them.” I watch Judy for a second then finally break down and smile. I can’t help it, she’s just so transparent. “Okay,” I say. “Make the arrangements for me.” “Already done.” I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble one day.” “I hope so!” She laughs as she leaves my office. I go back to work, losing myself in the job, and I don’t fully grasp what I’ve committed myself to

until I’m on my way home and thinking about the evening. My whole family will be there, Elliot included. It’ll be a neutral place, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll behave himself. I’ll have to bring some security, just to be sure. But most importantly, my mother and father will both be there. Or at least I assume my mother will be, my father might be feeling too ill to attend. He has good days and bad days, though lately the bad days are more numerous and more intense. When I get home, I find Kylie sitting on the couch, reading a book. “How was work?” she asks as I walk into the room. “Good,” I say. I walk over to her and give her a small kiss on the mouth. “I have something for you.” “What’s that?” she asks, smiling. “Stay here.” I leave her and head into her bedroom. I pick out one the dresses Judy bought, the most formal black dress. I pick it up and carry it out to Kylie. She smiles a little unsure. “You gave that to me already,” She says.

“Put it on,” I respond, grinning. “Why?” She looks a little puzzled. “We’re going somewhere tonight.” “Are we?” She sits up straight. “Where?” “A little surprise.” “How formal?” “Pretty formal,” I say. “I’ll be wearing my tux.” “Oh, Carson in a tuxedo. That seems worth it.” “Good. Go get ready.” She gets up from the couch, smiling and quickly kisses me as she passes. I grin and watch her go before retreating to my own room. We have about an hour before we need to go, and I’m ready in fifteen. I shower real quickly and get the tux on in five minutes, and so the rest of the time I sit near the window and drink some whisky, waiting for Kylie to get ready. But of course, the wait is more than worth it. She emerges right on time wearing that dress, looking absolutely gorgeous. Her hair is layered and beautiful, thick and cascading down her right shoulder. She smiles at me as I stare at her and I

feel like my eyes might fall out of my skull. I always forget that she’s only nineteen. She has a poise and a grace about her that most people her age don’t have. I don’t know how to describe it, but she seems so much older than she is. She feels like a kindred spirit. I walk over to her, grinning huge. “Hello, handsome,” she says. “Hello, gorgeous.” I kiss her full and deep, pulling her against me. “Maybe we should just stay in.” She laughs slightly. “No way. I didn’t put all this on just for you to take it all off.” I sigh slightly. “I should warn you before we go.” “What’s that?” “This is a charity event my family is throwing. Which means Elliot and my mother will be there. Maybe my father too, though I doubt it.” She pauses and I see the fear in her eyes. “Is this safe?” she asks. “Nick and two of his men will be with us, but yes, it’ll be safe. Too many people for Elliot to try something stupid.”

She nods, eyes locked on mine. “I trust you.” “Good.” I kiss her again. “Come on.” I call the car and ten minutes later, we’re heading out into the night.

22

KYLIE

I

’m so nervous as the car pulls up out front of the country club. The event is taking place in the banquet hall attached to the main club, and there are already a surprising number of people milling around the entrance. “Ready?” Carson asks me. I nod once, steeling myself. “I’m ready.” “We don’t have to do this,” he says, wavering for a second. “If you’re not ready, we can go home.” “I’m ready.” He smiles and kisses me softly. “Of course you are. You’re going to be great.”

“Let’s go,” I say, and he pushes his door open. As soon as he gets out, people start approaching. He has to fend them off as I get out. A few of the women around give me strange looks, probably surprised at my age, but nobody seems to notice me otherwise. The men mostly congregate around Carson as he shakes hands and introduces me. I don’t remember a single name as we move into the country club. I know those men were powerful business leaders, but they all looked exactly alike and they were basically all named Alan or something like that. They’re all so much older than me and they live in a totally different world. It’s hard for me to relate to any of that. It’s better inside. There are more people, but Carson isn’t swamped. We manage to get drinks at the bar, although the bartender gives me a momentary look. I’m afraid he’s going to ask for my ID, but he doesn’t, and the moment passes. I can’t help but think about the age difference as Carson continues to introduce me to his peers. They’re all so much older, and although he doesn’t seem that old, he really is. He’s almost twenty years older than I am, which is part of the attraction, but it is admittedly very strange. The whole thing is surreal. The main dinner event is

taking place in a large banquet hall with many tables set up. Everyone is dressed in very formal attire, and at least I fit in that way, although I may be the youngest person in the room, aside from the wait staff. Finally, we make our way across the room and find our table. I put down my small clutch and he grabs a glass of whisky from a passing waiter. “You okay?” he asks me. I nod, taking a breath. “A lot of people know you.” He grins. “Told you I was famous.” “How many of those names do I have to remember?” I ask. He laughs a little. “None,” he says. “I barely remember any of them and I’ve known most of these people my whole life.” “They’re all business owners?” I ask. “Sure,” he says. “And congressmen, a senator, and at least two generals.” “Really?” I ask, surprised. “Sure. You didn’t notice? This is a rich person’s charity event.”

“Sorry. I don’t have much experience hobnobbing with the upper crust.” He grins at me. “Well, get used to it. These things are mostly excuses to network. They’re incredible political.” “Like how?” I ask. “Well, look at that guy.” He nods at a man in his forties, relatively fit, wearing a dark suit and a red tie. “He’s an up and coming Republican guy. Wants to run for the house in four years. He’s here to meet some possible donors, shake some hands. Smile at the generals, that sort of thing. He’ll make a nice, large contribution, of course, but he wouldn’t be here if it didn’t benefit him in some way.” I frown to myself, shaking my head. “Is anyone here for the right reasons?” “I am,” he says, taking my hand. “Seems like you’re doing a lot of political stuff yourself.” He kisses my cheek softly. “I don’t need any of this,” he says. “I have enough.” I smile up at him and understand what he’s trying to say. I kiss him lightly on the lips. “Okay, fine,” I say. “You’re not some stodgy old upper class jerk

like the rest of these people.” “Good, I’m glad you approve.” “But you better not change. And don’t go into politics.” “I promise.” He hooks my pinky with his. “Cross my heart.” “Good.” I laugh and we let our hands drop down to our sides. I look back out over the crowd and feel a little calmer, less nervous. Elliot is likely out in that crowd somewhere, but I don’t see him. Instead, I spot the security guy Nick wearing a suit and standing near one of the walls. He catches me looking at him and gives me a quick nod. “There’s Nick,” I say, but Carson doesn’t respond. He’s half turned away. I look at him and then follow his gaze across the room. An older woman just entered and is surrounded by a group of people, shaking her hand and greeting her. She’s in her seventies, most likely, with distinguished gray hair and a tasteful pantsuit. She looks remarkable for a woman of her age, very poised and in control of herself. “Who’s that?” I ask him. “That’s my mother,” he says, glancing at me.

“That’s Cora Price.” “Oh,” I say, looking back at her. She’s not at all what I expected. I thought she’d be younger, but of course she isn’t. Carson is almost forty, she’d have to be in her late seventies at least. “She looks great,” I say. “Mother does everything with grace,” he says flatly. We stand there for a minute or two until his mother spots him and waves with a sweet smile on her face. She makes her way across the room and Carson walks up to her, meeting her halfway and kissing her on the cheek. I miss what they say at first until I join them. Carson turns toward me and gestures. “Mother, this is Kylie. My date.” He emphasizes the last two word. Cora Price’s eyes are sea blue and crystal clear. She may be old, but her mind is clearly still sharp as a tack, and I suspect she’s in better physical condition than I am. She looks at me for a moment, clearly appraising me. “Lovely to meet you, dear,” she says finally. “It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Price.”

She laughs softly. “Please. Call me Cora.” “Okay, Mrs. Price. I mean, Cora, sorry.” “She’s very pretty,” she says to Carson. “Where’d you find this one?” “In the street,” he says, his face completely expressionless. “Of course you did,” she says. “I’ve heard all about her from your brother.” “Where is that piece of shit?” he asks her. “Skipping out, for some reason,” she answers. I squirm slightly, very uncomfortable. I can tell from the tone of her voice that whatever Elliot told her, it was not flattering at all. “I’ll never understand your devotion to him,” Carson says. “We both know he’s a swine.” “At least he’s a married swine with children,” his mother returns. “And how old is this one? Twenty?” “Nineteen,” I say softly. She laughs softly and shakes her head at Carson. “Come now, when are you going to get serious?” “I don’t need to explain myself to you of all people,

mother,” he says, holding back some anger. “And I am serious. Very serious.” “About this girl?” His mother laughs again. “She’s lovely, she really is, and may be very nice. But she’s much too young for you.” “That doesn’t matter to me,” he says. “It should. It really should.” I stand there, feeling so incredibly uncomfortable that I want to scream. He didn’t really warn me that this might happen, although he doesn’t seem very surprised about it. I can’t believe that she is openly saying these things right in front of me like I don’t exist. It’s both demeaning and infuriating, and I don’t know if I want to run away or scream at her. “You don’t even know her,” Carson says. “You want me to know her?” Cora asks. “Yes,” he answers. “Give her a chance.” His mother watches him for a moment, considering, and then nods. “Very well. I’ll give her a chance.” She turns her gaze on me and I’m inches from running for the hills. “Come on, dear. Let’s have a chat.” Carson looks at me and nods. I force a smile on my face. “Okay,” I say.

His mother turns and walks off. Carson nods at me again. “Good luck,” he says softly, and then I’m walking after his mother, nervous as hell and a little bit afraid. She leads us through the crowd and down a side hall. The wait staff ignores her, almost like everyone knows her, until we finally end up at another bar at the other end of the building. There are a couple people sitting there drinking, men that look like regulars. Cora pulls out a stool and sits, and I join her. “Gin martini,” she orders from the bartender, and then glances at me. “Are you old enough to drink, dear?” she asks. “Make that two,” I say to the bartender. He smiles and walks off. “So, you’re with my eldest,” she says. “Who are you and what do you want?” I’m pretty taken aback by how direct she is. Her tone is cold and calculating, and I don’t know what to say. “I, uh, I’m Kylie,” I say. “I’m from Los Angeles. I met your son when he, well, he helped me.” She raises an eyebrow. “Helped you how? Paid for you for the whole month?”

I blink. “I’m not a prostitute,” I say. “Of course. So you’re from Los Angeles, then. What are you doing here?” “I’m starting a new life,” I say. “I came here with nothing and had nothing when I met your son. He gave me a place to stay and helped me.” “So you’re a freeloader,” she says. “After money, I’m guessing.” “No,” I say, flustered. The bartender returns with two martini glasses. Cora smile at him and pays him, leaving a generous tip, before turning back to me. “Listen to me, Kylie whoever you are. My son Carson is a decent man, but he doesn’t know how to settle down for the life of him. I’ve seen your kind with him before, you never last long, and you always leave heartbroken. Is that what you want?” I shake my head slowly. “No, of course not.” “You’re young. Carson is rich and handsome. It’s easy to see why you’d want him. But he’s also powerful and important, and he might even take over the Price Oil Company someday soon. I simply cannot have someone your age around him, mucking things up, getting in the way. Do you understand?”

“I don’t want to get in the way,” I say. I sip my martini to help with the nerves. “Here’s what I propose. Save everyone the trouble and leave. I will buy you a plane ticket to anywhere you want and I will pay you ten thousand dollars if you will leave tomorrow.” I stare at her, completely shocked. I can’t believe that this is happening. “Have you done this before?” I ask her softly. She laughs. “Of course I have. You’re not the first problem I’ve made go away.” I can’t believe she’s saying this. She’s bribed Carson’s girlfriends, or whatever they were, to leave him. She paid women he might have cared about to run out on him because she didn’t approve. No wonder he hasn’t had a serious relationship, his mother has been buying the girls off and making them go away. “I can’t do that to him,” I say. She sighs. “Fifty thousand, then. But you leave tonight.” I gape at her, shocked. Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money. I’ve never had that much money, and maybe never will.

“I don’t know what to say,” I answer, stalling. “Listen to me, dear. Take the money and go. You’re young and pretty. Don’t get involved with a man like Carson.” “Why not?” I whisper. “Enjoy your youth,” she says, sipping her own drink. “Carson is going to be busy soon. He’s going to be a very important man, assuming he doesn’t mess it all up. You’ll just be a distraction for him, a distraction he can’t afford.” I watch her for a moment, not sure what to say. On some level, I know she’s telling the truth. I know she’s absolutely right about all of this. Carson is an important man and he’s already incredibly distracted by me. And his brother is already using me against him, trying to destroy him. I am getting in the way. I know it, and can’t do anything about it. But I don’t want to run out on him like this. I don’t want to hurt him and be just another in a long line of women that hurt him. He doesn’t talk about that, but I’m starting to suspect that it’s true. If I stay, I could hurt him. If I go, I could hurt him. I don’t know what to do. “Take some time, think about it,” his mother stays,

standing. “Enjoy the martini. It’s very good. Here’s my number if you decide.” She places a card on the bar in front of me and walks off, leaving me alone at the bar. I take the card. It’s a simple business card with Cora Price’s name and private number on it. I twirl it between my fingers, lost and confused. What am I going to do? If I go back in there, I know that I won’t leave. If I look Carson in the face again, I know he’ll convince me to stay somehow. I don’t want to go. I know that I should. I don’t care about the money, though. I don’t want a dime of it. It never mattered to me, having money, aside from being able to afford a place to live. I can’t accept that money and sell Carson out like that, he doesn’t deserve it. But he also doesn’t deserve having me around, destroying his chances at getting the CEO position. I’m a liability. I’ve already done so much damage. I sip my drink, mind going in circles, terrified of what I’m going to do.

23

CARSON

I

spend the next hour chatting and shaking hands, the usual charity event bullshit. My mother returns about ten minutes after she left with Kylie and informs me that Kylie is held up with some distant relatives at the other bar, and she’ll be back soon. But she doesn’t come back. Dinner is served and everyone is seated, but Kylie is still missing. My cousin and aunt are in their seats, looking content as always, and so she can’t still be talking to them. I lean over toward my mother. “Where’s Kylie?” I ask her. She shrugs, looking innocent. “I don’t have a clue.” “What did you do?” I hiss at her.

She frowns at me. “Don’t talk to me that way. I’m still your mother.” “You’re a spiteful old crone that wants to control everything I do. Where is Kylie?” She stares at me, the shock evident on her face. I’ve never pushed back at her before and she obviously wasn’t prepared for this. I know she’s been meddling in my life for years. The last woman I had something serious with disappeared fairly quickly after we began, and later told me that my mother paid her to leave me. That was a very long time ago, of course. I didn’t care much at the time, since I never thought I’d be with that person, but it did make me notice a pattern. I know she’s been bribing women to leave me for years. It never mattered, although she clearly thought that it did. In fact, she was doing me a favor. I never wanted to settle down, and she was saving me from having to eventually break up with these women. As cowardly as it is, she was helping me, and so I didn’t stop her. The women got what they wanted, which was money, and I got what I wanted. We were all winners. But now she’s gone too far. “What did you offer her?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she says, playing innocent. “Tell me, damn it,” I growl. “Money,” she says. “And a plane ticket. If she leaves tonight.” “Shit,” I grunt. “And?” “She called ten minutes ago.” My mother gives me a horrible smile. “She’s already on her way to the airport.” I stand up and quickly leave the banquet hall. My mother says something to me as I leave, but I don’t listen to her. I don’t care what she has to say. I’m not letting Kylie go like this. I can’t believe she’d take my mother’s money and leave me. It’s not her, I know it’s not her. She’s not in this for the money and never was. There has to be another reason, and I have to know why. Even if I can’t convince her to stay, I have to talk to her tonight. When I get outside, I realize that she took the car. I consider calling the driver and ordering him to come back, but I’m not sure he will, and I don’t want to waste the time. Instead, I call for a taxi. It comes five minutes later, which is lucky. We head out toward the airport, and I feel strangely nervous,

which I didn’t expect. I don’t know why she’s running away. Maybe she really is just leaving for the money and I misjudged her, but I don’t think that’s the case. My mother has scared away many women for me, but none of them have been like Kylie. We’ve already been through so much, and she’s already had so many chances to run. But she stayed. I need to know why now, why this night. I need to know what my mother said to her that made her want to leave. The taxi pulls up to the terminal and I hop out. I don’t know what flight she’s getting, so I head to the departures board and skim the listings. There are planes to Boston, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Austin, and then I pause. There’s a flight leaving for Philadelphia in an hour, which triggers a memory. She mentioned that it was between Alaska and Philadelphia when she was first running away. Maybe she finally chose Philadelphia. I head up to the ticketing agent and buy a seat on that flight. It’s a long shot, but it’s the best I have. Getting through security doesn’t take long, though they do give me a second look because I’m wearing a tux, but that doesn’t matter. Once through, I head toward the gate, body roaring with nerves.

What the hell am I doing? I should just turn around and go. If Kylie wants to leave, that’s her business. I don’t own her. This daddy thing, it’s not real, it’s not actually binding or anything. It was just a sexy idea that made me excited, and I thought she liked it, too. I should just let it go. I should just move on. I can spare myself this absurd scene in the airport, wearing a fucking tuxedo, and just go home. I can win the war against my brother and finish this once and for all. Except I can’t. Because as soon as I reach the terminal, I see her, still wearing the dress. She has no bags and she’s staring out the window with a strange expression on her face. I can’t turn away, not as soon as I see her. I know it, in this moment, that there’s something here I never felt before. I walk slowly over to her, and as I get closer, she turns and looks at me. I expected her to be angry. I expected her to be confused, or upset, or afraid. Instead, she stands up and runs to me with the largest smile on her face. She throws her arms around my neck and hugs me. I pull her close, feeling her body against mine. “You came for me,” she says softly.

“Of course,” I reply. “I told you. I’m going to take care of you.” She slowly moves back and I can tell that she’s blinking tears from her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m here,” she says. I sigh, holding her hands. “What did my mother say to you?” It spills out of her in a torrent. She explains what happened with my mother at the bar, everything she said, and all of her fears. “I don’t want to hold you back,” she says. “I don’t want to be the reason you don’t get what you want.” I sigh, shaking my head. “That’s not going to happen,” I say. “Elliot would find some other way to come after me if you weren’t here.” “I know, I just... I’m making it harder, not easier. I shouldn’t be distracting you.” “You’re a distraction, but it’s one that I want.” “I didn’t take the money,” she says suddenly, eyes wide. “I just need you to know that. I didn’t take your mother’s money.” I smile softly. I knew it wasn’t about that, deep down inside of me. I just knew it. “Come on,” I say. “Let’s go home.”

She hesitates. “I still don’t think I should come with you,” she says. “You don’t have to. But I want you, Kylie, more than I’ve ever wanted someone before. I’ve never chased a woman to the airport and I don’t think I ever will again. We don’t have to be afraid. Come with me.” She watches me and I’m afraid she’s going to say no. If she does, I don’t know what I’ll do. Probably go back to my life before her and keep on going, but nothing will feel the same, not after I’ve tasted this. I can’t keep being the way I was, not after I had something this intense. “Okay,” she says finally. “Take me home.” I take her hand and I lead her back through the airport. People are staring, but I don’t care. They don’t recognize me. We just look foolish all dressed in formal wear in the middle of an airport without any baggage. It doesn’t matter if people stare. Let them stare. Kylie clings to my arm, walking close against me. That’s all that matters. My mother tried to scare another woman off, but this time I wouldn’t let her. I’m keeping Kylie for as long as I want her, and I want her for a long time.

Nothing’s going to change that.

24

KYLIE

I

’m exhausted when we get back to Carson’s house. I feel foolish and silly for running away, but relieved that he came after me. I was prepared to give it all up for him. Maybe he doesn’t see it this way, but I was willing to walk away from this for his sake, not for mine. I didn’t accept his mother’s money, though I did let her buy me a plane ticket and give me a small amount of money to start over in a new city. I couldn’t show up somewhere with nothing in my pockets again and risk being homeless, so I had to take that much, just a few hundred. But I wasn’t doing it for the money, not even a little bit. All of the reasons I was going to run away are still

valid. I’m still a distraction to him and we’re still in danger from his brother, but now at least I know that he doesn’t care. He wants me here anyway. He didn’t have to come for me, he could easily have just let me leave. But the fact that he came speaks to much more than I could have guessed. I never expected it in a million years, and when he showed up at the terminal, I felt something solidify inside of me and grow roots deep into my core. I head into my room while he pours drinks out in the kitchen. I slip out of the dress, but before I can put something else on, the door to my room slowly opens. I look over at him, and I’m wearing only my bra and panties, a matching black pair. He’s not wearing his tie or his jacket, and his sleeves are rolled up over his elbows. He’s holding a single drink in his hand as he looks at me, a small smirk on his face. I blush slightly. “I’ll be out in a second,” I say. “I don’t think you will.” He steps into my room and closes the door. I look at him and cover myself slightly. “I guess you have something else in mind.” “Hard not to, looking at you right now.”

My blush grows deeper, though I don’t know why. He just has this power over me. He walks into the room and toward me, and I back up until I feel the footboard against the backs of my legs. He stops just in front of me, and I’m breathing deep, excitement coursing through my body. “You almost ran away from me,” he says softly. I nod and look away. “I’m sorry.” “You mean, ‘I’m sorry, daddy.’ Say it.” “I’m sorry, daddy.” “Good girl.” He knocks back his drink and then tosses the glass over his shoulder. It hits the ground and then rolls away. “Get down on your knees.” I stare at him for a second before slowly obeying. He smiles and unbuckles his belt and pulls it out of belt loops of his pants. “You’ve been bad,” he says. “Very bad. You know that?” “Yes,” I say. “I’m sorry, daddy.” “You are sorry. But you still need to be punished.” He turns and walks over to one of the dressers. I watch as he opens it up and takes out a black silk rope. He comes back over to me, a devilish smirk on his face.

“Stay still,” he commands. He takes my wrists and puts them behind my back. I stay still as he ties my wrists together behind me, making sure the rope is tight. I flex but can’t move at all. “Good,” he whispers. “Perfect.” He steps back and looks at me. “There’s nothing sexier than a woman on her knees, wrists tied behind her back. I can do anything I want to you right now. Do you like that?” “Yes,” I say honestly, excitement pumping through me. “Come,” he says, and helps me to my feet. He lifts me up and places me down on the bed. “On your stomach.” I turn and end up on my stomach, facing the edge of the bed. He grunts and runs his hands down my back, cupping my ass, before sliding his fingers up along my pussy. I groan as he rubs me like that, and I lift my hips so that he can get me more easily. I close my eyes, pleasure rocking through me. But suddenly he stops, and when I look back up, he brings his belt down on my ass. He doesn’t hit me hard, but I gasp, surprised. He smirks at me. “You thought this was going to be all fun?” he asks.

I whimper a little. “I didn’t know.” He unbuttons his pants and pulls them down. His cock is hard as hell as he pulls off his briefs. He strokes himself with one hand and hits me again with the belt with the other, a little bit harder. I gasp at the thwack of the leather on my skin. He releases the belt and then goes back to rubbing my pussy, mingling pleasure with pain. After a second of that, he smacks me twice more, making me gasp and then making me moan again. “Good,” he whispers. “Now, open your mouth, little slut.” I do as he commands. He slides his cock into my mouth, between my lips, and down my throat. I gag slightly, but when I do, he whips me. I suck his cock, his hips pumping into my mouth. I groan as he whips me again, his cock in my mouth, and pleasure rocks through me. I’m more aroused than I ever have been before. I can’t believe it, but getting my ass whipped by my daddy’s belt turns me on so much, especially with his cock in my mouth. He releases the belt and pulls his cock from my mouth, rubbing my pussy again. I moan loudly, losing myself in this moment. He grabs my hips and

pulls me up onto my knees, feeling my breasts from behind as he removes my bra. He unties my wrists and brings my arms in front of me and above before binding my wrists again and tying them to the bed’s upper canopy. I’m kneeling with my hands tied above my head as he grabs the belt again. He whips my ass twice. “Look at your perfect skin,” he says. “All red from my belt. Do you like that, Kylie?” he asks. “I don’t know,” I moan. “I don’t know what I like right now.” “Good,” he says. He takes my panties and slides them off of me, leaving me completely naked. “Spread your legs.” I do as he commands. He gets down on his back and slides himself underneath me, and begins to lick my pussy. I groan, my head tossed back as he works my clit, sucking and licking me, bringing pleasure roaring back, overwhelming the pain, mixing it all in my mind. After a moment of that, he slides himself further down, until his cock is directly beneath me. I have enough room that I could lower myself down onto him, but I don’t know what I’m allowed to do. “Good,” he says. “You’re learning.”

I look over my shoulder at him. “I just want to do whatever my daddy tells me.” “Then ride that fucking cock, girl, and shut your mouth.” I gasp as he grabs my hips and pulls me down, sliding his cock up and deep inside of me. The pain is less intense this time, and I get used to his size much faster as I begin to writhe and work my hips, riding his cock as he thrusts into me. It feels incredible to be tied up like this while he fucks me, hips pumping into my pussy. I work down against him, grinding down and riding him, working his big cock. He slaps my ass as I move, my pussy dripping wet, sliding along his thick shaft. “That’s right,” he groans. “You’re a bad little slut, aren’t you? Riding my fucking cock. You wanted to run away, but now you’re tied up in your room. This is what you deserve.” “Yes,” I gasp, head tossed back. “I deserve this.” “Your tight little cunt deserves to get fucked, spread wide, destroyed. You want me to break your little pussy wide open, don’t you?” “Rip me apart,” I moan, deep and guttural, surprising myself.

He grunts with pleasure and tears into me, fucking me hard. I work back against him, hair spilling down my back, sweat dripping along my body. He suddenly grabs my hips, stopping the pleasure, and pulls out, rolling to the side. He gets up on his knees, unties the ropes from the canopy top, and transfers them to the headboard. He ties me up there, wrists still together. I hold onto it as he pulls my legs open. I look over my shoulder and watch him take his belt across my ass again. I gasp, pain coming through my mind, but groan as he presses his cock deep inside of me. “Oh fuck,” I say, confused by the sensation. He starts fucking me slowly. He whips my ass again which makes me buck back against him harder, wanting more pleasure to counteract the pain. It’s all so intense that I can barely tell the two sensation apart. He whips me again, and again, as he fucks me harder, cock splitting me wide. I can feel the orgasm working up my spine. I know I can’t stop it even if I tried at this point. He whips me again, pumping deep into me, and I’m ready for the climax, I need it. He fucks me rough, deep, like an animal, and my moans are coming out fast and unreserved.

The orgasm tears through me then. He slaps my ass with the belt one more time, this time hard, just as the orgasm creeps up my spine and crests. The pain and the orgasm mix in my brain and explode through my body, making it so intense that I can barely stand it. I try to squirm away but he doesn’t let me, keeping the pleasure going, ripping into me with his thick cock. Slowly I can stand the pleasure as it softens in intensity. I look over my shoulder at him, panting and covered in sweat, but he groans and grabs my hair. He rips into me, long and hard thrusts, and groans. He comes deep inside of my pussy. I gasp as I feel him fill me, moaning to encourage him, wanting every drop of him. We finish together, and slowly he unties me. We collapse onto the bed and he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. “That wasn’t too much?” he asks me. I shake my head. “Not at all,” I say, and giggle softly. “That last one. Wow.” He smiles. “I thought you’d like that.” “I didn’t know it could feel so... intense.”

“I can show you more. A lot more. But I thought that was a good step.” I kiss his lips softly. “Perfect.” He holds me tight like that, and I know I made the right decision. I know that running away wasn’t the right thing to do. Running away wouldn’t have solved anything or made it any easier for him, and I would have been depriving both of us of whatever this is. I’m glad I didn’t get on that plane. I’m thankful that he came for me. And I hope I’ll keep him coming as long as I can.

25

CARSON

I

wake early the next morning, a beautiful Saturday sunrise peeking through the trees. I stand at the large window, looking out over my land, and can’t help but smile. I feel like whatever is happening between Kylie and I just went to the next level last night. And it wasn’t just because of the sex. The fact that I chased her down at the airport and brought her back says a lot about how I feel about her. It’s a little scary and intimidating, but I actually really like it. I want to keep her around and have absolutely no desire to move on to the next best thing, which is what I’ve felt in the past. I finally feel like I found someone that can keep my

attention, and she just happens to be much, much younger than me. Last night, I fell asleep in her bed. We slept together all night, bodies pressed close, and I didn’t want to leave. I woke up in the middle of the night and could have snuck out back to my room, but I was so comfortable with her pressed against me that I couldn’t bring myself to leave. I used to never sleep overnight with women. That was part of my rules, and it served me well for years. I would make sure they left by the morning, and I always slept in a different bed. I thought I was going to do that with Kylie, and I mostly did. Until Kylie came into my life, at least. It just feels right, sleeping in the same bed as her. It’s so intimate, but I can’t deny the comfort or the feeling it gives me. I feel secure, safe, and cozy in a way I didn’t think was possible. It seems like a little thing, sleeping in the same bed as someone, but it means a lot to me. I wonder if she even realizes what that meant. I want to tell her, but I don’t know how to put it into words. It’ll make me sound strange or weird, telling her that I never share my bed with women. I’m already worried about pushing her too hard.

There’s so much going on, and she already ran once. I’m worried she might do it again if things don’t start to turn around and go better. I want to prove to her that she has nothing to worry about, that she’s not a distraction, that I can win this battle and still keep her close. For me, I feel like I have no other option. I pull my phone from my pocket, feeling resolved, and dial my brother’s cell. It rings twice before he picks up. “Carson,” he says. “I was just thinking about you.” “Funny coincidence,” I say. “I missed you at the event last night.” “Oh, I know. Mother told me all about it.” “I’m sure she did.” “I’ve been very busy, myself. Did you know that someone vandalized my private office?” I smile to myself. “Did they?” I ask vaguely. “Of course, I’m sure you’re aware. Myron said he saw you there.” “Did he?” I can’t help it as my smile grows larger. Elliot’s tone changes. His voice gets more sinister. “Do you think that little stunt will stop me?” he

asks softly. “No, not at all,” I say. “But I think what I stole might.” He laughs. “I don’t think so.” ”You’re in bed with Myron, and I can already tell the deal is rotten. You think that’s going to stay buried?” “Might not,” he agrees. “But you’re not the man that’s going to uncover anything.” “I disagree. I’m the man that stole your documents, Elliot. I’m the man that’s going to destroy you.” “I thought we were brothers,” he says, mock-hurt. “We were. Years ago. But you decided that anger and petty jealousy were more important than blood, and I’ve finally given up trying to change your mind.” “Good!” he exclaims, laughing, and he sounds genuinely joyous. “Oh god, that’s so good. I’m so happy to hear you say that, brother.” “Why?” I ask, head cocked. He sounds genuinely deranged. “Oh, a special reason. A reason you’ll see very soon.”

I frown to myself. I don’t like this, not at all. He sounds too confident, too happy, and too excited. He should be worried right now. I do know enough to figure out what’s happening between him and Myron, and there’s no way it won’t hurt him pretty badly, at least in my father’s regard. That’s what matters, anyway, right now. Suddenly, I notice the morning sunlight crest over the mountains and glint off of something in the tree line at the edge of my property. I squint, trying to see what it is, but the reflection disappears as soon as I appeared. Something is out there, I realize. Something probably man-made, too, if it’s reflecting light like that. I step away from the window just as cracks begin to form in the glass. “See that, brother?” Elliot whispers in my ear. “What?” I ask, staring at the cracks. There’s a perfect round hole in the center of the splintered spider web. I stumble back away from the window when another hole appear, this one closer to me. “What’s going on?” I ask him. “We’re finishing this, brother. I’ve been preparing this surprise for you all night. I’ll see you on the other side.” He hangs up without another word.

I stare at the holes in the window, my brain taking a while to catch up with my eyes. I drop my phone on the ground and have only one thought: Kylie. Gunfire bursts and flares up outside. I hear shouts and yells, and my first instinct is to run into the front closet and grab my indoors axe. I get it, though I know it won’t help, just as Nick throws open the garage door. “Armed men,” he says, face set in a deadly grimace. He’s bleeding from a wound in his arm. “You need to get out of here, Carson.” “My brother,” I say, hefting the axe onto my shoulder. “Him and a bunch of men, well-hidden, and wellarmed. We’re holding them back, but I don’t know how long we can last. Get in your truck and make a run for it.” “I can’t leave you all behind,” I say, shaking my head. “Protect the girl,” he growls at me. “Save yourself. You can get revenge for us.” “How?” I shake my head. “I don’t have the muscle.” “No muscle,” he says, and points at a square on his

chest. “Cameras. Each of my men. They’re all recording this and uploading it wirelessly to a server.” He takes a card from his pocket along with a pen, and then writes something down on it. “Go to this address. Use this password. Get the videos and nail this bastard.” I take the card, nodding numbly, not sure what to do. I want to help them, fight with them, and maybe die alongside them. I never wanted any of this, and can’t imagine running. But he’s right. I have the resources to destroy Elliot, but if I die, it all dies with me. “Good luck,” I say to him. He nods, readying his weapon, and heads back outside. The gunfire ebbs and wanes and starts back up as the fighting continues. I hate that I’m turning my back on the fighting and not helping, but he’s right. I have something more important to worry about. I shoulder the axe and head toward Kylie’s room, determined to see this through.

26

KYLIE

I

wake up to what sounds like fireworks going off all around the house.

I groan and roll out of bed. Carson is gone, but that doesn’t surprise me. He slept all night with me, but he’s an early riser, and I’m sure he was letting me sleep in. But I don’t understand what this damn racket is. I pull on a pair of pants and a sweater, and as I’m about to leave the room, Carson suddenly bursts inside. I stumble back. His eyes are wide and he’s holding his axe in his right hand. “Kylie,” he says. “Get dressed. We have to go.” Fear lances through me at the expression on his

face. “What’s happening?” I ask. “Dress,” he growls. “Warm. Hurry.” He pushes me gently toward my bureau and I do as he commands. He walks over to the windows and peers out of them as the fireworks continue to go off. I stand there for a moment, listening to the noise outside. Instantly and all at once, I realize that I’m not listening to fireworks. They’re going on too long and are way too consistently to be fireworks. It’s gunfire. I pause and stare at Carson for a second, shocked. “Carson, what’s happening?” I ask him. “Are those gunshots?” He nods grimly. “My brother,” he says. “What?” I can hardly understand it. He walks over to me and leans the axe up against the wall. He puts his hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. “Listen to me, Kylie. We’re going to survive this. I won’t let anything happen to you. Okay?” I nod, terrified. “Okay,” I say.

“Trust me. Please trust me. Because I fell in love with you, and now I won’t let you go. “I love you too,” I whisper. He kisses me hard and deep, hands wrapped in my hair, and I press myself against him. I feel desperate and afraid but elated. Through the fear, I feel something else, something even stronger. I didn’t know I could feel this way, but it’s there. It’s love, and it’s going to get me through this. I know I’ll get through it. Carson will keep me safe. The kiss breaks off and he grabs his axe again, resuming his place near the window. I finish dressing, boots and everything. “Come on,” he says. We head back into the main house when suddenly the huge glass window is shattered. Carson shoves me to the ground and falls on top of me. The kitchen is torn apart by bullets, smashing through the shelves and the appliances. When it stops, he pulls me to my feet. “Garage!” he yells. I run with him right on my heels. I reach the garage door and throw it open. Standing there, with a wicked grin on his face, is Declan. He’s Elliot’s right-hand man. I remember

him from that night he harassed us out in the street. He’s bleeding from a wound on his forehead as he slowly raises his gun. “There you are, pretty girl,” he says. Carson yanks my sweater from behind, throwing me to the side, and he charges out. Declan curses, but it’s too late. Carson brings the axe down in a fast, deadly arc, slamming it into his chest. Declan screams and fires his gun, but it goes off wildly. Carson kicks him in the gut, sending him to the ground, and grabs the axe. He tears it out of Declan’s body. I stare at them, horrified. There’s so much blood, way more than I thought there’d be. Carson grabs my arm and pulls me along. We stumble through the blood, and I can’t stop staring at the axe. The garage door is open, and outside men are fighting. I can see Nick and a few of his guys hiding out behind an overturned jeep, firing off into the woods, as several men try to get around them. I guess Declan made a dash for the garage and just barely made it, based on the way he looked. Carson yells something, but I can’t hear a thing. The gunfire is deafening. He grabs me and drags me to the truck, throwing the door open and shoving

me inside. I can barely move, like a lump, but I manage to get into the seat and strap myself in. Carson gets into the other seat and tosses the axe into the back. He starts the engine. “Hold on,” he says. “What about them?” I ask. He looks at me grimly. “This is how it has to be.” “Carson—“ “No,” he says. “Don’t fight me. If we stay, we’ll die. If we survive, we can still fight. Do you understand? Nick wants this.” I stare at him for a second and I can see the pain on his face clearly. I know that he’ll stay if I ask him to. He wants to stay, doesn’t want to run away and leave these men, but I know it’s the right thing to do. I have to be strong for him. “Go,” I say softly. He nods once, closes his eyes, and then he opens them again. He guns the truck, throwing us in reverse. We fly out into the driveway, through the gun battle. I get down as bullets hit the vehicle, but Carson doesn’t stop. Once we’re past the main fight, he sits back

up and looks out the broken back window as he drives in reverse. Once we’re far enough away, he swings the truck around, and we drive straight out to the main road. We drive as fast as possible toward Juneau, but nobody is following. Or if they are, we can’t see them. We head toward town, but before we get down to the main part of the city, Carson breaks off and heads to an outer suburb. “Where are we going?” I ask him, finally breaking the silence. “The one place I know they won’t follow,” he says. I frown, watching him. “Where?” He looks grim, so grim that I can barely believe it. “My father’s house,” he says, and he presses down on the accelerator.

27

CARSON

I

pull up outside my father’s house, hating that I’m here. But I know it’s the only safe place in fucking Juneau right

now. “Come on,” I say to Kylie, but she hesitates. “It’s okay. My mother won’t be here. She left for California this morning.” She laughs softly, shaking her head. “Seriously? Isn’t your dad sick?” “Very.” He doesn’t smile. “But he has nurses. The best money can buy. Come on, we’re safe here.” We climb out of the truck. My father lives in a palatial estate at the furthest edge of Juneau. The house is right on the bay, and the grounds are

immaculately kept. My father has nothing to do with that, of course. His estate essentially runs itself. We head inside. As soon as I step into the threshold, I get the same strange feeling I always get when I come to visit him. I grew up in this house a long time ago. It wasn’t our first house, but we moved here when I was five, so it’s the house that I remember the most. I associate my childhood with this place in a lot of ways, which is strange, considering I hate everything it stands for. As soon as we’re inside, I can already see the staff going into motion. The butler, a man named Roger, approaches with a big smile on his face. “Master Carson,” he says. “Are you here to see your father?” “Soon,” I say. “But first, we need a room and a laptop.” He pauses. “Ah, yes, of course. Right this way.” I glance back at Kylie then follow Roger down the hall. He takes us to the second guest room, right on the ground floor. My father’s room is down the hall, which is probably meant to be some backhanded comment from Roger, but I just ignore him. We get

inside the room and Kylie sits down on the couch, knees pulled to her chest. I glance at myself in the mirror and pause. I have blood all over me, Declan’s blood. I remember swinging the axe down and killing him, but at the time it felt like someone else. I was just acting to save Kylie. “I’ll be right back,” I say, and go into the bathroom. I fire up the shower and jump into the hot water. Kylie comes in a minute later and leans up against the wall, watching as I scrub away the blood. “Do you think they’re okay?” she asks me. “I don’t know,” I say. “We’ll find out soon. Is Roger back with the laptop yet?” “Not yet.” She watches me for a second and then steps toward the shower door. “Thank you, Carson.” “For what?” I ask. “Almost getting you killed?” “No. For saving me, back there.” I watch her for a second then I open the door. I take her by the cheek and kiss her gently. “Always,” I say. I turn off the shower water and get out. I don’t feel

like I’m clean, but I suspect I won’t feel clean for a long time. It doesn’t matter. I killed Declan because I had to, and I’d do it a thousand more times. I towel off the best I can then put on a robe that I find in the closet. Roger knocks on the door and drops off the laptop by the time my hair is dry. As soon as I have it, I open the lid and navigate to the website on the card that Nick gave me. I input all the information and connect to the server. There, on the server, are a bunch of video files. I open one at random. Kylie and I watch as the camera shows the woods around my house. It’s quiet, very quiet, when suddenly there’s a shout. Arms and a gun appear in the frame and I realize that it’s a soldier’s body camera. Gunshots burst from the tree line, and the man grunts then falls to the ground. The rest of the video is just the noise of gunfire, shouting, and the clear blue sky. I stop the video and we stare at it for a second before I finally shake my head. “It ends here,” I say. “What?” she asks.

“Can you get my phone? From my pocket.” She nods and get up, returning with my phone a second later. I frown at it. There are several missed calls from Nick. I dial him back and he answers on the second ring. “Carson,” he says. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” I say. “It’s good to hear from you. What happened?” “As soon as you left, they pulled back. We held them off as long as we could. I was afraid they caught you.” “No, I’m safe where I am.” “We can come to you. Where?” “No. Stay at my place. Help your men.” He pauses. “We lost some people today.” His implication is clear. “Don’t worry,” I say. “Elliot will pay. Very soon.” “Good luck.” He hangs up the phone. I sigh as Kylie stares at me. “What?” she asks. “Nick is alive. So are some of his men, not sure how many.”

