Prologue

MADDIE

"Hello?"

"Hey, bug, what are you up to? You called?"

Jingling her keys in one hand while trying to find the right one, Maddie wedged her phone between her cheek and shoulder. Her arms were full, carrying her purse, laptop, work bag, and two bags of groceries. She hated making multiple trips out to her car to bring things inside—total waste of time.

"Bug?"

"Yeah, sorry, I'm here. Just trying to get in the house. Hold on."

When she finally found the right key, she opened the door and dropped all her bags on the floor, careful not to drop her laptop.

"Okay, I'm here."

"I was in a meeting when you called. Is everything okay?"

Leave it to her big brother to worry.

"Yes. Things are great. Guess what!"

Cam groaned, "You always make me guess, and I never get it right. So, let's see… you bought a pet snake?"

Maddie giggled and rolled her eyes.

"Cameron Michaels! You know I hate snakes!"

Cam chuckled, "Well, I give up. Tell me, bug."

No fun.

He hated her guessing games.

"You know that fantasy book I edited a couple of months ago?"

"The one where the characters all came from different planets and had different powers?"

"Yep. That one. I got a call this morning from the author who wrote it. It's gone number one on the top seller list!"

"Maddie, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you."

"I know, I'm so excited. I've already gotten five emails from different authors asking me to edit their books."

"I'm so proud of you, kiddo. I already knew you were amazing, but now the rest of the world gets to see just how special you are."

A warm feeling settled in her tummy. Her brother was the most supportive person she'd ever known and her biggest cheerleader. Not that she would ever call him a cheerleader to his face. He wouldn't like that very much. Men could be so sensitive sometimes.

"Thank you. When will you be home?"

"I'm heading home tonight. Hold on. I have someone who wants to say hi. I'm putting you on speaker."

"Maddie-Rose!" a familiar deep voice spoke.

A shiver ran down her spine as she smiled.

Ian.

"Hey, Ian!" she said warmly.

"I heard the good news. I'm so freaking proud of you. The next time I'm in Denver, we'll all go celebrate, yeah?"

She nodded, "Yeah, okay."

"Miss you, sweetheart. I'll be there in a few weeks. It's been too long," Ian said.

"I'm going to hold you to it," she answered.

"I'm a man of my word, Maddie-Rose. Be good, okay?"

Ian was a man of his word. If he said he would do it, he would follow through.

"I'll try," she said, smiling to herself.

She heard him grumbling about trying harder, and she couldn't help but grin.

"Ian and I are going to catch some dinner before I have to head to the airport. My flight doesn't land until after one in the morning, so don't wait up. I'll take you out for French toast in the morning to celebrate," Cam spoke up again.

"Okay. I love you. You guys don't get into any trouble over there."

She heard groans from both men.

"Always ruining our fun, Maddie-Rose."

Cam laughed, "I love you, too. Make sure you set the alarm system. See you in the morning."

Maddie ended the call and smiled to herself.

IAN

Ian walked down the busy Seattle sidewalk, listening to Cam talk about how proud he was of Maddie. He couldn't help but smile because he was proud of her, too. Walking toward an Italian restaurant only a few blocks from his office, the sounds of cars whistled by, along with conversations between people as they walked along the same sidewalk as the two men. Ian loved his city. It was home. Something he'd never taken for granted since it was the first and only place that he'd ever lived for long enough to feel like he belonged there.

"She's so smart. It's crazy how talented she is," Cam said.

Ian nodded, "Who would have thought the bratty little Maddie, who is responsible for all of our gray hairs, has turned into an accomplished editor."

Cam laughed, "She wasn't that bad."

It was Ian's turn to laugh as he gave his friend a skeptical look.

"Wasn't that bad? Do you not remember her sassy mouth and the constant eye-rolling whenever we said something that annoyed her? God forbid that we suggested she wear a coat when it was thirty degrees out or tell her she couldn't eat candy for a meal," Ian said.

"Oh damn, I forgot about that."

