Page 43 of Daddy Defender
I hit send, my eyes flicking to Bodie, now curled up with his stuffies, sketching in his pad, his pencil moving fast like he’s pouring out his frustration.
I want him—his sass, his Little side, hiseverything.
But Vince’s men are closing in, and my job is to keep the boy alive, not to fall for him.
That kiss changed things, though, and as I check the shack’s locks, my mind’s split… half on the mission, half on the boy who’s making me question everything.
I’ve got to balance the scales, for him and for me, but right now, all I can think about is how his lips felt against mine, and how much I want to do it again…
Chapter 15
Bodie
Henry thinks I’m his obedient Little.
He’s got another thing coming.
I can’t be this close to the water and not feel it on my skin…
The shack’s too small, the air too thick, the walls too dark. I’m curled up on the sagging couch, Poot and Billy squished against my chest, their soft fur grounding me as my heart races.
That kiss with Henry—God, it was like a wave crashing over me, fierce and wild, pulling me under until I couldn’t breathe. His lips, his hands, the way he held me like I was his… it’s got my head spinning, my Little side humming, and my grown-up side freaking out.
I want to lean into it, to let myself fall for his big, bossy Daddy vibes, but fear’s clawing at me, whispering that he could be another Vince—charming at first, then a snake ready to strike.
Kiss or no kiss—and it was a great kiss—I’m still wary.
I glance at Henry, hunched over his laptop at the rickety kitchen table, his face lit by the screen’s glow.
Henry’s jaw’s is tight, and he’s all focus, typing fast like he’s decoding the secrets of the universe. I mean, I’m cool with it. He’s probably talking to his Guard friend, planning how to keep me alive while Vince’s mercenaries hunt me down...
The thought of Vince—his green eyes, his mocking smirk—makes my stomach twist. I hug Billy tighter, his cool sunglasses digging into my palm.
Henry’s not Vince, I know that. He bought me my little ducky stuffy, listened to my Little side without laughing, and knows how to spank and care for me afterward too… but trusting him feels like stepping off a cliff. What if I fall, and there’s no one to catch me?
My eyes drift to the window, the ocean’s shimmer calling me like it always does.
The waves are out there, rolling in, promising freedom, the one place where I’m untouchable.
Surfing’s my escape, my safe space before Vince tainted it with his fake comps and dirty money. I need that feeling back—the rush, the salt on my skin, the world shrinking to just me and the water.
Henry’s rules, his lockdown, it’s like a wetsuit two sizes too small, squeezing me until I can’t breathe. I’mnothis prisoner, no matter how much my Little side likes his “Little One” nickname or the way his lips felt on mine.
I shift on the couch, my sneakers scuffing the floor, and Henry doesn’t look up, too lost in his laptop. My surfboard’s still strapped to Shred’s roof, just outside, taunting me…
Just do it.
You won’t get caught.
Well, not until it’s too late…
The waves sound perfect, a steady rhythm that’s practically begging me to paddle out.
I bite my lip, my heart thumping.
Henry said no surfing, no wandering, but I’m not some kid he can cage. I need this—one quick sesh to feel like me again, to wash away Vince’s shadow and that kiss that’s got me all messed up.
“Okay, Poot, Billy,” I whisper, tucking them under a cushion like they’re in on my plan. “Don’t rat me out, alright?”
