Page 167 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection
I thumb his name. He picks up on the first ring.
“What’s wrong, Max?” he asks.
“Cynnie broke with her family. They were trying to force her into a marriage with a business associate like it’s the fifteenth fucking century. I’m shielding her until she’s ready to stand up to them. They’re slinging some shit at me. It stings.”
De Leon hums. “Where is she?”
“Sleeping in her hive.”
“Under your bed?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And you’re doing what, taking their calls or something while she sleeps?”
“Yeah. I just got off the phone with her grandmother. She called me a pervert and a monster and a rapist. She says I’m brainwashing Cynnie.”
“Cynnie was a little before you met her, right?”
“Yeah. She’s been one all her adult life.”
“Then wear those labels with pride. Be her pervert. Be her monster. That’s what she needs from you. When she’s ready,she’ll come out and slay the dragon on her own. But for right now, be her beast.”
“You think so?”
“We’re the sin-eaters, Max. You know what that is?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard the term.”
“We’re the ones who do the things that need doing. We’re the ones who don’t turn away. We’re the ones who stand up and take the beating. We’re the ones who get up afterwards and take it again. You told me being a daddy was a chance at a do-over. A chance at a win. This is it. This is your moment. It feels like shit. It’ll leave you bruised and aching. But you’ll still be there, standing tall, taking it. That’s what she needs. That’s what you’ll do.”
I’m silent for a long minute. Stunned. De Leon’s a pain in the ass, but when he delivers, fuck me, he delivers.
“Is that what you’re doing with Lindy?” I ask.
“Yeah. I’m not his daddy and I don’t think he’s a little. If anything, from what I’ve read, I think he’s a brat. But labels don’t matter as much as what he needs. He needs someone to tell him he did wrong. To punish him and set him back on the right path. That’s what I’m doing. What he does from there is up to him.”
I swear softly. “That seems like a lot to take on the first time you’ve topped anyone.”
De Leon chuckles. “I’ve never done easy.”
“I jumped into the deep-end with Cynnie, too.”
“And it’s worked out good. She makes you happy. I’ve seen it. And you’re being what she needs. Imagine what would be happening to her right now if you weren’t there, Maxie. Imagine how scared and alone she’d be.”
I rub my hand between my pecs. Just the thought of Cynnie standing against the collective disapproval and coercion of her family gives me heartburn.
“I’m not sure what to do next,” I admit. “They’re throwing around a lot of threats.”
“Let them. It’s fucking hard to get an adult committed. That’s what they’re threatening, right? I read about it some. It’s a risk of the lifestyle. Kink was considered a mental disorder not too long ago. But it’s not anymore. I’ve listened to the two of you talk for hours. No one’s gonna think she’s a risk to herself or others.”
“No?”
“No. If that’s all they’ve got, let them blow smoke. If it gets on top of you, set some limits. Number of calls a day. Number of minutes per call. Don’t rise to their bait. Don’t let them talk shit about you or your girl. Be polite. Answer questions that are reasonable. Tell them to fuck off if they’re not.”
“You make it sound simple.”
“It is, Maxie. I didn’t understand until I hit Lindy for the first time. Then it clicked. Being what your sub needs is the simplest, most instinctual thing in the world. All you have to do is let everything else go and just be. They need you to be one thing right then. Be it. Easiest thing ever. You didn’t mention that when we were talking about the daddy thing.”