Both men shook their heads, but they were smiling. Yeah, Maddie had been a total brat at times, but she had also been the highlight of their lives. Cam didn't remember her bratty ways because he was completely wrapped around her little finger.

The men stepped into the restaurant and followed the hostess to their table. When they sat, Ian ordered them both a bourbon on the rocks.

"So, when are you and Maddie moving back to Seattle? I miss you guys."

Cam smiled and leaned back in his chair. Ian had been trying to get them to move back home ever since Maddie graduated from college two years ago.

"I've actually been looking at houses for sale here. I haven't found anything yet, but I'm actively searching. I haven't told Maddie. I want it to be a surprise. She will be thrilled to move back. She misses you, ya know."

Ian would be thrilled too. He missed her like crazy.

"You guys can move in with me. My house is plenty big enough."

Rolling his eyes, Cam shook his head, "The last thing you need is us cramping your social life."

He scoffed at that, "What social life? I work, and then I come home, and I work some more."

The waiter came by and gave them their drinks before taking their orders and swiftly disappearing again.

"You are a single, successful guy. You might meet someone or want to bring a casual date home at some point."

No, he wouldn't. Because the only person he wanted, he couldn't have.

"I don't have an interest in dating, and I'm definitely not bringing anything casual home. If I wanted a casual encounter, I'd go to the club to play."

Cam nodded. Cam wasn't into the kinky shit that Ian was into, but he'd never judged Ian or thought poorly of him for it. Although Ian did think his friend would make a perfect soft Daddy Dom. He was gentle and protective and definitely not a stern disciplinarian, while Ian was the total opposite. Strict, intense, protective, and believed in giving a Little boundaries and consequences.

"I know. But we need our own place. We are grown men. We really shouldn't be living together. People will start to talk," Cam said sarcastically.

Ian chuckled, "Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up and find a house. I need my Friday movie nights back."

"You're getting old, you know. You need to slow down on work and find your happily ever after," Cam said.

Ian thought about his words while the waiter brought their meals over, setting the plates down in front of them. After ensuring they didn't need anything else, he left them to eat. Picking up his fork, Ian stabbed at a piece of mushroom ravioli.

"I don't think I will ever get my happily ever after," he said dryly.

It wasn't in the cards for him. Unfortunately, the universe was against him in that respect, and there was nothing he could do about it. The person he wanted was off-limits.

Cameron studied him before taking a bite of his pasta.

"Really? Because I think you could get it. You deserve it. You just have to admit to what you want and go after it."

If you only knew.

He took a drink of the amber-colored liquid and enjoyed the warm burn spreading through his chest.

"What about you? When are you going to get past what Victoria did to you and realize that you deserve a good woman?"

"I don't know. Maybe one day. Not anytime soon. Not until Maddie is married and moved out."

Ian winced, "Don't wait too long. You don't want to miss out on something because you're scared."

"Could say the same thing to you," Cam said dryly.

They ate and talked about business for the rest of their meal. During their college years, they had developed a security software program that was completely different from any other security program on the market and ended up selling it for millions a few years later, using the money to start their own businesses. Cameron had started a web development company that had become highly successful, employing nearly two hundred people around the United States and Ian had started his own tech security company, providing top-of-the-line security programming for businesses. He also owned an investment company that helped provide startup funds for new technology inventors. Even though both men owned their businesses, they still worked together frequently on different projects.

After Cam and Maddie's mom had passed away from cancer, Cam hadn't hesitated for a second to become Maddie's legal guardian. When he moved Maddie in with them, Ian had been unsure about living with a twelve-year-old, but after the first few weeks of her being there, Ian hadn't been able to imagine his life without her or Cam. They had become as much a part of his family as his parents.

Her teenage years had been a little touch and go. Cameron was a giant marshmallow with her, while Ian saw her bratty side and felt that she needed more boundaries. Not that he'd ever done anything about it. While he considered her family, he never felt that it was his right to step into the guardian role like Cam had. Sure, he would scold the heck out of her at times, but only when she'd done something dangerous.