“Good,” she whispers. “That’s good.” “We need to move now, though,” I say. “Can you go out and find Roger for me? Get me some clothes?” “Sure,” she says. “What about you?” “I’m going to put something together.” I smile then kiss her again. “We’ll be fine.” She nods, looking nervous, but gets up and leaves the room. I turn back to my laptop and start to go through the videos, one at a time, seeing what I can learn, piecing the information together image by image.

“ARE

YOU READY FOR THIS ?”

I nod at Kylie, not sure if I really am or not. “I’m ready.” She opens the doors to my father’s bedroom and I step in. “I’ll wait here,” she says softly. I give her a gentle kiss before walking into his room. The doors shut behind me. Jason Price, great scion of the Price oil fortune, lies

emaciated and dying in his bed. I hate seeing him like this. There’s a nurse at his bedside, but as soon as I step into the room, she discreetly leaves through a side door. My father is awake, though I don’t know how aware he is. I hope he’s aware enough. I walk over to his bedside and sit down, the laptop in my hands. “Father,” I say. “Carson.” His voice is like sandpaper, but at least he’s talking. “I didn’t expect you.” “I’m not here for a visit. I’m here for something else.” He licks his lips, his skin sallow and gray. His hair has all fallen out from the medicine, and he looks more like a skeleton than a man. But he’s having a good day, which is lucky for me, and his piercing blue eyes still retain some of the old shrewd sharpness that I remember as a child. “Please, just watch this,” I say to him. “What is it?” I can hear the pain in his voice. “Just watch.” I hit play on the video and make sure he can see the screen. He watches the small movie I threw together just ten minutes earlier. It shows Elliot’s

men, including Declan, attacking my house from the various body cameras that I could find in the server. My father watches the whole thing, all two minutes, and doesn’t say a word. When it’s over, I pull the laptop away. “Why are you showing me this?” he asks. “Because Elliot has to be stopped, but he has the sheriff in his back pocket. The only man that can bring him down right now is you.” He stares at me and then smiles. “I’m dying, Carson. I can’t leave this bed.” “You don’t have to. I know you have contacts outside of Juneau. Make a call.” He frowns at me, watching me with those shrewd eyes, and for a moment I feel like a little boy again. But I’m not a little boy. This morning, I killed a man with an axe to save the woman that I love. I’ll take care of her, make her happy, and give her everything she can ever imagine. I’m not that scared little boy anymore, and haven’t been for a long time. “I never wanted this,” he says softly. “That doesn’t matter. Elliot can’t see beyond the job.”

“He was always... jealous... foolish.” He coughs softly and groans. For a second, I’m afraid he’s going to fall asleep, but his eyes return. “You must take the job, Carson. I don’t agree with the life you’ve lived, but you’re capable, competent, a better man. It must be you.” I nod my head, keeping my face straight. “I’ll do what I must.” “Good. You were always a good boy.” “Make the call, father. Now, while you can. I can send the proof.” He frowns at me and coughs again, a deep, hacking cough. I find him some tissues and he covers his mouth. There’s blood when he pulls them away, but he doesn’t seem concerned. “Your brother... he’s an animal,” he says softly. “When an animal is out of control, it must be put down. Do you understand, Carson?” I nod slowly. “I understand.” “There’s a man, an old friend of mine. He works in the FBI. I’ll make the call. But you have to make sure he’s put down. Make sure he’s stopped.” “I will.” My father groans. “Phone. Now.”

I give him my cell phone and my father, old and dying and possibly in his final lucid moment, makes the call. When it’s over, I leave his room. I pause at the door and look back at him, but my father is asleep. I don’t know if he’ll wake back up. I leave the room, and there’s so much to do still, but the only thing I want is to see Kylie. She’s standing against the wall and her face lights up when I see her. I walk up to her and take her in my arms, pulling her close against me. I hug her tight, feeling her body close against mine. This is the world I’m bringing her into, but I’m going to make it better. Soon, my brother will be in custody, and with the videos from Nick and his testimony, Elliot will go away for a long time. Myron will probably be arrested and thrown in jail as well, which is just as good. Juneau will need a new sheriff. Whatever they planned together will probably never be discovered, but it doesn’t matter. Elliot dug his own grave because of his anger and jealousy, and he couldn’t wait. He had to take things into his own hands like a fool. “Are you okay?” Kylie asks me. I nod once and kiss her softly. “Everything will be

okay now,” I say. “I promise. I love you, Kylie.” The words surprise me, but I know they’re true. It’s what I’ve been building to. It’s what gave me the strength to get through this. Before her, I didn’t have direction in my life. I was fine with drifting through my days, working hard with no real aims beyond myself. Now though, I want to fix this city. I want to help the people of Juneau and get rid of the corruption that I see all around me. Getting a glimpse into Elliot’s world, and the fact that the sheriff was a part of it, that all sickens me. I want to put a stop to it. And I give Kylie all the credit. If I didn’t love her the way that I do, I don’t think I would have the strength to care. I might even have given Elliot the CEO job if he continued to push me. Kylie gives me strength. She gives me purpose. And I’ll always love her for that. “I love you too,” she whispers. I kiss her hard and deep. I know it’s over, although it’s just beginning. It’s the right way, the good thing, the feeling I’ve always dreamed about. One moment passes and another and I can’t wait for more, more moments with her. I’ve never felt like

this before, but she fills me the right way, and I can’t live any other way. I’ll always take care of her. I’ll give her more than she can possibly imagine. And in return, she’ll give me meaning, purpose, the whole damn world. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

28

KYLIE TWO YEARS LATER

T

he first snow lies heavy on the clean ground. I look out across the trees, down their white-capped green, and catch Juneau spreading out along the bay. I’ve looked out over this view maybe a few thousand times in the last two years. Sometimes it’s been a good view, and sometimes it hasn’t. But I always come back to it, no matter what. The glass was repaired, but I swear I can still see the cracks where the bullets tore it apart. Two months ago, Carson actually did find an old bullet lodged into the back of one of the cabinets. He got a far-off look on his face, and then we laugh about it. “What are you doing over there?”

I look up and catch Carson leaning against the bannister, looking down at me. I smile up at him and feel my chest heave, my stomach do flips. I can’t believe I still feel like this after all this time, but I can’t help it. “I’m just thinking,” I say. “What about?” “You. And me.” “Sounds scary.” He gives me a big smile. “It’s not, not at all. I just... need to tell you something.” He cocks his head at me then comes down the steps. He was upstairs doing some work while I was in the bathroom, taking the test. I didn’t want to tell him about it, not yet at least, not until I was sure. I’m sure now. I’m scared, but not too scared. I know Carson will take care of me no matter what. “Come here,” I say to him. He walks across the living room and joins me over by the window. I take his hand in mine and look up at his handsome face. So much has happened in these last two years. His father died about three weeks after Elliot’s attack, and Carson took over the CEO position. We also inherited most of his father’s money and his estate,

which Carson sold off. He says he prefers his house, which makes me happy, because I feel like this place is home. Carson used the money from the sale of his father’s home to help pay for Nick’s men’s injuries, and to give some money to the families of the men that died that day. He says he knows that can’t bring them back, but maybe it can help ease their loss, at least a little bit. Elliot is in jail. The trial went on much longer than we anticipated, but as of one week ago, Elliot is officially spending the rest of his life in a prison cell. The relief is intense and palpable, and I’ve already seen a change in Carson since the verdict was handed down. We’re going to take care of Elliot’s family. Or at least Carson will. Elliot’s wife and children were innocent and remain innocent. They’ll have their own problems as they grow up, and Carson wants to make sure that they have the best care possible. He also set up a new network of homeless shelters all across the city in my honor. I help to run them, which has been one of the greatest things of my life. Carson’s philanthropy is incredible, and it’s part of what I love about him. “What did you want to tell me?” he asks. “Well... I don’t know how to say it.”

He frowns. “You’re worrying me. What’s wrong?” “I’m pregnant,” I say. For a second, I’m afraid. But then he throws his arms around me and pulls me against him, hugging me tight and close. “That’s amazing!” he says. “Kylie! We’re going to have a kid.” He laughs and hugs me, lifting me off my feet. I kiss him when he puts me back down. “Now you’ll really be a daddy.” He grins. “Don’t be weird.” I laugh and kiss him again. “Are you happy?” “Very happy.” “Good. I was worried.” “Why would you worry?” I shrug. “I don’t know.” “Listen to me, Kylie. I’m in this with you,” he says. “I love you. I want a family with you.” I nod, biting back tears. He kisses me, deep and slow, and I know this is right. We fought a lot to get here. There were hard times, especially in the days right after Carson’s father died. Carson’s mother still doesn’t approve of me,

but she doesn’t come to Juneau much anymore. Last I heard, she had a new boyfriend out in Florida. But here we are. I’m pregnant and we’re together. I don’t care that he’s so much older than I am. I’m in this for a long run, and I know he is too. I want a family and he’s giving that to me. I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m safe and he takes care of me, gives me everything I need. His job is demanding but he never lets it gets in the way of us. It brings me joy every single day. It makes me feel better than I could ever have imagined. He’s incredible. We kiss in front of the glass wall looking out over our property, out over the city we help run, and I know this is the life I never imagined but can’t live without. This is what I needed. A good man to take care of me and a family. From here, there’s nothing else better.

BONUS EPILOGUE: KYLIE

S

ummer in Alaska is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life. I expected it to be freezing cold in Alaska all year round, but of course I was totally wrong about that. I was used to weather in L.A. where it’s perpetually nice, but there’s something special about Alaska in the summer that I never expected. When the snow melts, green shoots begin to peek up through the frozen ground. Water begins pouring down the streams again, the ice slowly breaking apart, and suddenly the world just bursts into life. Animals begin to appear all around, and the green is just so intense that it almost feels unreal. That’s the environment in which our son Jimmy was born. Last summer, I gave birth to Jimmy, all

glorious ten pounds of him. Carson and I were ready for him, or at least we thought we were totally prepared. But you can’t ever be prepared for what having a baby does to your life. Priorities that once seemed so important suddenly become useless. The axis of your life shifts and tilts toward this new little baby. I knew I was going to love him, but I didn’t anticipate the visceral and intense feeling of love that I had for Jimmy as soon as he entered the world. It was hard at first. Carson didn’t know he wanted to be a father until he held Jimmy for the first time, and I could see everything change for him in that moment. We had some late nights and a lot of stress, but Carson was there for it, every single step of the way. Even though he’s a high-powered CEO and a very important man in our city, Carson still made me and Jimmy his first priority. So we watched Jimmy grow together. He went from a screaming little baby to a happy toddler in basically no time, and eventually he learned to walk. One year later, and the summer is back, and this time it’s absolutely gorgeous. “You ready, little man?”

Jimmy looks up at me with his blue eyes and his blonde curly hair, a big toothy smile on his face. Well, partially toothy, at least. “Walk,” he says. I laugh a little as I sit him down and get his little hiking shoes on. “That’s right, bud,” I say. “We’re going for a little walk.” “Fun,” he says, and his attention quickly changes to fiddling with my backpack. Once he’s dressed and ready, I grab my pack, put it on, and then pick Jimmy up. He can walk pretty well but it’s easier to carry him at first. “Here we go!” I say and he laughs as we head out the garage and up the path that winds through our property. Carson is at work though he should be back any minute. I decided that I didn’t feel like waiting around the house for him, though. It’s just too beautiful outside to spend anymore time inside, and besides, Jimmy loves the outdoors. We get a little ways up the path and I finally put him down. Jimmy laughs and runs off the path immediately, like he always does, and I follow behind him. He can’t move too fast, which is good, because he has a never-ending supply of energy

that I can’t hope to match. He crashes through the underbrush, oblivious to everything but whatever he’s looking at in a given moment. He seems so happy, and I can’t pretend like his smile doesn’t bring absolute joy into my life. I never pictured myself as a stay at home mom, though that’s not the only thing I do. I run Carson’s charities, which is such a cliché thing to do, but it brings me a sense of purpose. Raising Jimmy is great, and I love him with all my heart, but I need something that’s for me. Running Carson’s charities gives me that purpose and meaning and frankly it makes me happy as hell. There’s still nothing like spending time with Jimmy, though. I can’t help but laugh as he studies a little bush like it’s the most amazing thing in the world. I make sure that there aren’t any thorns and that it’s not poison ivy, and then I let him basically do whatever he wants. Living in Alaska has changed me a lot. I’m much more outdoorsy than I ever was before. I can identify plants better than I ever expected, and I actually understand what people are talking about when they discuss the many varieties of life in the Alaskan forest.

Still, I’m relatively new to everything, and so I don’t let Jimmy stray from my sight and I don’t want to get too far from home. I can see the house through the trees, though just barely, which means we’re getting to the limits of my comfort zone. “Tree,” Jimmy says, putting his hands on the bark of a tree. “That’s right,” I say. “Big tree.” “Tree,” he repeats and starts to walk around it. I watch him, smiling to myself. He’s Carson’s son, through and through. He’s brave and curious and a smart, impressive kid. Carson is already talking about how he’s going to take over the business one day, although I think that’s a little premature. Still, I had to admit that Jimmy does seem like he has the potential to be really, really smart, and that might mean he’ll be good at he family business. It’s not fair to assume he’ll even want to do that, though. Twenty years from now, when Jimmy is finally coming into his own, who knows what he’ll want to do. He might hate the business and want nothing to do with it, and that’ll have to be okay. I don’t want Carson to turn into a man like his own father, though I think he’s very aware of that. The one thing we don’t talk about anymore is Evan.

Not since Evan got locked up. I don’t mention him and neither does Carson, although I can tell that it still eats him up inside. There are still days where he seems taciturn and withdrawn, and I’m pretty sure it’s because he was thinking about his brother. It’s a real shame, but there’s nothing I can do for him. I don’t know why his brother did all of those things, or why any of that had to happen. But it’s all gone now, and here we are, still living our life. And I’m happy. It shouldn’t be hard to admit, but I am happy. I never expected any of this. The day I ran away from home was the day I began to assume that my life would be spent working for minimum wage, barely getting by, living paycheck to paycheck. Instead, I married a rich, gorgeous man that loves me, and I have his handsome, smart son. I don’t know how life could get any better. I smile as Jimmy heads back toward the path. Down below, I think I can hear Carson’s car pull up to the house and the slam of the door. “Daddy’s home,” I say to Jimmy. “Do you want to see Daddy?” “Daddy,” Jimmy says, looking at me. “Daddy!” “That’s right,” I answer, smiling at him. As I reach for him to pick him up, I suddenly hear

something moving through the underbrush. I pick up Jimmy as the sounds get closer, coming faster. Whatever it is sounds big. My heart starts hammering in my chest. I don’t know what could possibly be out here. I whirl around to face the sound and gape as a large brown bear come climbing around a tree. I stumble backwards, eyes wide. I knew there were bears out in the forest, but I’ve never seen one before. The only bears I know are stuffed and cuddly and cute. This bear doesn’t look cute or cuddly. It’s huge, absolutely enormous, and its fur is patchy and dirty. It shows its teeth and lets out a horrifying grunting growl. “Carson!” I scream, and then I do the stupidest thing I could possibly do. I turn and start running. You’re not supposed to run. You’re supposed to stand very still or maybe play dead and hope the bear leaves you alone. But I could feel Jimmy starts to squirm and I knew he wasn’t going to cooperate and somehow keep this bear away. I have to save my son, I keep thinking to myself as I sprint down the path. Behind me, the bear comes

crashing out onto the path, following us. “Carson!” I scream again. “Help! Please! Someone help!” I run as fast as I can, my legs and chest burning. Jimmy weighs a ton in this moment, but I’m not letting that slow me down. I keep sprinting away from this bear as it barrels down after us. It’s gaining, I realize with total horror. I don’t know what’s going to happen when it catches us. I hope that I can throw myself at it, maybe fight it a little bit while Jimmy gets away. Maybe I can slow the bear down long enough to let Jimmy escape. Maybe my death can mean something, and we don’t have to both die in this stupid and senseless moment. What was I thinking, walking around alone up here? There were never bears around before, but Carson did warn me about them. He said sometimes they stray close to the property, especially when they’re hungry. Now I’m being chased by a hungry bear and I wish I took his warning more seriously. “Carson!” I scream again. I leap over a fallen log. Jimmy starts crying, obviously sensing my fear. I’m gripping him too hard as I sprint away from the bear.

I hit a turn in the path and suddenly I feel the ground slip beneath my shoes. Jimmy decides to squirm at this exact moment, and suddenly I’m slipping backwards, sliding along the dirt. I hit the ground hard, first my ass and then my back sliding along the dirt and the rocks. I grip Jimmy harder, not willing to let him go. Once my slide stops, I get back to my feet, but it’s too late. The bear some sliding to a stop in front of me and lets out a horrifying, angry roar. I can see my death inside of its mouth. “Run baby,” I say to Jimmy, putting him down beside me. I don’t look away from the bear. “Run home. Okay?” “Daddy,” Jimmy says. “That’s right,” I answer. “Run home to Daddy.” Jimmy points. “Daddy,” he says again. “Please baby, run.” The bear is coming at me, mouth open, growling like a feral dog. But this is no dog, it’s bigger than I am and it’s going to tear me to pieces. Just then, a deafening crack splits the air. I stumble backwards as a red burst blooms along the side of the bear. Another crack and then another,

deafening and terrifying, and the bear screams in pain. It turns and starts to lumber back up the path, spilling blood all along the ground. My heart is hammering in my chest as Carson appears at my side. “Are you okay?” he asks. “Oh god, Carson,” I say, throwing my arms around him. “It’s okay,” he says. He hugs me tight for a moment before letting go. “Are you okay?” “I’m okay,” I say, crouching down. I inspect Jimmy and he seems totally fine, maybe just a little scared. “He’s okay.” “Shit,” Carson says. “That was a big bear. Looked sick, too.” He walks up the path a bit to look at the blood. “I thought it was going to eat me,” I say. Carson looks back at me and grins. He’s wearing his usual suit and holding a hunting rifle. “I’m glad you screamed. Brought me running.” “You saved us.” “I’m just happy you’re safe.” He looks around, frowning. “Come on, let’s get you two inside. I’ll need to track that bear down and kill it.”

“Okay,” I say, and I let him lead us back to the house. Once inside, I manage to get Jimmy down for a nap. He’s tired from all the excitement and falls asleep easily. When he’s down, I find Carson in the kitchen and I kiss him deep and full. “You just keep saving my life,” I say to him. “Get used to it,” he says, smiling. “I always will.” I kiss him again and I know that I’m home. Carson will protect me always, no matter what, even from freaking hungry bears. This is the perfect man. He still has an amazing appetite for me, and makes me feel so sexy. And now he saved me life yet again. I don’t know where I’d be without him. I hold his hand and kiss him, and I know we’re going to be okay.

SMALL TOWN DADDY: A DARK ROMANCE

PROLOGUE: MIA

I

hear a twig snap and I know he’s coming to fuck me.

I take a deep breath and can smell wildflowers all around me. Sunlight filters in through the trees as I walk faster, looking over my shoulder. I can’t see him, but I can hear him, getting closer and closer. I know what he wants from me, and my heart beats faster in my chest. It’s half fear, half excitement. It’s exactly what I want. Ahead, I can see a break in the trees and the meadow is there with its thousands of flowers and its thick, lush green grass. I hurry my pace, wanting to get there before he catches me. I hear another twig and picture his cocky smirk, his muscular chest. I’m dripping wet even though I

know I shouldn’t be. He shouldn’t have me, not when it’s so dangerous to let him. But he fought for me, and now there’s only one thing left. I break through the trees in front of me, and the meadow opens up. It’s a wild medley of blue and green and yellow, twisting and beautiful. I smile to myself and slow my pace, wanting him to catch up to me now. I hear him brush through the trees just a second behind me. I half turn toward him, smiling, and he comes toward me. He smirks as he catches my wrist. “Running away?” he asks. I shake my head. “More like leading you here.” “You’re the spider, and this is your web.” I laugh a little. “That must make you my fly.” “So you think.” He pulls me toward him, pressing his body against mine. “You thought you caught a fly in your web. But really, you invited a wolf to dinner.” I bite my lip and look away from him. My heart is pounding in my chest and I’m dripping wet. I can’t believe how much I need this, and yet I know it’s the last thing I should really want. If I let this

happen, this meadow, this whole forest could be bulldozed and paved over. That would hurt worse than anything I could imagine. And yet his body against mine, his lips so close, I can’t help it. When he gazes my throat with his mouth, I’m not going to stop him. “Okay, Mr. Big Bad Wolf,” I say. “What now?” “You know what now,” he whispers in my ear. “Now I’m going to have you for lunch.” I feel a shiver run down my spine. His hands are all over my body. Anybody could walk in on us, but I don’t care. He lowers me down into the soft grass, undressing me as he goes, and soon I’m under his touch. I’m not going anywhere and he knows it. “You’ve been dreaming of this since we first met,” he whispers. “And I’ll give you what you want. I’ll make this wet little pussy come, but first you have to do something for me.” “What?” I whisper, breathless, begging. “Say those three little words.” His breath is warm against my ear. I’m afraid. If I say it, I don’t know what’ll happen to me. But he’s so big, so strong, and so much older than me. I know he knows what he’s doing. It’s

obvious what he can make me feel. “I don’t know,” I say, biting my lip. He grabs my chin and looks in my eyes, his other hand between my legs. “Am I going to have to make you beg?” I shake my head. “No, please.” Pleasure, fires of pleasure, as his fingers do their work. “Say it,” he whispers again, a command that I can’t deny any longer. He’s too much, too big, too strong. I invited a wolf to lunch and now he’s going to have me for the main course. The problem is, I don’t mind at all. I want him to take me, eat me, destroy me. I want him to dominate me and make me his possession. So I say the words I’ve been aching to say. ”You’re my Daddy.”

1

LUCAS

E

xplosions rock all around me in abstract color. It’s loud, too loud, and I can’t see anything. Gunfire pops off and I huddle against a wall, my squad strung out and pinned down. One of my friends gets a bullet through the skull right next to me, and I’m screaming, covered in blood, my rifle firing as I run out into the open, begging to be shot, begging to be killed, everything too vivid, everything too real. I wake up in a cold sweat. It takes me a minute before I get myself together. The dreams are so damn lifelike and intense. I know it’s a pretty common thing for guys like me to experience, but that doesn’t make it any fucking easier. The dreams keep me up at night sometimes.

All things considered, this was a mild one. I check the clock and sigh. It’s barely past five in the morning and the sun is just starting to rise. I get up, knowing that sleep is a lost cause at this point, and grab a quick shower. When I’m done, I head downstairs and get breakfast started. I’m the first one awake, although I know Noah is going to be up any second now. I glance at the baby monitor as I finish brewing the coffee and making eggs for Alice. “Morning,” my stepmother says, coming into the kitchen as if on cue. “Noah up yet?” “Morning,” I say, glancing at the monitor again. “Not yet, surprisingly.” “Lucky. What’s it, almost six?” I nod and show her the pan. “Eggs?” “Sure.” She sits down at the kitchen table and I make her a plate. “It’s nice having you home, you know that?” I grin at her. “You just like it that I cook.” “Pretty much.” She sips her coffee and picks up the paper. Alice is in her late sixties, dirty blonde hair, a smile

that warms my heart, and more life in her than anyone I’ve ever met. She’s my stepmom, though my dad died a few years ago. When I got back from Syria, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be welcome in her home, but that was stupid of me. Alice Baker is the best thing in my life. She kept my dad’s last name and always says she won’t marry again, though I’ve been trying to get her out there anyway. Alice deserves to have someone, even if she feels like she’d be betraying me and my dad. The world is a better place with Alice Baker in it, and I’m a fucking lucky man to have her. As I turn away, intent on making myself a plate and scarfing it down as fast as possible before Noah wakes up, the baby monitor lights up with crying. Alice gives me a little smile. “You want me to get him while you eat?” she asks. I shake my head. “I got him. You enjoy.” She sighs. “It’s good having you home.” I grin at her then head into the back nursery. Noah is sitting up in his crib, crying because he’s hungry or because he just wants to see me, but it doesn’t matter. I lift him up, kiss his cheek, and carry him over to the changing table. I didn’t know about Noah until after he was born.

My ex-girlfriend Jen planned on giving him up for adoption, and nearly did it until Alice found out. I begged her to let me have him, and she agreed but on one condition. I had to leave the SEALs and never look back. It was the hardest choice I ever had to make. I spent the majority of my life, from eighteen until thirty, serving as a SEAL. I was fighting overseas in Syria, and that was my last tour. As soon as my time was up, I was honorably discharged, and I came home. Noah was only a month old but I got him. Alice was raising him for me and I knew she was relieved when I got back to help. It was hard at first, but he’s nearly a year old now and it’s getting easier every day. Jen doesn’t see him and I wouldn’t let her if she wanted. I can’t trust a person that would give up their child, no matter what their reasons. We only dated for a little while, really just a month while I was home on leave, and that’s when she got pregnant. Fortunately, it was at the very end of my tour, or else I’d be stuck in Syria still and my son could have gone anywhere. But none of that matters now. I change him, clothe him, and carry him out to the kitchen. Alice fusses

with him while I get his breakfast together. She helps feed him while I eat, and the morning goes pretty smoothly like that. I never thought I’d be a father. The idea just never occurred to me. Other men got married, had wives, had kids, had real lives, but that shit wasn’t for me. I was a fighter, a SEAL, a fucking warrior. I was going to live overseas and fight America’s enemies until the day that I died. That is, until Noah showed up in my life. As I drive him to daycare, I can’t help but reflect on how things have changed. It’s not just about me anymore. I have to live my life based on his schedule. It’s harder than I thought it would be but also more rewarding. I have a job at Alice’s flower shop, and otherwise I don’t know what I’d do for work. Fitting back into civilian life is hard as hell. I kiss Noah goodbye, drop him off, and head to work. Alice waves as I show up and head into the back, getting my stuff together. “I’ve got a task for you,” she says just as I’m putting on the stupid and embarrassing apron she makes me wear around the shop. I pause. “Can I take this off?” I ask her.

She grins. “Yes, you can.” “Let’s hear it,” I say, pulling the apron off as if it were burning hot metal. “We got a big order this morning, some wedding over on Turner. I need you to get us some wildflowers from the nature preserve.” “I think I can handle that.” “They don’t usually sell flowers, but they’ll let you pick them. Just tell them I sent you.” I grin at her. “Is this legal?” “Basically.” She grins back at me. “Legal enough.” “Works for me.” I grab my keys again and head toward the door. “Hey, hold on.” She walks over to me and gives me a big hug. It takes me off guard a little bit but Alice is always doing stuff like this. “You’re doing great,” she says, pulling away. “Keep it up. Noah’s a good kid and you’re a good dad.” “Yeah, well, thanks.” I’m not great with emotional stuff. “See you later.” “Good luck.” She waves as I head out.

Life back home isn’t easy. Getting used to being a civilian again isn’t a simple thing. I’ve been back for about ten months now but I still don’t feel like I belong. I barely have any friends, since they’re all either still in the service or they moved away from this shitty little town we grew up in, and I spend all of my time raising Noah. It’s exhausting and difficult and sometimes I feel like something’s missing from my life. But I wouldn’t go back and change it. I made this choice, I decided to come home and raise my son, because that’s the kind of man that I am. I’ll keep on sacrificing for Noah because I don’t know any other way. I start the engine and head off, driving out to the edge of town. Asherwood is a small town in the heart of Virginia, basically a bunch of farms and one little downtown area where the flower shop is. The nature preserve is out on the edge of town, in the middle of nothing, which makes it in the middle of the middle of nothing to be exact. I have no clue that soon, this middle of nowhere is going to become the center of my world.

2

MIA

M

y alarm blares at the crack of dawn, just as the sun’s starting to rise. It pulls me from my deep sleep and, as much as I want to go back to sleep, I know that I can’t. I fall into my morning routine. I brush my teeth, shower quickly, and then head into my father’s room. I help him out of bed, brush his teeth, help him use the bathroom, and finally I bring him into the kitchen. He’s pretty calm today as I make us both breakfast. I have to be at the nature preserve in a half hour and the nurse is coming soon, but I like making him breakfast. When I’m finished, I sit down and help feed him while I drink my coffee. My father has late stage Alzheimer’s. He can’t take

care of himself anymore, and most of the time he has no clue who I am or where he is. It’s heartbreaking, but he’s my father and I’ll do anything for him. He’s in his late sixties, which is pretty young for Alzheimer’s this advanced. I’m only twenty and couldn’t go to college because of his illness. I don’t regret it. I like living in Asherwood. Mom died five years ago of cancer and I’m all my dad has left. I have an older sister, but she’s ten years older and living out in California. She has a family, a husband, and she can’t just uproot herself to come back and help. Truth is, she doesn’t know how bad Dad is, and I don’t want her to find out. We’re not that close, since we practically grew up in two different houses, but I still feel protective of her anyway. I can handle this. I’ve been handling it. I take care of Dad and I pay the bills. I work at the nature preserve and Dad gets government assistance which pays for the nurse. Plus there’s his pension from when he worked as a federal employee for so long. We’re comfortable financially. We’re not rich, but we’re getting by. I was my dad’s little miracle baby, or at least that’s what he always called me. The doctors said my mother was way too old to have me, but she did

anyway. I was close with my dad growing up, really close. My mom used to say that I softened him, that he was a harder man before I came around. My sister said the same thing. I only ever knew the doting man that always gave me everything I ever wanted and asked for nothing in return. I’m paying him back now. I take care of him the best I can. I have the nurses to help me, which means I can have something resembling a life, but for the most part I take care of him and I work. It’s not glamorous, and sometimes I wish I could get out of this town and see the world, but I’m content enough. The nurse comes about fifteen minutes later which gives me just enough time to make it into work. I head out to the preserve on the edge of town, parking in the back lot, and hurrying into the main visitor’s center. “Good morning, Momma Mia,” Laura says as I walk through the door. She’s been my boss for the last three years. She’s around my mother’s age, or at least how old she would have been if she hadn’t died. She’s one of the nicest, sweetest people I know, with long dark hair going gray and light blue eyes. She’s been working at the preserve for as long as I’ve been alive and more, and she’s basically the only person that knows how to do anything around

here anymore. I’m learning a lot from her, and I honestly love my job. “Morning, Laura,” I say, coming behind the front desk. She stretches slightly and smiles. “Coffee’s on, if you want some.” “Thanks,” I say, going through the mail from last night. “Anything special this afternoon?” “Actually,” Laura says, turning toward me, “there is something you can do for me.” I raise an eyebrow at her and stop what I’m doing. “What’s up?” She clears her throat a little bit. “I’m feeling under the weather today, actually, and there’s this . . . favor I’m doing for someone.” I frown at her. “What is it?” I ask her. She looks a little sheepish. “Truth is, dear, this is a bit, ah, under the table. If you understand what I’m saying.” “So you want me to do something illegal?” She laughs and shrugs. “Caught me.” “How illegal are we talking?” “Not very, truth be told. Alice Baker over at

Baker’s Flowers needs some wildflowers for a wedding and I said we could get her some, for the right price.” I sigh, shaking my head, and can’t help but grin a little bit. “Even though picking flowers and any foliage of any kind at a nature preserve is totally illegal.” “Totally,” she agrees. “It’s not like we don’t have a ton of the stuff. Besides, I go way back with Alice.” I lean up against the counter, smiling at Laura. “Well, are you going to cut me in on the deal?” She laughs, loud and deep. I love the way she laughs and it’s pretty infectious. I can’t help but smile wider. “You cheeky little thing. Okay then, I’ll give you twenty percent.” “Twenty-five. I’m doing all the hard work, after all.” “Okay. You have a deal.” We shake on it and I grin at her, excited. “So, when do I start?” She checks her watch. “Alice’s stepson should be coming by shortly. You might know him, I think he’s your sister’s age.”

“Baker?” I ask, shaking my head. “Name doesn’t ring a bell.” “Lucas Baker. Joined the military, been overseas for a while.” I shrug and go back to sorting the mail. “Never heard of him.” “Well, you’ll meet him soon.” “Guess so.” “Thanks, honey.” Laura gives me a quick little hug. “Now, I’m off to nap in the office. Wake me only if the preserve is on fire.” “Understood.” She gives me a little smile and retreats back into her office. I shake my head and go back to work, setting up for the morning. This is so typical Laura. She’s not exactly a rebel or a criminal, but she’s not above bending stupid little rules if it helps out a friend. I don’t mind doing it for her since she’s done so much for me. My hours are flexible because she knows about my father’s condition, and she’s let me skip so many days on his account I can barely keep track, most of them paid. I come and go on the preserve basically however I want, and I pay her back by doing the

bulk of the work around this place. Truthfully, I love it out on the preserve. It’s about five acres of pristine local wild lands, and technically it’s not allowed to be bought or sold for any development purposes. There’s always a vote every year in the local council to shoot down developers that want to try and build on the land, and every year Laura has to mobilize the local community activists, but we’ve been comfortably safe for a long time now. I finish up my routine morning tasks then hit the trails. I like to take a short hike up around the preserve, through my favorite meadow, and across the little stream. I’m checking for trash and anything like that, or at least that’s what I say if anyone asks me. Mostly I’m just enjoying myself. The sun is shining and it’s oddly warm for an early spring afternoon. I breathe deep of the fresh and perfect forest air, getting a deep scent of piney goodness as I strike out into the trees. This is what I live for these days. I have friends and I go out as much as I can but this preserve, these trees, this land, it’s what I really love. We have issues from time to time with people trying to cut down parts of the forest for firewood and once we had to chase a bear away from some campers, but

stuff like that is rare. Mostly people come out here and enjoy it. We’re supposed to be strict about people getting passes and paying to use the trails and all that, but mostly we turn a blind eye to it. Most folks pay up, but we don’t care either way. We have enough money to keep going and that’s been good with Laura for a long time now. It takes me a couple hours to do my slow, lazy loop through the trees. I take my time, enjoying nature, really soaking it in. I stop to watch a squirrel building his nest high up in a branch, and I even catch a glimpse of a small herd of deer. By the time I head back toward the main building, the sun is climbing up through the sky. I’m sweating slightly, and so I pull off my long sleeve shirt and tie it around my waist. As I head toward the office, I catch sight of a truck coming up the driveway. For some reason, I pause and watch as it comes toward me. Normally I’d just go back inside and keep busy, since I don’t really need to deal with every visitor, but for some reason I’m rooted in place. The truck is older, a little beat up, but still running. It pulls up and parks in the first spot, and out climbs one of the most attractive men I’ve ever seen.

He’s tall and muscular with tan skin and tattoos running up his arms. His eyes are deep blue and his hair is thick and dark, pushed back along his scalp. He smirks at me and runs his hand through his hair as he approaches. I should stop staring at him, but my heart suddenly beats faster in my chest. His face is covered in slight stubble and he’s probably thirty at most, though he looks rugged and experienced. He’s tall, easily dwarfing me, which sends a thrill down my spine. “Hey,” he says. “I’m looking for, uh, Laura Wells?” I cock my head at him, the spell somewhat broken. “Oh, she’s laying down. Are you from the flower place?” “Yeah,” he says, smiling at me. His teeth are straight and white. “Do you work here?” I nod once. “I do. I’m Mia Hayes.” I hold out my hand. He takes it and for a second, I feel something fast and sharp in my stomach. It’s like butterflies, but more intense. “Hayes?” he asks, frowning at me. “You got a sister?” “I do, her name is Linda.”

He laughs a little bit, releasing my hand. “Lindy,” he says. “That’s funny. I knew her in high school.” He watches me for a second before something dawns on his face. “Holy shit, you’re little Mia.” “I guess so,” I say, smiling a little bit. “You probably don’t remember me,” he says. “You were what, six years old? Less? Anyway, your sister and I were pretty good friends for a while back then.” “Really?” I ask, laughing a little. I think back and try to remember him, but I have a hard time. I was never close with Linda back then, and she mostly kept me from her friends. But then again . . . “Did you play football?” I ask him suddenly. “Sure did.” He grins. “Remember me now?” I nod suddenly, excited. “I think I do! You were always driving this old, beat up truck, and you had your jacket on all the time.” “You mean, this truck?” He nods at his vehicle. “No way,” I say, laughing. “You’re kidding?” “Still running after all this time.” “Wow. That’s impressive.” “Takes some work, but I can handle it.”

“What a small world,” I say. “So you’re back home, working for your stepmom?” He nods, crossing his muscular arms. “Sure am. Never saw myself as a flower guy, but it pays the bills.” “Nothing wrong with being a flower guy,” I say, laughing. “Come on, the meadow isn’t too far away. We can take a look at what you need.” I head out with Lucas by my side. I feel a little strange walking with this man who I haven’t seen since I was a child. Truth is, he was a child back then, too, but we’re not children anymore. He’s a man now, with scars and tattoos and muscles, and I’m a woman. I’m suddenly acutely aware of my slightly damp skin and my bare arms, but I keep walking, not letting myself be deterred. We chat about our lives as we go, catching up. He asks about my sister, and I tell him as much as I can and promise to pass along his hellos. He tells me about moving back home and about the military. He’s funny in a dry kind of way, and I find myself talking with him so easily and comfortably that it surprises me. I’m not usually great at small talk and find it unbearable sometimes, but with him it’s easy. I feel like I’ve known him all my life instead of briefly a long time ago when I was still a little kid.

We reach the meadow in about fifteen minutes. He follows me out into the high grass, the flowers dotting the space. “This is beautiful,” he says after a short silence, which surprises me. He doesn’t seem like the type of man to talk like that. Truth is, Lucas seems like a very hard man, but maybe there’s more to him than I think. “It is,” I agree. “This is one of my favorite spots.” The meadow is ringed by trees on all sides. For some reason, nothing grows too tall in this space, except for the grass and the wildflowers. They’re everywhere, growing thick here, some brightly colored, some dull and muted. It smells amazing as we walk across the grass, and I can’t help but trail my fingers along the tops of the flowers. “If I’m being honest, I don’t know what I need,” he says, laughing a little bit. “Alice sent me, but I’m not exactly great with this sort of thing.” “That’s okay,” I say. “Report back to her with what you see and she’ll let you know what she wants.” He stops for a second, cocking his head at me. “If you were to have a bouquet from here, what would you want?” I stop and look at him for a second, biting my lip. “I

don’t know,” I say. “How’s this?” He picks a few blue flowers, some short and white ones, and mixes in a few tall green stems. When he’s finishes, it’s a nice little bouquet actually, surprisingly nice. “I like it,” I say, and he hands it to me. I accept it and smell it. “Gorgeous.” “You’re right,” he says, his eyes staring into mine. I’m not sure if he means the flowers or something else. There’s a short moment between us. He steps closer to me and I feel my heart leap in my chest. I suddenly want to feel his chest, his hard arms, and his soft, full lips. I wonder what it would be like for him to kiss me, right here and now, alone in the middle of this place. I barely know him and I don’t normally react this way to men, but I feel it strong and overwhelming. Instead, I turn away from him. I let out a breath and clutch the flowers to my chest. “We should head back,” I say. “Bring these to your stepmom. She’ll like them.” “No,” he says, shaking his head. “You keep that. As a little thank you.” “No need. Just doing my job.”

“Okay then,” he says, smirking at me. “How about as something to remember me by? Unless you want something even more personal.” I gape at him for a second then shake my head. “No, I think the flowers are enough.” “You sure?” He cocks his had, stepping toward me again. “You’re looking a little flushed.” “I’m fine.” I turn away from him and start walking back. He laughs and follows me, picking a few flowers as he goes. “No need to run off,” he says. “Not running. Just got more work back at the office.” “I bet you do.” He grins at me and we head back, walking side by side. He changes the subject and we fall back into an easy conversation again, talking about our hometown and our few mutual friends. The town is pretty small, so it’s not surprising that we know so many of the same people. But as we walk, I can’t help but think about that moment back there. I know he felt it too, or at least saw it on my face. He knows what I wanted and he was going to give it to me. But I couldn’t let myself

do that. He’s a total stranger. But more than that, I have too much happening in my life to get involved with someone. Maybe we wouldn’t get involved, I don’t know, but there’s just too much going on to start kissing random guys right now. Maybe in another life I could let myself make out with a handsome man in a meadow of wild flowers, but unfortunately that’s not for me right now. We say goodbye back at the office and he gets into his truck. I watch him drive off with a sinking feeling in my stomach. I smell the little bouquet of flowers again and for some reason, I’m sure that I’m going to be seeing a lot more of Lucas Baker.

3

LUCAS

N

oah looks up at me, his eyes wide and bright blue, before starting to bawl his

eyes out.

