The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The First Collection by Frost, J (great novels .txt) 📕

She nods. “Gateway topping, Daddy.”

“Gateway topping?”

That’s a new one. Even Niall, who loves technical terms for kink and, I swear, invents his own whenever he has a chance, hasn’t come up with that one.

“It starts with a couple of scenes and then maybe you meet up for coffee to talk about a scene, and then a scene gets really intense, and before you know it, boom, I’m on a train back to Syracuse and you’re with Lucy. But if you’re not attracted to her, then it’s okay.”

I reach across the table and take her hand. Her palm’s damp, which could just be the rising temperature, but I suspect it’s more her insecurities nipping at her. “First of all, I would never let things escalate like that, not after I’ve made a commitment to you. Second, you are not getting on a train back to Syracuse.” Of course, she might be if I sell the house. “At least, not without me.”

She squeezes my fingers. “Ta, Daddy. I know you’ve had opportunities to date the house subs. I just figured the timing was off with you and Lucy because you were already dating Rachel when Lucy joined Blunts. But if you’re not attracted to Lucy, then that explains it. Lucy . . . I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She doesn’t feel the same.”

“If there’s something on her end, Lucy’s never said a thing.”

“Well, except asking you to top her,” Emily points out after washing down the last of her omelet with a sip of juice. “But Lucy’s not like that. She’d never trail around after you the way Master Ten’s fan club chase after him.”

I chuckle. “They do, don’t they?”

“They really do. The other day, I saw KayCee drop to her knees in front of Master Ten in the middle of the upstairs hallway. He made her give him a blowjob right there with everyone walking past.”

Sounds like Ten. “Probably not the first time he’s done that. He likes to make bottoms earn scenes with him. And that’s one of Javier’s favorite things to do to Briar, so don’t be surprised if you walk past that someday.”

Emily blinks in surprise. “But Briar’s not like that. She’s way too proud to see that as anything but humiliation. She doesn’t safe word?”

“Nope.” I pop the last bite of focaccia toast into my mouth.

“The house subs are allowed to safe word, right?”

The big eyes lift to me; it’s like staring down twin cannon barrels.

“Yes, sweetie. The house subs all have safe words and know that using them in no way threatens their positions in the club. Briar won’t safe word with Javier because she’s trying to snare him. Particularly now that he’s no longer with Celia. Javier says she’s worse than kudzu.”

A high, sweet giggle. “That’s mean, Daddy.”

“Javier’s been a Dom nearly as long as Briar’s been alive. You think he doesn’t know how to get what he wants? If he wanted her, she’d be his already.”

Unless she was already taken, which is why Javier doesn’t have what he actually wants. But I think the woman sitting across the table is blissfully unaware of Javier’s interest. And although there have been some dark moments during the past six weeks when I wondered if she wouldn’t be better off with him, I haven’t enlightened her. Javier’s a good Dom, but he’s not nurturing on the best of days. He’d turn Emily back into what she was with the Dom who trained her: a masochist and submissive, but not a baby girl.

She’d probably be content for a while; she stayed with Matthew for two years. But there would always be something missing. Javier would smother the zany little girl who dances naked around my house singing along to One Direction. No more skateboarding ninja. No more blanket forts. No more nights cuddling after reading Beauty and the Beast. No more Captain Daddy. No more playing out her Kylo Ren rape-fantasies.

No matter my shortcomings, I’ll always try to be the daddy Emily needs. That’s more important than Javier’s condo on the Upper East Side and his platinum AmEx.

That thought, and the knowledge that I need to call realtors this morning, sours the aftertaste of breakfast. I lean across the corner of the table to give her a kiss. “Since you’re so hot to do Daddy’s jobs, little girl, I’ll let you wash the dishes today. Leave the counters and table for me to wipe down after I get some work done.”

“Okay, Daddy.” The big eyes follow me as I rise. She can probably see what’s at the heart of my retreat.

I bend over and kiss her forehead so she knows Daddy still has her, but also so she can’t see what’s in my eyes. “We’ll head over to the shelter after they open at ten-thirty, sweetheart. Oh, and there’ll be a package or two delivered this morning, so please listen for the door while I’m on the phone.”

“Yes, Daddy.” She looks out at the garden instead of watching me leave, and I let her enjoy the view, for as long as we have it.

* * *

I haven’t ever bought or sold a house, since I inherited my parents’, but it turns out that everything’s done online now. Within fifteen minutes, I have three confirmations from realtors to value and photograph the house. Tomorrow’s the best day, since the cleaner comes this evening and the house might be a mess after the party, but I can’t stomach telling Emily today. Today should be all about her reward. I schedule the viewings for Monday afternoon and resign myself to telling Emily on Sunday.

While I’m reading an email from Rick’s manager, Glory, I hear the doorbell. Emily answers. After a moment, there’s a knock on the office door. “Daddy? These packages are addressed to me, but I didn’t order anything.”

I smile to myself. “If they’re addressed to you, I think you should open them.”

I hear her pad away. Her footsteps are soft on the