Chapter 3
three
Rex
Since Daisy moved it, I’ve watched her recover. She follows most of the rules, eats actual meals, and sleeps through the night in my guest room. She's rehomed three more animals—down to six total—and there's color back in her cheeks.
But she still can't say no at work.
I pull into my driveway at 4 PM, already planning dinner. Something protein-heavy because she still tries to skip meals when I'm not watching. The clinic closed at three, so she should be inside, probably fussing over the fosters.
She's not inside.
I find her in the garage, curled up between the dog kennels on the concrete floor. Still in her scrubs, work badge clipped to her chest, utterly passed out. For a split second, my heart stops and my instincts kicking in, checking for threats, injuries.
Then I see her chest rising and falling. Just exhausted.
"Daisy." I crouch beside her, hand on her shoulder. "Baby, wake up."
She startles like I've shocked her, eyes unfocused and confused. "Rex? What time is it?"
"Four PM. Why are you asleep in the garage?"
"I was just..." She sits up too fast, sways. I steady her. "Just checking on the fosters. Must have dozed off."
"When did you get home?" I keep my voice level, but something hot and protective is building in my chest.
"Um. Maybe thirty minutes ago?"
"Your shift ended at noon."
Guilt flashes across her face. The same guilt I've seen a dozen times when she apologizes for existing.
"I covered for Jennifer. She wanted to leave early for her yoga class.
Then Mark asked me to help reorganize the supply closet because he doesn't like the new system.
And Mrs. Patterson brought in her cat for the third time this week—nothing wrong with him, she's just lonely—and I stayed to chat with her because she gets so sad when we rush her out. .."
I close my eyes. Breathe. "You worked four extra hours so Jennifer could do yoga."
"She really loves that class—"
"And Mark can reorganize his own damn closet."
"But he gets anxious when things aren't—"
"Not your problem." I scoop her up before she can keep making excuses. "When's the last time you ate?"
She bites her lip.
"Coffee doesn't count." I carry her inside, Thor trotting behind us. "Someone has to protect you from yourself."
I set her on the couch. Thor immediately jumps up, lays across her legs like he's pinning her in place. Smart dog.
She's blinking back tears. This woman gives and gives until there's nothing left, and her workplace bleeds her dry because she lets them.
I pull out my phone, dial Dr. Mitchell. He answers on the second ring.
"Rex? Everything okay?"
"No. Daisy just worked four unpaid hours because your staff can't respect boundaries... I don't care if Jennifer wanted to leave early, that's not Daisy's responsibility... Right. She's taking a personal day tomorrow... Thank you."
I hang up. Daisy's staring at me like I've grown a second head.
"You can't just call my boss!"
"Just did. You're off tomorrow."
"Rex!"
"No." I sit beside her, pull her against my side. She comes willingly, tucking into me like she's been waiting for permission. "This is exactly what we talked about. You can't set boundaries, so I'm setting them for you."
The tears spill over. "I tried to say no. But Jennifer looked so hopeful, and Mark gets stressed, and Mrs. Patterson is so lonely—"
"And none of that is yours to fix." I stroke her hair. "You're drowning, baby. And I can't watch it anymore."
"I'm failing at your rules."
"You're not failing. But you need more than rules." The words sit heavy on my tongue. We've been dancing around this since she moved in. "You need someone in charge. Completely."
Her breath catches. "Like... like in those books I read?"
"Yeah. Like that."
"A Daddy." She whispers it like a confession.
Hearing her say it—tentative and hopeful and scared—does something to me. "Is that what you want?"
"We've only been living together two weeks."
"And you've been mine since the first day you moved in." I tip her chin up. "This just makes it official."
"What if I'm bad at it? What if I need too much?"
"You're exactly the right amount of work." I kiss her forehead. "But you need to understand. If you say yes, you're mine. I make the decisions. You follow the rules. And there are consequences when you don't."
"Consequences?"
"Punishments. When you put everyone else first and forget yourself."
She shivers against me. "Like spanking?"
"Like spanking."
"I've never... I mean, I've thought about it, but..."
"I know." I stroke her cheek. "Say yes, Daisy."
"Yes." It comes out breathy. "Yes, Daddy."
The word settles in my chest like it's always belonged there. "Good girl. Such a good girl."
She melts at the praise.
"What happens now?"
"Now you take a bath while I make dinner. Then we talk about new rules." I stand, keeping her in my arms. "My rules."
I run her a bath, make her soak while I cook. When she emerges in fuzzy unicorn pajamas, hair damp and face scrubbed clean, she looks young and soft and utterly mine.
"Eat," I order, setting a plate in front of her.
She eats everything. Good girl.
"New rules," I say when her plate's clean. "No work without permission. They want you to stay late or cover shifts, you ask me first."
"What if it's important?"
"Then I'll probably say yes. But you ask first. Always." I watch her process this. "You wear what I lay out for you on Sundays. That's my day—you're mine all day."
Her pupils dilate. "Okay."
"Bedtime is 10 PM on work nights. You ask permission for purchases over twenty dollars." I lean in close. "And no touching yourself without permission."
Her face goes scarlet. "Rex—"
"Daddy."
"Daddy, you can't—"
"I can. Your orgasms belong to me now." I watch her squirm. "That a problem?"
"No." She's breathless. "No, Daddy."
"Good. One more rule. You sleep in my bed. Every night."
"That's moving really fast."
"No. It's exactly right." I pull her into my lap. "You need to be close to me. Feel safe. Owned. Don't you?"
"Yes," she whispers.
"Then that's where you sleep."
That night, she climbs into my bed wearing those ridiculous pajamas. I pull her back against my chest, arm around her waist, feeling her settle into me.
"Better?" I ask.
"Perfect." She sighs, already half-asleep. "Daddy?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not letting me disappear. Everyone else just... takes. You're the first person who's ever tried to protect me from it."
My chest tightens. "That's what Daddies do. Protect their little girls."
"Even from themselves?"
"Especially from themselves."
She falls asleep in minutes. I stay awake longer, holding her, this soft woman who gives everything to everyone except herself.
Not anymore.
She's mine now. And I protect what's mine.