I sigh, smiling slightly to myself. This is the life of a father, especially of a young kid. Their moods shifts so rapidly it’s almost impossible to follow. Alice looks out from the kitchen, a protective look on her face, but I just ignore her. She can’t help but react that way whenever she hears a kid crying. “Look at this, little guy,” I say, shaking his favorite toy. It’s a vacuum that makes noise and lights up, and the kid loves it for some reason. “Want to push?” His tears stop as suddenly as they start. He crawls over to me and takes the vacuum, pushing it onto

its back, and starts to nudge it around the carpet. I sigh, getting up and joining Alice in the kitchen, keeping Noah in my sights. “Where’d you go earlier?” I ask her. “Had some errands to run.” She stirs whatever she’s cooking, which smells awesome. “How was the preserve? You meet Laura?” “Nope,” I say. “But I did meet Mia Hayes. Well, not meet, I guess. I saw her.” “Mia Hayes?” Alice laughs a little. “She’s a good girl. You knew her sister, right?” I nod. “Sure. That was a long time ago though. Mia was just a little kid back then.” “She’s not a little kid anymore,” Alice says, giving me a look. I sigh, ignoring it. “Anyway, she took me around a little, showed me some flowers. Do you know what you want?” She shrugs a little, giving her pot a stir before going over to her cutting board and smashing some garlic. “I have an idea. We’ll sit down tomorrow afternoon and go over what I’ll need.” “Sounds good.” I head over to the refrigerator to

get Noah’s dinner ready. He’s still busy pushing his little toy around contentedly, which should last up until he realizes that he’s starving and must be fed absolutely immediately. “You know, Mia Hayes is a very nice girl,” Alice starts again. “Not this,” I say. “Anything but this.” “Hear me out. The girl’s got a good reputation. You could do worse.” “I could do nothing at all,” I shoot back. She grins at me. “We both know you won’t last long without a girl, Lucas.” “Come on, give me a break. I have Noah and you. What else do I need?” I give her a little kiss on the cheek. She brandishes her knife at me as she speaks. “Listen to me. Just because that horrible witch of an ex broke your heart and abandoned her baby doesn’t mean all women are messed up. You get it?” I hold up my hands. “I get it. Just don’t stab me.” She sighs, going back to work. “Your son is hungry.”

I look over and Noah is slowly inching over toward the kitchen gate. I sigh, climb over it, pick him up, and carry him to his highchair. “You still good with watching Noah tonight?” I ask Alice. “Of course,” she says. “You should go out.” She gives me a wicked little grin. “Maybe invite Mia.” I just ignore that. I strap Noah in and start feeding him, though my mind is elsewhere. Mia Hayes does seem like a good person, at least for the brief time I met her. There was a second in that meadow where I thought I might kiss her. The way she looked at me made it pretty obvious that she wanted me to throw her down in the dirt and fuck her deep and rough. As much as I hate to admit it, I wanted that too. She’s fucking gorgeous. Petite, tight little body, wide green eyes, and long, thick dark hair. I loved the way she was slightly damp from hiking or whatever she was doing before she saw me. The flush in her cheeks was fucking sexy. But more than that, our conversation was so easy. That’s so important when you first meet someone, and there was never any awkward silence or forced small talk. We just chatted as we walked, made

jokes, bantered back and forth, no problems. I felt totally comfortable with her the second I met her. It’s a strange feeling. I’ve been back home for a little while now, but I haven’t even remotely started to want someone new. My ex ripped out my heart and took a shit on it before trying to abandon our son, and now I have a pretty fucking hard time trusting people for obvious reasons. I don’t know Mia at all, and maybe she’s a great person, but I just don’t know if I’m ready to try and get involved with someone else. I’m pretty busy with Noah, after all. After I finish feeding him dinner, I go and get changed. I’m heading out to a local dive with basically my only friend in town, Josh Myers, a buddy from high school that looked me up as soon as I got back from the military. We’ve been hanging out with each other ever since, and I’m pretty happy about it. Alice watches Noah every once in a while, letting me get some much needed socializing with someone my own age, although I know she’s only doing it on the off chance I’ll meet a girl. By the time I’m finished getting ready, I hear Josh’s car pull up out front. I head downstairs, kiss Noah goodbye, wave to Alice, and head out the front door.

Josh is a good-natured guy, a little shorter than me, and getting heavy in his thirties. He’s the sort of person who’s going to be single his whole life, mostly because that’s what he wants. He grins as I climb into the car and he takes off. “What’s up, man?” he asks. “Not much. Good to see you.” “How’s the flowers?” “Still growing.” He grins at that. We’re heading out to a place called Chuck’s Pub. It’s this local joint where everyone goes at night, basically the only half decent dive bar in town. It’s a younger crowd, but not too wild, which suits us both pretty well. Josh works as a software engineer and has pretty weird hours. He lives on a big ranch he bought a few years back on the edge of town, which makes me think the guy gets paid a shit ton of money, but who knows. We don’t talk about that stuff, and it suits me just fine. Josh goes into a story about some client he’s working with that’s being unreasonable as he pull into Chucky’s parking lot. It’s packed as usual, and we head into the loud music, just barely managing to find two empty spots at the bar. I order my usual whisky and Josh gets a beer.

“So man, is tonight the night?” he asks me. “What you mean?” “Are you finding a mother for that kid of yours tonight?” He gives me a big grin. “You’ve been talking to Alice.” “Nah man, I’m just looking out for you.” He looks around the bar. “Plenty of eligible ladies here tonight.” I don’t even bother. “I’m not interested, you know that.” “Come on.” He nudges me. “Check her out.” He nods at a pretty young girl sitting alone at the end of the bar. “Not interested,” I grunt, knocking back my whisky. I motion for another one. “I don’t know what your deal is. Does your dick still work?” “My dick works,” I confirm, “though I don’t know why you care.” “I worry about you, man.” “You worry about my dick?” He shrugs, grinning. “I worry about every inch of

you.” “I appreciate that even if it is really weird.” “Look man, you can’t just sit around raising that kid and getting drunk with me twice a week. We need to find you a life.” I sigh, shaking my head. “What about you, huh? You can’t just sit around jerking it alone in your cabin all the time.” “Oh, don’t you worry about me. I got plans.” He takes a big gulp of his beer. “What kind of plans?” “World domination. That sort of thing.” I groan. “Okay, sure. Look, I’m sick of talking about my fucking love life, alright?” “Whatever you say. Just trying to help your dick out.” “My dick doesn’t need help.” I can’t help but laugh a little bit. I glance down at the end of the bar, thinking about Mia Hayes. I wonder where she is tonight and what she’s doing. Instead, I see that same young girl Josh pointed out, but this time there’s a guy leaning up against the bar, talking to her.

I recognize him immediately. His name is Caleb Carter. Everyone fucking knows him and his brothers in town. They’re younger than me, maybe a couple years older than Mia, but I’ve still heard of them. The Carters practically run the town these days. Caleb and his younger brother Dylan are some notorious pieces of shit, the kind of spoiled rich assholes that do whatever they want and get away with it because of who their father is. I despise them with every ounce of my being. I’ve earned everything I ever got in life, but those spoiled fucks are just given everything they want or need. Caleb leans close to the girl and she pushes him away, a grossed-out look on her face. He laughs and tries to move in toward her again, and I’m already up on my feet without thinking about it. “Lucas?” Josh asks. I just ignore him, walking toward Caleb and the girl. It feels like time moves slowly. The girl pushes Caleb away again as I get closer, and this time he stumbles back and calls her a bitch before turning away. He walks past me, bumping into my shoulder. “Watch it,” he says, giving me a look.

I stare him down as he turns and walks away, toward a table in the back. “What the fuck was that?” Josh asks me. “He was bothering her,” I say to him. I look back and the girl is already getting up to leave. “So what? Since when are you a knight in shining armor? She handled herself.” “Yeah,” I grunt. “But I fucking hate that prick. Someone needs to bring him down a peg.” “That doesn’t need to be your job. Jesus man, come back and drink with me.” We turn back toward the bar and I look over at Caleb’s table in the back. I stop short as I scan the people sitting there, shocked at what I see. Caleb is there along with is brother Dylan. There’s a girl I don’t recognize and sitting next to her, looking bored, is Mia Hayes. I can’t believe Mia is sitting with Caleb and Dylan Carter. Caleb makes some joke and everyone laughs, although Mia just gives him a little smile. She hasn’t seen me yet, and I suddenly have the urge to get the fuck out of there. “Come on, let’s leave,” I say to Josh.

“Why? We just got here.” “Let’s go somewhere else.” He sighs. “Come on, you know this is the best spot in town. It’s hopping tonight.” “If I stay here, I’m going to do something stupid to those rich assholes,” I say to Josh, though that’s not necessarily true. “Fine,” he says, sighing. “McSurly’s?” “Make it so,” I say to him, grinning, trying to cover up the awkward moment. We pay and head out, and I take one last look at Mia. She looks bored again, glancing out the window, and I have the urge to talk to her, but I don’t. I’m not even sure what I’d say. Maybe I could take her away from that table, take her out and show her a good time. But it would only cause problems with the Carter brothers, and although I’d love to beat their asses, Josh is right. I don’t need to be that guy. I have a baby at home and a life. I’m a fucking father now. I need to start growing up and dealing with things differently. Still, I don’t understand what the hell Mia is doing with the Carters. She’s supposed to be a good

person, but I can’t imagine decent people hang around those loathsome toads. She looks bored, but she’s still sitting there with them. I don’t let myself linger. We head out into the night and go to the next bar. But despite everything, I just keep thinking about Mia. I want to know why she was with them, if she’s involved with those guys, and why she looked so bored. I can’t get her out of my mind, even though I don’t know her at all. Maybe it’s time I start getting to know someone, and maybe Mia is that person.

4

MIA

L

ike every morning, I wake up, take care of my father, and then head to work when the nurse shows up. I’m dragging a little bit tonight because I was out late with Caleb, Dylan, and Jordan, although I really didn’t want to be. Jordan invited me and I didn’t realize the Carter brothers would be there. Dylan is my age, though I don’t really know him, and Caleb is two years older. They’re notorious in our town. The Carter brothers are rich and supposedly good looking, though I think they look pretty boring to be honest. Their father is a property developer in our town and on every board imaginable basically. He runs a big charity and is elected to local government every year. The guy is the town’s mayor practically, and his sons act like

they own the place. They’re notorious for getting away with shit that normal people could never imagine getting away with. I’ve never really had a problem with them and still don’t. Caleb and Dylan both got wasted and were a little creepy, but they weren’t awful either. I’ve hung out with Dylan a few times in the past, and he’s always been friends with Jordan though I’ve kept my distance. Since everyone graduated though, there aren’t too many people left to hang around with, and so I shouldn’t be so picky. Maybe the Carter brothers aren’t so bad. They did offer to pay for everything, which was nice, and they didn’t do anything that creepy toward me. I don’t now if I’m going to want to spend more time with them, but I might have to if Jordan is going to be hanging around them more. Whatever, this is the sort of stupid drama that I don’t want to get involved with. I’ll give the Carter brothers a chance, because maybe they’re not so bad. Mostly they were boring last night and bragged a lot about the deals their dad has been making lately. I pull up front of the preserve’s office and am surprised to find a nice black car parked out front. There’s usually just Laura’s old Nissan, but this car is a BMW and clearly newer. I get out of my car

and head inside, wondering who’s visiting so early. As soon as I step into the office, I know something isn’t right. Normally, Laura would be at the front desk, either looking at the day’s tasks or making coffee or doing something. Instead, the place looks totally deserted, and most of the lights aren’t even on. I go around turning everything on, getting the coffee ready, and it’s only then that I notice Laura’s door is shut and her blinds are drawn. Curious, I walk over and press my ear against the door. I know I probably shouldn’t snoop, but I can’t help myself. I hear voices inside, but I can’t really make them out. I pull back, not sure what the hell is happening, and head back out front. I get some coffee and start my usual morning tasks, going down my checklist. I sweep out front and put some water out for dogs before restocking the bathrooms with paper towels and generally straightening up. It’s not technically my job to clean, but I do whatever’s needed when it’s needed. About an hour after I get there, Laura’s door finally opens. Two men leave, both dressed in expensive suits and carrying briefcases. They don’t even glance at me as they walk past. They head outside, get into the dark car, and are gone.

I walk into the back. Laura is still in her office, sitting in her chair, looking like she just saw a ghost. “Who were those guys?” I ask her. “Lawyers.” She doesn’t even look up from her desk. “What did they want? Is everything okay?” I step into the office, concerned. I’ve never seen her looking like this before. She looks up slowly, a frown deepening across her face. “They want to buy the preserve,” she says. I narrow my eyes. “Doesn’t someone want to buy it every year and the council always blocks it?” “They say the council isn’t blocking it this year.” I stare at her for a second, at a total loss. “How is that possible?” She sighs, shaking her head. “I really don’t know, sweetie. They came in here with some pretty aggressive claims and I don’t know what to think about it.” “Who do they represent?” I lean up against the frame of her door. I feel like I’m getting sick, like my knees are going weak and my stomach is churning.

“You know who,” she says softly, shaking her head. It hits me all at once. The Carter family is the only family in the town with the power and money to buy the preserve. “They can’t do this,” I say. “Don’t they have enough?” “Apparently Mr. Carter doesn’t think so.” Laura sighs again and stands. “Come on, we have some work to do.” “How can you be so calm? We have to call our lawyers. Or the mayor. Or the paper.” “Honey.” She walks over to me and takes my shoulders. “Calm down. Nothing is happening today. I need some time to figure this out. We’ll fight it.” I look at her for a second, but it’s not good enough. I turn away without another word and walk as fast as I can out of the office and into the woods. Truthfully, I’m not mad at Laura, not at all. I know she’ll fight to protect this place if at all possible. I’m angry with the Carters and I don’t want her to see me crying. I can’t help myself. I love this preserve more than anything else in the world. I genuinely don’t know

what I’d do if it gets taken away from me. I walk far out, toward the meadow, crying softly. It takes me about ten minutes of hiking before I finally get control of myself and calm down enough to think. Do the Carter brothers know about this? I have no clue if they even realize that I work here. They definitely don’t know how important this place is to me. I can’t imagine them wanting to hang out with Jordan and me last night has anything to do with their father wanting to buy this land. Still, it makes me angry, fucking sick, that they’d do this. I keep thinking about the looks Caleb kept giving me all night. I thought they were innocent, but now I realize that he was flirting with me, and it makes me want to throw up. People like the Carters, they think they deserve more. They think they’re special and good and smart just because they have money. But the Carter brothers did nothing for their money, and their father was given a million dollar loan from his father to get started. Everyone knows the Carters come from money and aren’t self-made at all, but that doesn’t matter. They still have money and power, and that’s what makes the world keep moving. They’re going to use their power to take the things that are important away from me, and it makes me despise them with

everything I have. I sit down in the middle of the meadow and lean back on my hands, trying to calm myself down, but I can barely think. Laura seemed genuinely worried and that freaks me out. She’s never seemed so much as slightly annoyed by anything since I’ve met her, but this morning she seemed downright shaken. There’s a noise to my left that draws my attention. I cock my head and stand up, looking into the tree line. I hear it again suddenly, and for some reason I feel paranoid, though I don’t know why. I watch as a person steps out from the trees and into the grass. “Thought I’d find you here,” he says. It’s Lucas Baker, looking just as handsome as I remember. I pause for a second. “What are you doing out here?” “Laura told me I’d find you here. She’s pretty great, isn’t she?” He smiles at me. “Yeah,” I say. “She is.” He stops midway toward me. “You okay? You look like you’re upset about something.” “No,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m fine. You here about the flowers?”

He nods. “The life of a florist is very exciting.” I can’t help but smile a little bit. “Almost as exciting as things are around here, I bet.” “Could be. You sure you’re okay?” “It’s nothing, really. Don’t worry about it.” He walks toward me again. “You can talk to me about it, if you want. I’ve been through some shit myself and I can be a good listener.” I look at his handsome face and for a second I’m tempted to spill my guts out. I don’t know why but being around him makes me feel so much more comfortable, way more comfortable than I should feel. I don’t even know him, and yet he makes me want to talk about absolutely everything. “It’s just some drama with this place,” I tell him finally. “Someone stealing your trees?” I sigh and glance down. “Something like that.” He crosses his arms. “Point me in the direction of this tree thief. I’ll take care of him.” I can’t help but smile. “I don’t know,” I say. “He’s got an army of lawyers.”

“Lawyers are my greatest enemies,” he says sincerely. I can’t help but laugh. “You’re in a feud with all lawyers?” “That’s right,” he says earnestly. “I’ll destroy them for you. It would bring great honor to my family.” I laugh again and shake my head. “No thanks, lawyer slayer. I think I’m good.” “Lawyer slayer. I like that.” He flexes a little bit. “I think it fits.” “Totally. You’re a very scary man.” He grins at me and I suddenly feel better. It’s strange, and although I’m still angry as hell about everything, I suddenly don’t want to scream my head off. He took the edge off my mood and even got me smiling. “Want to walk back?” he asks me. “Sure, but didn’t you want to see the flowers?” “Ah,” he says, shrugging. “They’re beautiful. Let’s go.” He turns and starts walking and I have to hurry to catch up. I smile to him, not understanding at all what his deal is, but I don’t mind. We start chatting

again, just falling into a comfortable rhythm, and soon he has me laughing again. I don’t know what he’s doing out here, but I’m glad he came. I wanted to scream and cry and I knew I’d be an angry mess all afternoon, but suddenly it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. In fact, by the time we get back to the office, I feel like I’m ready to fight back against whatever’s coming. “I’m glad you found me out there,” I tell him. “I was pretty angry.” “But you’re not now?” “No, I’m still mad. But I’m glad you found me anyway.” He laughs a little and leans up against his truck. “I’m glad I found you, too. Actually, I wanted to ask you something.” “What’s that?” “What are you doing for dinner tonight?” That makes me pause, a little surprised. The image of Caleb flirting with me from the night before drifts back into my mind, mingling with my anger at his father for wanting to build on the preserve. But I’m not sure why. I don’t have anything to do with Caleb. I don’t know why I’d pause over this

attractive man asking me out, especially when I so clearly want to be with him. Caleb Carter has nothing to do with it. “Nothing,” I say honestly. “Good. I’m taking you out.” “Okay,” I say, a little surprised at the excitement coursing through my veins. “You like The Bunker?” I laugh a little. The Bunker is this little diner at the other side of town, an all-night place. Nothing fancy, but it’s a local institution. “Best food in town.” “Perfect. I’ll pick you up at eight.” “See you then.” He grins and gets into his truck. He fires up the engine and I step back. I feel his eyes roll up and down my body, and normally I’d hate it, but right now I don’t mind. In fact, I want him to look at me. He pulls out and heads back down the road. I feel my pulse hammering in my chest, and a strange, confused feeling washes over me. I’m excited to go to dinner with him. But I’m afraid of losing the preserve. I don’t know which feeling is

stronger. But I can’t deny the tingling between my legs and the way my body is just drawn toward him. I’ve never had a man like him ask me out before. He’s ten years older than me, which should give me pause. Maybe to some people that’s a little weird. But I don’t really care. That doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, I think I like it. He’s an older man, which means he’s experienced and mature, which is maybe what I need right now. He can make me laugh and keep me level-headed, even in this awful time. I head back inside to see Laura, feeling slightly better.

5

LUCAS

A

lice nearly flips her shit when I tell her that I have a date with Mia Hayes.

I smile to myself, my truck idling in her driveway. She told me to wait for her in the truck while she finished getting ready because her father is asleep. It was a little strange but I didn’t feel like asking any personal questions right off the bat. I haven’t been on a date in a long time, and I’m maybe a little fucking rusty. Alice though, she nearly freaked. Couldn’t believe I was actually going out with someone. She acted like the heavens opened up and an angel took a crap on her kitchen floor. She immediately agreed to watch Noah, said she’d watch him for as long as I need with that stupid wink she does.

I doubt it’ll come to that, but I quickly change my mind as soon as I see Mia come walking down her front walkway toward me. The girl is fucking gorgeous. Tight dark jeans and a top unbuttoned just enough to show off her perfect fucking breasts. She knows exactly what she has and she’s teasing me with it, which only makes me that much more excited. I get out of my truck and walk around the passenger side, opening the door for her. “What a gentleman,” she says, laughing. “What can I say? I’m a very complicated person.” She laughs again as I get back into the driver’s seat. I pull out and head over toward The Bunker. “So, can I ask something maybe a little personal?” I say, glancing at her. “My father has Alzheimer’s,” she says right away. “I assume you’re wondering why I had you wait in the car.” I grin a little sheepish. “Yeah. Sorry if that’s rude.” “No, it’s totally fine. He doesn’t do great with new people sometimes, so I figure it would be easier that way.” I nod, watching the road. “I understand that. You

live with your mom?” “No,” she says. “Just me and my dad. Mom died a few years ago.” “Damn. Sorry to hear it. Your mom was a nice person.” “Yeah, she was.” “So you take care of him?” I ask, a little surprised. “With the help of some nurses. I have one there now.” “You’re a good daughter,” I say, genuinely impressed. “Maybe,” she says, and I can tell she doesn’t want to keep talking about it. I change the subject to The Bunker’s long and storied history, but in the back of my mind I can’t help but keep thinking about how impressive this girl keeps turning out to be. She takes care of her sick father and is apparently too modest to really talk about it. I know she’s a smart girl, and I bet she could have gone to college. But here she is, working at a nature preserve and taking care of her sick father. If that’s not a good fucking person, I don’t know what is.

We get to The Bunker and park out front. It’s not too crowded, which is surprising. It’s an old school diner with retro fifties styling, probably because it was built in the fifties and never upgraded. The place looks a little rundown, a little beat up, but that’s part of its charm. There’s an old broken crane game and a cigarette machine in the waiting room. We head inside and the hostess seats us pretty much right away in a booth in the middle of the place. To our left is the counter and further down, toward the back of the building, is a bar. Some of the old regulars are sitting back there, probably a few deep already. “So, what’s good here?” I ask Mia. She smiles at me. “Everything.” “I know,” I say. “I get the same damn thing every time.” “What’s that?” “Cheeseburger, medium, extra fries well done, and a milkshake.” She laughs, shaking her head. “Are you serious? That sounds like what a little kid would order.” “What are you Sophisticated?”

going to

get

then,

Miss

“I think I’ll get a Caesar salad.” I groan. “Come on. This is on me. Go nuts.” She laughs. “I’m just kidding, like I’m a dainty girl getting a salad. No, I’m having the double grilled cheese and tomato soup.” “That’s better,” I say, grinning huge. The waitress comes over a minute later and we put in our order, plus I ask for a couple beers. She comes back with the drinks right away and we toast. I know Mia is technically underage, but I don’t really give a shit and neither does The Bunker. “So, Lucas,” she says after we’re done toasting. “I told you something personal earlier, about my dad. Now it’s your turn.” I lean back, smirking at her. “Okay then. You ready for this?” She nods, leaning toward me. “Give it to me.” “I have a son. He’s eleven months old.” She stares at me for a second, clearly a little surprised. I’m worried that I’ve fucked shit up already by telling her so soon, but it’s better to get that sort of thing out right away.

“You’re a father,” she says, smiling a little. “Do you have pictures?” I grin at her. “Of course. What kind of father would I be if I didn’t?” I pull up my phone and opens the photos app. “Go ahead and scroll, it’s all pictures of Noah and flowers for the shop.” She starts scrolling, making the usual noises about how cute he is, but this time I actually believe her. She gets to one picture of him with his diaper on his head, crying his eyes out, and she laughs loudly. “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” she says, hanging me the phone back. “Thanks. He’s pretty great.” “So, uh, can I ask about the mother?” “She’s not in the picture,” I say. “She split after he was born. I left the service to come home and take care of Noah.” “Really?” she asks, watching me seriously. “That’s a huge step.” “I know,” I say. “But he’s my son. What else could I do?” “A lot of things,” she says. “But most of them are pretty shitty.” I smirk at her and shrug. “Guess that makes me a

great guy.” “Don’t get ahead of yourself. It just makes you okay.” I laugh and she grins back at me. I like that she’s giving me shit. Most people fawn all over me because I’m a fucking veteran that came home to take care of my kid, but that doesn’t seem to impress her so much. I like that a lot about her. I’m sick of people pretending like I’m some hero or some shit when they don’t know what I did overseas at all. I could have been digging shit trenches for hours a day, or I could have been some horrible killer. I wasn’t either of those things, but people don’t know, and it’s refreshing not to have to deal with some frustrating hero worship. I’m just a regular guy. I don’t see myself as a hero. And the shit over there, it’s hard to deal with sometimes. I don’t feel like a hero and I don’t want to be thanked. “It must have been difficult,” she says. “Coming home and taking care of a baby.” “You’re not kidding. But I have my stepmom, Alice.” “That’s pretty great. A lot of people might bail.” I nod, really thankful for Alice. “You’re right. She’s

pretty amazing.” Just then, the waitress returns with our food. She places it down in front of us and we toast again before digging in. The girl actually eats, and I really fucking like that. Sometimes women pick at their food, not wanting to look like they’re humans who actually want to eat and enjoy food, but not Mia. She digs right in, just like I do, and I appreciate that about her. We go silent for a few minutes as we both enjoy our food. After I’m halfway done, I lean back in my seat and sip my beer. “Alright,” I say to her. “We’ve established how great I am.” She gives me a look but I continue. “Let’s talk some about you.” “What about me?” “You stayed home to help your dad.” She nods. “Yeah, that’s right. Someone had to do it.” “Does your sister come by often?” “Not really,” she admits. “Linda helps financially, but she’s all the way out in California. It’s impossible for her to visit too often.” I nod but don’t say anything. It seems like a pretty

fucked up thing to do for an older sister to let her younger sister bear this burden, but it’s not my place to say that or to judge. “That’s good,” I say. “I know the distance can be hard sometimes.” “Yeah,” she says softly. “Sucks worse when all your friends leave town for college.” “All of them?” I ask, leaning toward her. “Not many people escape this town.” “No, not all of them,” she admits. “But enough of them.” “Lucky kids. You ever think about leaving?” “One day maybe,” she says. “I want to travel. Or at least live in a big city, you know? Someplace where everyone doesn’t know my business.” “Where you can be anonymous,” I say. “I get that. Part of why I joined up.” “Yeah, you felt anonymous there?” “I was a cog in the machine, serving my country. But that can get old pretty fast.” “Maybe,” she says, shrugging. “Right now though, it’d be great. But I don’t think I’ll ever really leave. I love my job too much.”

“The nature preserve,” I say. “So you’re a big hippie, huh?” She laughs a little. “No, not at all. I didn’t even know I cared about nature and stuff until I got the job, honestly.” “But that’s good, you have a passion. It’s attractive.” She raises an eyebrow, blushing a little. “How’s it attractive?” “Loving something that much, caring about it, having a passion. That’s sexy in a person.” “Well, thanks, I guess,” she says, glancing down. “You can be a little forward, you know that?” I laugh, shrugging. “What can I say? When I see something I like, I don’t mess around with it.” She’s about to say something, but her words are lost as someone steps up to the end of our booth. I assume it’s the waitress, but when I look over, my stomach drops. Dylan Carter, the younger of the two brothers, is standing there and grinning at Mia like an idiot. He’s of average height, pretty stocky, with little beady eyes and a big forehead. The guy looks like all he does is drink protein shakes, work out, and

torture small animals. “What’re you doin’ here?” he asks Mia. She blinks at him. “Uh, hey, Dylan. Just having dinner.” “Oh yeah? With this guy?” He grins at me then looks back at Mia. “That’s right. Dylan, this is Lucas.” Dylan turns to me but doesn’t extend his hand. I don’t bother either. I can already sense the tension in this guy, and I’m pretty sure I know what’s coming. “You’re the Navy guy,” Dylan says. “Home because your bastard kid was gonna get sent off by his whore mother.” His grin gets a little bit bigger. “Dylan, what the hell?” Mia says, but I keep it cool. I stare at Dylan for a second before responding. “That’s right. And you’re the dumber of the two Carter brothers.” “You better watch your mouth, you know what I’m sayin’?” he asks, turning toward me. “You shouldn’t be here.” “In this diner?” I ask him. “Or like, in this town? Or

on Earth in general?” He screws his eyes up. “You bein’ funny?” “No, idiot. But you’re being an asshole. So why don’t you walk away and leave us alone.” His eyes go wide a little bit, clearly not used to people pushing back against his bully tactics. I bet most people let the Carter brothers do whatever they want, but I’m not most fucking people. He sputters his reply. “You can’t talk to me that way, dick,” he says. I slide out of the booth and stand. I have a few inches on him and probably twenty pounds of muscle. Despite how much he works out, I’m positive I could break this little ant under my boot if I wanted. I’ve fought and killed harder men. “Back off, you little worm,” I say softly to him. “We’re having a nice meal. Don’t bother us again.” “Lucas,” Mia says. “Dylan. Stop. This is so stupid.” “You think you’re tough?” Dylan asks. “You’re just a big fucking pussy. Come outside with me, you fucking pussy.” “Walk away,” I say again. “I’m not coming outside. And I’m not fighting you. I’m having dinner with Mia here, and you’re interrupting. So fuck off.”

He stares at me, completely surprised. I can tell he wants to hit me, but some people are starting to look over and a hush suddenly falls over the diner. Despite how stupid he is, he knows that he can’t just straight up attack me like this, not in a room full of people, no matter who his father is. Besides, he probably doesn’t want to get his ass beat in public. “Watch yourself,” he says to me then looks at Mia. “You too.” He turns and storms off, leaving the diner. I sit back down, shaking my head. “What the fuck was that about?” I ask her. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she says, her eyes wide. “You know what those people do, right?” “Fuck them,” I say. “He was being rude.” “It doesn’t matter. Lucas, you can’t do stuff like that.” I laugh a little bit. “I don’t let meathead bullies push me around, no matter who they’re related to.” Mia is clearly shaken up, so I motion for the check. It comes a lot faster than I would have expected, probably because the manager wants to get rid of me now that I just made a fucking scene. I pay up and we stand, our meals half-finished.

We head outside into the cool night air. “Come on,” I say. “Let’s take a walk.” She hesitates. “I don’t know.” “Just around the block. That was weird in there.” “Yeah,” she says, nodding. “Okay. Come on.” She sets off and I match her pace. I’m fucking livid that the scumbag would come over and mess with us like that, but it does make me curious. I saw her out with the Carters, and I wasn’t going to push that angle, but now I feel like I need to find out with her deal is. “So, this is none of my business,” I say. “But how do you know him? Dylan Carter?” She sighs a little. “He’s a friend of a friend. His brother . . . “ she trails off, shaking her head. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” I respond. “No, it’s okay. I get it. I don’t know why he was such a dick back there.” “Don’t worry about it.” “No, I mean, I don’t want you getting mixed up with those guys,” she says, looking concerned. I stop and face her. She turns and faces me, and I

take her hand, pulling her toward me. She’s a little surprised when I wrap my arms around her waist. It feels fucking good and right. Most of my anger dissolves right there and then, feeling her against my body. She looks up at me, clearly surprised, but she’s not pulling away. “Tell you what,” I say softly. “You agree to go out with me again, and I won’t mess with those guys.” “Okay,” she says, looking up at me, her lips parted slightly. I know she wants me to kiss her. I don’t know why I’m hesitating. I don’t normally hold back, but for some reason, I don’t kiss her right away. As I move closer, a bus suddenly drives past, loud and close. She steps back away from me and walks toward it. “Where are you going?” I call after her. “Going home,” she says, grinning at me. “See you later, Lucas.” “Shit,” I say softly. “You don’t have to take the bus, I’ll drive you!” I call after her. She hurries up and catches the bus at the corner. She gives me another grin and a wave before disappearing onto the bus. It pulls off, taking her

away from me. “Fuck,” I say to myself, suddenly alone on the damn sidewalk. I should have kissed her. But that fucking cock Dylan Carter threw a goddamn wrench into the date. It was going so fucking well into he showed up. Now there’s some complicated shit between us and I doubt she wants to be involved with that at all. I wouldn’t blame her if she turned and ran away, never looking back. I’m an ex-SEAL with an infant and apparently a feud with the Carters. But goddamn do I want that girl, and I’m not giving up just yet. I’ll have her eventually, and she’s going to thank me for it.

6

MIA

I

t’s early in the morning and I’m already throwing beer cans into a trash bag. I’m sweating a little bit and I curse, annoyed that some teens decided to have a party on the preserve in the middle of the night again. The least they can do is clean up after themselves. I toss more cans into the bag, plus some empty chip bags and other garbage. There’s a pile of vomit next to the dead and blackened campfire, which I am not freaking dealing with. Let some animal eat it up or whatever. I can’t stop thinking about my date last night. It was going so well, I felt incredibly comfortable and excited, and I couldn’t wait to keep talking to Lucas. I was surprised that he has a kid, but that

doesn’t really bother me at all. In fact, that he gave up his life in the military and came home to take care of his son says so much about his character. I can hardly believe someone would give up their child like that and run off, but apparently his ex did, and he’s taking responsibility for it all. It can’t be easy coming back to civilian life, let alone with a little baby to raise. He lives at home with his stepmom, which would normally be a red flag, but I can totally understand it in this situation. He needs her help to raise the child while he figures out how he’s going to support himself and this baby. On top of all that, I’m insanely attracted to him. He’s so handsome it’s almost unreal. I don’t know how he’s single, but I guess he spent so long overseas that he just doesn’t really know anybody anymore. I can relate to that on some level. He’s ten years older than me, but that doesn’t matter at all. Things were going to well, up until Dylan Carter showed up. I don’t know what Dylan wanted, but he really creeped me out. He was being such an asshole to Lucas for absolutely no reason. I wanted to scream at Dylan, tell him to fuck off, tell him to back off my nature preserve, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He’s still a Carter, and everyone in

this town knows not to mess with the Carters or else bad things will happen. Everyone except for Lucas apparently. He stood up to Dylan and even scared him off, which absolutely shocked me. But it freaked me out a little bit. It felt reckless, dangerous, in a way that maybe I shouldn’t be around right now. Especially not when the Carters are trying to buy the nature preserve. I don’t want to mess with them and potentially make things harder for Laura. But I can’t pretend like it wasn’t a little satisfying to see that smug Carter asshole go running off with his tail between his legs. He knows that Lucas could beat the crap out of him if it came to that, though of course I don’t want it to happen. There was that moment outside when I knew he was about to kiss me. I wanted it, I felt excited and aroused, I was beyond ready, but something stopped me. When that bus came, it pulled me out of my dream-like state, and I just had to back away. I ran off and got on that bus without really thinking about it. I feel bad that I left him alone there, but I knew that if I stayed, I’d kiss him, and I need to think about things first. I don’t know how this all happens at once. A week ago, I’m minding my own business, getting through my days with some measure of happiness. Now

though, suddenly Lucas appears out of nowhere, and the Carter brothers are interested in me, and the nature preserve might get sold. I don’t even know what to think anymore. I bend over and grab a can, tossing into my bag. I find a pair of glasses half hidden under a log and look at them for a second, smiling to myself. It must have been some party for a kid to actually lose his glasses. Come to think of it, there’s enough trash around here for like fifteen people. It was probably pretty great. I hear a snapped twig and look up suddenly with a start, pulled from my daydreaming. I expect to see Lucas, and then I think it might be Laura, but the person that comes out from between some bushes is neither of those people. It’s Caleb Carter. I nearly stumble backwards over a log when I see him. He’s wearing a polo shirt and a pair of khaki pants with boat shoes and a cocky smile. He’s okay looking, nothing special. He’s built like a lacrosse player, probably since that was his sport in high school. He has thinning dirty blond hair and brown eyes and his perpetual cocky smile that’s not endearing at all. He looks like he thinks he owns everything around him simply because he thinks he deserves it. “Hey, Mia,” he says, stepping toward me.

“Caleb. You scared me.” “Didn’t mean to.” He cocks his head at me. “What are you doing?” “Cleaning up after a party,” I say. “You know, my job. What are you doing out here?” “Came to find you.” He crosses his arms and leans up against a tree. I suddenly feel something like dread in my stomach. It’s nothing like the feeling I get when I see Lucas, it’s almost the exact opposite. Caleb doesn’t look at me like he wants to ravish me and is adoring me, but rather like he thinks he owns me, and that’s terrifying. “Uhm, okay, sure. What can I help you with, Caleb?” He cocks his head. “Help me with?” “Yeah. I mean, you came to find me at work, so I don’t know.” “No, nothing like that. I just wanted to see you, talk to you.” “Okay. Yeah. I mean, I’m a little busy.” I gesture at the rest of the campsite. It’s still a little messy. “That’s okay. You can take a break.”

“I shouldn’t.” He walks over to a group of cans and kicks them softly. I wince, wanting to tell him to stop since he’s making more work for me, but I keep silent. I realize that I’m afraid and very, very alone with this guy. The party site was right in the middle of the preserve, far away from everything, or as far as possible. “So I heard you were on a date last night,” he says. I want to groan but I keep myself under control. “I saw your brother.” “He saw you, too.” Caleb bends over and picks up a stick. “Who was the guy, Mia?” “Doesn’t matter.” I regret saying that immediately. He points the stick at me. “Come on, Mia, don’t be that way. I’m just making conversation.” “I’m busy, Caleb, really. Can we talk later?” “I just want to know who the guy is. I can find out other ways, but help me out.” “His name is Lucas, okay?” I say. I know Caleb can easily figure it out and I want this conversation to be over as fast as possible. He grins big at me. “I know that already,” he says.

“Just wanted you to confirm it.” I sigh, exasperated. “So you came out here just to mess with me?” “Not at all,” he says, laughing. “Come on, Mia. I’m just teasing you.” He steps toward me, stick back down at the ground. “How was the date, anyway? Isn’t he like thirty?” “Maybe,” I say. “It’s none of your business, though.” I step away from him, pretending to work. I bend over and grab some trash but I keep him in sight. He comes closer to me. “That guy is a real dick, Mia. You shouldn’t be around guys like him.” “Yeah, maybe.” I stand up and stare at him. He points his stick at me again. “Seriously. I don’t like that guy, but I like you. I want to get to know you better. Ditch that loser and hang out with me.” “He’s just a friend,” I say, trying to avoid answering him. “Sure he is.” Caleb takes the stick and snaps it over his knee. It makes me jump and I’m terrified he’s about to come at me. “I just don’t like him.” “I don’t know what to say,” I answer him, backing away some more. My eyes are wide and I can feel

myself starting to shake a little bit. “Maybe we can talk later, when I’m not working?” “Yeah, sure. Whatever you want. Just stay away from that fucking loser, Mia.” He grins at me. “You’re cool. We like you.” “Thanks.” I’m scared shitless and don’t know what to say. He tosses the broken stick onto the ground and walks away. I nearly fall down onto the ground, my heart hammering in my chest. I wait a second for him to get far enough away before I spring out of the campsite and across the preserve. I take the long way around, skirting the outside, putting as much distance between me and where I think Caleb probably is as I possible can. That was the scariest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. He didn’t outright threaten me or anything like that, but the fact that he found me out there in the wilderness and talked like that freaked me out. Plus, Caleb has a bad reputation with women. I’ve heard whispers of him assaulting some freshmen girls when he was a senior, and one girl even said she got raped by him, at least for a little while. I don’t know what happened with that, but she had a really nice new car the next year, and the rumors were pretty obvious from there.

I’m practically shaking when I get back to the office. I don’t know why it freaked me out so much, but when Caleb broke that stick, I saw something in his expression that put serious terror in my heart. It was a darkness I’ve never seen in someone before, like a total lack of emotion, or maybe such a deep hate that it overwhelms everything else. I can’t really explain it very well, not even to myself, and it completely unnerved me. I head into the office, hoping to find Laura, but she’s not around. The place is totally empty. That’s pretty normal for this time of day, but I don’t want to be alone. I keep thinking about Caleb and that look, and wondering what he’d do to me if I let him. Without thinking, I take out my phone. I dial the first person I think of, and he answers on the second ring. “Looking for a second date so soon?” Lucas says. I smile a little. “Hey. Sorry to bug you at work.” “No big deal. What’s up?” “Caleb Carter came by here. He was pretty weird, and now I’m alone, I don’t know where Laura is—“ “Where are you?”

“The office.” “Stay there. I’m coming.” He hangs up the phone. I blink, a little surprised. I expected to talk to him for a few minutes until I calmed down, but I never thought he’d drop whatever he’s doing and come here. I shouldn’t be that surprised, though. That’s the kind of guy Lucas obviously is. I head back into the employee breakroom and get a water. I sip on it and stare at the TV blankly until I hear a vehicle pull up out front maybe fifteen minutes later. I head out front just as Lucas steps down from his truck and walks toward me. “He still here?” Lucas asks, his face serious. He looks all business, and I feel a thrill run through me. It’s the total opposite feeling of what I had when Caleb looked at me. “He’s gone,” I say. “At least, I think so.” “Come on. Let’s go inside.” We head in and he sits me down on a chair. He looks around the building real fast and comes back, shaking his head. “What did he say to you?” he asks. “Warned me to stay away from you. Said he thinks I’m cool and wants to know me.” I groan, staring

up at him. “I’m so sorry, Lucas.” “Don’t be. That fucking creep.” He sits down next to me. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” I shake my head quickly. “Not at all.” I’m afraid of what Lucas would do if I told him about the stick thing, so I keep that to myself. I don’t want him to go off on Caleb and get himself deeper into this than he already is. “Those fucking pricks,” he says. “Caleb has a bad reputation, you know that?” “I know,” I say softly. “I don’t want anything to do with him, but what can I do now?” “I don’t know,” Lucas says softly, sighing. “Just be careful.” “I will be.” He takes my hand and squeezes it, smiling softly. “Weird second date,” he says. I grin a little bit and laugh despite myself. “I guess it is.” “The damsel in distress thing is pretty hot though, I’ll admit it.” “That wasn’t my plan.”