It wasn't until his first visit to Colorado after she'd started college there that Ian realized that Maddie was no longer a kid and had become a beautiful, sweet, and very sexy woman. And he hated himself for thinking that. Sure, she was of age, but she was thirteen years younger than he was, and most importantly, she was his best friend's little sister. What kind of fucked up person was he to think that Cam's little sister was sexy? He had gone home from that trip and had mentally beaten himself up for weeks afterward. He'd felt horrible. Yet, after that visit, he'd never seen Maddie the same way again.

The thought of her getting married to anyone made his skin crawl. Imagining someone else touching her, kissing her, fucking her… It made Ian think murderous thoughts. Luckily, as far as he knew, she hadn't dated anyone since her senior prom, so he hadn't had to study those murderous feelings too closely.

After paying the check, Ian and Cam walked back to his office building to get his car.

"You know you don't have to take me to the airport. I can get a car service."

Ian gave Cam a look before rolling his eyes, "You are not getting a car service, idiot. It's no big deal."

When he pulled up to the departure lane, Ian got out and grabbed Cam's bag from the back of his Range Rover.

"It was good to see you. I love you, buddy. Can't wait until you two move back here."

Cameron grinned and gave Ian a back-slapping bear hug. They'd never been afraid to show each other affection.

"I love you, too. We'll see you in a few weeks in Denver."

He nodded, "Give Maddie a hug for me."

Cam nodded and gave a final wave before walking through the automatic doors into the airport. Ian went back to his car and steered himself towards home. He needed to figure out a congratulations gift for Maddie and send it to her. She deserved it. And he liked spoiling her.

MADDIE

She carried her Stitch stuffy downstairs, along with her favorite soft blanket, some candy, a few coloring books, and crayons, and dropped them on the couch before going to the kitchen to get something to drink. Whenever Cam was gone on business, she enjoyed her Little time throughout the house. When he was home, she kept it in her bedroom. Not that she thought he would judge her or make her feel bad for it. She just didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

When she returned to the living room and spread her blanket out on the floor in front of the TV, she moved Stitch to the floor, she grabbed her snacks and coloring stuff, and lay on her tummy. She turned on Lilo and Stitch, her favorite movie of all time, and began looking for a page to color.

Maddie happily kicked her bare feet in the air as she filled in the lines of the picture she'd chosen. It was an under the sea picture of fish. She didn't really like fish, not unless they were Swedish Fish gummy candies which were her favorite, but it had looked like a fun page that she could make very colorful.

The final credits were rolling before she knew it, and she pouted. Her bag of Swedish Fish was gone, along with her chocolate and all of her juice. Sometimes she completely lost herself in Little space. It was one of the reasons that she loved it so much, but the time always seemed to go so quickly.

Picking up her stuff from the floor, Maddie sleepily made her way up the stairs to her room. Ian's face crossed her mind, and she wished more than anything that he could be the one walking her up to her room to tuck her into bed.

Fat chance, Maddie.

Having Ian in her life was one of those things that was a blessing and a curse all in one. It was sometimes painful to know he was someone she was so close with, yet not in the way that she would like. And she never had the guts to tell him how she felt, even after she'd turned eighteen, because she didn't want to cause any issues between him and Cam. While the men were best friends, she knew if anything were ever to happen and Cam had to choose between the both of them, he would pick her, and she didn't want to be responsible for that. Cam had always been so good to her. He had given up his entire young adulthood to take care of her, and she'd always felt so guilty for all that he had done for her. She wouldn't have him give up his best friend for her, so she'd kept her mouth shut and suffered through their visits with wet panties and wishful dreams.

