Bound to the Daddy (Knotted for Life)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

REX

I hold the quivering omega in my arms, not giving a shit about her tears dampening my white shirt. She feels so small and helpless there… so right. Breathing in, I take in her sugar-dipped rose scent deep into my lungs.

It’s tainted with a residual whiff of terror and distress, but the longer we drive, the more it seems to dissipate. Her tears, however, don’t seem to stop. Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back and let a purr rumble deep into my chest.

The sound is stilted a bit, rough, like a cold engine trying to warm up. But it’s the best I can offer under these circumstances. If she were mine right now, I’d find another way to distract her.

Unfortunately, the instant the vibrations travel into her body, she jerks back, her eyes wide like a skittish foal. “What is that?” she whispers, pointing to my chest. “Why are you buzzing? It can’t be your phone, can it?”

A light chuckle drifts from my lips as I pull her back onto me and continue purring. “Have you never had an Alpha purr for you? Not even Brody? Not even your dad?”

Again, she pulls back, and I let her, not wanting to push her away, not when I’m so close to having everything I want. “I didn’t know that was a thing. My dad was a beta, so I guess they just don’t purr?”

“Not that I know of. It seems to be a mutation only Alphas possess.”

She scrunches up her nose in the most adorable fashion. “It makes me feel funny.”

“It’s supposed to relax you. But I can see by the whites in your eyes that it must be having the opposite effect. Curious.”

With a slight pout on her lips, she slumps down, her brows scrunching as if deep in thought. “Maybe that’s why it makes me feel funny. I don’t know what it’s like to be relaxed anymore.”

Clearing my throat, I push a button to roll the dividing window down, giving me access to the driver. “Take us to Echo Park.”

“Very good, Sir.”

Once the window is rolled back up, Stephanie turns to me, her eyes wide. “But what about your office?” she exclaims, sliding her fingers over her delectable lips.

“Are you that eager to face your punishments?” I can’t help the small smirk quirking up on my face.

“Well, no. Wait... punishments? I only have one!”

“Let’s see... you lied to me. That’s one. You failed to make it to my office in the time specified. That’s two. You didn’t call me or let me know when your car broke down, leaving you stranded until I finally came to get you. That’s three. Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that you called me Mr. Rothsbourne after I told you to call me Rex. But then, you already know the punishment for that.”

“I do,” she grumbles.

“And what is it?” Her lips twitch as she swallows and refuses to meet my gaze. “I’m waiting, Steph. What’s the punishment?”

“I’m supposed to call you Daddy. But that doesn’t make any sense. You’re Brody’s daddy. Not mine.”

“I don’t have to be a father to be a Daddy.” I know I’m playing with fire, but watching her try to puzzle out my meaning makes my cock harder than it has any right to be.

“Whatever.”

“You know, for someone facing a fair amount of discipline, you sure do have a disrespectful mouth.”

“I’m not trying to be disrespectful. Trust me, I’m grateful you came and got me.”

“You certainly have an odd way of showing your gratitude then. Or do I need to add to the list of infractions?”

Instead of answering me with words, she shakes her head. Just like a sulking teenager, she crosses her arms and slumps back down in the seat. How I long to yank her over my lap right then and there and give her naughty backside a thorough warming.

I chuckle again and slide my finger under her chin, forcing her gaze to meet mine. “If you’re in that much of a hurry, we certainly can go back to my office right now if you insist. I thought taking in some nature might soothe your mind a bit first. Allow you to calm down.”

“I guess that depends. What’s the punishment going to be?”

“Oh? You assume each infraction is going to get the same punishment all lumped into one? How adorably na?ve.”

She twiddles her fingers as she looks out the window, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. Glancing down at her hands, I note the raw, jagged skin where nails had once been. Unable to help myself, I yank her hand up to me and inspect the damage.

“What are you doing?” she cries out, attempting to pull her hand back.

“When did you do this? When did you gnaw off your nails?”

“Like you care?”

“I do.”

“Right.” The bitter note in her voice isn’t lost on me as I allow her to take her hand back.

“Talk to me, Steph. What’s really going on? What help do you need?”

Instead of answering me, she looks back out the window, an air of hopelessness surrounding her like a shroud. Soon, she’ll have nothing more to worry about.

“I’m in trouble,” she finally says in a sigh. “I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know what to do.”

“Tell me about it. Perhaps Daddy Rex can fix it.”

She screws up her face in disgust, forcing a choked laugh bursting from between my lips. “Is it really that abhorrent? Is it really that hard to call me Daddy?”

“Well, yeah. You’re not my Daddy. Hell, I didn’t even call my own father daddy. He was just plain old dad.”

Tears shimmer in her eyes, and I catch them before she looks away and rubs at her face with the back of her hand. “If I hadn’t expressed my condolences before, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“You might have. I just don’t remember. I don’t have very many memories about that time. It’s as if they’re all gone. Poof. One day, they were here, and the next…” Her voice wavers, thick with emotion. “And the next, I’m alone in this stupid apartment, busting my ass every day just to make ends meet. When the hell did I become the adult?”

Her pain tugs at my heart as I hear it dripping from her lips. Now, more than ever, I know she needs a Daddy in her life. One who can help and nurture her. One who can let her be free from fear and responsibility. She needs me .

“What medication do you take?”