“Wasn’t it?” He smirks at me. “I think you just wanted to see me in battle mode. You like the protective man thing?” “Cut it out,” I say, laughing a little bit. I can already feel the fear and anxiety Caleb made me feel start to melt away. “I get it now. That’s why you’re so into me. It’s the military thing. You want a big strong man to take care of you.” “Hardly. I can take care of myself.” He pulls me toward him a little bit. “Maybe it’s the older guy thing,” he whispers softly. I feel a thrill run down my spine. “Older?” I say, a smile on my face. “You’re ancient. You have a kid.” “That’s right.” His lips come near mine, practically brushing my cheek. His other hand is in my hair, holding it tight, and I gasp softly, that thrill running down my spine down between my legs. I can feel my excitement pooling there, my pussy dripping wet. “You want me to be your Daddy, don’t you?” he whispers in my ear. “You want me to come protect you. Beat the shit out of some spoiled assholes for you. That it?”

“No,” I say, practically squirming. “I think that’s it. You like it. Gets you off to see me hard and ready to fight.” He pulls back and looks me in the eyes and in that moment, I know I’ll throw myself at him. He’s wrong, I don’t like the caveman aggressive thing, but I do love that he’s so protective of me. I love that he’s loyal and dropped everything to come see me when I needed him. Not many guys would do something like that, and Lucas is clearly not many guys. The front door opens and someone steps inside. I feel my heart sink and a tinge of fear comes back as Lucas’s hand drops from my hair. He stands, clearly tense and ready to spring, just as Laura comes around the corner. She stops short, a confused smile on her face. “Hey, there,” she says. “Lucas, Alice’s kid?” Lucas relaxes instantly. “That’s right. Good to see you again.” “Here about the flowers?” she asks. “Uh—“ I interrupt him. “We were just talking about which ones they’re interested in.” I stand up and Laura’s

attention shifts to me. “Good,” she says. “You’re in good hands with Mia here.” Laura smiles and breezes past us, disappearing back into her office. Lucas grins at me. “Good save.” “Think a little faster next time, army boy.” He looks offended. “Army?” “Navy, whatever.” “Oh no, not ‘whatever.’ I’m a goddamn SEAL.” I roll my eyes. “You military boys all care so much about your fake little made-up stuff.” “It’s not fake,” he bristles and I laugh at him. I like that I can rile him up. “Thanks for coming here,” I say softly. He nods, his face relaxing. “Of course. Any time. Seriously, if Caleb bothers you again, call me right away.” “I’m not sure he’s going to.” I step toward him, biting my lip. “Doesn’t matter. Just know that I’m a call away.” “Thanks. That means a lot.”

“Now.” He steps toward me again, his confident smile back. “How about that second date?” “You just be patient,” I say, smiling, playing coy. I dance away from him and head back toward Laura’s office. “Thanks again for coming. I’ll call you.” “I know you will.” He grins and nods at me before turning and heading out the front door. I watch him go, biting my bottom lip, before letting out a breath. He drives me crazy, absolutely wild, and I can’t believe he’s so into me. I’ve never had a guy talk to me like that before, so intense and attentive. He was ready to come over here and save me, and that’s just so incredibly sexy I can hardly explain it. “He’s a good guy, you know.” I turn around and Laura is leaning against her office door. “How long have you been standing there?” “Long enough to know you’re absolutely bonkers for him.” “I am not.” I turn to walk away. “I’m close with his stepmom, you know. And believe me, Lucas is a good guy. One of the best.” I give her a little smile. “I know.”

“Good. You could do a lot worse.” I pause for a second and then change the subject. “How’s the defense coming along?” “It’s coming,” she says, nodding. “We’ll survive this, don’t you worry.” She gives me a little smile. “I’d rather you expended your energy in other directions.” I groan and roll my eyes. “You’re awful.” “Go be young! See that handsome army boy.” “Navy,” I say, correcting her with a little smile. She shrugs, not really getting it and not really caring. “Whatever. Go have some fun.” “I have to finish cleaning up that campsite first. And then another million chores.” “Whatever you say.” She waves me off and heads back into her office. I walk back toward the front of the building and pause for a second near the door. Laura is right, I should be trying to spend more time being young. And I clearly like this guy, although he’s still a little bit of a mystery to me. He’s a lot older, not to mention he has a little kid, but still. I’m insanely attracted to him.

And that line about being my Daddy? Normally something like that wouldn’t work at all, but coming from him it just drove me absolutely insane. I want to call him Daddy, moan it in his ear as he fucks me rough and deep. I can only imagine what he could make me feel. I shake my head and go back outside. I can’t let myself get so distracted. I have my father to worry about, and the nature preserve, and now Caleb Carter is breathing down my neck. I can’t get Lucas any more involved in this crap than he already is. So what if I want him? That can wait, maybe for when all this blows over. I tell myself I won’t think about him anymore as I head back toward the site with a fresh trash bag, but in truth I spend the rest of the afternoon daydreaming about Lucas and what exactly it would mean to let him be my Daddy.

7

LUCAS

I

expect to hear from Mia. She called me, of all the people in her life, when she was afraid and nervous. Maybe because I was there when Dylan came over, or maybe just because I’m the scariest guy she knows, but I don’t think that’s it. I think she wanted to see me because she wants me. Except she never calls. Two days pass and I don’t hear a thing from her. There’s no texts, no emails, no Facebook messages, nothing. She doesn’t get in touch with me. I’m not the type to sit around and fucking worry about what a girl thinks, and so I don’t. But there is a part of me that wonders why she hasn’t called yet.

I can probably make some guesses. Maybe she doesn’t want me to get more involved than I already am, or maybe she’s just busy. I’m not freaking out about it either way, but I do want to see her. If I want something, I do it. I don’t sit around and obsess and worry about whether it’s the right thing to do or not. When Mia called me, I didn’t for a second wonder if I should drop everything and go see her. She sounded afraid and she needed someone to come and be with her, and so I went. Plus, I wanted to make sure that fucking sick Carter shit didn’t touch her or hurt her in any way. Part of me wanted him to still be there just so I would have an excuse to beat his ass down. Two days of nothing pass. I spend time with Noah and I keep working with Alice, but after two days, I decide I want to see her. And so around noon, I take my lunch break, get in my truck, and drive over to the preserve. I don’t bother calling first. If she’s too busy and can’t take time off, that’s no big deal. At least she knows I’m still interested, and if she feels the same, she’ll see me eventually. Once I get there, I park my truck out front then climb out. I shoulder the basket I brought with me, a little picnic lunch, and head into the office.

“Hello?” I call out. The place looks empty. Actually, come to think of it, the place always looks empty. I can’t say that I’ve seen anyone working here other than Laura and Mia, but that can’t be true. Most people have to have jobs here than just two people. “Back here!” I recognize the voice, but it’s not Mia. I head around the corner and find my stepmom’s friend Laura sitting at her desk, smiling at me. “I thought that was you,” she says. “Here on official flower business?” I shake my head. “No ma’am. Looking for Mia.” “Ah. Is this a . . . social visit?” She gives me a sly little smile. I grin at her. She’s just like Alice, damnit. “It is,” I confirm. “Know where I can find her?” “She’s out changing the nectar in the hummingbird feeders. Follow the path around back for maybe five minutes, can’t miss her.” She pauses and looks at my basket. “Is that lunch?” “It sure is. She due for a break?” “Take as much time as you need.” She gives me another wink.

I can’t help but laugh. “Thanks a lot,” I say. “Have fun!” I wave then turn and leave. I find the path pretty easily and follow it down along a winding trail, over a few rocks and past a short valley stream. On the other side, I spot Mia using what looks like a watering can to fill small plastic feeders hanging from a bush. “Mia,” I call out before I get too close. I don’t want to scare her. She looks over, surprised. “Lucas?” I wave and grin at her. “How are the hummingbirds today?” “Hungry,” she says and turns toward me. “What are you doing here?” I hold up my basket. “Brought you some lunch.” She pauses and I catch something drift across her face. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s quickly gone. “I don’t know if I have time,” she says. “I already got permission from Laura.” She scowls at me. “You talking about me behind my back.”

I grin and shrug. “Guilty as charged. Though more like she’s talking.” “Sounds about right.” She bites her lip and checks her watch. “I guess I can space a half hour.” “If you’re busy, we can do this another time.” “No, no. It’s fine.” “What a ringing endorsement. You sound excited.” She relaxes a little bit and smiles at me. “Sorry. It’s just been a stressful few days.” I take the blanket from the basket and spread it out on the ground. “Tell me about it?” I ask. She sighs, sitting down. I get out some sandwiches from a nearby deli, some sparkling water, and some nice bread with butter. I cut her off a piece and hand her the butter before unwrapping a sandwich for myself. “I don’t know,” she says. “I think I’d rather not get into it all.” “Whatever you want,” I say, shrugging and biting into my food. “I’m just here to feed you.” “Think I need to be fed?” she asks. I grin at her. “I’m not falling into that trap.”

She laughs and takes a bite of her bread. She grabs a bottle of water and a sandwich, and we eat for a minute or two in silence. I’m surprisingly comfortable. I thought I was going out on a limb here, and that things might be weird, but it’s shockingly normal between us. I’m pursuing her, which I actually really enjoy, and I think she likes it too. She probably didn’t call because she wants me to make the first move, and I don’t blame her. I’m a lot older than she is and I have a kid. There’s a lot of baggage here. But sitting down on this blanket, eating with her, none of that seems to matter. Everything else disappears. The Carters are irrelevant in this moment. I don’t care about anything except the way the sun moves through her thick hair, the way she smiles at me, the way she laughs, and the way she leans toward me when she speaks. My heart races when I’m around her. It’s fucking insane, to be totally honest. I’ve never felt like this before. It’s excitement, not just pure desire, but also a giddy joy at just being near her. “I was wondering earlier,” I say, finishing my sandwich. “How many people work here?” “Not many,” she says. “Me and Laura are full time. We have some part time rangers, really just

volunteers, plus some maintenance staff. They mostly work nights and weekends, though.” “And a lot of people come here?” “Surprisingly,” she says. “It’s slow during the week, but come here on a weekend, especially a nice one.” “I will,” I say, and mean it. “I like it out here. I didn’t really know about this place and I lived in this town for a long time.” “I know, not many people do,” she says. “It’s a real shame.” “How’d you come to work here?” She shrugs. “Chance, really. Laura was hiring, I applied, and I guess she liked me.” “Lucky you.” “Lucky me,” she agrees. “What’s your favorite spot in here?” “That meadow, the one we went to, remember?” I nod, smiling at her. “It’s a good spot.” “But my second favorite thing is near here.” She brushes her hands off and stands. “Want to see?”

“Always.” I stand up and grin at her. “Lead the way, park ranger.” She laughs a little and we head off further down the trail. It skirts along a valley, and it probably gets a lot of water in the rainy season. I can hear running water nearby, probably that stream widening into something a little bit bigger. We’re heading upstream, and the trail veers around a little grouping of bushes and trees. Ahead, a bunch of enormous rocks and boulders jut out from the earth. Mia grins at me and walks faster. “Come on,” she says. I keep pace with her. She walks right up to one of the huge rocks and jumps up. I follow her, smiling to myself. I love how confident she is and how free she seems, like it’s no big deal to be crawling around and climbing these enormous boulders. We get to the top and she points. About ten feet down is the stream, now a bit wider and faster moving. “I love this,” she says. “It’s pretty great,” I say. I look around and have to admit that the view is fantastic. There are trees all around but I can see how far the trail twists off into them, and the water runs right alongside the valley. Mia moves slightly but slips. Without thinking, I

grab her waist and pull her against me. It probably wasn’t necessary, but it was total instinct. Our bodies get pressed together and I stumble back, holding onto her, until I run into a tree trunk. I steady the both of us and she looks up at me. “Saved you again,” I say softly. “I didn’t need it that time.” She puts her hands on my chest, body pressed against mine, chin tipped up toward me. “Probably not. But it worked out.” “Oh yeah?” I nod once, hands on her hips. “Because now you want me to kiss you.” She smiles a little bit. “What makes you think that?” I move one hand slowly up her back and lace my fingers through her hair before pressing my lips against hers. I don’t need to answer her, because she knows as well as I do that she wants this. Our bodies, pressed together, her mouth against mine, it makes my fucking cock hard as hell as excitement and desire roar through my blood. I love her taste, the softness of her lips, the way she kisses. I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t

expect this at all. I didn’t think a kiss would drive me this insane, but I tighten my grip on her hair and pull her tighter against me. We kiss that way, full and deep, for what feels like a long time. It’s maybe a couple minutes at most before she slowly pulls away and I loosen my grip on her hair, but that moment stretched forever in my mind. She looks up at me, chin up, eyes shining and half closed, a big smile on her face. “That was unexpected,” she says, a little breathless. “No it wasn’t,” I say. “You knew I was going to kiss you today the second you saw me.” “Maybe,” she says, shaking her head. “I wasn’t sure.” I tip her chin toward me again. “Yes, you were. You know that I want you. And I know that right now, you’re dripping wet thinking about what I can do to your body.” “Lucas . . . “ she says, her eyes going a little wide. “Let’s not pretend, Mia. You want me to run my hands along your body.” I move my hand down her back again toward her ass. “You want me to taste that wet little pussy of yours.” I stop my hand and cup her ass, pushing her against me.

She lets out a little gasp, almost a moan, and it makes my blood fucking boil with need. “I saved you twice. And now you want me to fuck you until you scream.” She stares at me, mouth hanging open, for half a second. And I know I’m right. I can see it written all over her face. She’s not trying to move away. In fact, she’s staring at me with the most obvious “fuck me” eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. But in an instant, that changes. She looks away and slowly disentangles herself from me. “I have a lot of work to do,” she says. I laugh softly. “Don’t tell me you’re scared already.” “Not scared,” she says, but she doesn’t meet my gaze. “Just busy, is all.” “Sure.” I stand up straight. Before I go though, I take her and kiss her again. She doesn’t resist, in fact, she presses herself hard against me. I break the kiss off this time. “Pretend all you want. Make all the excuses you can think of. Sooner or later, you’re going to be mine, Mia Hayes.” She bites her lip again. I give her a look then turn and jump down off the boulder. I walk away, not

looking back, my heart hammering in my chest. I don’t know what her hesitation was back there. It was like she remembered something that totally took her out of the moment and made her rethink everything. It was strange watching her go from clearly wanting it badly to suddenly being too afraid to do anything. I won’t push her though. She’ll be ready for me sooner or later. I’m a patient man and I get what I want, I just have to be willing to work for it. And so far, Mia is fucking worth it. God damn that girl tastes good, feels good, and that little moan still lingers in my mind as I clean up our picnic stuff and head back to my truck. I won’t be able to think about anything but Mia for a while. I can’t deny it. She’s going to be on my mind, and soon I’m going to know every inch of her.

8

MIA

I

don’t know why I pulled back from Lucas. I keep thinking about that moment all that day and the next, but I don’t hear from him. I don’t know why I can’t get out my phone and just text him, maybe even explain why I pulled away when I did, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’m nervous about my feelings for him. That’s obvious, though I’m not completely sure why. Maybe it has to do with the Carters, but that’s not totally it. I wouldn’t let those assholes dictate what I do with my life no matter what, even if it really is a bad idea. It’s part that I haven’t been able to feel like this about a person in a long time, if ever. I don’t know

if I’m at a point in my life where I can really devote time to a relationship. My father takes up so much of my life, and now I’m worried about the preserve on top of the Carters. Maybe he can help with some of that, but I just don’t know if I can really give him the attention that he deserves. Not to mention he’s a lot older than me and has a child. That’s a little intimidating. All of that crossed my mind in the moment that I hesitated, but I wish that I didn’t. Because I know the truth. He’s absolutely right about me. I want to know him, I want to find out what he can give me and how he can make me feel. I pretend that I’m not interested, but I can’t help myself. I’ve never had a guy treat me like Lucas does. He brought me a lunch out of nowhere, totally surprising me. Maybe with some other guy that would be weird, but with Lucas it was totally natural and incredible. There’s never a dull moment with him and any silence between us is totally comfortable. It’s almost crazy to imagine how I’m feeling about him, and that’s probably part of what’s holding me back. I obsess about him all day after he leaves and all

the next day. I head home from work, wondering when I’ll hear from him, and take care of my father for the evening. It’s an old routine at this point and I’m used to it, but sometimes I wish I could be a normal person for once. I wish I could just leave the house whenever I want, but I can’t leave my father alone. Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night, totally confused and disoriented, and I’m afraid he’d hurt himself if I’m not there to help him. The nurse service is a big help, and I can’t really complain. He did so much for me already, it’s just obvious that I’d do this for him. That doesn’t make it any easier unfortunately. I get him to bed around nine, which gives me a few hours to myself every night. Some nights are easier than others in terms of getting him to sleep, but tonight is fortunately pretty easy all things considered. He’s down and I’m on the couch by nine-thirty, flicking through the channels, already thinking about what tomorrow will bring. My phone suddenly lights up and starts buzzing. I pick it up and look at it, head cocked. I don’t recognize the number, and for whatever reason I decide to pick it up. “Hello?”

“Mia.” I recognize the voice immediately. “Uh, hey Caleb,” I say. “What’s up?” “I got your number from—hey, stop it” I can suddenly hear some noise in the background. “Yeah, sorry, Dylan is being a total douche. Jordan says hey.” I hear someone yell in the background. “Are you driving right now?” I ask him. “Dylan is. We’re going to Chucky’s. You coming?” “I can’t,” I say, happy for my excuse for once in my life. “Why not?” he asks. “You too busy?” In the background, I hear Jordan yell something about my dad and telling him already. “It’s my dad,” I confirm. “He’s sick. I can’t leave him alone here.” “Damn. That sucks,” Caleb says and then there’s a pause. “Uh, hello?” I ask. “Are you there?” “Hold up,” he says. “What nursing service do you use?”

“Horizon,” I say. “How did you know I used one?” “Just a hunch. Hold on a second.” The phone clicks and all the sound is gone. I’m still on the line though, so I guess he put me on hold or on mute. I wait a second, wondering what the heck they’re doing. I want to just hang up the phone. But Jordan is with them, and I do want to get out of the house. I can’t just leave Dad unfortunately, so it doesn’t matter what they say in the end. I’m staying in and that’s just that. But a minute later, the phone comes back to life. “Okay,” Caleb says. “Taken care of. We’re coming to get you in ten.’ “What?” I ask. “I called the nursing service. Mary should be over in like five or something.” I pause for a second. “Are you crazy?” I say. “I can’t afford overtime nurse pay.” “Don’t worry about that,” he says. “Caleb, no, no way. I can’t let you do that.” “Already done, kid. You’re coming out.” “Come on bitch!” It’s Jordan in the background

yelling again. I bite my lip, looking at the clock. “Is this for real?” I ask. “If the nurse isn’t there before we arrive, you can stay in.” I sigh. “Okay,” I say. “I have to get ready.” “Eight minutes,” he says. I hang up the phone. What the hell did I just agree to? I don’t know why I just accepted that. The Carter boys creep me out like crazy, and they definitely hate Lucas. But I want to get out of the house, and Jordan is my closest friend. Maybe they won’t be so bad tonight, and if they are, I’ll just bail. I jump up and run into my room. I throw on some clothes and do the best I can to my face and hair in my very limited time. About six minutes later, there’s a knock at the door. Sure enough, it’s a nurse from Horizon. I don’t recognize her, but she’s definitely for real. I thank her for coming and she explains that she’s the oncall nurse and that the Carters use her to take care of their grandmother sometimes. I show her where my father’s sleeping, let her get comfortable, and

have about ten seconds to spare before there’s another knock at the door. I hurry to open it and find Jordan standing there, looking cute as always. “You ready?” she asks. “Ready enough,” I say. “He really sent a nurse, you know that, right?” “I know,” she says, grinning. “He’s kinda great.” I frown a little bit. “I don’t know if he’s great. He came to my work the other day.” “He told me you were a total freak about it.” We walk back toward the car where the two guys are waiting for us. It’s a large black truck, very new looking, and probably more expensive than my house. “He was aggressive and threatening,” I say softly to her. “Really creepy. Seriously.” She gives me a look that clearly means she doesn’t believe me. “Caleb is a good guy. You just don’t know him yet.” “Yeah,” I say, backing off. “Maybe.” It’s not worth pushing. I don’t want to piss her off, and besides, I’m going out with them no matter what.

“Let’s fucking go!” Dylan yells. We climb into the car and Caleb grins at me. “Told you,” he says. I smile a little. “Yeah, I guess.” We head out, car driving fast, out to Chucky’s. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I don’t even like Caleb and Dylan. They’re still loud and still obnoxious, although Caleb isn’t as creepy tonight. We park at Chucky’s and head inside, grabbing a corner booth that magically is open and waiting for us. Caleb and Dylan order drinks and immediately Dylan start hitting on some random girl. But Caleb apparently only has eyes for me. I can tell it bothers Jordan a little bit, and I suddenly realize that she’s into Caleb, which explains a lot. I’m polite and I answer his questions and chat with him, but I’m not really interested, and I hope that’s obvious. I’m not sure it is, though, based on Caleb’s level of interest and the increasingly sour looks Jordan gives me. “So, are you impressed?” Caleb asks me after maybe a half hour of listening to him talk about his new audio system.

“With what, your speakers?” I ask. “No,” he says, grinning that weird smile. “I mean, the nurse.” “Oh. Yeah, I guess so. Thanks so much for that. I did really need a night out.” “No problem. I don’t mind at all. Plus, you’re worth it.” He leans toward me a bit and I feel a chill run down my spine. “Uh, I’ll be back in a second,” I say, standing. “Where are you going?” he asks. “Need a drink.” I throw down the one I’m holding then hurry off to the bar. Jordan instantly swoops in and starts talking to Caleb, but I feel his eyes on me already. I regret coming out with these guys and am not sure why I did it. I guess I didn’t really believe that he’d send a nurse like that, and when he showed up, I felt like I really had to go. I get to the bar and take a much-needed break. I order a gin and tonic, and while I’m waiting for my drink, I scan the area around me. As I’m looking at the people, I catch sight of two guys coming in through the side door. I have to do a double take, because it takes me a second to realize

that it’s Lucas and his friend. Shit. I panic and turn away, not sure if he noticed me yet. The last thing I want is for him to see me out with the Carters. I’m such a hypocrite and he’s going to see that. I don’t want him to think less of me. He just doesn’t know how hard it can be sometimes, with my father and everything. My drink comes and I slam back half of it in one go. I stand there, not sure what the hell to do. I should probably just run the hell away, get out of here completely and hope that Lucas didn’t notice me. As I turn, I bump directly into Caleb. “Whoa there,” he says. “Where you hurrying to?” “Uh,” I say. “I don’t know. The table.” I glance around but don’t see Lucas anywhere. “Who you lookin’ for?” he asks, taking my shoulders. “Nobody,” I say quickly. “Come on, come back to the table.” I follow him reluctantly back, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. I want to run away, but I don’t know what to do. If I leave right now, it’ll look really rude and Jordan will be even more upset with me. She’s like my only friend right now and I really

can’t afford to lose her. I don’t care if the Carters think I’m a jerk, but I do care about Jordan. We get back to the table and sit down. She launches into some conversation about a movie I haven’t seen but that Caleb seems somewhat into. I look around the bar again, nervous and starting to sweat a little bit. “You okay?” Jordan asks me. “You look weird.” “Fine,” I say, glancing toward the bar again. I spot Lucas there, talking with his friend. For a second, I think I’m safe. He hasn’t looked back at me yet. Until he turns and he looks. We make eye contact. He looks right at me. He doesn’t look away for a couple seconds before casually turning back to his friend like he didn’t see a thing. I sit there, devastated. I don’t know why, but I expected something more. I expected anger, or maybe disappointment, or something. Instead, I got absolutely nothing from him, and that hurts way more. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t play games like this, it’s just not the kind of person I am. I

don’t normally want guys to care and get angry if I’m doing something, I just want everyone to be happy and to get along. I feel like an idiot. I finish my drink and without another word, I stand up. “Hey, what’s up?” Caleb asks. “You look weird.” “I have to go,” I say. “Sorry.” “What?” Jordan asks. “Caleb got you a nurse. And you’re being so rude.” “I know. Thank you Caleb,” I say to him. I turn to Jordan. “I’ll make it up to you.” “You shouldn’t go,” Caleb says, standing. “Say bye to Dylan for me when he gets back,” I answer, and quickly walk away. I can’t do this. I can’t let myself become someone I’m not. Lucas totally didn’t care that I was out with the Carters, and that’s okay. He doesn’t have to care. Maybe I misunderstood our relationship and thought there was something stronger between us than there actually is. Maybe I’m naïve and stupid, and I deserve to feel totally embarrassed right now. Either way, I couldn’t stay there with Caleb and let him keep trying to flirt with me when all I wanted

was to get out. Jordan’s going to be pissed, but she’ll get over it soon enough. I walk fast out of the bar, not looking back. I don’t let myself look back at Lucas, wondering if he’s watching me, if he cares. I’m an idiot and let myself get seduced by the Carters and their ability to buy everything. I hate that about myself. At least I’m leaving. At least I have that. I get to the door, push it open, and head off toward the bus stop, holding back tears, not letting myself be so pathetic that I cry alone on the street.

9

LUCAS

M

y heart is hammering in my chest the second I see Mia out with those sick fucking Carters. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t say a word. I play it cool. I walk to the bar with Josh and we sit down, ordering drinks, though I keep stealing glances over at Mia. “You okay, man?” Josh asks. I quickly look back at him. “Why wouldn’t I be?” “You just look a little tense, is all.” “I’m good.” Our drinks arrive and I cover myself by taking a big sip of my whisky. Josh starts talking about this girl

he’s been seeing lately, a nice girl named Nicole. The only thing I hear from his whole speech is that she really likes rice balls, stuff called onigiri or something like that, I’m not really sure. I can’t stop looking at Mia and wondering what the fuck is going on with her. After Caleb freaked her out, I thought she was done with those guys, but apparently I was wrong. I frown to myself, trying to puzzle it out. She seemed genuinely upset when she called me. She was afraid of Caleb and seemed to think he might hurt her or something like that. She’s obviously aware of all the rumors about Caleb out there, and yet here she is. She has to know that she’s probably in danger if that asshole is interested in her. I can’t figure it out. Maybe Mia just isn’t who I think she is. Maybe she’s not the girl I really want. The thought just confuses me further. I’ve been with her, seen what she’s like. I know the kind of girl Mia is, and hanging out with Caleb and Dylan Carter feels like it’s pretty far outside of her character. Especially after he freaked her out so badly. As I watch her, I keep feeling like something is wrong here. I start thinking I should get up and go

see her, but I can’t help but hold myself back. I know she saw me and she knows I’m here, but she’s not coming over to me. As I’m watching her, she gets up and suddenly walks toward the front door. I can tell she looks a little upset, and suddenly I switch into protective mode, even if I don’t really want to. I stand up fast. “Sorry man, got to go,” I say. “What the hell?” Josh asks, confused. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.” I grab two twenties from my wallet and throw them down on the bar. “Drinks on me.” “Uh, okay, man,” he says, but I’m already walking away. I have to go after her. I don’t know why, but my gut is screaming for me to follow her. I can’t let her walk away right now, not when things are so weird. I glance over and notice Caleb and Dylan are both looking at me, but I don’t give a fuck. I just keep going, out the door and after Mia. She’s hurrying down the sidewalk. She’s so fucking gorgeous, with an ass like a fucking angel. I hurry faster. “Mia,” I say. “Wait up.”

She pauses and looks over her shoulder, frowning at me. “You shouldn’t have come with me.” “What are you doing?” I ask her, stopping when I reach her. She keeps walking, but more slowly this time. “I’m going home.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Lucas.” “You’re out with the fucking Carter brothers.” She nods once. “I know.” “Why?” I ask, staring at her, surprised at how desperate I am for an answer. “It’s complicated.” She looks away from me. I stop and grab her hand. She turns toward me, a little surprised. “Try anyway.” She pauses for a second but doesn’t try to pull away. In fact, her grip tightens on my hand. “That girl back there, Jordan. She’s friends with the Carters. She’s my only friend right now, and I thought maybe the Carters aren’t that bad, but…” She trails off, shaking her head. “But they’re exactly what you thought they were,” I say simply.

“Yeah,” she says, nodding. “I’m an idiot. I’m just… I’m sick of staying home. I want a life, you know? I don’t want to lose one of my last friends over these Carter guys, so I thought I’d try again.” “I can understand that,” I say honestly. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but try and stay away from those guys.” “I’m done with them,” she says sincerely. “Caleb is…” She trails off, her eyes a little wide, looking behind me. “Shit, Lucas. You should go.” I turn and look over my shoulder, dread filling my gut. Caleb and Dylan are both walking toward me, followed by three other guys I don’t recognize. Three other big, mean-looking motherfuckers. “Hey, you two,” Caleb calls out, a wicked smile on his face. “What’s going on?” “Leave us alone,” Mia says. “Lucas is just walking me to the bus stop.” Caleb and his little posse stops in front of us. He crosses his arms, giving me this shit-eating grin. “I can handle that,” he says. “Why don’t you fuck off, huh?” I turn toward him and square up. I want to knock his pussy teeth in his goddamn skull but I’m outnumbered five to one. If it were three to one, or

just the Carter brothers, I’d go for it. With my training and skills, I’m confident that I could easily take them. But even a SEAL has limitations, and five big, drunk, pissed off guys is probably about it. “Leave Mia alone,” I say to him. “She left because she wanted to get away from you.” “Is that true?” Caleb asks her. “Don’t look at her,” I practically growl, stepping up to him. Maybe I have a death wish after all. Caleb gets a wicked glint in his eye. “What are you going to do, fucking pussy?” he asks. “You talk big with four guys at your back,” I say softly, forcing him to move closer. “But what are you gonna do if it’s just me and you?” “I’ll fucking kill you,” he says, grinning wide. He’s not expecting it when I smash my face into his nose. It makes a satisfying crunch, probably broken. He stumbles back, cursing, but I’m already moving. Mia yells something but I can’t hear her. White-hot rage takes over my body as I slam my elbow into Dylan’s chin. He staggers and I turn to the next big guy, getting my hands up just in time to block a punch. I twist to the side and punch him in the jaw,

staggering him. I follow up with another two punches, knocking him on his ass. And then I’m blindsided by Dylan and the big guy. I’m knocked back and have to fight desperately just to keep my feet. I know that if I’m knocked down, I’m fucking finished, but they’re raining blows down on me. I fight them back, knocking out one of the big guys. Caleb tries to get back in it but I catch him in the throat, forcing him to the ground. It’s satisfying until I get a boot to my knee and a fist to my chin. I slam to the ground, and I know I’m fucked. They’re hurt pretty badly, but I’m about to get the shit stomped out of me, and probably I’ll get to spend a few nights in the hospital, assuming I survive it. Mia is yelling, screaming practically, but they’re not stopping. I feel the first boot in my gut and I know I’m fucked. “Back off, piece of shit,” someone yells loudly. “I’ll fucking blow your skulls off, cocksuckers.” The guys back off like goddamn magic. The kicks stop and I manage to sit up, eyes wide open as Josh walks slowly toward them, a gun trained on Dylan Carter.

“Get your friends and go,” Josh says. “Right now. If you’re still here in five seconds, I’m shooting.” They don’t need to be told twice. Dylan helps his brother up while the other guys help their friend and they head back down the street, nursing their wounds. “This isn’t over, you fucking faggot,” Dylan Carter yells. “What a cunt,” I say, grinning. “Jesus, man,” Josh says, putting his gun away. “You always carry?” I ask him. “Hell, yeah.” “Thanks.” He helps me to my feet and I look over at Mia. She stares at me, horror on her face. She watches me for a second as I give her a little grin. Then she walks over to me and slaps me across the face. That stings way worse than the boot to the stomach. I look at her, shocked. “You asshole,” she says. “You stupid, stupid asshole. There were five of them! They were going to kill you!”

I grin at her. “They deserved it.” I can taste a little blood in my mouth. “You idiot,” she says. “You’re a father, Lucas! You can’t get yourself killed just because of your stupid macho pride, you dumb asshole.” She’s fuming, but I can’t help but smile at her. She’s so goddamn beautiful, and she has no clue that I’d willingly take as many boots to the gut for her as I have to just to make her safe. “Sorry,” I say to her. She takes a deep breath and releases it. “You can’t do that,” she says. “I know.” I step toward her, wincing from pain. I’m going to have some nice bruises in the morning. “I’m sorry.” Josh backs off a little bit, realizing that we’re having a moment. “You scared me to death,” she says, frowning. “I know. It’s okay.” I take her hand and pull her toward me. “I won’t let those guys hurt you.” “I’m not worried about me,” she says. “I’m worried about you.” “Thanks, but Josh can take care of me.”

“No, he can’t,” Josh calls from down the street. I look over and grin at him. “Thanks again, man,” I say. “You owe me big time, fucker.” He opens the door to Chucky’s and heads back inside. I turn back to Mia. “I won’t do that again.” “You’re right. If you want me to keep talking to you, that is.” I smirk at her. “Is that a threat?” “Yes. You dumb asshole.” She touches my face, frowning. “That was harder than I thought it would be.” “Well, I deserved it.” “Yeah. You really did.” I grin then kiss her softly on the lips. I wince a little bit. “Are you okay?” she asks. “We should go to the hospital.” “No, really. It’s fine. I’ve taken a worse beating.” She sighs. “I can’t handle this, Lucas. Seriously. I can’t watch you get beat up again.”

“Oh, come on. I did a damn good job. Almost took them actually.” She smiles a little bit. “Watching Caleb get punched…” “I think I broke his nose.” She laughs a little leaning against me. I wince again but ignore the pain. “His face was priceless.” “His brother got it good, too.” “And that other guy. Were you trying to kill them?” “Nah. Just wanted to survive is all.” “Next time, don’t do it at all.” “Promise.” I kiss her one more time before we start walking again. This time, we take the bus together, and we ride it in comfortable silence, holding hands the whole way. I walk her back to her house, kiss her on the doorstep, and then start walking back home. It’ll take me a good half hour to get home at least, probably more since I’m in some pain, but it’s worth it. Walking her home, kissing her, holding her hand, fucking hell. It makes me feel so alive, even more alive than I felt out on the battlefield. I never thought I’d feel this way in civilian life, but here I am, excitement coursing through my veins.

She’s right about one thing, though. I am a fucking father now. Five years ago, I could have taken a beating like that and walked away no problem. But now I can already tell I’ll be feeling this one for days, and the bruises will take longer to heal. I’m not a young man anymore unfortunately, and I can’t fight like one anymore. I can’t try and take on five guys alone. If Josh hadn’t shown up with that gun, I don’t know what the fuck I would have done. I smile to myself. The look on Caleb’s face was worth it. The fear, the shock, the anger. It was pretty fucking great I head back home, happy in a strange way, feeling good about the night.

10

MIA

I

can’t freaking believe he did that.

All night in bed I just keep thinking about him trying to fight those five guys at once, getting beat up, but not backing down. He was so strong, brave, and fast. He knew what he was doing, and if there was one less guy, he would have won. Unfortunately, there were five of them and just one of him. I hate violence. I hated watching him get hurt like that. But part of me was standing there, still and excited, rapt with attention as I watched him defend me. There’s something so primitive about seeing an incredibly strong and intense man fighting for you, willing to hurt himself and hurt others all for you. I always hated that caveman shit, and I still

do. I don’t want him to fight for me again. And yet… I was dripping wet. I hate to admit it. I was so excited I can hardly explain it. I was yelling for it to stop but on the inside I felt my blood was up and the thrill was coursing through my veins. Adrenaline was pumping into me, and I wanted Lucas to win then fuck me rough in the back alley. I wanted him to take me back to his cave and ravish me like a good caveman. It’s so stupid and reckless. The Carter brothers are not the kind of guys you mess around with like that, and I’m already afraid of what they’re going to do. Although I enjoyed watching Caleb get his face busted, the look in his eyes as they left said everything. He’s going to get his revenge. Unfortunately, I don’t have to wait long for that. The next day at work, I’m doing my normal daily hike through the woods when my phone suddenly starts ringing. I think it’s going to be Lucas, so I pull it out of my pocket and answer it right away. “Good morning,” I say, smiling, enjoying the beautiful weather. “Good morning, pretty Mia.” I stop dead in my tracks. That voice isn’t Lucas,

not at all. It’s Caleb Carter. “Caleb,” I say. “What do you want?” “That piece of shit Lucas messed up last night. You know that, right?” “He shouldn’t have attacked you,” I say. “No, he shouldn’t have.” Caleb sounds calm and collected, but there’s a hint of menace in his voice. “He shouldn’t have at all.” “You were scaring me, Caleb. I wanted to leave, but you followed us.” “I wouldn’t hurt you, Mia,” he says simply. “I want you. I think you know that.” I feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. Those words sent prickles down my spine, but not of pleasure or excitement. It’s the feeling I get during a scary movie when I know something bad is about to happen, and I have to look away from the screen. “Caleb,” I say. “Wait,” he interrupts. “Listen to me, and listen carefully. That guy Lucas is not good for you. He’s a low class piece of shit, a pathetic asshole. He works at a flower shop and has a bastard child. You really want to be around a guy like him?”

I bite my lip, looking at the ground. “He’s a good person,” I say. “You don’t know him.” “I know him and guys like him. He’s a violent piece of shit.” “You came outside with four guys in tow. He knew what you were going to do.” Caleb laughs a little. “You don’t get it, do you? I want you, Mia. And I get what I want.” I feel like I’m going to throw up. “I’m sorry, Caleb,” I say softly. “I just don’t think it’s going to happen between us.” He’s silent for a minute, and I think he hung up. I have to check the phone to make sure he’s still there. When he speaks again, it’s very quiet. “You like that little preserve of yours, right?” he asks. “It’s a beautiful place, you know.” “It’s my favorite place in the world,” I say simply, heart beating faster. “I can save it. My father wants to buy it and burn it to the ground. He wants to build apartments, lots of cheap housing. He thinks he can make a killing, but I can convince him not to go after it.” “Why are you saying this?” I ask him, but I already

know the answer. “Be my girl and I’ll stop him,” Caleb says, and I want to throw up. “If you don’t, I’ll make sure he does it, and you know he’ll get what he wants.” I stare at the ground, my stomach churning. I feel like my guts are in my throat. I’m so sickened, terrified, and upset that I can’t even respond to him. The thought of being his girlfriend, of letting him touch me, of being near him, it just makes me want to puke. I thought I could give him a chance last night, but I know better now. “I don’t know,” I manage to say. “Think about it. You can give me what I want, and I can give you what you want. I can give you more than that, too, if you just ask. Think about it.” With that, he hangs up the phone, and the line goes dead. I have to lean up against a tree, my heart hammering, my head dizzy, a cold sweat on my skin. Caleb Carter is blackmailing me. That’s exactly what he’s doing. He’s blackmailing me into being his girlfriend, and if I don’t do it, his father is going to destroy one of the few places I love.

I don’t know what I’ll do without this place. But I can’t be his girlfriend. The thought of kissing him sends waves of nausea running through me. Last night was a mistake. I should have known better. I shouldn’t have gone out with them, shouldn’t have put myself in that position to begin with, but it happened. I can’t go back and change any of it. And now my situation is even more impossible. Now I’m being blackmailed, and I don’t know what to do. As I continue walking, trying to get myself together, my first instinct is to call Lucas. But I’m afraid of what he’ll try to do. He might go after Caleb, and I couldn’t really blame him for doing it, either. This is a new disgusting low for the Carter family, and Lucas isn’t going to take it very lightly. No, I have to work this out for myself, at least right now. I need some time to think about it. I don’t want them to take away everything I love, the one place that has kept me sane through all the dark times in my life, and yet I can’t imagine giving myself to Caleb Carter, that disgusting snake. I head back to the office and spend the rest of the morning working on routine tasks, though my mind is still very much on the phone call. I keep thinking

about Caleb, about what’ll happen if he took this place from me, and what it would be like if I gave in to him. I keep trying to think of some other solution, but I’m at a total loss. I’m supposed to have lunch with Jordan, but she cancels at the last minute. I can’t help but see that as a bad sign. I end up eating alone in the woods, feeling more isolated than I ever have before. The rest of the day drags past. Laura comments that I seem distracted, and I can’t exactly disagree. I am totally distracted, but I can’t tell her why. She drops it, though I can tell she’s concerned. Caleb Carter is blackmailing me. I just keep thinking that, over and over again, as finally the end of the day approaches. I have to get home to see my dad and to do his nightly routine with him. I gather my stuff up and head out the front door, but I stop short when I get near my car. Lucas is standing there, his eye black, a small bruise on his cheek. He grins as soon as he sees me and holds up a brown paper bag. “I brought dinner.” I frown at him. “Hey,” I say. “Hey.” He walks over to me. I step around him though and head to my car.