Even though she was now an adult, Cam still took care of her and gave her whatever she needed. He had always made it to every educational event, sports event, and parent-teacher conference when she was still in school. He'd even chaperoned her senior prom along with Ian, which had been the most uncomfortable evening of her life. She was pretty sure they'd threatened her date with bodily harm if he touched her. Whenever a slow dance came on, he had put his hands on her shoulders as though showing the men that he wasn't doing anything inappropriate. Needless to say, there hadn't been a goodnight kiss that night.

After college, Cam gave her the money to start her editing business. He had said that she earned it because she had gotten such good grades and graduated with honors. She argued that he had already paid a fortune for her schooling, but he brushed her off and gave her the start-up funds anyway. Maddie was pretty sure both Cam and Ian had used their connections to find her first few editing jobs to get her started and to get her name out there. Not that either one of them would have ever admitted to it.

Her brother had told her that she would live under his roof until she got married. Not that she'd really argued that. He was her best friend and the person who made her laugh until she nearly peed her pants. He was also the only family she had left in the world.

She felt bad sometimes because Cam didn't date or have much of a social life other than Ian and going to the gym. He always reminded her that it was his choice not to date and that it had nothing to do with her whatsoever. Maddie guessed it was because of the bitch, Victoria, who had broken his trust and his heart. She wanted to kill that witch. Cam and Ian nearly lost their minds when she'd threatened to slash Victoria's tires. However, it was Ian that had scolded her much more thoroughly. Ian could be much sterner than Cam. And she didn't hate it one bit.

It was in high school that she found out about Ian's secret and figured that was where a lot of his sternness came from. She'd learned it when she'd overheard a conversation between Cam and Ian. Not that she'd ever admitted to either of the men that she'd been eavesdropping. She didn't understand it at first, but she knew it was something that she needed to learn about to understand Ian better. Based on the conversation between the two men, she could tell that it was important to him, and if it was important to him, it was important to her.

Taking in a deep breath, Maddie snuggled her Stitch stuffy to her chest. Unfortunately for her brother, she wouldn't ever get married because no other man would ever live up to how perfect Ian was for her. Yep, Cam was stuck with her forever. She would just have to hide her Little permanently and only experience it alone. As badly as she wanted to experience what it would be like to have a Daddy, she didn't want just any Daddy. She wanted Ian.

"Time for bed, Stitch," she whispered.

Maddie got up and made her way to the attached bathroom to brush her teeth and go potty one last time. She had a demanding bladder. It seemed like she always had to go to the toilet at the worst possible time or as soon as she got comfortable in bed. By the time she turned out the bedside lamp, her twinkle lights leaving the room with a soft glow, and crawled into bed, her eyes were half-closed, and she melted into her mattress.

Grabbing her eReader, Maddie opened it to the latest Daddy Dom book she'd been reading.

If only having a Daddy like the ones in the books could be real life.

Maddie had only been able to read for half an hour before her eyes started drooping closed, and she'd nearly dropped the device onto her face. Sighing, she closed the program and set the eReader on her nightstand. Opening the top drawer, she dug out her favorite pacifier and popped it into her mouth. As soon as she began sucking, her eyes closed, and she drifted off to a dreamy sleep.

The sound of her phone ringing and vibrating against the wood of the nightstand pulled Maddie out of her dream. Pulling out her pacifier, she frowned and picked up the phone just as the ringing stopped. Her call history showed a number that she didn't recognize. It was almost three in the morning.

How rude.

Setting the phone down on the mattress next to her, Maddie closed her eyes and had nearly faded back to sleep when the ringing started again. Irritation filled her. She did not like being woken up. Picking up her phone, she slid the answer button and brought it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Is this, Madison Michaels?"

"Who is this?"

"I'm officer Sean Meyers, and I'm calling from the City of Denver police department. Am I speaking with Madison Michaels?"

Maddie sat up. Sleep and confusion clouded her mind as she tried to process what the man had said. He was a police officer? Why was he calling her in the middle of the night? Or at all, for that matter?

"This is Madison."

The line was quiet for a brief moment before she heard the man sigh.

"I'm calling about your brother, Cameron Michaels. There's been an accident."