Chapter 20

Draven left notlong after I ate the first time we were together. I told him the info on his phone had to do with his sister, and he left almost as soon as I put the last bite of food in my mouth. I tried not to take it hard. The man has searched for his sister for years, but when the door closed behind him, I pinched myself first, but after several hours passed I started spiraling.

That was a week ago.

He's been gone since. And while he's checked in with me several times right after he left, reminding me to sleep and eat, he's been mostly absent. I've not gotten even one phone call. Just a couple of texts.

You could call him.

I know I can, but I don't feel comfortable enough in what we've started to be the one to reach out.

Have we really started something though? Or was it just kinky sex?

I seriously hope not. The way Draven took control of my body, and pleasure was the stuff of my dreams. I don't want it to be a one and done. I want more. So, so much more.

I want his dick moving inside me.

I want his hand around my throat.

I want him to tell me when I can come and when I can't.

I want him to be my Daddy.

Clingy isn't cute.

My eyes well up at the thought that all I would get of him is that one time. I reach for the drawer he put my junk food in. Those bags of candy and chips have taunted me to the point I swore I heard them whispering to me.

I know they aren't. That would be nutso. But they are where I sought comfort for so long.

Giving in, I yank open the drawer and pull out a handful from each bag, leaving the rest in the drawer. I spread them out on my desk, making sure they don't touch. I hate when my food touches.

He made sure nothing touched when he fixed me something to eat.

I nod as I pick up a thick, slightly greasy, ruffled chip and turn it this way and that in front of my face. My gaze locks onto it like a heat-seeking missile.

Unable to keep myself in check any longer, I shove it in my mouth. Shame and disappointment washes over me.

He told me to eat three meals a day, and I didn't.

He told me to sleep eight hours a night, and I didn't.

It's no wonder he's not called or come back.

"Have ye eaten?"

I spin in my chair, gulping at the sight of him in front of me.

He's here!

"Umm…"

He sighs before saying, "Toss that junk or put it back in the bag. I'll grab ye some food."

He turns to leave but stops. Stalking toward me, I cannot help but how amazed I am by his gracefulness. Especially for a man his size is. He moves without a rustle or even a whisper.

Like a ghost.

He leans over, gripping my throat and staring into my eyes before taking my mouth. The force shoves my head back on my shoulders. His tongue sweeps inside and I'm lost to him and the power that oozes from him.

He pulls away. The big hand nearly circling my neck holds me in place as his icy blue gaze burns into my brown one.

"We will discuss a punishment for nae following the rules later."

My mind immediately goes to a spanking. One I'll enjoy, unlike all the ones I've received in the past.

"It is a punishment, nae a funishment. It willnae be something ye enjoy, mo ghille donn, so ye might as well put that gleam in yer eyes away."

I sigh as he strides out the door.

"A spanking can be both," I call after him.

His dark, deep, raspy chuckle sends tingles through my body. Even when he's planning to punish me, he turns me on. I worried his darker, more sadistic daddy side would turn me off, but something about the man puts me at ease.

I turn back to my desk, glancing at the door every few seconds as I clean the chips and candy away.

"He's nutso if he thinks I'm throwing my goodies away," I grumble as I stash the bags back in the drawer just as Draven's footsteps echo through the halls leading back to my rooms.

"There wasnae much to choose from, but I found us something to tide us over."

Draven places a plate of what is way more than not much in front of me. The eggs and veggies look so good. I look up as he pulls up a chair across from me.

Motioning toward my plate with his fork, he says, "Eat."

I dig in, not wanting to disappoint him more. Draven does the same, pulling out his comms unit and a stack of paperwork.

"I found all this," he says between bites.

"What is it?" I ask, wiping my face with the napkin he gave me with my food and silverware.

"Ledgers o' some sort. I cannae make heads or tails o' it. I'm hoping ye can."

We spend the time eating and going over the info he brought back from the job I sent him on. Maeve wasn't there. From the looks of things, the original buyer sold her to someone higher up the food chain than he was, but there's no information as to who.

"The other victims?" I ask, looking up from the papers.

"I handled it," Draven says, as all the light and life drain from his eyes. "I loaded them on a private jet and sent them back here to the doctor listed on the server for that sort o' issue."

After being rescued, I sat down with Everly and we went over all the people I knew the Order had on their payroll, under their thumb, or who worked with and for the Order of their own free will. The list was scary long and filled with people across the globe. There were law enforcement and politicians at all levels, businessmen, celebrities, royalty. So many do-gooders in the public eye were helping the Order on the sly.

The good doctor was one of the people the Order of Death had on their payroll. They recruited her straight out of college. The Order paid for her to attend medical school and then set her up with a private practice. They allowed her to practice as she saw fit, but in addition, she was to be available to help Owen and his cronies with whatever they demanded of her. I shudder to think of what they did to the woman to keep her under their thumb for so long.