“I need to get home,” I say. “I have to take care of my dad.” “That’s okay,” he answers. “I have enough. It’s Italian. I don’t know what he can or can’t eat, though.” I frown at him. “You want to have dinner with me and my dad?” He shrugs. “Of course. Unless that’s too weird or something.” I stare at him, totally surprised. Nobody in my life has ever wanted to actually spend time with my father. Most people just pretend he doesn’t exist and show me lots of pity, but nobody actually wants to come spend time with him. It’s incredibly lonely. I feel that fluttering in my stomach again and a swelling in my chest. I stare at Lucas, and he’s so handsome, smiling at me, holding his takeout bag. He wants to spend time with me, get to know me, and even wants to meet my father. “Are you sure?” I ask him. “I mean, my dad isn’t in the best condition.” He nods and comes toward me. “I’m very sure. Unless it’s too weird or you’re not comfortable with it, of course, but I’d like it.”

“Okay,” I say, despite myself, despite everything. “Meet me at my place.” I unlock my car door, get inside, and shut it. He grins and waves as I pull out of my spot. I start driving home, not sure what the hell I just did. I can’t have Lucas over at my house. If Caleb finds out, he’ll flip shit. I’m already being blackmailed by him, I can’t have Lucas in my life if I’m going to give in to Caleb’s demands. It’s not fair to Lucas and it’s not fair to me. I shouldn’t let myself get more attached to him. But I can’t help myself. As soon as he said he wanted to actually come to my house, meet my father, and even have a meal with us, it was just too much. I had to say yes, because I wanted him in that moment more than I could have ever dreamed was possible. I drive home with a smile on my face. I shouldn’t be happy or excited. This could go really, really wrong, and my dad could scare Lucas away. This could be a total freaking disaster. Or it could go well, and my thing with Caleb could ruin everything. There are a million reasons not to do this. And yet I want to do it. I want Lucas, even if I

shouldn’t have him. He’s older than me, he’s a father, he has his own stuff to deal with, and yet here he is coming to my house. I keep smiling on the whole ride home.

11

LUCAS

I

have to admit that I’m a little nervous to meet Mia’s father.

Fuck, I’ve seen some shit in my time. I’ve seen men hurt badly, blown apart, shot and killed. I’ve done some of those things myself. I killed a man with my bare hands at least once, and I’ve used a knife more times than I can count. I’ve been in horrible situations, witnessed horrible things, and very rarely felt nervous. Alzheimer’s is a horrible disease. I know her father is probably pretty far gone. I did some research and have a general idea of what to expect, but I’m still nervous anyway. I pull up outside of her house and park. I drove slow and paused a minute to let her get her things

together. The pasta in my bag smells delicious, and there’s plenty for all of us, but I suddenly feel like it’s inadequate. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I haven’t met a woman’s parents in a long, long time. I knew her father a little bit when I was younger, but this is going to be different. He won’t be the man that I remember, although that man is still there. I have to treat him with dignity, but be prepared for the reality of the disease. I watch as a middle-aged woman leaves the house dressed in scrubs. She gets into a little Honda and drives off. I assume that’s the nurse heading home, and so I take that as my cue to go inside. I go to the door and knock. Mia answers after a second, changed from work clothes into a short jean skirt and a loose top. “Come on in,” she says. I follow her into the living room. “It’s exactly how I remember it,” I say, laughing a little. “Not exactly, I bet, but close.” She shrugs a little bit. “I haven’t changed anything at all. Just haven’t felt up to it.”

“I totally understand that.” “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen. Dad’s in there already.” I nod and follow her. Mia’s father is sitting at the kitchen table.He’s wearing a brown cardigan, gray slacks, and thick slippers. His hair is white and frizzy, and his skin is wrinkled. His eyes seem glassy when he looks up. “Dad, do you remember Lucas?” Her father looks at me. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Hayes.” He looks at me for a moment and then looks back down at the table. “He’s mostly nonverbal,” Mia explains. “It’s common in this stage. Sometimes he talks though, but not usually.” “Should I get this stuff ready?” She nods. “That’d be great.” “Can he eat pasta?” “Pasta is good, actually. Soft foods are easiest.” I go over to the kitchen counter, get down some plates, and start setting up. I set a plate for Mia and

her father and then for myself before putting out utensils and then placing the takeout containers of food down in the middle. Mia serves her father first, putting a small amount of simple linguine with red sauce on his plate. “Okay, Dad, hungry?” she asks. I sit down and watch quietly. She picks up a fork, twists a bit onto it, and then places her father’s hand on the end. He takes the fork and raises it to his mouth. He puts it in his mouth, slides it off, chews slowly, and swallows. “Very good,” she says, smiling. “That’s great. More?” Her father looks at her blankly. She does this again, getting very small amounts of food, and letting him feed himself. She looks at me. “You can eat if you’re hungry.” “Sorry. I’m staring.” She smiles and shrugs. “It’s okay. Dad doesn’t mind. Do you mind, Dad?” He looks down at his plate. “Of course you don’t,” Mia says. “I’m sure you like the company.”

“How’s the food, Mr. Hayes?” I ask him. Mia smiles. “It’s good, I bet.” She helps him have another bite. I get myself some food and take a bite. It’s actually pretty good. I serve Mia a plate as well and she accepts it gratefully. I can tell that she won’t eat until her father is finished though, so I wait for her. We feed her father. Well, she feeds him, or at least helps him while I talk to them. I tell them about my day at the flower shop, and I make sure I talk directly to Mr. Hayes. I don’t ignore him and pretend like he’s not there. All the while Mia helps her father eat, and makes comments for him. She’s so gentle with him and attentive. She wipes his mouth when he needs it and is very careful when she hands him the fork each time. He chews mechanically, but I can tell she’s paying close attention to make sure he doesn’t choke. Soon, the plate is nearly done, and when she goes to give him another bite, he doesn’t take the fork. “Are you done, Dad?” she asks. He looks at her. For a second, I think he’s going to speak, but then he looks back down at the plate. She tries to get him to take it again, but he refuses.

She helps him drink some water and then cleans him up. “Ready for some TV, Dad?” she asks. He looks at her. She helps him stand slowly and leads him out to the living room. I clear his plate and rinse it off as the sound of Jeopardy! comes from the television out there. Mia returns and comes up to me. I turn around and she puts her arms around me, pulling me against her, and kisses me deeply. I’m surprised by the kiss, but it feels good. It’s not like our other kisses. This one is warm, comforting. The hunger is there, but so is something else, something deeper. We break off and she smiles. “I’m glad you’re here,” she says. “You’re good with him.” “I don’t know what I’m doing,” I admit. “You’re talking to him like a person. That’s more than most people.” I shrug a little bit, embarrassed. “Let’s eat,” I say. “Sounds good.” We sit back down and dig in. She gets up and checks on her father every few minutes, but mostly

we chat about her day. There is some tension between us, and obviously we’re trying not to talk about what happened the night before, but it’s hard to completely ignore. It’s there, under everything we say. When we finish, I clear the table while she sits with her father in the living room. Once I’m done doing the dishes and cleaning up, I join them just as Wheel of Fortune starts. I sit down next to Mia and she leans up against my shoulder. “This is what we do most nights,” she says. “He’s having a good night.” “It’s actually kinda nice,” I say. She shrugs a little. “I guess so. He seems to like it.” She’s talking quietly, and I doubt he can hear. “You’re a good daughter. You know that?” “I guess.” I take her chin and look at her. “Seriously. He’s proud of you.” She nods once and looks away. We watch Wheel of Fortune together, and for a second I forget about all my troubles and all the strange problems swirling around us. It’s such a boring and simple moment, but it’s

incredibly intimate. This is her routine with her sick father, the man she’s taking care of, and I’m suddenly a part of it. I’m an outsider looking in, but that doesn’t seem to matter. There’s a comfortable silence over the room, and I think that Mia is actually happy. When the show is over, Mia stands up. “Come on,” she says. “Where are we going?” “I need to give my dad a bath and put him to bed.” I nod, understanding. “Time to kick me out.” She grins a little. “Yeah. I’m sorry.” “Don’t be.” I get up. “This was really nice.” We walk together to the front door. She comes outside with me and sits down on one of the two blue rocking chairs they have out front. I sit down in the other one. “We should talk for a second,” she says, and I know what it’s about. “We don’t need to.” “Lucas, you need to know something.” She bites her lip and looks down at the ground. “You don’t know how hard this is.”

I want to reach for her hand, but I hesitate. “It doesn’t have to be.” “But it is.” She looks at me, frowning, and I can tell there’s something unspoken in her expression. “Last night scared me.” “I know. That fucking asshole had it coming though.” “He did. But he has a lot of power in this town.” “Fuck his power,” I say, feeling my anger rising. “He doesn’t get to do whatever he wants just because he has money.” “But he does,” she says. “It’s not right, but he does.” “I won’t live like that.” I stare at her, not looking away. “Lucas…” “No, listen to me. I won’t live that way. I won’t be afraid of some rich assholes just because they have money and think they’re better than everyone else. I won’t do it.” “I don’t know if we can keep doing this.” She stares right at me, but I can sense the pain in her. That sentence strikes me right in the chest. It feels

like that boot when I was down on the ground last night. I meet her gaze but have to look away for a second. “If that’s how you feel,” I say, standing. “Lucas—“ “You don’t have to say anything else.” “You don’t understand.” She’s on the verge of crying, but I’m angry. “I’m not like the Carters,” I say to her. “And I won’t let them push us around. You don’t have to be afraid.” “But I do,” she says simply. She’s holding her tears back now, but I can see them. “I’ll see you later,” I say to her, and start walking away. “Lucas!” she says, but I don’t turn back. I know there’s more she wants to say, but I can’t hear it. I feel too angry and torn to have this conversation with her. I know that if I stay there, I might say something I’ll regret. I might admit how I feel and get my heart broken completely. I hurry to my truck, get in, and start the engine. Mia is still on her porch, watching as I pull away.

I don’t know what the hell that was back there. But I do know that the Carters are behind it somehow. She wants me and I know she’s feeling the same way that I am, even if she keeps backing off. It’s those fucking Carters. Anger rolls through me again in waves, but I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m going to have Mia. That’s all there is to it. Right now she’s afraid, but she can’t deny her feelings forever. I don’t know when or how, but she’ll see this is right. I’ll have her, make her feel things she never imagined. I’ll break those fucking Carters, and I’ll take the woman that I need.

12

MIA

I

don’t know why this can’t be easy.

It’s supposed to be, isn’t it? I meet a hot guy that’s really good with my family and he seems to want me, too. But of course, since I have the worst luck in the entire world, it’s not that simple at all. I really felt it last night when Lucas came over to eat dinner with me and my dad. I felt something I never imagined I’d feel, especially not right now when I clearly don’t have time for it. He was so good with Dad, so, so good. I couldn’t believe it. He didn’t seem uncomfortable at all, didn’t shy away from the reality of the situation. He was helpful, honest, and open, and treated my father like a regular human being instead of like a

sick old man. Sitting on that couch with him, watching television with him and my father felt so incredibly normal and real that it almost overwhelmed me. I couldn’t believe I felt that way just watching TV, but as I sat there I realized that I could see that happening so much more often. I could see him coming into my life and being a real part of it. That’s the terrifying part. I still can see it, but as soon as we left the living room, it felt like the spell was broken. The reality of our situation came creeping back in and I just kept thinking about Caleb blackmailing me or any number of other things that could destroy our relationship. Another early morning on the preserve. The sun is rising and it’s getting warm as I finish up my morning hike. Laura is in her office and was in there when I came in this morning, which is unusual. There are a few cars in the lot, some of them pretty nice, and I have to assume that this has to do with the Carters buying the preserve. I hope she’s being strong in there. I want to kick down her door and poke my head in, but I know better than that. I need to keep my distance as much as possible. Right now, I’m a liability to Laura, at least if I don’t start dating Caleb Carter. The mere thought sends

chills of disgust down my spine. I send Jordan a text, just trying to see how she’s doing and what she’s up to, but I don’t hear back right away. That’s a little unusual, because I know the girl is like always on her phone, but I don’t push it. She works at a Banana Republic as a manager in the mall and she can get pretty busy sometimes, too busy to stare at her phone and respond instantly to every single one of my messages. I wish I could tell her what’s happening. As I get close to the preserve’s office, I realize that I can’t really talk to anyone about this. Jordan is friends with the Carters. I don’t think she’ll believe me if I tell her what Caleb said, and even if she does, I can’t be sure she won’t take their side. That thought terrifies me, since I always assumed I was really close with her, but I’m not so sure anymore. I haven’t heard much from her since the night that I left the bar. I apologized to her via text and tried to call, but she never answered her phone, and her text replies were pretty terse. I’m totally isolated. I can’t tell my family about this, because my father is sick and my sister would flip out. She’d only make it worse. I can’t tell Laura, she’d try and make it worse, too, and I definitely can’t tell Lucas.

I don’t know what he’d do. I’m actually a little afraid of how he’d react if he found out that Caleb is blackmailing me. I got a taste of his temper that night, and I didn’t like what I saw. Even though he had every reason to be angry, and was only doing it to defend me from some pretty awful people, it was still reckless and scary. Even if I did like it a little bit, felt aroused by it, it still scared me. As I approach the office building, I see a group of men exit from the front entrance. There are four of them, all wearing expensive suits, and I stop dead in my tracks. The man walking in the center is Caleb’s father. I recognize him instantly. He ran for city council a few years back and sent out hundreds of flyers with his face on them, so he’s basically the most recognizable man in the city now. I think there are still some park benches with his advertisement painted on them. I watch as the men approach the parking lot. Three of the men get into one car, and Caleb’s father pauses next to the other car. He looks back toward me, and I feel like a deer in headlights as his gaze falls directly on me. I want to run away, but I can’t move. This is evil, pure evil. This is the guy that wants to destroy everything I care about. This is the man that raised

Caleb and Dylan, two of the most disgusting people I’ve ever met. This is the devil incarnate, and he’s smiling at me. I take a step backwards, but he’s already coming toward me. The first carload of men starts pulling out, and he waves them on, saying something. They head out and he continues toward me, smiling, and he waves at me. “Mia Hayes?” he calls out. “Is that you?” I force myself to smile. My feet feel like lead. My gut turns circles and I want to scream. “Hi, uh, yes, Mr. Carter. I’m Mia Hayes.” “Very good. Very nice to meet you.” He stops in front of me and holds his hand out to shake. I take it, looking him over. He’s tall, about six foot or something like that, with thinning gray hair, sharp brown eyes, and tan skin. His suit looks expensive, and his watch is enormous and probably costs more than my car. His handshake is firm and when I pull my hand back, I feel like I still have slime on my palm. “This is a beautiful property,” he says to me. “You’re lucky to work here.” “Everyone in this town is lucky,” I say to him

pointedly. “Well, maybe. Not many people come here though, do they?” “We get a lot of visitors.” I feel so uncomfortable but Mr. Carter just smiles huge. “Mia. I can call you that, right?” “Sure,” I say. “Good. Mia, call me Dan. I hear that my son is very taken with you.” His eyes light up a little bit, and while his tone seems friendly, I’m absolutely terrified of the man. “Uh, I don’t know about that,” I say to him, wanting to back away. He watches me carefully. “Oh, I think you know. You’re a very pretty girl.” I can’t believe this conversation is happening. It’s horrifying and fucked up on so many levels. Does he actually know about his son blackmailing me? “Well, it was nice meeting you,” I say, turning to leave. “Mia.” Dan steps closer to me. “I want you to know that I support my son, no matter what. He can be a little… unusual in his methods, but he gets

what he wants, and he’s a winner. Do you understand me?” I gape at him, at a total loss for words. “Okay,” I manage to sputter at him, in total shock. “He wants me to buy this place, you know. He’s pushing it hard, and I agree with him. So make this easy on everyone, okay?” He smiles at me. “Have a good day.” I watch totally dumbfounded as Dan Carter, the most powerful man in the town, turns and walks away. He knows. Or at least I’m pretty sure he knows. This man, this adult human man, knows that his young son is blackmailing me into being with him. And he’s going along with it. I’ve never heard of something so fucked up and wrong in my entire life. But it also terrifies me beyond belief. If Caleb has the support of his father, I’m totally screwed. Numb, I pull out my phone and I call Caleb. I don’t know what I’m going to say to him. Dan Carter’s car pulls out and heads down the road just as Caleb answers. “I knew I’d hear from you today,” he says.

“Your father was here. I just talked to him.” “Oh, really?” I can practically hear the glee in his voice and see his stupid smile. I stare up at the trees, at the light through the branches, and I know that I’m at a turning point. I’m supposed to roll over and take it. Sending his father here and having him talk to me was designed to break me, to make me give in and do what he wants me to do. I’m supposed to be a good little girl and let him have me. I’m supposed to shut up and let him blackmail me. Instead of that, I feel anger, overwhelming anger. “I can’t believe your father knows about this,” I say to him. “What kind of messed up family are you?” He laughs at that. “He doesn’t know the details. But he knows that we’ll destroy you if you don’t do what I want.” “Caleb. How can you think this is okay? How can an adult do this? I don’t want you.” I can’t believe I said that. I’m just so angry that I can barely think. I know I should be saying something else, telling him that I’ll roll over and do what he wants, but I can’t. I’m blinded by so much anger right now that I can barely think.

“Maybe,” he says to me. “But that doesn’t really matter to me right now. I’ll grow on you, I just need you to do the right thing.” “The right thing would be for you to leave me alone. This is insane. You can’t just destroy this place because I won’t date you.” “I can’t?” He chuckles softly. “I think you’re wrong about that, actually. I’m better than normal people, Mia. If you’re with me, I can take care of everything you’d ever need.” “I’d rather puke in my own mouth,” I say to him then hang up the phone. I’m sweating, shaking, my heart hammering. I feel like I might throw up. The world goes a little fuzzy around me as tears spring into my eyes, but I ball my fists and refuse to freaking cry. I can’t believe I just told him off like that. I feel so freaking stupid. Even if I’m going to refuse him, I can’t do it like that. I have to be smart about this, because he really is dangerous. I can’t call him up, yell at him, and then hang up on him. That’s just stupid and not tactful at all. But I’m so angry and disgusted by these people. I can’t believe a grown man would stoop to these games and actually help his son in blackmailing a

woman. That’s the lowest, most despicable thing I can imagine, and it truly makes me sick. The whole situation is fucked beyond belief, and now I’m terrified that I’ve made it worse. I lean up against a tree and wonder what Lucas would do if he were in my position. He’d probably just hunt down Caleb and beat him up until Caleb left him alone. He’d probably approve of that stupid phone call too, actually, now that I think about it. That brings a little smile to my face. Lucas would have loved hearing me give Caleb shit like that. Even if it’s stupid and reckless, at least I was being honest and standing up for myself. I stand up and take a deep breath. I get myself under control after a couple minutes and head back down to the office. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and it was probably dumb to call Caleb like that, but at least it felt good to tell him off. At least I stood up for myself. Lucas would be proud. And it’s scary how good that thought makes me feel.

13

LUCAS

I

don’t hear from Mia at all the next day, and that doesn’t surprise me.

There’s something that I don’t know. That has to be the case. She wouldn’t just cast me off like that, not after we had such a good time with her dad, and especially not after we kissed. I know she feels the same way that I do, but what I don’t understand is why she’s trying to deny it. It was like she was a different person out on the porch. I can’t stop thinking about it all day at work. It’s not like me to obsess about a woman like this, not at all. I’m normally the one that fucks them and leaves them, rarely giving women more than a night. Aside from my ex, I never got into serious relationships, because I never needed to.

I hate feeling like this. I hate wondering what she’s thinking and being unable to find out. I know I can’t call or text her or show up at her work, not at this point. Maybe I can try again in a few days, but I need to give her some space, let her breathe a little bit, let her start to realize that I’m a fucking damn good man and that she needs me. Because she’ll realize it. Sooner or later, she’ll think back to the way I made her feel when I kissed her and she’ll know that she made a mistake. It’s just a matter of time. I close up the flower shop at the end of the day and meet Alice back at home. Noah is in a good mood and I scoop him up into my arms, holding him and making him laugh. For a few minutes, I can forget about my troubles with Mia. Even Alice hasn’t mentioned it all day, which is amazing to me. She’s been bugging me about Mia Hayes, excited out of her mind that I might be seeing someone. But today it’s like she senses what happened between me and Mia yesterday, and she hasn’t said a word. I put Noah down and let him scoot over to his toys. He smashes them together, laughing and playing, and I watch him, losing myself in the moment. I don’t let myself dwell too much on Mia or the Carters or anything else.

A knock at the door pulls me from my good mood. “You expecting something?” Alice asks from the kitchen. “Nope,” I say. “Can you get it? I’m cooking.” “Sure.” I stand up and scoop Noah into my arms. “Come on, little man. Did you order something from Amazon?” I walk over to the front door and pull it open. I stop dead in my tracks, surprised as hell to see Mia standing there, looking a little sheepish. “Hey,” I say to her. “Hey,” she says. “I, uh, I brought some dinner.” She holds up a takeout bag. “Hope you like Chinese.” I grin at her. “Love it.” “I just wanted to say sorry. For yesterday, on the porch. I’m just…” She trails off, looking at the ground. “It’s okay,” I say. “Forget it.” She looks up and smiles. “Is this Noah?” “It sure is. Noah, say hi.”

He makes a little baby noise and Mia laughs. “You are so cute,” she says. “Can I hold him?” “Sure,” I say, taking the bag of Chinese takeout and handing him off. Mia takes him like a pro and laughs a little bit. Noah seems totally comfortable, which is a little unusual. Normally he’s crying for either me or Alice as soon as someone else takes him, but for some reason he doesn’t seem to mind Mia one bit. “Come inside,” I say. She steps in past me and I shut the door. “Oooh, Noah, are these your toys?” She coos at him a little bit and he laughs. “Want to play?” She carries him over into the living room and puts him down. He scoots over to his vacuum and he starts to drag it a little bit while Mia laughs. “He moves really well,” she says. “I’m impressed.” “Obviously. I’m his father, after all. Kid’s gonna be a world class athlete.” She gives me a grin. “You’re that kind of dad, huh? What if he likes musicals instead of sports?” I grin right back. “Then he’s going to be the best damn singer in the whole world.”

“Good man,” she says, laughing. “Who’s this?” Alice appears in the doorway of the kitchen. “Hello, Mrs. Baker,” Mia says. She stands and shakes Alice’s hand. Alice gives me a bemused look. “She’s polite,” she says. I laugh a little. “She brought dinner,” I say. “And generous.” Alice grins at Mia. “Well, honey, you’re welcome here any time.” “Noah didn’t cry when she took him,” I say pointedly. “Really now?” Alice gives me a devilish little look. “That’s very rare, you know.” “I’m glad I have his approval,” Mia says. “Mind watching him for a second while I get this together?” I say to Mia. “Of course.” She gets back down with Noah and I drag Alice into the kitchen. Alice gives me a look, like she wants to scream with joy, and I have to put my hands on her shoulders and look her in the eye. “Calm down,” I say.

“Lucas, she’s—“ “Calm down,” I say again. She takes a breath. “Okay. You just haven’t brought a girl home in a long time.” “Relax. Now, what were you cooking?” She waves her hand. “Just a casserole. It’ll keep for tomorrow.” “Good.” I smile at her. “Be on your best behavior.” “Honey, I wouldn’t dream of embarrassing you.” I release her shoulders and give her a look like we both know that’s not true, but she sets out at once setting the table and preparing. She takes the bag from me and starts pulling out boxes, putting stuff into dishes, basically making it all look good. I rejoin Mia out in the living room, my heart beating fast. I don’t know what this means or why she’s here, but I’m not complaining. She’s good with Noah, most importantly. She’s playing with him naturally, and Noah seems like he’s having a good time. I get down next to them and join in on their little game. “You’re good at this,” I say to her.

“Am I? I don’t really have any experience with babies,” she admits. “That’s okay. You’re a natural.” “Dinner is served,” Alice calls from the other room. I pick up Noah and help Mia to her feet. She smiles at me and I swear there’s a moment between us, something electric and intense. Mia’s wearing what she normally wears to work, and obviously hasn’t gone home yet. “How’s your dad doing?” I ask her. “He’s good. Nurse agreed to stay late, which was nice of her.” “Thanks for coming here,” I say softly. “I’m glad you did.” “Just returning the favor, I guess.” I grin at her and we go out into the kitchen. Alice takes Noah and sets about getting him into his chair and feeding him his bottle. She also gives him little pieces of fruit, which of course he makes a mess of, but Mia seems to enjoy it. She laughs when he throws stuff on the ground and feeds him more when he looks at her. “How’s Laura doing?” Alice asks Mia.

“She’s doing great,” Mia responds. “Been stressful over there, but she’s handling it.” “Laura’s great,” Alice says. “We go way back, you know. Back to high school, actually. She was pretty intense back then and I don’t think she’s changed one bit.” Mia laughs a little. “Intense?” “Sure,” Alice says. “Intense, a lot like this guy here.” Alice gives me a nudge. “Don’t start,” I say, but it’s too late. “For example, Lucas once blew up the shed out back. Did you know that?” Mia looks scandalized. “He didn’t?” Alice laughs. “He did. Thought it would be fun to experiment with gasoline and matches, but didn’t realize there was a propane tank in there. Nearly killed himself.” Mia laughs and looks at me. “You were a little pyromaniac.” “I guess that’s why I joined the military,” I say. “Needed a place to blow shit up and not get in trouble.” Alice grins at me. “You still need that place.”

“Guess so,” I admit. “Though I don’t play with gasoline and matches anymore. I’m a father now, after all.” I grin at Mia. She laughs back at me and turns to Laura. “Okay, tell me more stories now. I’m endlessly fascinated.” Alice gives me a smile. “I like this one.” “Don’t,” I say to her. “Just, can’t we just eat in peace?” “Nope,” Mia says. “Come on, Alice, I know you have more.” Alice launches into a story about the time I stole chickens from our neighbor which only makes me groan. We spend the rest of the meal together, laughing and listening to stories from my childhood, most of which are totally false and overblown. I was a delightful young man, and whenever I got into trouble it was always someone else’s fault, never my own, because I was awesome. Mia seems totally at ease, which I can’t help but smile at. She’s good with Noah, although I never thought she wouldn’t be. I can tell she’s a good person and all it takes is to be comfortable and caring. You can’t ask for much more than that, and Mia has all of that in spades. “Okay, enough ragging on me,” I say finally as

we’re winding down dinner. “I’m sure Mia doesn’t want to hear anymore stories.” “Not true at all,” Mia says. “I’m actually loving this.” “See, Lucas? Some people appreciate my stories.” Alice grins at me. I sigh, shaking my head. “You two just don’t get me, you know? I was an angel when I was a kid.” “Well, that’s just not true,” Alice says. Mia laughs. “I’m sure you were a nice boy,” she says. “I was awesome,” I answer. “Let’s just hope Lucas’s, ah, adventurism is tempered in Noah.” Alice winks at me. I groan a little bit and Mia laughs. Alice stands and carries her plate to the sink. “Okay, you two, I’m going to steal Noah away for a bit.” “Bye, little guy,” Mia says. Noah smiles and laughs at her. Alice unstraps him from his chair and picks him up. She gives me a smile and mouths, “I like her,” as

she carries Noah from the room. I can’t help but smile. It means a lot that Mia came here tonight, spent time with Noah and Alice, and even has Alice’s approval. I don’t know what this mean, if she’s already turning back away from what she said on the porch yesterday, or if she just felt guilty about everything that happened. I’m not going to read too much into it. Dinner went really well, and I feel really relaxed. “Finished?” I ask her, taking her plate. “Thanks,” she says. “I can help, you know.” “Don’t worry about it.” I rinse off the plates and stick them in the dishwasher before sitting back down at the table across from her. She frowns at me a little bit. “You know, about yesterday—“ “Let’s forget it, okay?” I say to her. She looks relieved. “Okay then.” She looks around the kitchen. “This is a nice house.” I shrug. “Yeah, it’s good. I don’t love living at home, but Alice is a lot of help with Noah.” “I totally understand.” “Being thirty and living with your stepmom isn’t

exactly ideal. But it’s tough, coming back from being overseas and trying to live a normal life again.” She nods and smiles. “Really, Lucas. You don’t have to explain. I understand, believe me.” She pauses for a second. “You don’t talk much about your life before,” she says. “In the military?” She nods. “You don’t have to talk about it, if you don’t want.” “Truth is, I can’t say much. A lot of what I did over there is classified.” She smiles a little. “That’s right. You’re a big bad Navy SEAL.” “Damn right I am.” “Do you ever miss it?” she asks. “Sure,” I say. “It’s hard not to. It was my life for so long, you know? It gave me purpose. And I was damn good at it.” “I’m sure you were.” “And coming home after that… most people don’t understand what it was like, you know? I still have dreams. Nightmares sometimes.”

She leans toward me, eyes locked on mine. “I can’t imagine what it’s like.” “I miss the structure, you know? I knew what I was going to do and when I was going to do it. Now, back here, it’s like… chaos. Don’t get me wrong,” I say quickly. “I love Noah and Alice.” “I totally understand,” she says. “You have to get used to living this way again.” “Right. I don’t know… I’ve never talked like this to anyone before,” I say. “I’m glad you can tell me.” “I feel oddly comfortable. With you, I mean.” “I feel the same way.” My heart is beating fast in my chest, but I don’t want to push this. “How’s the preserve doing?” I ask her, changing the subject to something lighter. Her expression goes a little cloudy and she leans away from me. “Fine,” she says a little distantly. I’m surprised by that reaction. Normally she loves talking about the preserve, at least ever since we started talking. But just mentioning it seemed to shut her down entirely, even more than my complaining about civilian life.

“Alice really seems to like Laura,” I say. “It’s a small world.” “Yeah,” she says. She smiles at me. “Listen, I should get going.” “Yeah, sure. Get home to your dad.” She nods and smiles again before standing up. The spell is broken now but I don’t understand why. I walk her to the front door and she says goodbye before quickly walking away, back to her car. Just mentioning the preserve seemed to knock her out of the moment. I know she does need to go home and see her dad, since the nurse is waiting for her. The meal went really well, and I even opened up about the war a little bit. I’ve never talked about it before to someone like that, and I can’t believe I felt comfortable enough with her. But something’s going on with the preserve. I know I’m missing a piece of the puzzle, and clearly it has something to do with her job, but I don’t totally know. It’s all swirling around, the Carters, the preserve, but I can’t seem to put it all together, not yet at least. But I want to get to the bottom of this. I want to understand why she’s holding back from me, why the Carters are after her, and why mentioning the

preserve seemed to set her off. I want to help her most of all, though I’m not sure she wants help. That doesn’t matter. I watch her get into her car and drive off. I give her a wave before heading back inside. I go to find Alice and Noah, though my mind is still on Mia. I’m going to help her. I’m going to figure it out. She obviously wants me, and we clearly have a much stronger connection than either of us realized at first. I can’t back down, not when I feel like I’m this close. I pick up my baby son, feeling a new, fresh energy and excitement coursing through my veins.

14

MIA

I

don’t know what I was thinking, going over to Lucas’s place like that. It didn’t help anything. In fact, it just made me want him even more, and realize just how deeply I’m falling for him. After I yelled at Caleb, I tried to call Jordan just to talk, but she didn’t answer. I had to see someone that gives a shit about me, and even though I should be trying to move away from Lucas, I couldn’t help myself. I got Chinese, convinced the nurse to stay later, and headed over to Lucas’s place. I’m glad I did. It went really well, I felt incredibly comfortable, and his son is really adorable. Maybe I don’t want to distance myself. The Carters are going to be pissed, and it’ll just make my life

harder, but I don’t care anymore. I already burned that bridge with Caleb, or at least I think I did. I haven’t heard from him since that phone call, which isn’t too surprising, but I assume he still wants me. I assume the preserve is still going to be destroyed if I don’t follow through and become his girlfriend. The day after I visited Lucas at his house, I go through my usual routine at work. Around eleven, though, I give Jordan a call, wanting to see if she can get lunch. She answers on the second ring, which surprises me. “Hey!” I say to her. “Oh, hey Mia,” she says, sounding a bit surprised. “What are you up to?” “Just at work. You?” “Got the day off,” she says. “Hey, want to get some lunch up here?” We do that a lot when she doesn’t have to work. It’s pretty nice actually, we have a little picnic out in the sun, chat and eat whatever we have, though we haven’t done that in like a couple weeks. “Uh, I don’t know,” she says, a little vaguely. “I’m a little busy.”

“Oh, cool. What are you up to?” “You know, just some stuff.” There’s an awkward pause and I have no clue why. “Oh cool,” I say finally. “Well, let me know if you want to do something later or whatever.” “Yeah, sure. See you.” She hangs up before I can say anything. I stare at my phone, at a total loss. She seemed distant, almost hostile in a weird way. She’s never like that. Jordan is actually a really bubbly person, really outgoing and happy, and that’s part of what I like about her. But lately, it feels like she’s pulling back from me. Maybe I’m just imagining it. I’m under a lot of stress right now, so it’s totally possible that I’m just reading way too much into this. Still, I can’t help but think that the Carters have gotten to her somehow. I know she’s closer with Dylan than I am, and part of me thinks she’s angling to get into their family. Maybe that’s a little unfair, but she has made some comments in the past about trying to marry a rich guy, and she is totally into both Caleb and Dylan at least to some extent. I hate that I’m in a position where I think my closest friend might be turning against me because

of some rich assholes, but here I am. I never expected to be in a position like this. I can’t really deny the reality of my situation, though, considering I’m being blackmailed by Caleb and apparently his father is totally into it. I nearly jump when my phone starts ringing right in my hand. I have to take a deep breath. For a second I think that it’s Caleb calling me, ready to threaten me again, almost as if he can read my mind. But that’s totally nuts. I need to get myself together and quick. I check out the screen and release my breath. “Hey,” I say, answering. “Nice day out today,” Lucas says without greeting. I smile to myself. “It’s not bad.” “I want to see you.” “Do you?” I feel a little flutter in my stomach. “Right now. Are you hungry?” “Maybe,” I say, biting my lip. I’m not sure that this is a good idea, but then again, I did just go to his house unannounced. I know I’m sending him mixed signals, and it’s really not fair of me. I do want him more than I can really understand, but there’s just so much stacked against us right now that it feels

impossible. Still, I feel like shit, and my friend might be ditching me, and I’m sick of being afraid of the Carters. I’m sick of all this drama. I just want something simple, and when I’m with Lucas, it’s simple. “Okay,” I say finally. “Meet me at the office. When can you get here?” “I’ll leave now. See you soon.” He hangs up and I feel my stomach doing flips with excitement. I hurry back to the office and head right into the bathroom. I make myself as presentable as I possibly can before heading back out front to wait for him. I don’t have to stand there long before his truck comes trundling down the gravel road. He parks and climbs out, a picnic basket in his hand. I smile and wave him over. He grins back and holds up the basket. “I come bearing gifts,” he says. “Oh yeah?” He nods, opening the top. “Sandwiches, drinks, cheese, the usual stuff.” “You’re a true winner, you know that?” “Of course I know it.” That grin again, and it just drives me totally insane. “Come on, where are we going this time?”

“I know a good spot. Can you keep up?” He laughs a little. “Please.” We head out, chatting lightly about the day. It’s beautiful outside, and I have to admit that it feels really good to be around Lucas. He’s so easy to talk to. He’s funny, handsome, charming, basically everything that the Carter brothers aren’t. He tells me a little about the flower shop, about the weddings they have coming up, and about the business in general. “I want to open my own shop,” he says. “Really?” I ask. “You don’t strike me as a flower guy.” “I’m not,” he admits. “But Alice’s store is doing surprisingly well. Weddings are seriously a good business. I think we could expand with a little work.” “What does she think about that?” He shrugs a little. “I haven’t mentioned it to her yet.” “I think it’s a great idea, honestly.” “Yeah?” He laughs. “I never pictured myself running a flower shop. From the Syrian Desert to a

tiny little florist. I don’t know how that happens.” “Life is weird that way.” He gives me a strange look. “You’re right. Full of surprises.” For a second, I think he’s going to say something else, but we come around a bend in the path and ahead is the spot I was looking for. It’s a small clearing with bushes and such all around it. The grass is relatively fresh and green, and it’s not muddy at all, which is perfect. It’s right at the bank of the stream which runs through the preserve, so the sound of running water colors our conversation as Lucas spreads out the blanket and sets up our meal. We sit down, the sun shining, and start to eat. I tell him more about working at the preserve and he asks questions, genuinely interested. I can’t help but think about how Caleb never really seemed to give a shit about my job at all, and barely even mentioned it except to blackmail me. As soon as I think about the blackmail, though, I suddenly turn away from Lucas. “What are we doing here?” I ask him suddenly, not thinking. He pauses. “Well, I thought we were having a

decent lunch.” “We are. I mean, I like being around you.” “I know.” That cocky little smile again. “But you’re so much older than I am. And you have a son. And my dad is getting worse every week.” I look down at the grass, feeling ashamed and stupid and weak, but not sure why I’m pouring this out on him all of a sudden. I totally expect him to recoil and leave. I wouldn’t blame him. I’m throwing all this on him suddenly, out of nowhere, in the middle of what’s a really nice lunch. Of course, I’m not mentioning the Carters, but that has to be on his mind, too. He’s aware that I’m wrapped up in them, and they’re out to get him now, though he doesn’t know the extent to which I’m connected. I want to tell him. I want to spill it all out, get it all out in the open and be done with it. I know that if I just tell him the truth, maybe he can help me. Or maybe he’ll flip. Maybe he’ll go after the Carters. I want him to hurt them, destroy them, but that’s just so selfish. I couldn’t let him do that to himself, not when he has a son to worry about. “Listen,” he says softly, moving closer. “I don’t care about any of that. Do you?”

“I don’t know,” I say, dodging the question. “Look at me.” He takes my chin, tipping my mouth toward him. He’s so damn handsome and every time he touches me skin, it drives me absolutely crazy. “None of that matters. What matters is this.” He leans toward me. My heart starts hammering in my chest. When he kisses me, it feels like remembering a really perfect dream, but getting to live right inside of it. Intensity and pleasure rolls down my spine as I kiss him back. I don’t know why I resist this, why I pull back from it, especially when it just feels so perfect. I lose myself in his kiss, feeling his body, and desire strikes through me. His hand wraps through my hair as he pulls me against him. I fall onto him, on my knees, hands on his chest. His lips move along my cheek and stop at my ear. “This is what you want,” he says. “We both know it. You’re good at pretending, but I can read you, Mia.” “Can you?” I whisper, surprised at the emotions rolling through my body. “Your heart is beating fast. You’re dripping wet. You want to know what it would be like to finally give yourself to me. To find out what I can do.”

“What can you do?” I ask him, breathing deep, heart hammering. I can barely think, but I don’t want to think. He gives me that cocky grin again, but this time I can see more in it. He’s not just cocky for no reason. It’s more of a promise. “I’ll show you,” he says softly and kisses me again, and I know I’m going to let him.

15

LUCAS

I

pull her close against me, kissing her deep, and I can’t wait any longer.

I’ve been fucking patient. I know something is up with Mia, and I haven’t pushed it too hard. I suspect it has to do with the Carters somehow, and probably this nature preserve, or maybe even her father. But I’ve respected her decision not to tell me. I’m done being respectful and kind. Right now, I want her body, and I’m going to fucking take it. She doesn’t want me to be gentle, I can tell by the way she kisses me back. I let my hands roam up her body, feeling her breasts before cupping her ass. She straddles me, her little pussy against my hard cock. I can’t wait to strip off

her clothes and finally see that tight body out in the open. She lets out these little soft moans as she kisses me and presses herself against me. It drives me absolutely fucking wild as I kiss her neck and throat and pull her head back by her hair. She gasps and I move forward, putting her down on her back, getting in between her legs. I pin her wrists down to the blanket and kiss her lips deep. Her hips twist against me, writhing along my hard cock, and I know she’s fucking desperate for it. I move back and grab her pants, unbuttoning them and tugging them down. “Lucas,” she gasps. “We can’t.” “Afraid?” I smirk at her and she doesn’t try to stop me as I get her pants completely off. She’s wearing black panties, barely big enough to cover her little pussy, and it just drives me absolutely wild. “Someone could catch us,” she whispers. I laugh and begin to kiss up her inner thigh. “So what? I think you like that.” “No, Lucas. I can’t. I work here.” She gasps and moans a little as my tongue and mouth find her pussy. I push her panties aside and finally taste her,

really taste her fucking cunt, and I know I’m not going to stop. “Oh shit, Lucas,” she groans as my mouth finds her clit. “You like that we’re exposed,” I say between sucking and licking her clit. “You like that we might get caught. You’re fucking dripping wet, girl.” “Oh god,” she gasps. I slide two fingers deep inside of her, nibbling on her perfect little clit. She grabs my hair tighter, pressing my face down harder. I love it. I suck and lick her, no longer a respectful gentleman but the man that’s going to fuck her tight little cunt until she screams. I’m going to make her beg for it first, though. I’m going to get her right to the edge, vibrating, needy, soaking wet, ready, and then I’m going to make her beg. I work her pussy, sliding my fingers in and out of her, loving the sound of her wetness. I suck and lick her clit, moving my tongue in circles, driving her totally wild. I can feel her body responding. She tenses when she likes something, and her moans get a little louder. She’s trying so hard to be quiet, and I love that. It’s so fucking sexy. She tastes amazing, and her body is perfect, and those little strangled moans

just make my cock rock fucking hard. Desire flows through me like hot lava in my veins and I don’t know if I can be patient. I look up at her, fingers deep inside of her. “Do you want me to fuck you, Mia?” I ask her, a small smirk on my face. Her eyes widen just a little bit. “Yes,” she says, barely audible. “Say it louder.” “Yes, Lucas. Fuck me.” I move up, my fingers still deep inside of her. I take her hair with my other hand as I slide my fingers in and out of her, fucking her with my thick rough hands. “You don’t call me Lucas right now,” I say softly, her head tipped back. “Do you know what my name is?” “No,” she says, biting her lip. “Call me Daddy,” I say. She gasps a little bit. “Lucas!” I press my fingers deep inside her and pull her hair tighter. “Daddy. Say it.”

