Page 17 of Daddy's Little Patient

"I," he said, giving her collar the gentlest of shakes, "don't leave. You want me to go? Throw me out, and expect a fight unlike anything we've ever had when you do it. Because I'm not leaving unless I know it's over between us, and I mean really over. Not because you're upset and overwhelmed, and definitely not because it's what everyone else in your life has done. I'mnoteveryone else, Kelly. I'm your boyfriend and your Daddy, and I don't give a shit what everyone else has done before.I don't leave."

She shook her head, knowing she wasn't worth standing by. But no sooner had that thought tumbled through her brain than did it destroy her. The dam of her misery and frustration splintered her into pieces as that first traitorous tear slipped through her lashes to fall down her cheek. Cole caught her before her knees buckled right there in the driveway.

“I'm sorry!” she sobbed, even as he lifted her back onto her feet. “I don't know what's wrong with me! I feel so bad!”

His big bear-hugging arms wrapped her, holding her tight while all she could do was bawl. She wasn't sure how long they stood there or how many of her neighbors just happened to walk their dogs, fetch the paper or do some gardening right when she was making a scene, but it ended eventually and Daddy put his arm around her and led her into the house.

She barely knew it was happening, it was so subtle, and not once did he let her go. He just rocked her, swaying her gently from side to side. It was pure instinct that made her shift her feet each time she felt a little off balance, but her attention remained locked on the caressing of his hand down her hair, the comforting words he whispered into her ear as he maneuvered her up the driveway and into the house. He closed the door.

“I'm sorry,” she cried again, so sure this was his hug goodbye. And she deserved it. She'd earned it. Right from the start, from the moment she'd awakened in the ambulance being rushedto the hospital, she’d been determined to take care of herself. Because she always had. No, not just because of that, but because if she didn't take care of herself, then no one would.

Except Daddy.

Practically from the moment they'd met–or rather, from the moment she'd reluctantly stepped into this dynamic with him–he'd been right there beside her, ready, willing and able to do all the things she used to dream that Daddies wanted to do… and a lot of things she'd never known she wanted, but which Cole hadn't hesitated to provide. Like waking up to cuddles in the morning and bondage before bed. She hadn't known how warm Daddy smiles when she was good could feel, or how disappointed she could be in herself when she disappointed him.

His grip on her collar shifted as he pulled her practically nose to nose with him. “I am very sorry too. Cutting your cast off was this Daddy’s very last straw. Every time you let your Big girl self take control, you do something that could result in you being seriously hurt all over again. I'm done, Kelly. It's time you stop listening to your Big and start listening to your Daddy.”

She buried her face against his chest, sobbing, “But I can'tdoanything, and all I can think about is all the things I can't do. I can't even wipe my own butt! It's mortifying and depressing and makes me so angry, and I can't even hold my own coffee cup because my fat, stupid fingers–”

“Are swollen and bruised,” he interrupted, delivering the truth in a flat, firm tone that would brook no argument. “And the only reason they are swollen and bruised is becauseyou won’t stop using them.”

She pressed her face harder into his chest. He gave her collar another gentle shake and tipped her head back to make her look at him.

“If you had done what your doctor told you from the beginning, they would not hurt like this now,” he told her withruthless calm. “If you’d let me help you, the doctor himself would be cutting this cast off soon, not putting another one on for another six weeks and talking about a second surgery. No, look at me, Kelly. You are not helping yourself. You arehurtingyourself. You are trying just as hard as you can to lose the use of your hands. You need to heal and healing takes time, period. Time that you're not giving yourself because you'd much rather do everything yourself, because you don't trust anyone else to do these things for you. Not even me.”

It was pure instinct that made her try to pull away, but his stern grip on her collar did not relent.

“I do trust you,” she countered, but her voice wavered and there was no conviction in her words. “I-I just…”

“You don’t,” he flatly repeated. “In fact, the only thing youdotrust me to do is walk away. That's as far as you trust me, and that hurts.”

Her jaw dropped, but even when she drew breath to argue and deny, she couldn’t make herself do it. Hearing those words said out loud was the most brutal truth she’d ever had thrown back in her face. She loved Cole. She loved everything about him, every facet of his personality—he was friend, lover and the Daddy Dom of her dreams… but she didn’t trust him. She didn’t even know how.

But Daddy had been trying to teach her. He’d been trying for as long as they’d been together. Why couldn’t she just let go of the ugliness of her past?

“I’m so sorry, Daddy. I don’t know what’s wrong with me!”

“I know,” Cole said, his tone all Daddy Dom, “That’s why I've made the decision to try something I think might help you eventually learn to trust Daddy more, especially when I'm trying to take care of you. Sadly for you, it will not be a spanking. Corner. Now.”

Chapter Six

Standing in the corner, glaring at the wall, Kelly did her best to gently wipe the tears from her face. The casts made even that awkward, but everything about her right now was awkward.

Her heart hurt when she heard Cole come back in the house, this time with his heavy duffel bag full of Daddy Dom toys and tools slung over his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, still facing the hated corner. “I don’t mean to be so mean to you.”

He ignored that.

“Do you need a painkiller before we get started?” he asked instead.

A tiny spark of energy zipped through her stomach, hitting her chest with the familiar ‘oh no,’ at the same time it hit between her legs with an entirely different kind of anticipation. Her mouth kicked into gear before she could stop it. “You don’t have to, Cole. I shouldn’t have made you feel like—”

“Too late, babygirl.”

That he was still willing to use that particular pet name almost dissolved her into tears all over again.

“Just answer me one question,” Cole said as he set his bag on the coffee table. The hiss of a zipper slipping down metal teeth made every one of her nerve endings prickled with heightened awareness.

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