Chapter 15
Miles
“Phew, another totally normal workday,” I say, shaking my head. “Yeah, right.”
The city’s evening pulse thrums around me as I step out of the Knox & Rain office, my backpack slung over one shoulder.
The air’s cool, the sky a bruised purple, and I’m bone-tired but buzzing with a strange mix of relief and unease.
Today was a minefield—those irregular files on Obsidian Ventures, the cryptic payments, the nagging doubt Travis planted about my firm.
Plus there was that conversation with Kyle Knox.
I clutch my phone, the screenshots burning a hole in my pocket, and head for Travis’s apartment. Despite everything—the tracker in my waistband, the death threat, the cartel mess—I’m happy at the thought of seeing him.
His stern Daddy vibe, that gentle way he read The Velveteen Rabbit last night, it’s got me thinking about things I don’t want to admit to be thinking about—not even to myself.
I push open the door to his sleek, sparse apartment, the city’s glow filtering through the massive windows. Travis’s on the couch, his laptop open, a glass of whisky in his hand.
Hmmm.
Where’s my welcome?
Something’s not quite right…
His jaw’s tight, his eyes cold, and my heart skips as I drop my bag and move toward him, arms open for a hug.
“Hey, I’m back,” I say, my voice light, expecting that warm Daddy spark, but already suspecting that something’s up.
But Travis doesn’t move.
His gaze flicks to me, hard and unyielding, and he leans back, crossing his arms. No hug, no smile, just a wall of ice. My arms drop, and a knot forms in my stomach.
“What’s wrong?” I demand, my voice sharp with a slightly indignant tone. “You’re acting like I kicked your puppy.”
Travis’s eyes narrow, and he sets his glass down with a deliberate clink.
“I hate being lied to, Miles,” Travis snaps, his voice low, cutting. “You wanna tell me what you were doing with Kyle Knox today? All cozy, letting him get close?”
I freeze, my heart lurching.
“What are you talking about?” But then it hits me—his spying mission. He was at the office. Damn it, how did I not notice. My face burns, a mix of shock and anger flaring. “You were there? You snuck into Knox & Rain?”
“Damn right I did,” Travis snaps back, standing, towering over me. “Went in as a professor, got a good look around. Saw you and Knox, heads together, him touching your arm, you not pulling away. Looked real intimate, Miles. Care to explain?”
I stomp my foot, fury bubbling over.
“You spied on me? And you think I’m—what, betraying you?
Flirting with that sleaze for fun?” My voice rises, and I’m shaking, my hands balled into fists.
“I hated every second of that, Travis! Kyle was being his usual slimy self, leaning in, acting all charming. I played along because I could tell he was hiding something, trying to manipulate me. I was working him, trying to get answers, just like you told me to!”
Travis’s jaw ticks, but he doesn’t back down.
“Looked pretty convincing from where I was standing,” he says, hands folded across his chest.
“That’s because I’m good at my job!” I shout, stepping closer, my chest heaving. “I’ve been through it all with you—your rules, your tracker, your spankings—and you still don’t trust me? If that’s how it is, you might as well kill me now, because I’m done playing your suspect!”
Travis’s eyes flash, and for a split second, I think I’ve pushed too far.
He steps forward, closing the distance, and my breath catches, fear and adrenaline spiking.
But instead of anger, his hands cup my face, and he kisses me.
Hard, deep, like he’s pouring everything into it—anger, want, something raw and real. My body lights up, every nerve singing with delight, overwhelming passion flooding me.
I kiss him back, my hands gripping his shirt, pulling him closer. Travis’s lips are firm, tasting faintly of whisky, and the world narrows to this moment, this heat, this connection I’ve been fighting since he buckled my seatbelt.
We pull back, breathless, his forehead resting against mine.
His eyes are softer now, but there’s a storm behind them.
“I’m sorry,” Travis says, his voice rough. “I fucked up. Saw you with Knox, and it… got to me. My feelings for you, they’re clouding my judgment. I can’t afford that, but I can’t stop it either.”
My heart’s singing, joy and relief crashing through me like a wave.
“Travis,” I whisper, my voice shaky. “I’m not against you. I’m in this, whatever this is. But we have to work together. No more spying, without telling me first. No more doubting me.”
Travis nods, his thumb brushing my cheek.
“From here on out, we’re a team,” Travis says. “You and me, we get to the bottom of this—Knox, the cartel, the threat. All of it.”
I smile, my chest light despite the weight of what’s ahead.
“Good. Because I need to tell you what Kyle said before I forget. It’s about Obsidian Ventures…”
Travis’s eyes sharpen, and he pulls me to the couch, sitting us down. “Go. Every detail.”
I take a deep breath, my mind racing back to that slimy conversation.
“Kyle cornered me at my desk,” I begin. “All smiles, asking about my progress on some old cases. But he kept steering it to Obsidian Ventures, saying they’re a ‘priority client’ and I should leave their files alone.
He was too casual, like he was testing me.
When I pushed back, asking why they’re so important, he got cagey, said it’s ‘above my pay grade’ and laughed it off.
But his eyes—they were nervous. He touched my arm, leaned in, like he was trying to charm me into dropping it.
I played along, smiled, nodded, but I could tell he was hiding something big. ”
Travis’s jaw tightens, and he leans forward, elbows on his knees.