“Yes, Daddy,” she gasps. I loosen my grip. “Good girl,” I say softly. “Now, beg me to fuck you.” I release her hair and go back down between her legs, but first I pull her panties off and toss them aside. I love her pink little pussy. It’s perfect, tight and lovely, as I dive down between her legs and get back to work. She moans as I suck and lick her, tongue sliding inside of her and lapping up her juices. She grabs my hair harder and I know she’s getting close, getting to that edge, that place where she can barely think because the only thing is pleasure. “Say it,” I command her. “Fuck me, Daddy.” It comes out in a low, deep moan. That’s it. I can’t take it anymore. I quickly stand, unbuckling my belt. She sits up onto her knees, watching as I pull my jeans off and then my boxer briefs. Her eyes go a little wide when I show her my hard cock. She takes it in her hand and slowly strokes me before trying to put my tip in her mouth. She can barely do it. I grunt with pleasure as she tries to suck my cock, but she can barely fit my

thick member between her lips. I love watching her try desperately to suck me, and it only makes me need that tight pussy even more. I pull her hair back before pressing my cock deep into her mouth, further than she thought she could go. She gags but doesn’t stop, clearly lost in the moment as she works it down into her throat. I grunt, blood boiling. I can’t believe she’s taking me so deep and without a second thought. She pulls back, gasping, stroking my cock, working her spit into my skin. I’ve had enough, though. I can’t wait a second longer. I grab her and pull her to her feet. There’s a tree right next to the blanket. I press her up against it then grab her legs, hooking them under my arms, and I effortlessly lift her into the air. Her shirt is pressed against the smooth bark of the tree. I can feel her quivering in my arms as I slowly lower her onto my cock, though I don’t press myself inside of her, not yet. “Is this what you want?” I whisper to her. “Yes, Daddy,” she begs. “Please, fuck me.” I sink her down, sliding myself deep into her pussy. “Oh fuck,” she groans. “Holy shit, Lucas.”

I grin and slide myself back before I start to slowly fuck her. She’s so goddamn tight, and I need to work her up to it. She’s not ready for all of me, not yet, but I can tell she’s getting there. Her slick little pussy wraps so easily around my cock, ready to swallow my whole length, ready for me to fuck her deep and right. She moans as I begin to thrust faster. I keep her pinned against the tree and she supports some of her weight with her arms around my neck. I kiss her throat and lips as I start to thrust into her, filling her little pussy. She’s so goddamn tiny in my arms, practically weighing nothing. I can destroy her little cunt and I know it. She’ll thank me for it, but I want to work her there before I finally give her what she needs. I move faster, giving her more and more, pressing myself deeper and deeper. I can tell she’s never had a cock like mine before, but she loves it. Her moans come low and strangled as she buries her face in my shoulder. “Don’t be too loud, you dirty fucking girl,” I whisper in her ear. “Everyone is going to hear you getting fucked. Do you want that?” “No,” she moans. “I don’t want to get caught.” “You shouldn’t let me fuck your tight little pussy out in the open then, you dirty girl. I think you do

want to get caught. You want everyone to see what a dirty girl you are, letting your new Daddy fuck your tight cunt right here in the woods.” “Oh, shit,” she moans as I slam myself into her. “How do you do this to me?” she asks, pulling back and looking into my eyes. I grin and bite her lower lip. “I’m just giving you what you want, what you really want.” I begin to fuck her faster, sliding in and out of her slick pussy. Desire and pleasure roll through me in waves and her whole body gets into it, finally softening to me, becoming mine completely. I can tell her defenses are totally down and she’s all mine in this moment without another thought or hesitation. I need to come in this little pussy. I lower her back down to the ground, slide myself out, grab her hips, and turn her. She spreads her legs nice and wide for me, hands braced on the tree, as I press myself deep inside. I love her round little ass. I give it a rough slap, making her moan. I pin her hands to the tree with one hand, slapping her ass with the other as I fuck her, sliding in and out. “God, I love the sound of my palm against your

ass,” I say to her. “Do you like that pain? Do you like when Daddy spanks your ass?” “Yes,” she moans, throaty and low. “God yes, Lucas. Keep going.” I can sense how close she’s getting. I fuck her faster, pumping into her tight little cunt with a fever I didn’t know I had. I’m completely lost in the moment, practically drowning in pure pleasure as my cock slams into her repeatedly, pinning her against the tree. She’s mine to command and control, and now I want to feel her pussy come. I want to hear her moans, feel her body tense and tighten as I slam into her pussy. I fuck her hard, unrelenting, as I slap her ass again and pull her hair. I reach my other hand around, releasing her wrists from the tree, and begin to work her clit. I want to get her there, push her over the edge, and I know she’s close. I know all she needs is a nudge, and she’ll go tumbling. I start to work her clit softly, fucking her deep and hard. Her moans start to get looser, deeper, and louder. She’s losing her inhibitions completely, and I’m not stopping. I’m not holding back. I fuck her faster and deeper, getting myself buried in her tight little cunt, as I work her clit from behind. I lean

forward and press my lips against her ear. “Come for me,” I say. “Come on this fat cock right here in the woods, where anybody can see us. Come for me.” She moans, head tipped back. Her fingers dig into the tree bark, white with strain, and I know she’s there. Two more strokes and her whole body is tensing, moans escaping her lips. “Lucas,” she groans, over and over and over, and I know she’s coming. I fuck her faster, working her, pushing her further into the orgasm. I grab her hair and give her just a little bit of pain to make the pleasure that more stronger. She’s so fucking sexy. The way she moves, the way her muscles tense as she comes, her moans deep and low. Everything about her makes me absolutely wild with desire and need as I keep fucking her, deep and thorough. Her orgasm slowly passes, but she doesn’t pull back. In fact, she doubles her own efforts. She looks over her shoulder at me and starts to buck her back against me, sliding her pussy along my cock, slamming her ass against me. “Come inside of my pussy,” she says. “I want to feel it.”

“Fuck,” I grunt, my mind a total blank. “Go ahead, Daddy. Fill my little pussy.” I lose it at that. I can’t stand it anymore. I fuck her like a goddamn animal, like a fucking savage beast, ripping into her little pussy. The orgasm blows through me like napalm, like a fucking grenade, exploding through my nervous system. I groan and pump deep into her pussy, coming inside of her, filling her up with my hot cum. Slowly I pull back as my orgasm ends. We’re both sweating from the work as we collapse onto the blanket, rolling into the cool shade of the tree. She puts her head on my chest and neither of us make any effort to get dressed, though we probably should. “That was…” She trails off. “Right,” I say. “It was really, really right.” “Exactly.” She smiles up at me and kisses me softly on the lips. I hold her like that in my arms, glowing, spinning from the orgasm. I didn’t come here expecting this to happen, but now that it has, it feels like the most natural thing in the world. Of course I fucked Mia, made her come, made her call me Daddy. Of course I did. That’s just the right thing.

I grin to myself stupidly and hope she doesn’t notice. I’ve never felt this way before and it’s absolutely crazy. I can’t help myself, though. She’s so goddamn sexy, fucking gorgeous, and such a good person. I want her, want so much more of her, and I know I’ll have it. We lay like that for a while, her head against my chest, both of us enjoying the sunlight and the day.

16

MIA

I

’ve never felt like that before in my entire life.

It wasn’t my first time. I’ve been intimate with men before. But it was my first time with a man like Lucas, and it didn’t disappoint me. I can’t believe I did that right out in the open like that. I’m normally much more reserved about sex, but apparently Lucas brings a side out of me that I didn’t even know I had. He made me feel something I thought was impossible, or at least impossible for me. I have to bite my lip every time I think about calling him Daddy. I’m not normally into that sort of thing, but for some reason it’s really hot with Lucas. He’s older than me, for one, and he is a

father. He has this way about him, totally controlling and dominating, and it just pushes my buttons in ways that I never even considered. For the rest of the day, I just keep thinking about Lucas. He has to head back to work after a little bit, and we part ways back at the office, but my mind is still totally on him as I kill the rest of the day at work. I’m still thinking about him as I head home. I relieve the nurse and take over from her, going through my usual routine with my father. I feel like I’m singing the whole time, with a big smile on my face. It’s like the sex hasn’t completely worn off, and I’m floating, still so happy and excited. I don’t think about Caleb or anything else. It just doesn’t occur to me. The only thing I can focus on is Lucas and his body, his thick cock, his taste, the way he feels against me, the way he makes my body feel. I didn’t know I liked the thrill of getting caught in public, but apparently I do. I have a palm print on my ass and an ache in my pussy, but even that slight pain just makes me smile because it reminds me of Lucas. About halfway through feeding my father dinner, there’s a knock at the door. For some stupid reason, a thrill jumps through me, and I can’t help but

wonder if that’s Lucas. Maybe he came to surprise me again. “I’ll be back in a second,” I say to my dad, and for a second he looks at me. I smile at him, hold his hand, and then head to the front door. I pull it open, a smile on my face, warmth in my heart, excitement in my body. Caleb Carter smiles back at me. It hits me like a brick in the face. He’s standing there, grinning at me, wearing a pair of slacks and a button-down shirt. I’m at a total loss for words. “Hey, Mia,” he says. “You look nice.” “Caleb,” I stutter. “What are you doing here?” “I just wanted to check on my girl.” His smile gives me the creeps. “Are you going to invite me inside? I glance back at my father. “No,” I say, and step out onto the porch. I shut the door behind me. That doesn’t faze Caleb. “I haven’t heard from you,” he says. “Jordan told me you called her, but she’s been pretty busy lately, you know?” His grin doesn’t change, but I know what that means. My worst fears were right: Jordan is avoiding me because of the Carters.

“What did you tell her?” I ask him, eyes narrowing. “Oh, nothing,” he says. “Just that you’ve been talking shit about her. And that you and I are seeing each other, of course.” I want to strangle him. I seriously consider it. “Neither of those things are true,” I say flatly, trying to control my rage. “Maybe,” he says, shrugging. “But she’s so into me she’ll believe anything I say.” “You fucking asshole,” I blurt out. He laughs a little bit. “There you go again, getting mad. I don’t understand you, Mia.” “You’re blackmailing me and trying to ruin my life,” I hiss at him. “I’m just trying to help you.” “Help me? Help how, by getting rid of my only friend?” He shrugs a little. “Obviously she’s not a great friend if she believes me when I tell her these things. She should see through me.” His smile is so disgusting that I want to almost puke. But he does have a point. Jordan should know that I’m not talking shit about her and I don’t

really understand why she wouldn’t. But it doesn’t matter. Right now, all I want is to get this guy off my porch and out of my life. “Can you just leave me alone?” I ask him. “That’s not how this works,” he says softly. “I’m going to destroy the preserve, you know. I’m not lying about that.” “I know you’re not.” I speak through clenched teeth. “So come on, you love that place. All you have to do is date me. I can make your life easier.” “I don’t want you,” I say to him bluntly. “Don’t you get it? I think you’re sleazy. I think you’re gross. I don’t want to be with you.” He watches me for a second and his smile falters, just a little bit. He looks like he practices that smile, like it’s something he has to work on. Actually, the more I look at it, the more I start thinking that it’s the kind of smile an alien would do trying to fit in with normal people. “You don’t mean that,” he says. “I really—“ “No,” he says forcefully, stepping toward me.

A spike of adrenaline hits me and I step away, backing against the door. My right hand searches for the knob and I look around, hoping my neighbors are outside, but we’re alone. His eyes drill into mine. “Listen carefully,” he says. “If you date me, I will make your life easier. If you agree to go out with me, I won’t destroy the preserve. And I’ll make sure all of your father’s medical bills are paid.” I pause, surprised. “What?” I ask him, taken aback. “His bills are expensive, right? You can barely afford the nurse, I bet. That sort of care costs a lot. How long can you handle it? And what about when he gets even worse and you can’t handle it anymore?” He leans closer to me, his breath stinking, his eyes wide, that grin plastered on his mouth. “I’m offering you freedom,” he says, almost a whisper. “Nurses to take care of your father around the clock, the perfect level of constant care that he needs, all for free. All you have to do is date me.” I stare back at him, not sure what to say. It’s true that we’re stretched tight around my house. I don’t really make much at the preserve and my dad’s benefits just barely pay for his medical bills. If anything went wrong, we’d probably have to go into serious debt.

Caleb is disgusting. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s just trying to manipulate me. He doesn’t care about my father and me. This offer is just one way to break past my defenses and to get at me. And it’s working. God, it makes me want to puke, but it’s working. “How?” I ask him. “Don’t worry about how. My father will take care of it. You just nod your head yes, and it’ll all be taken care of.” “That simple?” I ask him, eyes wide. “That simple.” He reaches for my hand and takes it. I feel like fire ants are biting at my skin. All I have to do is date him. It’s not that hard. My father will be taken care of for life, and I won’t have to worry all day and night about him anymore. I won’t be free, of course, I’d be trapped in a new kind of nightmare, but at least my father will be taken care of. He’ll be safe and happy and secure. Money won’t be an issue. And the preserve will be saved, of course. That beautiful place will still be there. All I have to do is say yes, give in to Caleb, let this monster have me. I’m not so special, I don’t deserve anything great.

At least this way I’m doing something good for my father and for the community. “One more thing,” he says. “If you agree, you can never see Lucas Baker again.” I bite my lip, looking away. If I say yes, Lucas will hate me anyway. After everything Caleb has done, all of the creepy stuff, my anger toward him, the fight, everything, if I agree to this, Lucas will despise me. I won’t have to worry about talking to him anymore. He couldn’t understand. There’s just no way he could. He hasn’t lived with my father for as long as I have, sacrificed so much, tried so hard, and always been one step behind. We’re okay right now, but we won’t be forever, and this is one way I can make sure that my father is taken care of. I don’t want this. I don’t want it at all. But I’m trapped by this rich bastard, this fake smiling rich bastard that I hate so much. He has me and he knows it. I look down at the ground. I can’t look Caleb in the eyes. “Okay,” I say in a small, soft voice, nodding my head. “Good.” He releases my hand and steps away.

Slowly, I look up. He smiles at me. “You made the right choice. Your father will thank you.” He grins again and turns away, heading back toward his car. My father won’t thank me. He can’t thank me. Nobody is going to thank me, and Lucas is going to hate me. I already hate myself. But my father will be taken care of. The preserve will be saved. I just have to somehow learn to live with this. I watch as Caleb gets into his car and drives away, waiting for him to get out of sight before breaking down into tears and sobbing on my front porch.

17

LUCAS

I

t’s a beautiful day in the park and I feel pretty fucking good.

The sun is shining, the air is cool, and my baby seems pretty happy as I carry him strapped to my chest in one of those baby Bjorn things. He has a big floppy hat to protect him from the sun and he seems pretty content looking out over the landscape as we hike. I’ve never brought Noah outside like this, at least not on a hike before. I wasn’t sure how he’d do, so I have a backpack with all of the necessities strapped over my shoulders. I’m carrying like an extra fifty pounds in baby stuff plus a baby, but that’s nothing compared to what I used to carry with me when I was a SEAL.

Part of me expected to run into Mia, and I’d be lying if that weren’t a big reason why I decided to take Noah to the preserve. Alice gave me the day off for some reason, I think just to reward me for finally finding a woman worth pursuing. It’s a little weird but I’m not complaining. I don’t see Mia at the front office. There’s an older guy working the visitor’s desk, probably a volunteer, but I don’t bother asking him where Mia’s hiding. I don’t want to look like a crazy stalker. Plus, she’s probably busy at work. So I just go on a hike with my son. Although he’s still my focus right now, I can’t help but think about Mia. That afternoon by the lake, fucking her up against that tree, it was incredible. I’ve been with a fair number of women in my life, fucked and left plenty of them, but I’ve never experienced what I did that afternoon. I’ve never felt so strongly about someone before, never felt such intense desire and pleasure. The girl is built for it. Her tight little pussy is soaking wet and delicious. I can’t believe how gorgeous she is, even though I didn’t get to fully undress her. And she loves what I can do to her. She gets off on fucking in public, which probably isn’t something she even realized. And she called me Daddy. I can’t help but think

about that as I round a bend and we spot the stream ahead. When she called me Daddy, it felt like my whole world fucking expanded and then contracted. It went from the size of the universe down to this single person, just Mia, only her. I knew in that moment that I couldn’t do anything but have her. I had to make her feel the same way, had to get her off and make her come. I needed to feel her body shudder against mine, her skin sliding gently against mine, her lips soft and wet as I bit them gently, smirking against her neck. That’s what I fucking live for. It’s that feeling, that fucking rush. I used to get it on the battlefield, and ever since I moved back home and became a civilian, I’ve been craving it. Because I’m a father now, I haven’t been able to seek it out in destructive ways, which is a good thing. A lot of guys I know would start taking drugs or fucking random women just to get a taste of that excitement again. It’s normally a pale shadow of that feeling you get on the battlefield, but at least it’s something. With Mia, I felt it all. Everything came rushing back, every intense feeling, every powerful emotion. Fear, desire, love, it all mingled inside of me as I fucked her there out in the open.

“What do you think, little guy?” I ask Noah as we walk along the stream’s bank. “Pretty, right?” He gurgles at me and I smile. He reaches his hands out and I let him grab a low, thin tree branch. “Tree,” I say. “Trughhee,” he answers. I laugh, surprised. It was actually pretty close, though still that garbled baby speak. “Good job, bud,” I say. “That’s a stream. That’s a rock. This is dirt.” I point at all the things and he laughs, clearly enjoying himself. Noah is a pretty easy kid, but I’m actually surprised at how good he’s being. I start walking again, pointing at everything I see and saying the word to him. I want to explain it all, describe the world so that he can understand. I worry about him sometimes. I don’t know what he’s going to grow up to become. I don’t know if I want him to be like me, an ex-SEAL drifting through his days with only one important thing. My entire life was back in the military, but now that I’m out, I don’t know what I am. It’s a hard question to ask myself. I want to set a good example for Noah. I want to make him a man

that I’d be proud of. I want him to be smart, kind, gentle, but still strong and confident. I worry that I’m too rough, too broken. Being around Mia, though, she makes me want to be better. Noah forced me to grow up and become a father, but Mia makes me want to strive for even more than just being a good father. Sometimes, I’m a little embarrassed that I’m thirty years old and living at home with my stepmother. She understands why I am, though. She knows that I just got back from the war, and I’m trying to find my footing. Plus, raising a kid is really hard as hell, and I need help. Living with Alice is the perfect arrangement. But I know it’s not permanent. I want more. I want my own place, my own business. I want it for Mia, to impress her and make her see what kind of man I am, but I also want it for Noah. I want to set a great example for him. I spend the rest of the day like that, wandering the preserve and showing Noah things. He only cries twice, once to let me know that he needed to be changed, and another time because he was hungry. We spend about three hours in the preserve. I walk around for about two of them, and for an hour we sit in the shade of a huge tree and I let Noah play

with some toys while I make my lunch. It’s after his naptime and getting close to his dinnertime, which means I better hurry home before he gets cranky. Besides, it’s five o’clock and I’m guessing Mia gets off work right around now. I pack the things up and strap Noah in before standing and heading back toward the front office. I feel damn good as I approach. The trail leads down a hill and I can see the parking lot in the near distance. I feel like I had a good afternoon with my son, played with him, taught him some things, but I also got a chance to get away from everything and just think about my life. I feel like I’m finally getting my shit together and figuring out what I want to do with myself. That’s such an important feeling. It’s something you lose when you come back from the military. When I was a SEAL, I had a purpose every single day and I never had to worry if I was doing the right thing. I was told what to do and when to do it, and I followed my orders to the best of my ability. I was damn good, and that made my life so much more rewarding. But outside of the structure of the military, I have to define my own life, my own desires, and figure out how to give myself meaning and purpose. Noah is one way. Mia is maybe another. I want

both of those things, and I can see, just briefly in the deep region of my mind’s eye, the man that I can become if I follow that path. But that image disappears and I’m drawn up short as I catch sight of Mia stepping into the parking lot. She looks beautiful, so fucking gorgeous, and I want to yell her name. I don’t, though. Something stops me. I don’t know what it is, but I have a bad feeling in my stomach, like I should turn away. Like I shouldn’t be seeing this. I watch as an expensive-looking black sedan drives up the gravel road and pulls up in front of Mia. It parks and she stands there, a strange look on her face. The driver’s door opens, and Caleb Carter steps out. I feel like I’m going to fucking puke. I watch with horror as he opens the door for Mia and she climbs into his car. He walks back around to the other side, gets in, and they drive away together. I stare after the car, not sure what the fuck just happened. Why the hell would Mia get into the car with Caleb Carter? She hates that fucking creep. I got into a fight with that piece of shit because of how much of an asshole he is. She talked about how much he scares her, and how much she

despises him, and yet there she is, climbing into his car. What the hell is happening? I walk slowly toward the lot. The day suddenly feels darker. All of the joy is sucked out of me, and the future suddenly shifts. I thought I was becoming one thing, but suddenly I’m afraid I’m going to become something else. Rage flows through me. The sickness I felt at first is replaced by an incredible and powerful anger that I haven’t felt since the war. Fear, terror, and blind hatred all mingle into this unfathomable rage. I don’t think. I put Noah back into his car seat, making sure he’s safe, before starting my truck’s engine and pulling out. The plan forms itself loosely in my mind. I know it’s stupid, but I can’t help myself. I know where the Carters live, everyone in town does. Their house is this enormous fucking mansion right in the heart of downtown. It’s a stupid and ostentatious display of their wealth, and it’s not far from here. I don’t let myself think about what I’m doing. I stop off at home, bring Noah inside, and give him to Alice. I’m happy she’s home early from the flower shop. “What’s going on?” she asks me, noting the look on

my face. “I’ll be back.” She frowns. “Lucas? What’s wrong?” “Just watch him,” I say. “I’ll be back.” The anger inside of me won’t let me turn away. I’m a goddamn slave to it, and I know it. I can’t deny the facts in front of me. I’m going to do something fucking stupid, all because I hate these bastards and feel a righteous rage I can barely describe. I leave my house and my son, and I know Alice is scared for me, but I don’t care. I get back into my truck and I drive. About ten minutes later, seething the whole ride, stewing in my anger, I finally arrive at the Carter house. I drive around the block, giving myself a moment to back out, but I don’t. I’m not a fucking coward or the type of man to back down. I park the truck two blocks away. I reach into my glove compartment and grab my gun, slipping it into my jeans, before climbing out and walking toward the Carter house. There aren’t many people around on this block. It’s a nice neighborhood, really nice, one of those rich and quiet places that you only ever get to drive through briefly. I can’t even imagine the kind of life

the people in these houses lead. They’re like little kings in their mansions looking down at the rest of us, laughing at how pathetic we are, at how we struggle. I hate them, every single one of them. I want to tear them from their homes and give their money to people that really deserve it. The house is surrounded by a stone wall. There’s no barbed wire or anything on top, and it’s pretty damn easy to climb up and over it, landing softly and moving stealthily through the beautifully landscaped outside. I move around, keeping close to the wall. I don’t see any cameras or anything like that, which doesn’t surprise me. These people feel no fear. Nobody in this town would dare mess with them. They’re the Carters, after all. They employ so many people in this town that they practically own it. I crouch down near a large bush, looking at their driveway. There are two cars parked there, one is a bright red spots car, and the other is a classic Ford truck, clearly an expensive restored model. I reach back and clutch the gun tucked into my pants there, but suddenly I stop. I’m not in a war anymore. And I have a son. If I do something too crazy, I might go to jail and Noah will be left with nothing. I was just thinking about

becoming a better man and leaving my violent ways behind me. What am I even doing here, anyway? Do I really think I’m going to kill Caleb Carter? I release the gun, and some of the anger drains away. Of course I’m not going to. Fucking hell, I can’t kill someone like this. Maybe he deserves it, but I’m not a murderer or an assassin. But he is a piece of shit, and he should pay. I reach into my pocket and slide out my knife. I flip it open, eyeing his car, and grin. I sneak across the driveway, keeping low, and slash each of the tires. They leak air with a satisfying sound and I laugh to myself. This is better than killing Caleb. This sends a message. And as far as I can tell, nobody can see me doing it. I finish slashing his tires and then I get out of there. I don’t linger. I head back the way I came, hop the wall, and stroll back to my truck. Once inside, I put my gun away and lean back in my seat. For a second, I thought I was really going to hurt someone. Instead, I slashed that fucker’s tires. Still

a little crazy, but not violent or dangerous like I initially intended. I’m a father now. I have to be better. I can’t let my rage get the best of me anymore. I remember Mia’s words the night that I nearly got killed fighting those five guys, and although I feel betrayed and angry with her, I know she’s right. I’m a goddamn father now. I can’t be acting like an asshole and getting into fights and doing violent things. I have to be better. I start my engine. I don’t know what Mia is doing with Caleb, but she’s right about that much at least. I’m going to be better, at least for Noah’s sake.

18

MIA

I

hate myself for this.

I feel like everyone is staring at us. They probably are. Caleb smiles at me from across the table and reaches out, taking my hand. “Aren’t you glad you did this?” he asks me. I nod a little, but inside my hand feels like it’s on fire where he’s touching it. I look away, down at the floor. I’m still wearing my work uniform. We’re at one of the fanciest restaurants in town, and although there’s usually an unspoken dress code, they clearly will let Caleb get away with anything he wants. We’re seated in a corner booth, probably the best spot in the whole place, and Caleb ordered us both

a glass of wine. He’s trying to impress me, that much is obvious. He keeps talking about his father’s investments, how they own a stake in this restaurant, how Caleb can come here practically whenever he wants. And apparently, now I can too. “We own this town now, you know?” he says, grinning at me. “Coming with me, that means you own it, too.” “That’s nice,” I say, a little distant. “My father worked very hard to build his empire, and I’m going to expand it. Do you know how hard it is these days to get building permits? So many regulations by the government.” He makes a face. “Idiots think they can help poor people, but you and I know the truth.” “What truth?” I ask, trying to avoid his gaze. I sip my wine just for something to do. “Poor people are lazy and worthless. They wouldn’t be so poor if they just worked harder, just like I do.” I practically gag on my drink. There’s no way this guy has ever worked a day in his life. He has everything given to him. His father is going to give him all the money he ever needs. He’ll start out

with so much more and never need to work nearly as hard as those that start out with less. People like him make me sick. “What’s the matter?” he asks suddenly. I realize I must be making some kind of face, so I quickly calm myself. “Nothing,” I say. “It’s the wine.” He grunts a little. “Waitress!” He flags her down. She walks over, looking a little nervous. “How is everything. Mr. Carter?” “This wine, it’s absolute garbage. Please dump the rest of that bottle out and bring us the…” He checks the menu. “The Chateaux ’78, please.” I glance at the menu. He clearly just chose the most expensive bottle. “Right away,” she says, and quickly flees before he can do anything else. “The wine is fine,” I say to him softly, as if from a distance. “No, it’s trash, please stop drinking it.” He reaches across the table and takes the glass from me quickly. “Anyway, where was I?”

“Owning the town,” I say. He laughs and launches back into his monologue about destroying regulation and environmental protections in order to keep growing his father’s business. I don’t say anything for the rest of the meal. I let him rant on and on. Sometimes I make little gestures and noises to indicate that I’m listening, but I can’t engage with him. Everything he says is offensive and morally bankrupt to me. I don’t know what I’m doing here with this man. He says he’s going to pay for my father’s medical bills, but I’m not sure I even believe him anymore. And based on the way he’s talking, I’m starting to suspect he’s going to destroy the preserve anyway, or at least he’s going to try. My mind drifts back to Lucas, even though I don’t want it to. I want to stay focused here and forget about what could have been. I made my choice. Lucas tried calling me earlier today, but I just ignored him. I can’t talk to him if I’m going down this path. If I’m going to whore myself out for the things that I love, I need to keep him far away. He deserves better. Lucas is a good man, even if he has some troubles in his past. He’s trying his best for his family and getting his shit together after the

war is clearly hard for him. But he’s trying and I admire him too much to let him get involved with a person like me. He deserves so much better and I think we both know it. Soon, the meal comes, and that’s a good distraction. Caleb eventually turns to talking about gossip, chatting about our classmates, making fun of those who went off to college. Caleb doesn’t think he needs college because he has his father’s business to fall back on. I decide not to say anything about that as the meal progresses. The food is good, but I can barely taste it. Everything seems bland and colorless. Even the wine, which is expensive as hell and should be amazing, just tastes like alcohol to me. I sip it just because he wants me to, but I don’t enjoy anything at all. I feel like all the joy was sucked out of me the moment I stepped into his car. Eventually, the meal ends, and he insists we go for a walk around the block. It’s a nice night out, and a lot of people are wandering. I try to get out of it by saying that the nurse is going to get off work soon and I need to go home for my father, but he waves me away and says he already sent a replacement. “Come on, I want to show you off.” He takes my

hand and I let him, though I don’t want him to show me off. I’m embarrassed to be seen with him. “You’re my trophy now, you know that?” he asks. “You’re the woman I need. In business, you need to have a respectable life, and one aspect of that is to have a respectable wife. You’re perfect for that.” Chills run down my spine. “Wife?” I ask him. He laughs a little. “Maybe too early to talk about that, of course. But think about it. You’re smart and beautiful. You’d do well in my world, and you would be a big asset to me. Maybe we’re not madly in love, but what’s that matter? We can have an arrangement of some sort.” He grins at me, a little disgusting. “An arrangement,” I repeat as we walk down the block. “Of course. We’ll have children, but our relationship doesn’t need to be romantic. We can maybe…” He trails off, but I know where he’s going with this. It sounds like a living nightmare. I can see myself slowly dying inside as I’m stuck in a loveless marriage with this psychopath, stuck doing his bidding as I raise my children. I’ll be stuck if I ever have children with him, but I can see it all

happening, everything he says. He’ll take care of my father for me, and I’ll be his little housewife as he goes around fucking whoever he wants. It’s a nightmare. A waking nightmare. One that I can see myself getting into if I just keep following this path. My life would be easy. He’d take care of everything. He’d pay for my father, maybe even keep the preserve safe. I’d be able to buy things, be comfortable, maybe even have some freedom of my own. But I’d have to have his children, live in his world, sacrifice for him. I don’t know what I want from life, but I know that’s now it. We come up to a small little park set off to the side, basically a little memorial for civil war veterans. He leads me in there, over toward a bench, and we sit down. “This can all be ours one day,” he says to me. “I don’t know.” I stare at him, uncertain. “It’s very fast. I understand. You need time to really let it sink in. But listen, Mia, if you want to be my wife, we can have a great life together. I’ll take care of you.”

I bite my lip and look at the ground. He sounds almost normal right now, but his rant at dinner comes back to me. He’s rotten at the core and I know it. He leans toward me and my heart flutters and flips with fear. He wants to kiss me, I can see it in his eyes and the tilt of his head. For a second, the image of him kissing me passes through my mind, and it just makes me sick. I pull away. I quickly stand up and step away from him. “Mia,” he says, standing up. “What are you doing?” “Caleb—“ “Do you understand our arrangement?” he asks me, eyes narrowing, coming toward me. We’re alone in this park and I’m suddenly afraid. I see that look in his eyes, the same one from the preserve when he snapped that stick and scared me so much. “I do, but—“ “But nothing,” he says angrily. “You’re mine now. You want me to take care of your father? Save your precious little preserve?” “Yes,” I say in a small voice.

“Then if I want to kiss you, I will kiss you. Do you understand?” I stare at him, fear rolling through me. “No,” I say. “No?” He cocks his head. “No? That’s not the right answer.” “No,” I say again, more forcefully. That’s when it happens. That’s when his mask falls off, replaced by a visage of total horror and anger. He grabs my shoulders and throws me down violently, slamming me into the ground. I don’t feel any pain. It’s just numb horror. I curl into a ball, covering my head, waiting for the blows to start raining down on my head. He’s going to beat me to death right here because I defied him, and there’s nothing I can do. Instead, he doesn’t touch me. Slowly, I look up at him, and there’s a strange look on his face. It’s half pity, half disgust. “Get up,” he says. “Come on, I didn’t push you that hard. Get up.” I climb slowly to my feet, brushing myself off. “Okay, you’re okay,” he says to me. “You’re fine. I barely touched you, okay?”

I nod at him, not saying a word, still terrified that he’ll snap. The mask is back up, covering the demon that hides beneath, but I know it’s there now. I know it’ll come back out, and eventually it’ll stay out. I made a horrible, horrible mistake. He takes me by the hand and we head back to his car. He walks again, this time hurriedly, almost manic, trying to pretend like he didn’t throw me violently to the ground. But we both know it happened, and we both know what it means. It means that if I keep this up and marry him, I’m in for a life of abuse. We get into his car and he drives me home. He drops me off and doesn’t try to kiss me again, which I’m thankful for. He watches as I go inside, and then drives off. When he’s gone, I wave to the nurse, but I have to run into the bathroom upstairs. I puke my guts up. All that expensive wine and food comes up in waves, and I’m shaking in a cold sweat. I keep seeing that face, that horrible expression on Caleb’s face as he threw me to the ground. My life with him flashes before my eyes, and I know nothing is worth that.

I finish getting sick and lean back against the tub. There’s a knock at the door. “Come in,” I say weakly. The nurse steps in. I don’t recognize her. “You okay, honey?” “I’m okay,” I say. “Just something I ate.” “Should I stay?” I shake my head. “No, please. Go home. I’ll be okay.” “He ate. He’s down in front of the television.” She frowns. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “I’m sure.” I smile weakly. “I’m done getting sick. I promise.” She nods, clearly concerned, but turns and leaves. I flush the toilet and wash my mouth out with cold water. I brush my teeth and splash water on my face. I glance down at myself then pull my phone from my pocket. Without thinking, I call Lucas. I know it’s unfair. It’s fucked up. I’m a terrible, terrible person, but I’m so afraid. I did this to myself, and I don’t deserve him, but I need to talk to someone. I can’t talk to Jordan and I can’t talk

to my father. Lucas is the only person in this world who cares about me, and I’m afraid I fucked that up. He doesn’t answer. It’s probably better this way. I put my phone back in my pocket and take a deep breath. I look into the mirror and don’t love what I see. I meant well. I wanted to help my father and the preserve, but I made a horrible, horrible mistake. And now I’ll pay the price. I leave the bathroom and head downstairs to take care of my father.

19

LUCAS

W

hen Mia calls, I don’t answer.

I just can’t. Not yet, at least. I know there’s probably some good explanation for why she got into that car with Caleb, but I just don’t think I’m ready to hear it right now. I still feel angry and hurt, and I’m afraid that I’ll say something that I’ll regret. Because I still want her. Despite everything, I still want her. I can’t just turn that part of myself off, even though I wish I could. I want to pretend like none of this happened and move on from her, but I just can’t. I keep seeing her smiling face, radiant in the beautiful afternoon sun. I keep feeling her skin, tasting her lips, hearing her laugh.

I put Noah to bed and Alice turns in early, leaving me alone in the house. The baby monitor sits next to me but Noah is fast asleep as I sip my whisky, staring at the television, trying not to think. I should probably get some sleep. Midnight rolls around, and I’m still awake, drinking my second and final whisky. I can’t have any more and risk getting drunk, not with Noah in my life. I wish I could drink the whole fucking bottle and forget how I feel, turn it all off, but I can’t be that man. It’s time for me to be better. As I’m sitting there, contemplating bed, I hear something. There’s a noise outside. It’s a car door slamming, and nearby. Two more car doors slam shut, and I hear voices. The voices get closer and closer, and I think I recognize one of them. Suddenly, I hear a smashing noise on the front porch. Adrenaline spikes through me. I quickly get up, run into my bedroom, and get my spare gun from my bureau. I make sure it’s loaded before running back out front. The voices are still there and there’s more smashing noises. It sounds like they’re breaking everything we have out there, chairs included. I walk to the window and peer out slowly.

I quickly recoil and curse. It’s fucking Dylan Carter and two of his fucking friends. I flip on the porch light and the noise stops. Carefully, I open the front door. Dylan Carter is standing there, a sick smile on his face. “Think you could get away with it, asshole?” he says. His friends grin behind him. “Not sure what you mean.” I grip the gun behind my back. “Come on, pussy, you really going to pretend like you didn’t slash my fucking tires?” I can see the unhinged anger in his eyes. So maybe I was wrong about the cameras. “You should leave,” I say to him. “We fucking saw you, asshole. You’re lucky we’re not going to the cops. You understand that? You fucking owe me new tires.” “I don’t owe you shit.” It’s actually surprising that he’s not going to the police. I wonder what’s holding him back. “You think you’re fucking great, don’t you?” Dylan asks, his voice low and menacing. “Big bad Navy SEAL back home and ready to be the cool guy in

town again. But guess what, asshole? You’re nothing. You’re a fly under my fucking boot.” “Get off my porch,” I say to him again. “Come outside, you fucking pussy,” he says. “Come out and fight us. You got lucky last time, but you don’t have anybody here to help you.” I want to do it. I want to go out there and beat the fucking hell out of these three assholes. I know I could do it, too. I fought them once before. But I’m being a better man. I’m growing up. I’m an adult now and a father. Mia’s words again, ringing in my ears. So I open the screen door and point my gun in Dylan’s fucking face. He freezes instantly. His cocky grin is replaced by total abject horror. One of his friends bolts, running as fast as he can away. “Some friend,” I say to Dylan. “Just left you here to die.” “Jesus man. It’s just a chair. I’ll replace it.” He’s shaking. “Listen to me, Dylan. Leave me alone. And leave Mia alone while you’re at it.”

“Whatever you want,” he says. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just let us go.” “Next time, I’ll kill you. I’ve killed before and I won’t hesitate. Do you understand that?” “Yes,” he says. I lower my gun slightly. “Run away now.” He turns and bolts back to his car. His braver or stupider friend follows him. They get in and drive off. I sigh, putting my gun in my jeans and looking at the mess on the porch. I straighten it up a little bit, but I’ll fix it all in the morning. I walk over to the driveway and groan when I find all of the tires on our cars are slashed. Fucking stupid. What a goddamn dumb move to make on my part. I should never have gone to the Carter house. I should have known better. Of course they had cameras, just because I didn’t spot them didn’t mean they weren’t there. They probably have a state of the art system, one I’m not trained to see. Now our tires are slashed, and that’s not going to be cheap to fix. Alice is going to be pissed. I check my watch. I can go back inside, get a few

hours sleep, and then call a tow truck in the morning. I don’t have enough spares to change all four. I’ll get both cars towed, tires changed, and hopefully have them back by the morning. If not, we’re taking the bus to work. And Alice is going to be livid. I groan and head back inside. I glance down at my phone at the missed call from Mia and wonder what the fuck I’ve gotten myself into. I should be more worried, but oddly enough I’m just happy that she decided to call me. After all this, she still wants to talk to me. Maybe it’s stupid, since she’s bringing so much trouble into my life, but I can’t help it. Truth is, I’ve instigated a lot of this shit. She wanted me to back off and I ignored her warnings, so I deserve some of this. I just have to be better. And hope that she’s not lost to me completely.

20

MIA

M

y life is a freaking mess and I have nobody to blame but myself. I know it, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’m still stuck in this position. I’m gloomy all day at work. The sun is shining, the preserve is surprisingly busy, but I can’t seem to enjoy anything right now. I should relax and let go, try and forget about my problems for a few hours, but I just can’t. Caleb keeps calling while I’m at work, reminding me about all this crap as soon as I manage to forget about it. I’m probably not doing myself any favors by ignoring his calls, but I can’t help myself. That date was horrible. I had hoped that maybe I

was just exaggerating everything and being dramatic, but I wasn’t. Caleb is genuinely an awful person and being around him makes me feel sick, absolutely sick. I’m sure he could take care of me and my father, and probably give me a life with more than I could ever dream of, but I don’t want that life. It’s a life devoid of happiness. Joy isn’t found in things and status. I used to think that making a lot of money and being rich would make me happy, but I’m beginning to realize that it’s only a distraction from the important things. Family, friends, following your passion, those are the things that mean something to me. Marrying a man like Caleb would basically mean I’d be sacrificing all of those things in order to get some stuff and some money. I can see what that sort of power can do to a person. I see it in Caleb every day. He has so much money, was given so much in his life, and now he’s this twisted person that expects everything from the world and looks down at others. I don’t ever want to be like that. Success in business, lots of money, none of that stuff guarantees happiness. It doesn’t even guarantee that you’re a good or smart person.