She blinks at me, as if the change in conversation is so sudden she can’t even properly process it. “What?”

“You told the officer you took medication and not drugs. What medication?”

Again, she worries her bottom lip as she refuses to meet my gaze. “I don’t remember the name.”

“Can you tell me what it’s for?”

“I’d really rather not.”

“And I don’t remember giving you a choice. You’re coming to me for help. Remember? I need to understand the depth of the situation before I determine which help to give.”

She mumbles a few words and hunches further down into her chair.

“What was that? You’ll have to speak up a bit louder.”

“They’re anxiety meds. Okay? Is that what you want to know? I’m a fucking mess. That’s what’s wrong with me. That’s what’s wrong with everything. I can’t even manage to go a whole day without having some sort of meltdown. Happy now? Is that what you wanted to know?”

“I am happy. I’m happy you brought me into your confidence. I’m not looking to harm you, Steph. Far from it. I want to help you. I want you to be happy and carefree. I hate seeing you so burdened.”

“Again, why do you care?”

I long to reach out and stroke her cheek, but I hold back. Soon enough. “Why shouldn’t I? I only regret I didn’t realize how bad it was sooner.”

“It’s not as if I broadcast it everywhere. Usually, if I’m lucky, I can have my meltdowns at home. Today was just one more addition to the shit sandwich that’s now my life.”

The car rolls to a stop, and the driver opens our door. Stephanie’s hand fits so perfectly in mine, so small, so dainty. She really is such a tiny little thing.

“When’s the last time you ate?”

She stops for a moment and looks off into the distance, her eyes unfocusing for a moment. “I… I’m not really sure. I honestly can’t remember.”

“Well, that is certainly unacceptable.”

Her cheeks pinken as she darts her gaze away. “Are you going to add that to my punishment?”

“Not this time. But I’ll certainly be watching you a bit more closely. Can’t have you malnourished.”

“You really don’t have to take care of me like that. I just need a job and a place to stay for a bit while I get back on my feet. I don’t need you to manage me.”

“I’ll be the judge of what you need. Now, no more talk about that. Not until we get to the office.”

“Where you’ll punish me?”

I glance over at her quivering frame as she nibbles on an already raw thumbnail. “Hands out of your mouth. Now. You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep that up.”

She shrugs but does what she’s told. “It hasn’t bothered me before.”

“Well, it bothers me.” I grab her hand and drag her over to a secluded bridge overlooking the tranquil water. “You’re really worried about these punishments. Aren’t you?”

“I just need to know how bad they are so I can tell my brain to stop thinking the worst.”

“Oh?” I lean against the weathered wood and give her a smile. “And just what is that brain of your concocting?”

“I don’t know. Like bamboo skewers under my nails. Waterboarding. Whatever it is you rich guys do to people who make you mad.”

My brow furrows a bit. “You think I’m mad at you?”

“Well yeah. Why else would you punish me?”

A heavy sigh drifts through my lips. “This is certainly not the place for this discussion. We will talk about it on the way home. It’s not as if you’ll even be able to enjoy the beauty of nature while your mind is in a constant whirl.”

Stephanie follows me, her shoulders pulled down as she drags her feet. It’s like she’s walking toward her execution instead of a mild punishment and a hot meal. Shaking my head, I hold back the laugh threatening to erupt from my chest. If she only knew.

“Now then, I want to get one thing straight. When I discipline anyone, it’s never out of anger. I’m not mad at you. You didn’t make me angry. I’m punishing you because I care about you and want you at your best.”

“And the Daddy thing?”

I give her a wink. “That’s just my own personal peeve. When I make a reasonable request of you, and you don’t follow through, then a punishment is warranted. In this case, I feel that calling me Daddy certainly fits the crime.”

“I suppose. But what about the others?”

“I’ve been thinking long and hard about what will benefit you the most. Seeing as lying is the one thing I abhor most in the world, I had thought of using my belt against your backside. It’s far less intimate than my hand and certainly able to make an impression.”

Her face pales as she stares at me. “Belt? Will it hurt?”

“It’s not supposed to tickle.”

Again, that adorable swath of red washes over her cheeks. “But your hand will hurt a lot less. Right?”

“Depends on how and where I wield it, but typically, yes.”

“Could I request that instead, then?”

I raise my eyebrow. “Perhaps. But you will have to convince me.”

“How? How on earth can I make you do anything you don’t want to do?”

“Simple. Say, Daddy, I would like for you to spank my bare bottom with your hand as a punishment for lying.”

She blinks as her mouth drops open. “But that sounds so… so…”

“It sounds so what?”

“Dirty,” she blurts out before slamming her hands over her mouth.

“It’s only as dirty as you make it. Do you think it’s dirty for me to slide your pants and panties down to your ankles, bend you over my lap, and take my hand to your naked backside?”

“Oh, God,” she groans. “You made it even worse.”

“That still doesn’t give me an answer.”

“You… You can’t be serious.”

“How badly do you want my help? Hmmm? How much do you need me?”

Moments go by where neither of us says a word. For a moment, I worry I’ve scared her off. Damn me and my fucking cock.

“Daddy, I would like for you to spank my bare bottom with your hand as a punishment for lying.”

Hope blossoms in my chest as a tendril of arousal wafts from her body. “Say please, and we have a deal.”

“Please.”