“Obsidian Ventures is a front,” Travis says, his voice serious and full of intent. “Cole’s intel links them to the new Los Lobos cartel. Kyle’s in deep, and if he’s warning you off, it means he knows you’re digging. You’re a threat to them, Miles.”
My stomach twists, the screenshots on my phone suddenly feeling like a ticking bomb.
“I got more today,” I say, pulling out my phone and showing him the images—payment records, invoices, names tied to Obsidian Ventures.
“It’s not just money laundering. There’s a pattern—meetings with clients I’ve never heard of, transfers to accounts in tax hideouts.
I didn’t want to believe it, but… it’s real. ”
Travis’s eyes scan the screenshots, his expression grim.
“Good work, Little Lawyer,” Travis says. “This is exactly what we need. But it also means you’re in more danger than ever. You don’t leave my sight from now on, got it?”
I nod, my heart still racing from the kiss, from the truth we’re uncovering. “Got it. But Travis… what does this mean for me? For my job? I thought Knox & Rain was my purpose, my way to fight for justice.”
Travis takes my hand, his grip firm, grounding.
“We’ll figure it out. Together,” Travis says, pure Daddy. “You’re not alone in this, Miles. I’ve got you.”
I squeeze his hand back, joy and fear tangling in my chest. For the first time, I feel like we’re on the same side, and it’s exhilarating.
But the weight of Kyle’s deception, the cartel, the threat—it’s all closing in.
I lean against Travis, his warmth steadying me, and for now, I let myself believe we can face it.
Together.
The credits of The Princess and the Frog scroll across the TV screen, the music a sweet hum. I’m snuggled up on the couch, my head resting against Travis’s chest, his arm draped around me, warm and solid.
Bean is tucked into my lap, his warmed up fuzzy fur a comforting anchor, but it’s Travis’s steady heartbeat under my cheek that makes my whole body hum.
The kiss from earlier—raw, passionate, like a dam breaking—still lingers on my lips, and every time I glance at him, my skin tingles with a need I’ve never felt before.
It’s overwhelming, electric, like my entire being is tuned to him, and I’m not sure I can stand it much longer.
“Daddy,” I whisper, looking up toward Travis.
“Yes, darling?” Travis replies.
The credits music swells, and Travis shifts, his hand brushing my shoulder as he turns to me. His eyes, those piercing green-gray pools, lock onto mine, and before I can think, he leans in and kisses me again.
It’s slower this time, deeper, his lips firm but gentle, tasting of whisky and something uniquely him.
I melt into it, my hands sliding up his chest, fingers curling into his t-shirt as a wave of arousal crashes through me.
My heart’s pounding, my thighs pressing together, and I want him—God, I want him so bad, right here, right now.
I press closer, my body practically begging, and I feel his breath hitch, his grip tightening for a moment like he’s fighting the same urge.
But then he pulls back, his forehead resting against mine, his breathing ragged.
“Miles,” Travis says, his voice rough, strained. “We can’t. Not yet. I’m your Daddy, and I’m a Guard. I’ve gotta do what’s right, and right now, with all this shit—Knox, the cartel—we need to hold off. Just a little.”
I pout, my body screaming in protest, every nerve alight with want.
“Daddy,” I whine, my voice soft but edged with sass. “You’re killing me here. You better not wait too long, or I might just find another hunky Guard to keep me company.”
His eyes flash, a mix of amusement and possessiveness, and before I can blink, Travis’s on his feet, scooping me up and tossing me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing.
I squeal, laughing so hard my sides ache, my hands playfully smacking his back as he carries me toward the guest bedroom.
“Oh, you think you’re funny, Little?” Travis growls, his tone teasing but with that Daddy edge that makes my insides flutter. “No other Guards, you hear me? You’re mine.”
I giggle, my legs kicking lightly as he strides down the hall, Bean clutched in my arms. “
Yours, huh?” I say, my voice muffled against his shoulder. “Prove it, Daddy.”
Travis chuckles, the sound vibrating through me, and gently sets me down on the bed, the soft mattress bouncing under me.
I look up at him, still laughing, my heart so full it feels like it might burst.
Travis’s standing there, all muscle and quiet strength, his eyes soft but commanding, and it hits me like a tidal wave: he might just be my perfect Daddy.
Not just the stern protector, not just the Guard I’m supposed to hate, but someone who sees me—my fire, my Little side, my need for justice—and meets me there, every step of the way.
He kneels beside the bed, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
“Get some sleep, Little Lawyer,” Travis says, his voice softer now. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow. You did good today, telling me about Kyle, those files. We’re gonna figure this out, together. And when we do, it’ll be all candy and roses for you.”
I nod, my giggles fading into a warm, contented glow.
“Okay, Daddy,” I whisper, pulling Bean closer. “But you owe me a movie night with extra popcorn next time.”
Travis grins, that rare, boyish smile that makes my heart skip.
“Deal,” Travis chuckles. “Now close your eyes.”
I do, sinking into the pillows, the weight of the day—Kyle’s sleazy charm, the Obsidian Ventures files, the kiss—melting away.
Travis’s presence lingers, a quiet promise, and as I drift toward sleep, I feel safe, anchored, like maybe, just maybe, we can face whatever’s coming.
But if Travis thinks I’m going to stop trying to get him to give in to his animal passion, then he’s got another thing coming…