I don’t want that world. I want to get as far from it as possible, in fact, which is why I keep dodging Caleb’s calls. I can only imagine what he’s going to do when I really decide to go back on this deal. He’ll probably really lose it and scare the hell out of me, I bet. I’m afraid to tell him, but I know that I have to. I can’t let myself sacrifice my entire life with Caleb. Maybe the preserve will be destroyed. That’s not definitely. It might survive somehow. Heck, I could marry him, have his kids, and the preserve would get bulldozed ten years later by someone else with even more money. I can’t control the world and I can’t give up everything I am and believe in for something that may or may not happen. As the day wears on, I keep thinking about Caleb, but my resolve strengthens. I know that I’m going to back out of the deal and tell him the truth at the first opportunity I get. I’m afraid of what he’ll do, but I’m through with being all wishy-washy about this. I can’t let this man bully me anymore. The day drags on and finally the last guests start to filter out. Laura and I close up the preserve as the sun slowly sets, and I head out around six that night. I’m running a little late, and I’m sure his day nurse is annoyed, but I’ll tip her big time. Or at least as big as I can.

I hurry home and as I pull into the driveway, I’m surprised by what I see. The car in the driveway definitely is not the nurse’s usual car. In fact, I recognize it, but I can’t imagine that I’m right. It’s Caleb’s car. Big and dark and expensive, as I climb out and take a look, I know I’m not mistaken. Shock registers through my system. If Caleb’s car is here and the nurse’s is gone, that means he’s inside alone with my father. I run to the front door, panicking, heart hammering. Does he know? Does he know that I planned on leaving him and breaking our deal? The most horrifying thoughts race through my mind. Maybe he’s in there hurting my father, doing something awful to him. I wouldn’t forgive myself if my father were in danger and it’s all because of my stupid decisions. I throw open the door and burst into my house. I have my phone in my hand, 9-1-1 already dialed just in case, heart hammering. My father is sitting in his chair, watching TV. He doesn’t look up as I come in. I run over to his side, crouching down. “Dad, are you okay?” I say to him.

He glances at me for a second before looking back at the TV. I look over his body. He seems totally fine, normal in fact. I stand up slowly, phone still in my hand. “Caleb?” I call out. He appears in the doorway to the kitchen, smiling. “You’re home,” he says. “What the hell are you doing?” I hiss at him, moving into the kitchen. He follows me, smiling and drying his hands off with a towel. “Well, I was making spaghetti.” He nods toward the stove where there are a couple pots. I can smell the food cooking. “No, I mean, why are you here?” “You weren’t home when I arrived and the nurse looked like she wanted to get out of here. So I sent her home.” I gaped at him. “You can’t do that. You can’t just come in here.” “Sure, I can,” he says, smiling. “I own you now, remember?” I take a step back, my eyes wide. “No,” I say.

“Come on, Mia. What did you think this was? I’m not going to hurt your fucking retarded Dad.” “He’s not retarded,” I spit at him. “He has Alzheimer’s. You sick asshole. And don’t say that word.” “What, retarded?” He laughs. Alzheimer’s, retarded, I don’t care.”

“Whatever,

Real fear jolts through me. He glances down at the phone in my hand and cocks his head to one side. “What are you doing?” he asks me. “Nothing.” I quickly put my phone into my pocket. He watches me for a second before smiling again. “You should be happy I’m here. I did you a favor. And now I’m cooking you dinner.” “I don’t want your food,” I say. “And my dad can’t have spaghetti. He might choke.” He stares at me, his face going blank. “That’s very rude of you, Mia.” “It’s very rude of you to barge in here like this. Seriously, Caleb, it’s really creepy.” “Creepy?” He laughs. “I don’t give a fuck. You agreed to my deal, which means I can do whatever I want with you.”

I stare at him for a second, pulse pounding in my ears. This is my moment, but I’m so afraid. I’m a freaking coward, I realize. Caleb is terrifying and creepy and dangerous, and I need to end this with him right now, but I’m afraid. He might try to hurt me or my father. But I got us into this and it’s up to me to get us out. I have to be brave and step up. Maybe I would have rolled over and let him do this to me at one point in my life, but I’m stronger now, and I’m starting to learn what I really want out of life. “I don’t want your deal,” I say to him softly. “What’s that?” He grins at me. “I didn’t hear you.” “The deal is off,” I say more loudly, standing up straight. “I don’t want anything to do with you, Caleb. Get out of my house, get out of my life, and leave me alone.” I take a deep breath, keeping my face serious. I feel good about myself that I just stood up to him. He cocks his head at me, looking at me strangely, but I’m not backing down. I know I’m in the right here. He steps toward me, his face suddenly totally blank. “Why did you have Lucas beat up my brother?” he asks. I blink at him, surprised. “What?”

“Your little pet, Lucas. He nearly killed my brother. Why would you do that?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, and I feel that icy chill of fear run down my spine again. “You fucking bitch.” He starts walking toward me, and I just turn and run. He comes after me. “You dumb fucking bitch!” he screams, rage on his face. “You hurt my brother, you and your fucking pussy friend Lucas. You can’t get out of this deal, you goddamn whore. I fucking own you!” His eyes are wide and the rage on his face terrifies me. I run from him. He chases me through the living room, around the coffee table, and back through the kitchen. I manage to get past him again as he screams at me, insult after insult, each one worse than the next. I run for the front door, heart hammering, not knowing what to do. I’m afraid he’s going to kill me and my father, and I want to lead him outside. I throw the door open and get out onto the front porch. But he catches up with me, grabs my arms, and spins me around. “You stupid cunt!” he screams, and backhands me

across the face. Pain flares up as I fall to the ground. He stares down at me, anger twisting his face into a mask of horror. “You’re dead,” he says to me. And I believe him.

21

LUCAS

I

feel like a damn stalker, but I can’t help myself.

It’s around six o’clock and I’m sitting outside of Mia’s house, parked in the street, debating whether or not I want to go inside and talk to her. I don’t recognize one of the cars in her driveway, and I assume it’s the nurse. I keep telling myself I’ll wait until the nurse leaves, and then go talk to Mia, but I don’t know what I’m really going to do. I’m hurt, maybe a little angry with her, but I’m starting to see the truth in all this. The Carters are dangerous, goddamn dangerous. I don’t know if Mia can’t see it, or if they somehow are threatening her. Last night showed me the truth of them.

I was underestimating what the Carters are capable of. I never once imagined they’d come to my house, my own fucking house where my goddamn kid lives. I couldn’t believe it, but there he was, that stupid fucking Carter asshole smashing my shit. Truthfully, I probably deserved it. I did slash his tires out of anger, after all. But he was going to kill me, or at least he was going to try to with his friends. I was lucky I had my gun out and ready, otherwise I don’t know what they would have tried. I see that moment playing out in my head. I wish I hadn’t slashed those tires, but I can’t go back and change it. That happened and I have to accept that I made a stupid move out of total anger and spite. That doesn’t mean Mia deserves to get mixed up with these guys. I need to tell her what I did, apologize to her, and hope that she can see the truth of what these men are. I won’t let them hurt her just because of some stupid mistake that I made. As I’m sitting there, debating what I should do, I suddenly hear it. There’s a commotion in the house. It sounds like someone is yelling, screaming really, and it sounds bad. I take off my seatbelt, not sure what to do. I don’t want to barge in on a private moment. Her father might be having an episode, and I don’t want to embarrass her by barging in.

But that voice sounds familiar, and it sounds angry as hell. I open the door to my truck and step out. Suddenly, I get that old feeling. It’s the feeling I used to have before a fight, a premonition of sorts. You develop this strange sixth sense after you’ve been around combat for a long time. It’s this strange buzzing feeling in my skull as adrenaline starts to pump, letting me know that something bad is coming, and I better prepare. I guess my body notices unconscious signals all around me, and knows before my conscious mind can understand what’s coming. Just then, the front door crashes open. Mia comes running out, her eyes wide, but she doesn’t get far. Caleb comes behind her, grabbing her arm. He yells something and then he hits her across the face, knocking her to the ground. Rage flows through me. Caleb stands over her, saying something else, but I’m beyond thought at this point. I charge over toward them. Caleb looks up just in time to see my fist slam into his face. He screams and falls back into the house. I follow him, grab his shirt, and then throw him outside onto the front lawn. Mia watches, her eyes wide, but she doesn’t move to stop me. I punch Caleb once, twice, and then

throw him to the ground. He screams in anger and pain and tries to protect himself, but I destroy him, blowing through his defenses. I kick him once, twice, then pull him to his feet again just to punch him in the face a few more times. When I’m finished, he’s a bloody mess on the ground. He’s not dead, but he’s pretty hurt. I crouch down next to him. “If you ever come near her again, I’ll fucking murder you,” I say to him. “Do you understand me? I’ll kill you. I won’t hesitate.” He groans and I assume that means he understands. I move away from him, over to Mia. Her eyes are wide. “Lucas,” she says. “I’m so sorry.” I cock my head and crouch down next to her. I gently take her face, looking at it. “You’re going to have a bruise,” I say. “I’m sorry,” she says again, looking down. “You have nothing to apologize for. I fucked all this up.” “No, I did. Caleb’s been blackmailing me, threatening to destroy the nature preserve if I don’t date him. Then he said he’d pay dad’s medical bills,

and I thought I could save the preserve and my father all at once, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. I told him that and he lost it.” She talks fast and I watch her, understanding slowly dawning. None of this was her idea. She’s been trying to sacrifice herself for those that she loves this whole time. When she finishes, I pull her against me, hugging her tight. “You’re safe now,” I say to her. “I promise, you’re safe.” I hold her that way, shocked at her strength. She was willing to be with this disgusting man in order to get better care for her father and to save the nature preserve. I’ve been through bad shit, done some hard things, but that’s the kind of sacrifice so few people are capable of. “I couldn’t do it,” she says, starting to cry, and I hold her tight. “It’s okay,” I say. “It’s going to be okay.” Meanwhile, Caleb manages to scrape himself from the ground. He limps over to his car, gets inside, and drives off. I watch him go, but I know that’s not the last we’ve seen of him.

Things just got more dangerous. I think she knows it too, but she’s too busy being freaked out over what just happened. She’s probably never been hit by a man before, and she never will again if I have any say in it. “Come on,” I say to her gently, helping her to her feet. “We need to get out of here.” “Where are we going?” “My place,” I say. “We can’t. My dad.” I frown. “We’ll bring him.” She shakes her head. “He doesn’t do well with change. I can’t leave him.” I nod, looking into her eyes. “Okay then. I’m staying here tonight.” She looks at me, biting her lip. “I can’t ask you to do that.” “Come on. Let’s go inside.” I glance around, suddenly aware that her neighbors probably saw what just happened. I lead her back inside. “Sit down,” I say. “Cooking,” she says, sitting on the couch. “Caleb was cooking.”

“Okay, I’ll take care of it.” I go into the kitchen and find the meal Caleb was cooking. I throw the whole thing away before ordering a pizza. When it arrives, we eat at the table. I can tell Mia is completely distracted and upset, and I try to draw her out in conversation. I ask her about her father, and she talks about him a little bit, but I know she’s upset. When we finish eating, we watch her father’s shows again, and then she takes him back into his room for a bath. I wait out in the living room while they do their routine, not wanting to get in the way. I call Alice and let her know that I won’t be home tonight, telling her that I’m staying with Mia. She’s pretty excited and I don’t bother to tell her the details. After about an hour, Mia comes back out. She stands in front of me, wearing just a tight t-shirt and some shorts. She bits her lips. “My dad’s in bed,” she says. “Asleep.” I stand up and step toward her. “It’s going to be okay,” I say to her. “How do you know that?” I walk over, take her in my arms, and look in her

eyes. “Because I’m here now.” I kiss her deeply and passion flares up between us. I know this is what I want. I can’t deny it or pretend anymore. The Carters aren’t going to get in the way of what I need. I’m going to take it and own it, because that’s the kind of man I am.

22

MIA

W

hen Lucas kisses me, suddenly all of my worries slip out the back of my mind. Maybe that’s silly, since I was just beaten by one man today, but I can’t help myself. He was going to kill me. I saw it in his eyes. If Lucas hadn’t been outside, I don’t know what would have happened to me. Caleb probably would have beaten me into a bloody pulp and then killed my father. But he didn’t, because Lucas was there. I don’t know why Lucas hasn’t run away yet. I’ve done nothing but hurt him and push him away, even though I want him so badly. I’ve been so stupid this whole time. Lucas is the only strong thing in my life, the only good thing, and he still wants me. I

don’t really understand why, because I haven’t done anything to deserve it. I’m afraid of what it means. But as soon as he kisses me, none of that matters. It’s pure desire that floods through me. I remember what he said to me that afternoon out in the preserve, the way he made my body feel, everything about him. It all comes flooding back, making my body tingle with desire. My pussy is dripping wet as I taste him, loving his strong hands and mouth and everything about him. Lucas is so handsome, I can barely breathe. I let him pull my small body against his large, muscular frame. He kisses me deeply, and I know what I want. I don’t think. I drop to my knees, looking up at him as I fumble with his belt. He smirks at me, his hands in my hair. “You’re impatient,” he says. I don’t respond. I finish taking off his belt and I tug his jeans and boxer briefs down, revealing his hard cock. “You look impatient, too,” I say, taking him in my hand. He smirks at me and leans forward. He tips my head back and kisses me long and deep. “If you

want this fucking cock, you better say what I want to hear,” he whispers. “You’re my Daddy.” I stare into his eyes and we both know it’s true. “That’s right. You’re mine. This tight cunt is mine. Your perfect lips are mine. Everything about you is mine. I’ll take care of you, make you feel good.” “Yes, Daddy,” I say, slowly beginning to stroke him. I lean forward and take his cock between my lips. I start to suck him as best I can, but he’s so big that he barely fits into my mouth. I slowly slide down his shaft, tasting him, and he presses me down further. I suppress a gag as he slides into my throat. I can’t believe I’m able to take so much of him into my mouth. I start to suck him faster, his hands on the back of my head, controlling me, pulling my hair. I’m soaking wet at this point and totally mindless. The only thing I can think of is his cock between my lips and how badly I want to keep sucking him dry. I work up and down his shaft, moving faster. He grunts and groans softly which only encourages me more. “Spread those legs,” he says. “I want to watch you

touch your little pussy while you suck on my cock.” I moan as I do as he commands. I spread my legs and slide my hand down the front of my shorts. I begin to play with myself, rubbing my wet clit in circles as I suck him. Pleasure rocks through me, and I can’t believe I’m doing this for him, but it feels so natural and good. “That’s right, touch that pussy for me, you dirty girl,” he says. “I’m your fucking Daddy now, and you do as Daddy says.” I moan with his cock between my lips. It comes out as a stifled noise as he presses my mouth down further, sliding into my throat again. He starts to fuck my face like that, cock sliding in and out of my lips, pushing deeper into my throat and pulling back. I groan, loving the way he takes me, does what he wants with me. He’s so confident, controlling, and gorgeous. I can’t help it. He takes me by the hair suddenly and stands me up. I gasp as he tears my shirt off and kisses my neck. My breasts are bare as he teases my nipples with his tongue and mouth. He moves me over to the couch and pushes me down, spreading my legs wide. He drops down to his knees and pulls my shorts and my panties off. I’m totally naked, absolutely

exposed, and he pulls his shirt off, too. He’s ripped and covered in tattoos. I don’t get a chance to stare at him long, though, before he drops down between my legs and slowly licks me bottom to top. “Delicious,” he says. “Goddamn, girl. Do you know what you fucking do to me?” He spreads my legs wider and presses two fingers deep inside of me. I gasp a little, biting my lip, gripping the cushions. “I like every drop of you,” he says. “You’re my fucking girl now.” He starts to suck and lick at my clit as his fingers slide in and out. I gasp and stifle my moans, trying to be quiet. We can’t be too loud, because my father is in the other room, but I’m losing my mind from pleasure and I can barely think. I grab Lucas’s hair and grip it tight as he sucks and licks my clit, fucking my pussy with his fingers, working me and pushing me. He’s so strong and commanding, I can barely control myself. I can already feel sweat sliding down my skin and he licks it up, kissing my inner thighs as his fingers slide in and out of me. “Do you even understand what you do to me?” he asks, looking up as he slides his fingers inside of me. “Those fucking lips, those perfect tits, everything about you makes me fucking crazy.” He reaches up and takes my hair with his free hand as he presses his fingers deep into me.

“I’m your fucking Daddy and I’m going to protect you. Understand?” “Yes, Lucas,” I moan. “No, not Lucas. “Yes, Daddy.” I gasp as he pulls my hair harder then kisses my lips. A little pain and a little sweetness. It feels so freaking good I can’t stand it. He pulls his fingers back then grabs my hips. He turns me, putting my knees onto the couch, my elbows on the back of it, and spread my legs wide. He grabs my hips and I feel his cock behind me, teasing my pussy, as he grabs my hair. “Goddamn, I love this ass, girl,” he says, and then thrusts himself deep inside. I gasp, taking him into my pussy. He spreads me, tears me apart, fills me. Pleasure and pain mix in my mind and for a second, I’m not even sure where I am. Slowly he starts to thrust into me, his cock sliding easily into my soaking wet pussy. I love the sound of him slapping against my ass. He begins to fuck me harder, holding tight onto my hair. “Go ahead, ride that fucking cock,” he says. “Show me how dirty you can be for Daddy.”

I look over my shoulder then buck back against him, using the couch as leverage. I slam my ass back down along his cock, working my back, jerking my ass back. I take every single inch of him, amazed that my pussy could even handle a cock like his, but it feels so fucking good. He slaps my ass, nice and hard. “You love this, you fucking filthy girl,” he says. “You love getting fucked by Daddy. You want me to come on that pretty little face of yours?” “Whatever Daddy wants,” I moan, still riding him, sweating with the exertion and loving it. He laughs and grabs my hair, pulling it back. “That’s what Daddy wants. I want to come on your pretty little face and watch you lick it up.” “Yes,” I moan. “Good. Come on my face, Daddy.” He groans and pulls me tight against him. He takes my arms and pulls them behind my back, holding them tight as he fucks me deep in the pussy, ramming hard inside of me. He thrusts like an animal, losing his mind, working my pussy, fucking me hard. I love it, love getting destroyed, love the way the pleasure and the pain mix to make this incredible sensation in every inch of my body. It feels like a cold fire moves through my skin. He

brings it out of me, everything, all the dirty desires and feelings that I’ve kept bottled up for so long. He makes me feel strong while controlling me. He pulls back and takes my hips. He sits down on the couch and pulls me over him, straddling him, his face in my breasts as I slide down along his cock. He fills me so easily, despite his size, and I begin to ride him again. He holds my hips, teasing my nipples with his tongue and teeth and lips. “You taste fucking perfect,” he says, grabbing my hair with one hand. He slaps my ass with the other. “Ride that cock, girl. Go ahead, ride it, try and make me come.” I do as he says, working hard, riding up and down. He groans and slams back into me, thrusting his cock deep between my legs, burying himself in me. I’m losing my mind, lost in pure pleasure as he fucks me deep and hard. Moans escape my lips and I grip the back of the couch as he slams his cock into me, shaking my whole body with his animalistic thrusts. I reach down and bite onto his shoulder as he wrecks me. Pleasure rolls down my skin, overloading my mind, and I can barely breathe. He rocks himself into me, slamming his cock deep and

hard, and I know I’m close. I can feel the orgasm building inside of me as I twist and work my hips, sliding up and down his huge cock. He suddenly stands, holding onto me, and puts me back down onto my back along the couch. He spread my legs wide again and begins fucking me, thrusting hard into my pussy. “Look at this pink, tight little twat,” he says. “Goddamn, I love it.” He begins to massage my clit as he fucks me, sending me into spasms of pleasure. “Daddy,” I moan. “Oh please, Daddy. Keep going. I’m so close.” “You think you can come?” he whispers, fucking me deep. “You think I’m going to let you?” “Please,” I moan. “Do you deserve it, you dirty fucking girl?” “Yes, I deserve it. I need it. I need your big cock, Daddy.” That makes him practically roar a groan. “Goddamn, girl, you’re so fucking sexy. Come on this cock for me. Come on it right now before I cover your pretty face.” He slams into me, moving furiously, working my clit, fucking my pussy, and I can feel the orgasm

there, ready to blow over me. I work my hips, using my hands to push down from the side of the couch, and I can feel it. The orgasm rips through me like a hurricane. It’s unreal as my pussy clenches down like a vise on his big cock. My whole body tenses and twitches as the pleasure takes over me in waves of pure desire. He groans while fucking me, keeping it going, pushing my boundaries. And then as the orgasm ends, he pulls out of me. His hands jerk his big, huge cock, and I open my mouth for him. I want it, every single drop of his hot cum. He groans and I taste him as he covers my face as promised. I take his cum in my mouth, on my lips, my cheeks, and I love it. I love the way he groans and comes on me, I love the feeling I get as I lick him off me and then clean his cock with my tongue. He collapses next to me on the couch, his big arms wrapped around my small body, holding me tight. We both stay there, sweating and spinning from pure pleasure. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. I’ve never had a man make me feel so good. I’ve never called someone Daddy before, but it feels so natural with him.

He pushes me further than I thought possible, and I love it. Lucas is gorgeous, absolutely perfect, but I feel safer than I ever have before with his arms wrapped around my body. I can’t deny it anymore, can’t let myself pretend. Lucas is my man, he’s my Daddy, and I’m going to be his girl. He can do whatever he wants to me. Because I know whatever he chooses will feel so good, so amazing, that I can hardly wait to find out what’s next.

23

LUCAS

I

t’s late by the time we’re thinking about putting our clothes back on.

Mia watches me from the kitchen, a small smile on her face. She’s holding a mug of tea in her hands, blowing on it softly. I lean back on the couch, swirling my glass of whisky. Apparently, her father used to be a huge whisky man, which works out well for me, since he doesn’t drink from his collection anymore. “What do you think?” she asks me. I cock my head at her. “About what?” She shrugs a little. “You know. This.” I grin. “What about this?”

She sighs, walking toward me. She’s wearing only a large t-shirt she fished out of her room earlier. I’m in my jeans, unbuckled and open, but no shirt yet. I can still taste her on my lips and feel the sweat on my body from working her so hard. “You know what I’m trying to say.” She sits down next to me, curling one leg underneath her. She looks so vulnerable and fucking gorgeous. “You want me to say it.” I sip my drink, watching her. She’s so frustrated, but she’s smiling. I can’t help but love it. “I guess I do.” “Okay then. You’re my girl.” “Yeah?” she asks. “Yeah,” I say. “And I’m your Daddy. That means no more bullshit, no more games.” “But what about the Carters?” “I’ll handle them.” I grin at her, trying not to show my concern. While I’m stronger and better trained than those Carter boys, they have resources that I don’t, and the younger Carter is pretty unstable. I worry that he’d do something completely fucked up and insane, maybe not to me, but to Mia. I’m going to have to watch her closely. “The biggest question

is, what will you do about the preserve?” “I have to trust Laura,” she says. “I can’t take that on myself. It’s too late now, anyway.” “Good,” I say. “It was never your responsibility.” “I felt responsible, though. I mean, if I could stop it and save that place, I should.” “Even if it means losing yourself?” I ask her softly. “Well…” She trails off, shaking her head. “I guess we both know the answer to that.” I reach out and pull her toward me. I gently kiss her lips. “You’re making the right choice. I promise, in the long run, this is the right thing. You can’t protect everything, much less sacrifice yourself for everything.” “I know,” she says, just a whisper. I glance at the clock underneath the television. It’s after one in the morning. “Listen, you should come stay with me.” “I can’t leave my dad. Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night and needs help.” “He can come too.” She shakes her head. “We can’t. He’ll just be more

confused.” I sigh. “I need to get home. I should be there for when Noah wakes up.” “Okay,” she says, but I can see the disappointment in her eyes. I smirk a little and take the cup of tea from her hands. I put it down on the coffee table on a coaster before putting my whisky glass down next to it. I drop to my knees in front of her. “What are you doing?” she asks casually, a little smile on her face. “You looked disappointed.” “I am. I don’t want you to go.” “I don’t want to go, either,” I say. “But I have to. I need to be there for my son.” She reaches down and touches my chin. “That’s what I like about you, Lucas. You’re a good father. You’re a good man.” “Maybe,” I say, smirking. “Or maybe I’m a bad man.” I spread her legs wide and feel a thrill run through me. She’s not wearing any underwear. “Maybe I’m a very bad man.” “Lucas,” she says. “We can’t. God, I’m so tired

already.” “Just leaving you with something to remember me by.” I kiss her inner thigh, looking up at her. “Or do you want me to stop?” She bites her lip. After the first time we had sex earlier, we took a short break, and then immediately fucked again. She’s probably sore as hell from my big cock, but I’m willing to bet I can make her feel good one last time. “No, I don’t,” she says. I kiss slowly up her leg, my hands on her hips. “God, you taste so good. I kept thinking about how you’d taste since the second we met, you know that?” “Really?” she asks. I can hear her breath coming in deeper. “Really,” I say. “I kept thinking about this pussy, your body, the way your lips would feel. And the way you’d taste, dripping wet under my tongue.” I finally kiss up to her pussy and gently lick her bottom to top. She’s already wet, just the way I like it. “What else did you think about?” she asks, leaning back in her spot, legs wide open.

“I thought about this thick ass,” I say, grabbing her hips. “And how my cock would feel sinking deep inside of you. I thought about teasing your nipples, slapping your ass, licking your clit, sucking your bottom lip.” As I talk to her, I slide my fingers gently inside of her pussy, and between every few words, I pause to lick her clit. “Shit, Lucas,” she moans. “I didn’t think I could again.” “I knew you could,” I say softly. “You’re built for fucking sex, girl.” I lick her clit softly at first, getting her more into it, being gentle with her. I can sense her getting wetter and wetter, more excited and engaged. I begin to lick her faster, sucking her clit, teasing her, pushing her. “I thought about my cock between your pretty lips, pushing down your throat. I thought about fucking you in public, making you scared we’ll get caught, and then making you come nice and loud. And most of all, I thought about you calling me Daddy as I came on your pretty face, in your pretty mouth, deep inside that tight little cunt of yours.” Her hips get more and more into it as I speak, my tongue pausing only to lick her clit, my fingers gently sliding in and out of her. She gets soaking wet all over again, absolutely dripping, and I know this won’t be difficult, not at all.

Her moans come fast and deep as I keep going, getting faster, taking shorter breaks to talk to her. “Delicious. Absolutely fucking delicious.” I suck and lick her clit, sliding my fingers inside of her. “You’re Daddy’s dirty fucking girl. I want to pull your hair, fuck your pussy rough, make that ass slap against me as I fill your every inch.” I work her again, fingers deep inside of her. I love her moans, coming loud and low and passionate. “Oh god, Lucas,” she moans, her fingers pushing my mouth tighter against her pussy. She starts to work her hips, writhing against my mouth, wanting it faster and more. I can tell she’s getting close. “Come in Daddy’s mouth,” I say and she throws her head back, eyes closed shut, moans escaping her lips. “Oh shit, Daddy,” she says. “Go ahead, keep going, I’m so close.” I press my fingers deeper, fucking her with them faster, while I suck and lick her clit. I’m eating her like a crazed man, because I am absolutely fucking crazy for her. I can’t stop even if I wanted to. Her whole body tenses as she comes. I love her taste as the orgasm washes over her, making her muscles twitch, her moans come low and deep. She calls me Daddy, over and over again, and my cock

is hard as fuck. But this is for her, and I want to leave this with her while I head home. She finishes slowly, and I move up to kiss her. We kiss like that for a while, slow and passionate and deep, our bodies tight against each other. Slowly, we break apart. “I have to go,” I say. She pouts. “I want you to stay.” “I know. Another night. You’re safe for now though, but make sure the doors are locked, and call if you’re worried.” She nods a little as I get up. I get dressed and she watches me, still pouting a little bit. I grin at her and make her come stand with me at the door. I kiss her goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say. “Promise?” “Promise,” I say, nodding. “Good.” We kiss one more time and then I open the door and head out. I give her one last grin before getting into my truck and pulling out. I feel so fucking good as I pull out and start driving.

I don’t think anything can possibly ruin my good mood. There aren’t many cars on the road this late at night, which makes it easy to drive a little faster than normal. I have a girl now. There’s no denying it. I know she’s not going back to the Carters, absolutely no way. She’s mine, all fucking mine, and they can’t take her away from me even if they fucking tried. I’m going to burn them down, destroy them for what they did to Mia, and then I’ll spit on their dead bodies. As I drive, my mind drifting between revenge and Mia, a pair of headlights suddenly fills my rearview mirror. I frown as they get closer and closer. “What the fuck?” I mutter to myself. The guy is driving fast, way too fast, and way too close. We’re on a back road with trees on either side of it, basically a small road through a dense forest, and this guy is driving like a fucking prick. I slow down a little bit to let him pass, but he doesn’t. The vehicle behind me is a truck, I can see that, about the same size as my own. But he’s not trying to pass. Instead, he’s just driving closer to me. I honk my horn and wave my arm out the window, trying to get him to go around. But instead, he

suddenly jolts forward and slams his vehicle into my bumper, making my truck swerve. I regain control, cursing. I hit the gas, trying to get away from the psycho, but he doesn’t let up. He goes faster, getting closer to me, as I hurry away from him. The road gets winding and tight up ahead, but he’s not slowing down. I have to hit a curve going way too fast. I nearly lose control, but I stay on the road. The truck meanwhile sticks right behind me. As he comes around the bend and onto the next straightaway, he suddenly accelerates forward, pulling up alongside me. I can hear the scream of his engine over the beating of my heart, but just barely. I look over to my left and I feel anger well up deep inside of me, more anger than I thought I could have. It’s fucking Dylan Carter. I can see him there, grinning this mad grin, laughing and looking at me. I have to turn away as the next curve comes up. I want to try and accelerate through it, get away from him. I’ll lose this fucker and then kill him out here for trying this insane shit. But I hit the curve going too fast and I know it. As

soon as my truck hits the turn, I can feel that I fucked up. Dylan’s truck swings sharply at the right second, nudging his nose into my tail, sending me spinning. The last thing I remember is my truck slamming into a tree, and then black.

24

MIA

I

feel so good the next morning that I can barely think. I wake up and go through my father’s morning routine with him, a smile on my face the whole time. I keep checking my phone, expecting something from Lucas, but there’s nothing. Normally I might be a little upset about that, but for some reason I’m incredibly confident about him. Last night was the realest I’ve ever been with a man before. I felt so vulnerable and open with him, calling him Daddy like that. I felt like we finally understood each other, and we both know where we stand. We’re together. I’m his, and there’s no stopping that. Even if the Carters try and get in the way, I

won’t back down, not ever. Lucas is the first thing in my life to really make me feel good, happy and free. I can’t give that up for anything, not again. I’ve messed around too much with Lucas these past few weeks, but I’m done with that. Everything feels lighter and better now. I don’t know how to explain it, but it does. I feel good, really good, just knowing that Lucas is out there probably thinking about me too. I want to tell him how I feel, really say the words that have been bubbling in the back of my mind since we first kissed, but maybe it’s too soon. I don’t know. But it feels so good to even think about that. I can’t stop smiling all morning as the nurse comes to take over for my father. I get ready for work, still grinning like an idiot, thinking about all the things I want to say to Lucas. I’m a little sore between my legs as I drive to the preserve. That only makes me think more about him. I laugh a little bit, amazed at what he could do to me. It was a little crazy, doing that right there with my father asleep, but it didn’t matter. Neither of us even hesitated. I wanted him so badly that I couldn’t resist his touch even if I wanted to. Lucas pushes me further than I thought possible, and it makes me so damn thankful to finally have someone that wants me for me. Caleb Carter only

ever wanted me because he thought I was attractive and smart enough to be a good wife for him. He just wanted to use me for his own purposes. Lucas doesn’t want to use me. Lucas wants to make me feel good. And I do. I feel incredible as I climb out of my car and head up into the office, a big smile on my face. “Good morning!” I call out. I head over to the coffee pot and pour myself a mug. Laura comes out from her office. I beam at her, feeling great. “How are you this fine morning?” I ask her. She frowns at me, and I stop in my tracks. Laura looks at me, her face a little pale, like she just saw a ghost or something. My smile weakens slightly and I cock my head. “What’s wrong?” I ask her. “You’re close with Lucas Hayes, right?” she asks softly. I stop dead, my smile entirely gone. She doesn’t look like she has good news for me, and true fear jolts up through my core. “What happened?” I ask her.

“Come here,” she says to me. “No,” I say, recoiling away from her. “What happened, Laura?” “He got in an accident last night,” she says. “A car accident late last night. He lost control and hit a tree going pretty fast.” I stumble backwards, away from her, and the coffee mug in my hand slips from my fingers and smashes on the ground. “Shit!” I curse, moving away from it. “Laura, is he okay?” I ask, staring at her, the color draining from my face. I grip the counter like I want to tear it to pieces. “He’s alive,” she says. “But honey, he’s in bad shape.” “I have to see him,” I say. “I have to go see him right now.” “He’s at Mercy General,” she says. “You can go, but I don’t know if he’ll be awake.” I want to throw up. How could this have happened? I run out to my car, not bothering to clean up my spill, not able to even think about anything but Lucas. I jump into my car, start the engine, and speed off toward the hospital.

It happened after he left my house. I know it. Maybe he had too much whisky, maybe he was drunk. I shouldn’t have let him drink. What the hell were we thinking? He was tired, maybe he fell asleep while driving home, or maybe he was just distracted. Or maybe I’m not meant to be happy. That was the universe’s way of taking away the one thing that brought real joy into my life, all because I got too much happiness. I got that one night with him, and now it’s all gone, torn from me the moment he decided to leave. I can’t think that way, I can’t let myself. It’ll be so easy to fall back into bad thoughts but I won’t let that consume me. I have to see him and find out how bad it is before I let myself drop into true despair. He won’t leave me. I have to believe that. He won’t die and leave me here without him, because he promised he’d keep me safe. The hospital is a ten-minute drive and it flies by as I go as fast as I can. I get there and practically run inside. The woman at the desk looks up at me as I stand in front of her, shaking and terrified. “Can I help you, honey?”

“I’m looking for Lucas Hayes’s room,” I say to her. She nods and types at her computer. “He’s in 301,” she says. “Elevator is around the corner, take it up, he’ll be one of the first rooms there on the left.” “Thanks,” I say, and hurry to the elevator. I ride it up, shaking, and step off on the third floor. I walk forward, looking at the room numbers, barely able to think until I find his room. The door is partially shut. I push it open a crack and step inside. Alice is sitting at the bedside with Noah in her arms. She looks at me, a frown on her face. “Mia,” she says. I step toward the bed, eyes on Lucas. He looks dead. He’s breathing, but his eyes are closed. There’s bruising all over his face, and his right arm is in a cast. I can only imagine what the rest of him looks like. I step to the side of the bed and drop to my knees next to him. I take his hand and stare into his eyes, and for a second I think he looks at me. But he doesn’t, and I burst into tears. “Oh, honey,” Alice says, and she’s suddenly next to me, holding my shoulders. I sob like an idiot, but I

can’t stop myself. I can only imagine what she thinks right now. Little Noah makes some noises from the seat Alice put him into before coming over to comfort me. “It’s okay,” she says. “There you go, let it out.” Slowly, my crying subsides. She holds my hand, frowning at me, as I slowly get myself together. “I’m sorry,” I say. “For what, sweetie?” “Everything,” I say. “He was coming home from my house when… when it happened.” I bite my lower lip. “I know, honey. It’s okay. It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault.” “What happened?” I ask her, desperate for an explanation. She sighs, shaking her head. “I don’t know much yet. Apparently, his truck was found by a trucker in the middle of the night. If that guy hadn’t found him, Lucas would be dead.” “Is he going to live?” I ask her. “It looks that way,” she says, and relief floods my body. “He hasn’t woken up from surgery yet. They

had to fix a lot of his bones. But I think he’s going to live.” I fight back tears again. “Do you know how it happened?” I ask her. “Nobody knows,” she says. “There was a tiny bit of alcohol in his blood, but it was under the legal limit. Apparently there are some strange marks on his bumpers, and the police seem to think there may have been someone else involved, but they’re not sure. Right now, we won’t know until he wakes up.” Cold fear runs through my veins, and I suddenly know what happened. I can’t be sure, of course, but part of me feels like I just know. There’s a part of me that’s positive the Carters did this to him. I don’t know how, but deep inside of me, I just know. Noah starts to get fussy so Alice stands and walks over to him. “I’ll leave you alone with him for a bit while I walk Noah around,” she says. “You okay with that?” I nod to her. “Thank you.” She picks up Noah. “Listen, honey. This isn’t your fault, okay? It really isn’t.”

I nod at her, not really listening. She touches my shoulder then heads out. This is my fault. She doesn’t know it, but it is. If it weren’t for me getting involved with Caleb and Lucas at the same time, none of this would have happened. It’s my fault that I went between the two and thought I could get involved with a dangerous man like Caleb. It’s my fault that he was over my house, and now he’s paying the price for my stupid mistakes. If Lucas dies or doesn’t fully recover, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ll be a broken person for the rest of my life, and I deserve to be. I don’t deserve a man like Lucas, because I’m a bad person. I take his hand, sitting there and watching him breathe, terrified that he’ll never wake up. If he doesn’t, that means I killed him. I got him killed. All because I’m a stupid, foolish girl. I should never have brought him into this. I should have lived with my mistake with Caleb, or at least stood up to him myself. But because of my weakness, Lucas is lying in this hospital bed, maybe dying. I don’t know how long I sit there for. Alice leaves and I’m alone with my thoughts, Lucas breathing

slowly but surely. I don’t know if he’ll ever wake up, or if I’ll be alone here forever, a lost and destroyed person. I can’t seem to see things straight. I cry again, though I’m not sure for how long. I’m in there, staring at Lucas, when a knock at the door pulls me out of my mind. A nurse steps inside. “Are you Mia?” she asks me. I stands up. “Yes,” I say. “Is everything okay?” “A young man is looking for you,” she says. “He’s just out here.” The nurse smiles and disappears. I frown, not sure what this is. Maybe it’s Josh, Lucas’s friend. I step outside, expecting to see him, but instead I’m confronted with Caleb Carter. His face is a mess. Lucas really beat the hell out of him. Both of his eyes are black, and he has a bandage on his nose, more like a splint. But he’s conscious and standing here, looking at me, while Lucas is in there. “How dare you come here,” I say to him. “Hold on,” he answers. “Just hear me out, Mia.” “You fucking bastard.” I step toward him, rage flowing through me. “You did this to him, didn’t you? You did this.”

He takes a step back, looking confused. “What are you talking about?” “Lucas is in there, maybe dying. Someone ran his truck off the road. And I know it was you.” Understanding blooms across his face. “Mia—“: “No, you asshole. No. I’m done with you.” “I never wanted it to come to this,” he says, and for a second I believe him. “Get out,” I say softly. “Go away and never come back.” “Mia—“ “Get out!” I scream at him and hit his chest, shoving him away. He stumbles back, his eyes wide. “I never meant to hurt you,” he says quickly. “Things got out of hand. I deserve what Lucas did to me, I’m so sorry—“ “Get out!” I scream again and shove him harder. People are staring now, but I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me. The only thing I can think about is hurting Caleb and making him go away. I can’t stand to see him for another second, not when Lucas is lying so close, unconscious and maybe

dying because of that bastard. “Never come back!” I scream. I hit him, swinging wildly, and he stumbles back away from me, eyes wide. People come at us, doctors and nurses. Someone grabs me, but I’m in a rage, and I can barely think. I’m pulled away from Caleb and he leaves as fast as he can, trailed by two nurses. People are talking to me, calming me down, but I don’t hear anything. When they finally let me go, I just turn and go back into Lucas’s room. I sink down to my knees, take Lucas’s hand, and I wait. He says he’ll protect me. I believe him. But now I’m going to protect him, too. I may be to blame for his accident, but I’m going to make it up to him somehow. I’m going to keep those bastard Carters away from him at the very least. If they ever come around here again, I’ll kill them. I’ll kill them with my own bare hands.

25

LUCAS

I

don’t know where I am.