Now, she works for the Society. Willingly. Gladly, as Everly said when I asked.

As I glanced down at the papers and back at Draven, I realized what the Order put her through is like what the rest of us have experienced. Abuse—emotional, physical, sexual, and mental—was the Order's M.O. When that didn't work, they robbed you of everything you loved and held dear until you fell in line with their orders.

"Tavish?"

"Yeah."

"Are ye okay?"

My eyes lock onto his. His face blurs as my gaze fills with the ocean of emotion building with in me. "No. I'm not the least bit okay, Draven. I helped these people do this. I protected the Order. I could have gone to the Feds and turned evidence against them…"

"This is nae on ye, lilla du. This is solely on them. The Order did this, nae ye. Ye and Everly are working to right the wrongs perpetrated by the Order o' Death did what ye had to do to survive. Dinnae take the blame for saving yerself."

"Thank you, Draven."

"Ye're welcome, but it's nae Draven. It's Daddy."

My cock throbs to life in my pants at his tone. The deep, domineering brogue pulses through me, setting me on fire. I move to get up and go to him, but he holds up his hand.

"Stay put. It's time for yer punishment. Iffn ye still want to be mine, lilla du."

My head bobs up and down so hard my vision swims and I get dizzy. The woozy feeling could also be relief, but I don't care which it is. He wants me. He wants to be my Daddy.

"Are ye certain? I'm nae a gentleman, even if I have a title that says different."

"I'm sure," I say, my voice squeaking as I try to contain the excitement.

"Iffn ye give yerself to me, Tavish, then ye're mine. Nae one else will ever touch ye. Iffn they do, I'll gut them. Their blood will rain down on the earth and I'll dance upon their corpse. Do ye understand?"

The words, and the sentiment behind them, envelope me and tears threaten. Refusing to let the emotion get to me, I nod.

"I'll nae hurt ye, at least nae in a way ye dinnae ask for," he clarifies with a chuckle. "I'll whip that bubble butt regularly, though. Be it for pleasure or pain. With my hand or with my belt. Ye'll wear my marks, but not in the way ye wear the ones from yer past."

"Yes, please."

"One last stipulation."

When I nod, he says, "I'll give ye the world and take care o' ye, but, and this is important, love and a relationship outside o' our dynamic arenae in the cards for us. I'll nae put myself in that position again."

Devastation barrels into me, flooding my system. But then I remind myself: it's more than I ever thought I'd have.

"I understand, Daddy."

"Do ye remember your safe words?"

I nod and his eyebrow cocks halfway up his forehead.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

I feel blood rush to my cheeks. I'm sure my complexion has pinked up, giving away my embarrassment.

"Yes, Daddy. I remember my safe words."

"Good boy, lilla du."

I preen under the praise. Elation stretches my face into a grin and I squirm in my chair. I've never experienced this before. No one has ever praised me for a job well done. If this is what it feels like, then sign me up. I'll be the King of Praise Whores R Us.

"Open the drawer."

Everything stops. The smile fades, my breath catches, and I gulp to hold back the gasp. I know what drawer he means, but surely, he can't….

"Mo ghille, ye ken what drawer I'm speaking of. Now, open the drawer."

I stare at him. Draven, this beautiful man who I've been half in love with since before I met him, who I just agreed to him being my Daddy, wants me to throw away my snacks.

I don't want to do this.

My chin trembles and I drop it to my chest. Tears flow down my cheeks, falling onto my hands that are tightly clasped together in my lap.

"Color?"

I glance at him through my lashes.

"Tavish, I need an answer. What's yer color?"

"Yellow," I whisper, looking back at my hands. I squeeze my eyes closed. Self-hatred fills me. I don't want to disappoint him, but I can't get my arms to move.

Movement and the rustle of fabric fill the air.

Well, that didn't last long.

"Gah!" I gasp as my world tilts and turns.

My eyes fly open, my arms grabbing hold of Draven as he lifts me into the air. "Holy shit, you're tall."

"Yes, lilla du. I am," he replies as he carries me to the couch.

He sits us down, me on his lap.

"Ye ken we have to talk when you say yellow, yes?"

My chin trembles a bit as my head creeps up and down.

"What did you not like about the punishment?"

"It's my candy."

"I ken it, but what was hard about getting rid o' it? And be honest, mo ghille donn."

"Ummm…well…it's the o-only thing that's ever made me feel good, I guess."

His jaw jumps at the corners as the muscles twitch. His eyes go cold and hard.

"Daddy?"

My voice trembles. It's not a little tremor either. It sounds like water bouncing over rocks in a shallow creek.

"Good boy, lilla du. Thank you for telling me."

He kisses my forehead and cuddles me in his lap. I hold my body stiff against his chest and any time I try to say something; he puts his finger against my lips. But I'm so curious about the punishment and even more about my candy that I keep trying.

"Relax. Yer junk is safe for the time being, but we'll be talking about it soon."