I hear metal crunching, glass breaking. I hear voices and engines. I hear machines, beeping, more voices, more engines, more beeping. For a while, it all goes quiet. And then I hear Noah. He’s crying and Alice is there. She’s calming him down. I don’t know where I am. I hear voices, more voices, and more machines. I feel a hand, I hear Noah, I hear Mia. I hear Mia screaming. I feel another hand, more machines, hours must pass. I don’t know where I am. And then slowly, the world comes back to me. I open my eyes and it feels blurry, like it’s filtered and warped. I blink and groan. My whole goddamn

body is in pain. I feel like that time an IED went off near our convoy and my ass got blown halfway across fucking Syria. I groan and try sitting up, but someone stops me. It takes a little while before I can focus enough to see Mia there, looking at me with this concerned expression. “Hey,” I say to her. My voice sounds like I haven’t spoken in awhile. “You’re awake.” She looks like she’s about to cry. “Yeah. Where am I?” “You’re in the hospital,” she says. “Lucas, I’m so happy you’re awake.” She squeezes my hand and I squeeze back. Everything hurts. I look around. “Alice took Noah home for a nap,” Mia says. “She hasn’t left your side.” “How long have I been here?” “You’ve been asleep for almost a day,” she says. “What do you remember?” “Leaving your place,” I say, trying to think. I can see walking to my truck, turning it on, and driving. Then things get hazy. I see headlights… big

headlights… filling my rearview mirror. “Someone was following me,” I say softly. “When I left your house. Someone was driving too close.” “Who?” she asks, leaning toward me. “Who was it, Lucas?” “I don’t know,” I say. There’s a gap in my memory, a blank. I just can’t see it. She frowns, looking disappointed. She takes my hand. “I’m so sorry, Lucas.” “For what?” “This is my fault.” I look at her and shake my head. “It’s not so bad. I’ve had worse.” “You broke your arm. And some ribs. And you had some internal bleeding. You almost died.” “My legs okay?” I ask her. She pauses. “Yeah,” she says. “Then it’s fine. I’ll walk.” She sighs. “Lucas, it was the Carters. I know it was them. And it wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me.”

“Maybe,” I say slowly. “But I can’t remember.” “The police suspect something bad happened. They said you might remember.” I look at her and suddenly something comes back to me. It’s not about that night, but about my truck. “There’s a camera,” I say. She pauses. “What?” “On my dashboard. Did the cops check my truck yet? Did they get a warrant?” She frowns a little. “I don’t know,” she admits.” “Find out,” I say. “If they didn’t, there might be a chance.” “A chance for what?” I grin at her. “To fucking nail those Carters.” She looks at me, not totally understanding, but that’s okay. I don’t know it was them. But if it was, I need to keep that camera out of the hands of the cops. If it’s only been a day, there still might be time. They might not have checked the truck over closely yet. If they only suspect foul play, they’re probably not in a big hurry to spend money and resources going

over the vehicle in detail, at least until they talk to me first and confirm the theory. I’ll have to stall them. If that dashboard camera shows the Carter boys running me off the road, it might get buried. I’m not naïve enough to think that the police would do the right thing and arrest those bastards. I’m sure that the cops are in the pocket of the Carters. “What are you talking about?” she asks me after a moment. “Should I get a nurse?” “No,” I say. “Well, yes, but wait. Listen. If the cops get that camera and it shows the Carters, they might try to bury it. You know they’re corrupt.” She nods a little. “So what do we do?” “Find my truck,” I say. “Find out what storage facility has it. Then bribe someone to go look in there. You can’t just go in since you’re not family. Tell them that I left something in there that you really need, I don’t know, think up something good. And then take that camera.” “What will we do with it?” she asks. “The police can help us, Lucas.” “Maybe,” I say. “First, we’ll make a copy. And then we’ll let them help us.”

She sighs and squeezes my hand. “Okay, whatever you want.” She has a strange look on her face and I narrow my eyes are her. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” She looks away quickly. “Mia. Is it my son, is my son okay?” “He’s fine,” she says quickly, looking back, eyes wide. “He’s totally fine. He’s with Alice right now. They’re coming back soon.” “Okay.” I let out a sigh and groan a little bit. Pain starts to eat in at the edges of my mind. “What’s wrong?” Suddenly, she drops to her knees and buries her face in my arm. She starts crying, really sobbing, and I’m totally taken off guard. “Whoa, Mia,” I say. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” I stroke her hair as best I can. She clings to my hand, her face buried against my side, and I have no clue what the hell she’s crying about. Slowly, she lifts her face and looks at me, trying to get herself together. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” “It’s okay.” I smile at her and touch her face gently, wiping away her tears. “You’re just stressed.”

“No. I mean, for everything. This is all my fault.” I cock my head at her then laugh. “This isn’t your fault at all.” “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” “Not exactly.” “Lucas.” She stares at me hard, clearly barely holding herself together. “If I hadn’t gotten involved with Caleb… if you had stayed away from me… you wouldn’t be here.” I sigh, shaking my head, and wince at the pain. “Listen to me, this isn’t your fault. Do you hear? It’s not your fault.” “Yes, it is.” “Mia. I slashed Dylan Carter’s tires, and when he came to my house to get revenge, I pulled a gun on him. Then I beat the fucking hell out of his brother. I brought this on myself.” He pauses and sighs. “Besides, we don’t even know if it was them.” She stares at me for a second. “You slashed Dylan’s tires?” “I know. It’s immature and stupid, but I was angry. I saw you with Caleb, and I couldn’t handle it. I had to get revenge on them. Unfortunately, I got

revenge on the wrong Carter. But anyway, I got angry, and I’m working on that.” “Still,” she says, chewing her lip. “You wouldn’t have done that if I just stayed away from the Carters like I wanted to.” “I’m an adult, Mia. I make my own choices. I knew they were dangerous, but I didn’t care. Hey,” I take her hand and squeeze. “This isn’t your fault. If they did this to me, then I caused it, not you.” “I know it was them.” She looks at the ground. “And I think it’s my fault.” “What do you need to hear? That I forgive you? Because I do. There’s nothing to forgive, but I’ll forgive you anyway. It’s not your fault.” “Lucas, you almost died.” I laugh a little bit. “I’ve had worse. Come here.” I pull her hand and she comes down toward me. I kiss her softly on the lips, sitting up as much as I can before the pain stops me. She kisses me back softly before pushing me down against the bed. “Stop trying to place blame on yourself,” I say to her softly. “You’re my girl now, right?” She nods. “Yes, Daddy.” I grin, joy spreading through my limbs, dulling the

pain. “God, I love hearing you say that.” She blushes and looks away. “I like saying it more than I thought I would.” “Listen, get that camera. We can beat this and get away from those bastards, but we need that video. Okay?” She nods at me, looking resolute. “Okay.” “Go now. Right now.” “I’ll tell Alice you’re awake and to bring Noah.” I grin a little bit. “That’s okay, no need to tell them to rush.” She raises an eyebrow. “Why?” I press the nurse call button. “Because I’m going to request those good drugs and maybe get some more sleep.” She laughs softly and kisses my lips. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” “Good. You can do it.” She nods, turns, and leaves the room. I watch her go, smiling to myself. I’m not shocked that she blames herself, but it just underscores really how much she cares bout me. I know asking

her to get that camera is no small task, but we need the footage before the cops can get it. Without it, this all might get swept up under the rug, and the Carters will never back off. The nurse comes soon and they run some tests on me. Eventually I do get those good drugs, which make me fall asleep before Noah and Alice come. But all the while, I’m thinking about Mia and what my future with her is going to bring, and I can’t help but feel optimistic for the first time in a long time.

26

MIA

T

here is one car storage facility in the whole town, which is pretty nice. Having a small town can be pretty beneficial sometimes. If this were a big city, I’d be running around checking places all day at least. Roy’s Towing is an auto shop and junkyard on the east side of town. It’s a pretty large property, and I only know about it because I parked illegally once two years ago and got towed here. I’m assuming this is where they towed Lucas’s truck after the accident, especially if they’re not sure if it’s foul play or not. I doubt it would be with the police, or at least Lucas doesn’t think it would be. I walk into the main building. Roy’s is pretty run down. The calendar on the wall showing busty

women in tiny bikinis is two years old and everything looks like it has a thin layer of motor grease and grime all over it. Stickers for auto parts and supplies places are plastered all over the walls, and the computer is at least ten years old. I ring a bell and wait. The place looks totally empty, but the sign on the door said they were open. It takes a few minutes and another ring of the bell before an older man, graying hair and round in the middle, comes ambling from the back room. “Yes, I heard you,” he says, coming up. He puts on his glasses. He’s wearing a black sweatshirt and tattered jeans with oil stains all over them. He looks at me through his glasses. “What can I do for you?” “Hi, I’m actually looking for a truck that was brought in recently.” He leans against the counter. “Be a little more specific.” I flush slightly. “It’s a black Ford truck. It was in an accident recently, was probably brought in here.” He nods slowly. “I think I got the one you mean. Had that Baker boy driving, yeah?” “Lucas,” I say. “How’d you know?” “Small town, girl.” He crosses his arms, eyeing me.

“That probably makes you Mia Hayes, now doesn’t it?” I gape at him. “How’d you know that?” “Small town.” He shrugs. “I’m Roy himself, if you weren’t sure. And I got that truck here.” I bright a little bit. “That’s great! Is there any way I can see it?” He pauses for a second. “Why would you want to do that? It’s pretty beat up.” “I left something in there. My uh, my work papers. Important ones. For my job.” I smile at him sweetly but inside I feel like a freaking idiot. There’s no way he’s going to buy this. He frowns at me. “I don’t remember anything like that,” he says. “You sure about that?” “Very sure.” He sighs. “I don’t think so. Can’t let you back there. Cops want to take a look at it, haven’t called it a crime scene yet, but they’re gonna. And I’ll be in deep shit if I let you in.” I start to sweat slightly. I’m pretty sure he can’t legally keep me from the truck, but I’m not positive. Because the cops are involved, I know things are a little up in the air. I don’t want to push

it and make things harder. I know I have to move on to Plan B. I reach into my back pocket and take out fifty dollars. I put it on the counter and slide it to him. He watches the money with a raised eyebrow. “Please,” I say. “They’re very important papers.” “Well, now,” he says, taking the cash. He counts it right in front of me with a small smile. “Must be real important, trying to bribe me.” He puts the cash into his pocket. “But I already said no.” I gape at him. “But, hey, my money.” “Bribe’s a bribe, even when it don’t work.” He leans against the wall, crossing his arm. “Besides, I suppose you wouldn’t want me telling the cops you tried to bribe me into seeing that truck.” My heart starts hammering in my chest. I’m on the verge of freaking out and I don’t know what to do. “Please,” I say. “Don’t do that.” “I might not.” “Listen, the truth is, I need something from there. It’s about the Carters. They might be involved in this, and we’re afraid they can bury it, cover it all up, and if I don’t get in that truck, it all might blow up in our faces, and I’m scared. He almost died

because of me, and—“ Roy holds his hands up, interrupting my word vomit. I don’t know what the hell I’m thinking telling him the truth like that. For all I know, he’s on the Carters’ payroll, and I just screwed us even worse. He looks at me as I stand there, sweating and feeling like an idiot. I’m not built for this kind of thing. I’m a nice girl, not the kind of person who has to regularly bribe junkyard owners into seeing a wrecked truck. I have no clue what I’m doing. If he rats me out to the cops, or tells the Carters, I just made things so much worse for Lucas and we’re both screwed. “Did you say the Carters?” he asks me, lowering his glasses. “I, uh, I don’t know, I just—“ “You did,” he says. “This is about those bastards, huh?” I pause, surprised, eyes wide. “Yes,” I say. “It is.” He leans toward me, a little smile on his face. “Is this going to embarrass them?” Hope blossoms in my chest. “Yes,” I say. “It really is.”

“Good.” He grins at me. “I hate those fucking rich snooty assholes. Go ahead, go around back. Truck’s in the second row on the right, just up front. Should be open.” I want to scream with joy. “Thank you so, so much.” “I’ll be in my office, playing music real loud. We never met or talked. Got it?” “I got it.” “Seriously,” he says, looking at me hard. “You never saw me. I’ve been in my office for hours, music real loud.” “Got it. Never saw you.” He nods. “Get on with it.” He turns and heads into the back room. “Thank you!” I call out as I run back out the front door, pulse pounding in my chest. I hurry around the side, slipping through the gate, and go around. I count the rows and easily spot Lucas’s truck sitting at the end, right in the open. I gasp when I see it. I can’t believe how wrecked it is. I have no clue how he could have survived that. I walk over and manage to pull the door open. The truck is a mess of twisted metal and broken glass,

and I have to be careful. The camera isn’t on the dash. That doesn’t surprise me, I figure the cops would have grabbed it if it were. I start looking around under the seats, but there’s broken glass all over. I brush it aside and check under the driver’s seat then the passenger’s seat. I nearly scream when I see it lodged underneath the passenger side, covered by some debris, but definitely there. I reach in and grab it, cutting my hand on some glass, but it’s worth it. I pull the camera out. It looks like it’s still in decent shape. Scratched up and the base is broken, but the main head looks like it’s in one piece, though the lens is cracked. I shove it into my bag and quickly leave the junkyard. I get into my car and drive fast. I shouldn’t be surprised that Roy hates the Carters. Everyone in this town hates those assholes. I’m just lucky as hell that it worked out. I drive as fast as I can back to the hospital. I have my laptop and some cables handy. I park and carry it all in my bag, heart beating fast in my chest. When I get to Lucas’s room, I find him awake and smiling, holding Noah in his arms, with Alice looking on.

“Mia!” Alice says, getting up. “Look at him. He seems totally fine.” I hug Alice and grin at Lucas. “He sure does,” I say. “He says he’s had worse.” “I have,” he grumbles. “Don’t know what all the fuss is about.” “You almost died,” Alice chides him. “This is serious.” He grumbles then goes back to playing with Noah. I catch his eye and give him a nod and a smile, which he seems to understand immediately. He looks over at Alice. “Hey, would you mind taking Noah for a second?” he asks. “Of course.” She takes him. “And could you two, uh, get me a soda, maybe?” He grins at her a little. She looks between the two of us and smiles. “Of course. We’ll be back in ten minutes.” She leaves, giving me a wink. I blush and give him a look. “You could have been a little more subtle.” “Nah. Better she thinks we’re being dirty in here.”

“Dirty?” I sigh, shaking my head as I get out my laptop and the camera. “You can barely move.” “Please. I can still make you moan.” I bite my lip a little and can’t help but smile. “Maybe later. Let’s do this first.” I put the laptop in his lap. He adjusts his bed, sitting up some more, and takes the cables and the dashcam. “Let’s see here,” he says to himself as he plugs it all in. I unlock the laptop for him and he does the rest, uploading the video in maybe two minutes tops. “That’s it?” I ask him. “That’s it,” he confirms. “Now, let’s watch.” He opens the video files for that night and we skip through as he’s driving back home from my house. Most of the video is of the road, his headlights shining. He slows down as he starts to drive more erratically, taking turns very fast. Suddenly, another pair of headlights appears right next to his. “I remember this,” he says softly. “I think I remember. He pulled up next to me.” Lucas scrunches his face. “But I can’t remember who it is.”

“Was it Caleb?” I ask him. “Did you see Caleb?” He shakes his head slowly. “Not Caleb’s car.” We keep watching. The two trucks drive next to each other and hit a sharp curve. Suddenly, Lucas’s truck loses control, skids out, spinning. The video goes wild at this point, but it’s clear that by the end, the truck smashes against a tree and comes to a stop. At that point, the video cuts off, because the camera must get thrown from the dash and ends up under the seat. Lucas frowns at the screen. “That’s it?” I ask him. “No. That can’t be it.” He rewinds it and we watch again. He goes through it twice, each time slower than the next. As we watch, he goes frame by frame during the point that the truck is spinning toward the tree. Suddenly, he stops it and points. “There,” he says. “Look.” I squint. The frame is blurry, but there’s what looks like the back of a truck driving away. He zooms in on the image and takes a screen shot. “Do you have Photoshop?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “Right there.” I point at the icon. He opens the image in Photoshop and starts to mess around with it. After a few minutes, we’re both staring at what’s clearly a license plate, and the numbers are legible. “Where’d you learn that?” I ask him. “Lots of down time when I was in the military. Used to mess around a lot in Photoshop.” He shrugs. “So this is the person who did this to you.” “Yep,” he says. “And I bet that if we go to the Carter house right now, we’ll find this truck parked in their driveway.” I laugh a little bit and kiss him on the lips. He pulls me closer, holding me tight, kissing me deeply. It’s at that point that Alice decides to come back in. “Oh, sorry, didn’t know you two wouldn’t be done,” she says. I blush like mad but Lucas just laughs. He saves the image file and shuts the laptop lid before Alice can see what it is. I take it from him and put it all back in my bag as Alice hands Noah back to Lucas. We don’t talk about the license plate with Alice and

Noah around, but we both know what we need to do next. When he’s ready, we’re going to get out of this hospital, and we’re going to prove that it was the Carters. Maybe it was Caleb or maybe it was Dylan, but it was one of the brothers that drove Lucas off the road. All we need to do is find the matching plate, and we’ll have all the proof we’ll need. I just have to trust Lucas. No more going back to the Carters, no more keeping him at arm’s length. He almost died because of me, and now I’m going to trust him to take care of me. I’m his girl, and that’s all that matters to me. I feel good sitting there with Alice and Noah and Lucas. I actually feel like this is almost normal, like we’re a happy little family. I hold Noah when Lucas gets tired, and we spend the afternoon laughing and being happy. A weight feels like it lifts from my chest. He’s going to survive and maybe, if we’re lucky, we can beat this. We can get the Carters off our backs and move on with our lives. Maybe we can even save the nature preserve. I feel hope for the first time in a long time, all because of Lucas. I just need to trust him. I just need to let myself feel what I’m feeling. He’s going to take care of me, and I’m going to finally get

what I need.

27

LUCAS

T

hree Weeks Later

I SQUEEZE Mia’s hand in mine as we stand side by side outside of the Brokerage Inc. headquarters. It’s set back in a small strip mall in the center of town. The front looks pretty rundown, surprisingly for what’s supposed to be the center of the Carter family empire. “You ready?” I ask Mia. She nods her head once. “I guess so.” “Good.” I grin at her and turn back to the door. I’ve been out of the hospital for a week now. I’m

not fully healed, not even close, and my body is still a patchwork for bruises and scars, and my arm is still in a sling. But none of that matters. I’m free and alive and that’s very bad news for the Carter family. I push through the front door and step into the office. It looks like a normal reception area. The secretary sitting out front is an older woman, maybe in her late fifties, with thick blonde hair and a face splattered with makeup. Mia follows me inside, standing close. I can feel her nerves, but that’s okay. She has every right to be nervous. We’re going up against the Carter family, and this moment will make or break us. The secretary smiles as I approach. “Afternoon,” I say to her. “I’m here to see Mr. Carter.” She frowns slightly. appointment?”

“Do

you

have

an

“I don’t,” I say. “My name is Lucas Baker and I’m here with Mia Hayes. He’s going to want to see us, I think.” She does her best to give us both a smile. The names don’t ring a bell, but I wouldn’t expect them

to. She doesn’t have anything to do with the Carters and their shitty business dealings, I’m sure. “One moment,” she says before standing and heading into the back. I look at Mia and she tries to smile. “What if he doesn’t want to see us?” she asks. “We’ll go back anyway.” She bits her lip. “What if this doesn’t work?” “It will work.” I squeeze her hand just as the secretary comes back. She gives me a confused little smile but doesn’t sit down. “Okay, head on back,” she says. I grin at Mia and we follow the secretary into the halls of Brokerage Inc. In theory, this is supposed to be a money lending operation, though it’s pretty empty. I spot maybe three other employees. I have my suspicions about this place, but that’s not why we’re here. Frankly, I don’t care about his shady business dealings. I only care about Mia. The secretary knocks on a door then steps back. The door opens a second later, and Mr. Carter himself ushers us into his office. He shuts the door behind us and gestures at the chairs in front of his desk. “Have a seat,” he says.

We all sit down in our spots and he leans back in his chair, eyeing us. “I have to say, I’m surprised to see you two here.” “I’m sure you are,” I say. He gives me a look. “What can I do for you guys?” He’s still trying to play the genial businessman, with a fake smile and an open demeanor. He probably thinks that letting us back here was a good move on his part, a way to keep pretending to be a good guy. But that’s his first mistake, because we know better. “We’re here for a simple reason,” I say. “I want you to get your sons to leave us alone. And Mia wants you to back off of the nature preserve.” He smiles slightly wider. “I don’t have any control over my sons,” he says. “And Mia knows I can’t do any such thing.” “Actually, Mr. Carter, you have a lot of control over your sons.” I lean toward him, staring into his eyes. “But we’re not requesting. We’re demanding.” He laughs softly, arching his fingers together. “Interesting. Why do you think you can order me around, Lucas Baker? You’re just some washed up

military guy, home to raise a motherless child.” I look at Mia. “Show him,” I say. She nods, looking nervous. Mr. Carter looks amused. “Mia, dear, you shouldn’t be here. We gave you plenty of chances.” “I think you’ll want to see this,” I say to him. Mia pulls a folder from her bag and passes it across the desk to Mr. Carter. He gives us a bemused look before opening the folder. “Okay, what am I looking at?” he asks. “That first image is a raw still from the video my dashcam grabbed of the accident I was in. Did you know I was in a car accident, Mr. Carter?” The smile on his face is slowly fading. “I heard something about that,” he says. “I’m sure. If you flip that image over, you’ll see a touched up version.” Mr. Carter flips, and the smile is gone from his face. “As you can see, it’s clearly a truck, and the license plate is very visible.” “I don’t know what you’re getting at,” he says, but I can tell he knows exactly what I’m saying. “One more picture,” I say. “Go ahead and flip.”

He turns it over and grimaces. The third photograph is of a truck parked in his driveway. It’s the truck from the first two photographs. “Bullshit,” he says, shutting the folder. “This is garbage. That second picture is doctored. And how do I know that it’s even from the accident? It could be another truck entirely.” I grin at him. “We both know the truth here, Dan,” I say, using his first name. That pisses him off, but he doesn’t say anything about it. “I think you’re just trying to blackmail me,” he says. “And I don’t respond well to that sort of thing.” “Strange. I thought you’d be very comfortable with it,” Mia says suddenly. I grin at her before turning back to Dan Carter. “Look, we don’t have any proof of who was driving that truck. But we do have proof that it was one of your vehicles, and someone in your family was driving it. I bet that if the police do some investigating, they’ll figure it out.” I lean toward him, grinning huge. “Especially if I suddenly get my memory of that accident back.” Dan’s eyes narrow. “You bastard.” “Sure, I’m a bastard. But one of your sons tried to

kill me, and based on the repairs you guys did to that truck, I suspect you’re helping to cover it up. Even with the cops in your pocket, I doubt you could squash this.” He takes a deep breath and lets it out. I know that I have him, but I’m not sure if he can see it yet. He stands up and turns his back on us, looking out the window. He’s silent for an uncomfortable length of time. Mia looks at me, a little worried, but I squeeze her hand again to calm her. We sit there and wait. “What do you want?” he asks finally. “Back off the preserve. And stay away from me, Mia, and our families.” “In exchange, you will give me everything.” He turns and looks at us. “Absolutely every shred of evidence.” “I don’t think so,” I say. “Because I need something to hold over your head. No, the deal is that you do what we say, and we won’t ruin your family.” He stares at me, rage passing over his face, before turning to look out the window. “My boys are trouble,” he says. “Always have been. I was too soft on them, spoiled them, made them into

monsters. Dylan especially. The boy doesn’t know how far is too far. When he came home and the truck was a mess, I knew what he did. Especially when I heard about what happened to you.” Dan Carter sighs and turns back around, sitting back down. “I don’t care what your excuses are,” I say to him. “Take care of it. And we’ll be even.” He nods once. “Consider it done. You’ll be left alone, and I won’t purchase the preserve.” “Thank you,” Mia says. Dan looks at her for a second. “You made the right choice, Mia Hayes,” he says. “My son is a monster.” I stand and Mia follows. “We know he is,” I say. “And so are you. Keep your word.” I turn and leave, Mia in tow. We walk quickly out of his office and into the beautiful afternoon sunlight. Once we get to Mia’s car, she turns and throws her arms around me, hugging me tight. I grimace. “Careful,” I say. “Shit, sorry,” she says, laughing. “I just can’t believe that worked.” “Well, we’ll see.”

“You think he’ll back out?” “No, probably not. But we have an enemy now.” “Didn’t we always?” I grin at her. “Good point. Come here.” She presses herself against me and we kiss, deeply and full. It feels damn good, like the first free kiss we’ve ever had. The weight of the Carter family feels lifted, and the future feels wide open. When we finally break the kiss off, I hold her hand and look into her eyes. “I need you to know something,” I say. “I love you, Mia Hayes. Fell in love with you a while ago, since the day we met.” She smiles huge, her whole body brightening up. “I love you too.” “I know that.” We kiss again, and this time it means even more. I don’t know if Dan Carter will keep his word, but I suspect he will. He’s a father, and he works hard to keep his sons out of trouble, even if he knows they’re rotten. I’m a father too, and I understand that. Except Noah won’t be rotten like the Carter boys are, I’ll make sure of that. And so will Mia. I know she’s going to be in my life

for a long time, which means she’s going to be in Noah’s life. And the idea of Mia being his mother brings a huge smile to my face. I can help her take care of her father, and she can help raise Noah. We can be a family, together, finally. No more Carters, no more problems. That’s all in the past. We can have what we want. She’s my girl and I’m her Daddy. I told her I’d take care of her, and I will. She never has to worry about a thing. “Come on,” I say to her. “Let’s go home.” She smiles, kisses me, and we leave together.

28

MIA

T

wo Years Later

THE SUN IS bright and shining as I walk through the meadow. It feels good, being alone out here, even after all these years. The preserve is always empty this early in the morning, and I love it. I still hike through it every day, even though I don’t really need this job anymore. I keep it just because it makes me happy and because Lucas likes to see me happy. I reach down and run my hand over my swelling stomach, smiling to myself. Soon enough I won’t have time to be taking these long walks. I’ll have

another responsibility in my life, a gorgeous, amazing responsibility. I can’t wait for Noah to have a little brother or sister. I finish my hike, running my fingers over the bark of the trees. Laura is standing down in the parking lot, a frown on her face. “You shouldn’t be going out alone this pregnant,” she says to me. I laugh lightly. “It’s okay. I’m not due for another few weeks.” “Still. You should take it easy.” I shrug. “Doctor says it’s fine. Don’t worry. Lucas worries enough for everyone.” She laughs and gives me a little hug. “Speaking of Lucas. He called a little bit ago, asked if you could have the morning off.” I raise an eyebrow. “Really? Why?” “Can’t say.” She gives me a little smile. “But you should go to the shop.” “Is something wrong?” She sighs, exasperated. “No, nothing’s wrong. Come on, Mia. Go see your damn husband.”

I laugh and throw my hands up. “Okay! Okay, fine. I don’t know why, though.” Laura just waves and heads off. I’m confused, but as I climb into the car, I suddenly have an excited feeling coursing through me. I put my car into gear and start driving. We got married a year ago. It’s not our anniversary today, so I’m not totally sure why Lucas wants me to come spend the morning with him at his shop, but I have a feeling. I’m not sure exactly, though. Lucas’s shop is right in the center of town. It’s a flower shop, just like Alice runs. They don’t compete with each other, since they’re on different sides of town, and they both own them equally. But he runs his shop and she runs hers, though they split all the profits between them. It’s a good system and business is booming. The economy has been really good, which means more people are getting married. And Alice is considered the best florist in town, since she can get the best wildflowers, thanks to my connections at the preserve. Laura conveniently turns a blind eye when Lucas and I go picking. I pull up outside of the shop and park. I climb out and head inside, opening the front door and stepping through.

Normally, the shop is full of flowers, and today is no exception. But instead of displays and racks with gardening stuff, there’s just a single table in the middle of the store with my favorite local flowers lining the walls. Lucas steps out from behind the table, a grin on his handsome face. My heart starts hammering fast in my chest. Even after being together for as long as we have, I still haven’t lost my incredible joy every time I see him. I’m pregnant with his child, I’m his wife, but I still feel like the first time we saw each other every time he steps into the room. “Glad you could make it,” he says. “What is all this?” He grins at me. “Breakfast. Sit down.” I walk over and sit down at the table. He disappears into the back then returns with a plate full of pancakes. I laugh as he puts them down and pours me a mug of coffee. “Okay, what is all this for?” I ask him. “Can’t a man just spoil his pregnant wife?” I grin at him and brandish my fork, a piece of pancake stuck through the end. “Nope. Tell me.” He laughs and sits opposite me. I eat my bite and he

takes my hand, looking into my eyes. “This is the anniversary of the first day we met. Remember?” I laugh, nodding. “Sure. You came wanting to steal flowers from my work.” He grins. “That’s right. And you flirted with me the whole time.” “Did not.” “Sure. You couldn’t help yourself. You knew, even back then, that I was going to be your Daddy.” I bite my lip. I still get chills whenever he says that. “You’re too much,” I say, feeling joy spread through my body. “You’re going to have my kid soon,” he says. “We’re going to be busy. Two little kids to raise, your father to take care of, our jobs. But I just want you to know that I’ll never neglect you. I’ll never forget what’s important to me.” He leans across the table and kisses me softly. “It’s always you, Mia.” I can’t help it. I let small tears fall from my eyes, not able to stop them. They’re tears of joy, of course. He’s the perfect man and I couldn’t have asked for more.

I never thought I’d have someone like him. He’s hardworking, handsome, smart, funny, a great father, and he makes me feel things I never thought possible. He’s my man, my Daddy, my husband, and he takes care of me. He spoils me and always makes sure that I know he loves me more than anything else. It’s unreal, it’s amazing, and it’s perfect. This day is perfect. It’s exactly what I needed. He’s proof that I can be happy. He’s everything I need. Lucas, Noah, my new baby, and I are a family. Alice and my father and everyone. We’re all one big, crazy family, and I couldn’t feel more blessed to have them in my life. I kiss Lucas one more time. “Okay,” he says. “Enough tears. Dig in.” “I love you, you know that?” “Of course I do. I love you too.” He kisses me again. “Now eat before it gets cold.” I dig in and we get to talking like we always do, comfortable and right. I have my baby inside of me, ready to come at any minute, and I can’t wait. Every day is like this. One new joy after another. I couldn’t ask for anything else.

BONUS EPILOGUE: MIA

I

take a deep breath as I look out over the preserve. It feels like its been forever, even though its been about six

months. I miss Aaron already. I know he’s safe and sound back home with Alice, but still. I need to find some way to thank Alice for how much she’s helped lately. She retired as soon as Aaron was born and let Lucas take over her flower shop. Now that he owns the two biggest shops in town, money isn’t really an issue anymore. So I don’t technically need to work at all, but I miss the preserve. I couldn’t help but come back. I’m only working part time, just a few hours a week, but it feels so good to be back outdoors. The cool,

crisp air smells amazing as I walk happily down the path. So much has changed for us since Aaron was born. Lucas’s shop began to really take off just as Alice decided to step down and retire. Of course, Lucas takes care of her, and most of the profits from her shop still go into her bank account, but she doesn’t actually know that. She’s been helping so much with Noah and Aaron that we’re still making out better on this deal for sure. I never expected life to be like this. Now that Lucas is doing well, I don’t have to watch my father all day and night. He’s been doing about average lately, but I think having nurses helping him day and night is actually a huge benefit to him. They know what they’re doing better than I ever could. We all moved into a big house on the edge of town about a month after Aaron was born. It’s close to where Alice lives, which makes it easy for her to come watch Aaron and Noah. Lucas even didn’t complain when I had my father move in with us, which I was so thankful for. We’re one big happy family. And I have Lucas to thank for that. He pulled me out of my rut and gave me the world, and for that, I’m endlessly grateful. As I get further along my path, I suddenly smell

something a little surprising. It’s acrid, a big black. It takes me a second to realize that I’m smelling smoke. I’m pulled out of my reverie instantly. There’s been a slightly drought lately, and the weather service released a wild fire warning just a few days ago. Anna made sure to remind me of that as I was leaving on my walk this morning. I didn’t make anything of it at the time, but suddenly it all comes rushing to me. I can’t help myself. I hurry up the path toward the smoke, unable to stop. I know I should run back to the offices and tell someone about this, but I can’t help myself. I love the preserve too much. Ever since leaving, I’ve been dreaming about walking these paths again. Laura hired new people to help out while I was on maternity leave, and the preserve has been doing pretty well lately, all things considered. We haven’t so much as heard a peep from the Carters, and I’m pretty sure they’re pursuing ventures outside of the town, which is fine with me. I hurry up the path and my heart beats faster. I’m getting closer to my favorite part of the park, and fear settles into my gut. The stench of burning grass and wood gets stronger as I get closer and closer to the meadow.

I spot the fire as soon as I reach the top of the rise. The meadow itself is maybe twenty feet away, and a large swathe of it is churning away under an ugly orange blaze. “Shit!” I yell and run toward the fire. But I have to stop as the wind picks up, blowing smoke right into my face. I hack and cough as I back away from the blaze. Horror runs through me. The meadow is on fire, my favorite part of the park. Without thinking, I turn and pull my phone from my pocket. I don’t know why I call Lucas, but I do. As I hurry back toward the offices, he answers on the second ring. “Hey girl,” he says. “Lucas! There’s a fire!” He pauses. “I know. I’m always hot.” “Seriously,” I say, desperate. “The meadow, Lucas. It’s on fire. Please, I need help!” He quickly understand the seriousness of the situation. “Are you safe right now?” he asks. “I’m safe,” I say. “I’m running back to the offices.” “Good. Hang up the phone and call the fire

department.” “But it’s burning, Lucas! The meadow! Our spot!” “I know,” he says calmly. “Hang up and call the fire department.” I bite back a curse. I don’t know why I didn’t do that in the first place. In my panic, I called the first person I thought of, and of course it was Lucas. I hang up the phone and dial 9-1-1. The operator answers immediately. “9-1-1, what’s your emergency?” “Hello, I’m at the Highland Nature Preserve. There’s a wild fire there. We need the fire department.” “Okay miss. What’s your name?” “Mia.” “Are you in danger.” “No,” I say, getting desperate. I spot the offices up ahead. “I’m safe, but please, hurry!” “Okay Mia,” the operator says, a soothing female voice. “I’ve alerted the fire department. They’re on their way.” “Thanks!” I say.

“Please stay—“ I hang up the phone, not caring what else she has to say. I burst into the office, a little winded and out of breath. “Laura!” I yell. “Fire!” She comes around the corner, eyes wide. “What?” “In the meadow, it’s a fire!” “Are you sure?” “I’m sure! I’ve seen fire before! We have to do something.” “I’ll call the fire department,” she says. “I already did that.” I run up to her and grab her arms. “We have to do something. We can’t just stay here!” “It’s too dangerous,” she says. “People die in wild fires.” I stare at her for a second then shake my head. “I can’t wait.” I run over to the janitorial closet and grab the biggest bucket I can find. “What the hell are you doing?” Laura asks as I run toward the door. “Helping!” I say.

“Mia, stop!” she shouts as I shove through the door. “You can’t do that. It’s too dangerous!” But I’m not listening. I run back toward the path holding the empty bucket and I sprint as fast as I can back toward the smell of smoke. The smell is stronger now. I don’t know how this fire started, but it’s obviously gotten stronger in the last ten minutes. It must be an insane coincident that I found it when I did. If I hadn’t come back to work today, or if I decided not to go through with my old work routine, I might not have noticed the fire when I did, and it could have gotten even worse before it was discovered. No time to think about that, now, though. I stop at the stream and dunk the bucket in, filling it about half way, before hauling it up the rest of the hill. The fire is hot and the smoke thick as I stumble toward it. I come as close as I can and toss the water. It hits the fire and sizzles, and briefly the fire is beaten back. But as soon as I turn, the wind picks up again, and the fire blazes forward. I run back to the stream, fill the bucket as much as I can, and I haul it back up. I throw it on the fire, coughing up smoke, eyes stinging with the stuff. I

can barley think and my chest is burning from the effort. My arms feel like stones, but I’m not stopping. I throw the water again and again, as fast as I possibly can. On the fifth trip, I hit a rock with my right foot and stumble forward. I slam into the ground and the water spills uselessly onto the ground. I scream with frustration. For a second, I think I might stay there, but I’m not that kind of person. I struggle to my feet, get the bucket, fill it up, and push my way back up the hill. I throw the water and it hits the fire with a sizzle. I go to turn away, but the window shifts and the fire is suddenly to my left. My heart starts pounding and my head feels light as I stumble away to the right. My route back to the stream is cut off by the flames. I have to move, I have to get away from it, but it seems like it’s everywhere. Something crashes nearby and I stumble again, gasping for air. The smoke is thick now, too thick, and I can’t think anymore. Stark, serious fear slices through me. I realize how stupid I’m being, trying to put out this fire on my own. Of course I couldn’t do it with just one bucket. I’m a mother now, I can’t be risking my life

like this. But it’s too late, I realize with horror. I think I might be trapped by the fire. It’s everywhere I look, or at least the smoke is beginning to billow and blind me. I stumble away, trying to run, but I trip again and slam into the ground. My hands are cut up from roots and rocks and both of my knees are skinned. I feel like a child, like an idiot. But finally I get a gasp of real air. The smoke is moving upward, and I realize that I can crawl down underneath it. I take a second to get myself together before moving forward on my hands and knees. The fire is behind and to my left now. I start moving to the right, trying to get away from it. My heart is hammering and I’m so afraid I’m going to die out here and leave my two baby sons all alone. “Mia!” I hear my name like a gunshot on the horizon. “I’m here!” I scream as loudly as I can, but it comes out a broken croak. “Mia!” the voice calls out again, and I realize that it’s Lucas. But that can’t be right. He’s at work right now. I feel sluggish and tired. “Mia! Where are you?”

“Here!” I yell. “Lucas! I’m here, down here!” Suddenly he crashes through some bushes, hacking and coughing, a bandana over his face. “Mia!” he yells, spotting me, and grabs my arms. He drags me to my feet. He practically carries me away from the fire. We stumble down the hill together, toward the stream. When we reach its banks, I collapse onto the ground, coughing my lungs out. “Fucking hell Mia,” he says, coughing next to me. “What were you thinking?” “The meadow,” I say stupidly. “Shit.” He crouches down next to me. “You’re lucky Laura told me where you were. The fire department is on their way, but I guess I got here first.” “I’m so sorry,” I say to him. He grabs me and pulls me close. “It’s okay,” he says. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I told you I’d never let you get hurt.” He kisses my hair and holds me tight. The fire department shows up not long after and we’re rushed back to the parking lot. An ambulance takes me to the hospital where they keep me

overnight. I’m lucky, I have some smoke inhalation and some very minor cuts and bruises, but no burns. Lucas doesn’t leave my side, not for a single hour. He keeps the babies with him as long as he can, and then they go home with Alice. For some reason, nobody complains when Lucas sleep in the chair next to my bed. He seems totally immune to the concept of visiting hours. I’m released three days later, and it feels so good to get out of that hospital. But instead of heading home, we take a detour over toward the preserve. “I have something I want to show you,” he says to me. “Really?” I ask him. “I’m sorry. I’m really tired.” “It’ll take a second. I promise.” I frown at him but don’t argue. We pull into the preserve’s parking lot and then we head up toward the meadow. The fire was pretty bad. It burned down a few acres. Blackened trees ring what’s left of the meadow, everything a blackened mess. I frown at the devastation. I don’t know what to say. “Why would you bring me here?” I ask him.

“I know, it looks bad,” he agrees. “Do we know what started the fire?” “No,” he says. “Could have been a million things.” He shrugs and takes my hand. “Come on. It’s just ahead.” We walk through the burnt and broken forest until the trees give way to the meadow. “Here,” Lucas says. “Look.” At first, I don’t see it. All I see is devastation, burnt and broken devastation. It hurts my heart just looking at what’s left of what was once the most beautiful place I’d ever seen. But then I start to notice them. He grins at me as he points. Little green shoots, just tiny little tendrils, are beginning to poke up from underneath the black ash. “What are they?” I ask him. “Laura says it’s just what happens. The forest burns down and then it regrows.” He takes my hand and holds it tightly. “She says that in a year or two, this place will all be new growth.” “Really?” I ask him, smiling slightly. “Really. Things burn and then they grow again.

Nothing disappears forever. It’s going to be okay, Mia.” He pulls me against him. I kiss him deeply, feeling so grateful I can barely speak. We kiss like that for a while, overtop of the burnt and broken land, with the new life just beginning to grow up through it again. Slowly I break it off. “Thanks for bringing me out here,” I say. “I feel better already.” “Good. Just promise me you won’t risk your life like that again. Aaron and Noah need you.” He pauses and frowns. “And I need you too.” “I need you all too.” I touch his handsome face. “I promise.” “Good.” He kisses me again. “Come on. Let’s go see the babies.” “Okay.” I smile as he leads the way back down the forest and toward the parking lot. This is my life, and I don’t want to leave it. I need my babies, my husband, my world. Maybe things burn down, but new growth always comes. One day, the meadow will be back, more beautiful than ever. I’ll show Aaron and Noah the place their mom nearly died for no reason, and we’ll laugh about all of this in the beautiful sunlight.

And I know I’ll always be safe. Because Lucas will be there to protect me. I smile again and can’t wait to get home.

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