16. Kipp

Chapter 16

Kipp

Kipp was covered in sweat as he entered the house. There wasn't much that could beat the feeling of working up a sunrise sweat, and it was something that kept him feeling good and ready to take whatever any given day might throw at him.

But what was most pressing on Kipp's mind in that moment was discovering whether his darling young guy was still asleep or not…

‘Dale? Are you up?' Kipp chuckled, very much suspecting that his darling Little was still buried beneath the bed covers. ‘You're missing the best part of the damned day!'

However just as Kipp was about to head for the bedroom and coax his boy out of bed, he heard a voice coming from the kitchen. It was Dale. And he sounded upset…

‘Dale!' Kipp said, urgency in his voice. ‘What's…'

As soon as Kipp stepped into the kitchen, he could see that Dale was clearly very upset. For now, any inquest could wait. Kipp knew that he needed to wrap his strong arms around his Little and make him feel safe.

Dale would talk when he was ready.

‘My darling boy, you just take your time,' Kipp said as he felt Dale's heart pounding against his chest. ‘However long you need. It's okay. Daddy's here. You're going to be fine. I promise.'

As Dale's heartrate slowly returned to normal, Kipp had his suspicions about what might have been wrong. Sure, it could have been suddenly waking from a bad dream. Or it might even have been a painful knock against the corner of the big breakfast table.

But there was a far likelier reason – and it was very much centered around Dale's awful ex-boyfriend, Benson.

And Kipp's hunch was confirmed as soon as Dale opened his mouth and began to reveal all about Benson's most recent message.

‘Daddy, I just don't know what to do,' Dale said, wiping away a fresh tear. ‘I can't keep changing cell phone numbers. And what if he finds out where I live? What if he already knows!'

‘Baby boy, I know you're upset,' Kipp said, his voice loving but a surge of anger bubbling just underneath the surface. ‘Benson has no right to treat you like this. And I'm going to put an end to it.'

‘But-'

‘I'm going to put an end to it all today .'

With that, Kipp made a quick call to Marshall and arranged for him to head over to the ranch to look after Dale and be there for him. It was time to drive to the city and pay Benson Rose a visit that he would never, ever forget…

The truck's engine roared as Kipp powered out of Eagle Ridge and onto the freeway. It was going to be a long drive to the city, but Kipp knew that this couldn't go on for a single second longer.

Benson would soon have an angry Daddy to contend with, and Kipp was willing to bet the ranch on the fact that the sniveling bully would fold like a deck of cards. Dale needed to be able to live his life and walk around Eagle Ridge without fear. He would never truly settle there until he knew that Benson was going to back off for good.

Kipp didn't care that Dale had been in a relationship with such an asshole, or whether he did indeed owe him money. That was all beyond the point. Everyone had a past, and Kipp more than anyone knew that.

All that mattered to Kipp was that Dale would soon be able to live his life in the way that he wanted – and if that meant doing whatever it took to remove Benson from the picture, then Kipp was more than willing to be the man to make it happen.

Soon enough, the tree lined streets and mountainous backdrop that Kipp called home was long gone. In its place were the bright lights and towering skyscrapers of the city. Kipp had spent time in many of the major cities across the US and the rest of the world. It was nothing new or intimidating to him.

Kipp might have come to prefer the relaxed pace and friendly atmosphere of a smalltown like Eagle Ridge, but being back amongst the hustle and bustle did bring back some memories from days gone by.

However this was far from a social visit.

This was about seeking out Benson Rose and, if it came down to it, maybe destroying him too…

‘This looks like the place,' Kipp growled, standing outside the large, swanky office block that housed Benson and no doubt countless other flashy assholes.

With his thick plaid shirt and workman's dungaree jeans, Kipp might have looked out of place as he strode through the office block's plush lobby and powered his way past all manner of stuffy looking men in suits. But Kipp didn't care. In fact, he barely noticed anyone else around him.

‘Sir, can I help you?' asked a young guy on the reception desk.

‘Rose. Benson Rose,' Kipp snarled. ‘Where can I find him?'

‘Sixth floor. Take the elevator, head to the end of the corridor, then he's on the left.'

Kipp nodded and as he walked toward the elevator, he quickly figured that the guy on the reception desk must have been fully aware of what a slimeball Benson was. After all, it was hardly likely to be company policy to go giving out the location of workers to a person who had just walked in off the streets.

It wasn't long before Kipp was opening Benson's office door and despite feeling an urge to immediately cause mayhem, Kipp held his cool. This was a time to be controlled and clear – even if Benson did have the kind of punchable face that Kipp could have had a field day with…

‘Who the fuck are you?' Benson screeched, a look of confusion and panic on his face as Kipp towered above him. ‘And why they hell are you in my office?'

Kipp could tell that Benson had no substance to him. Clearly the whole aggression thing was an act, and the giveaway was the film of sweat that had instantaneously developed on Benson's greasy brow.

Benson might have been wearing a four thousand dollar suit and have the watch to match, but he wasn't a man's man. Far from it.

‘I'm here on behalf of Dale,' Kipp said, holding his arm out in Benson's direction and duly pushing the phone off the desk as Benson made a move toward it. ‘You are to never, ever contact him again.'

‘Fuck you!' Benson blurted, his voice riddled with anger and fear in equal measure. ‘You can't tell me what to do. Do you know how much I'm worth? Or how much I earn? I can own Dale if that's what I want.'

Kipp shook his head.

It looked like Benson might need a little more convincing.

‘Okay, have it your way,' Kipp growled, walking round to the other side of the desk and lifting Benson right out of the seat and tossing him over his shoulder and letting him drop to the ground. ‘Stay away from my boy.'

Kipp turned and saw that Benson was crawling toward the office door.

A quick three strides and Kipp was blocking the door, his huge frame towering over Benson and making him look weak and timid as he backed away.

‘Stay. Away. Or. Else,' Kipp said, his voice full of controlled aggression. ‘Am I understood?'

‘He owes me money,' Benson said, his bottom lip trembling and any kind of conviction totally absent at this point.

‘Whether he does or not, it doesn't matter,' Kipp said, again moving toward Benson. ‘The way you treated Dale was a disgrace. I won't allow it. And do I need to throw you around this office over and over until you understand that?'

Kipp wasn't actually asking Benson anything. This was a warning. But a warning that he was more than ready to follow up on in the realest terms.

‘I'll need an answer,' Kipp said, crouching down and leaning in close to Benson.

I'm right here.

He can take a shot at me.

If he dares…

But Benson wasn't about to hit Kipp. He wasn't even going to try. The truth was that Benson was every bit the coward that Kipp suspected he would be.

‘Fine. Have it your way,' Benson finally said, his voice weak and croaking. ‘No more Dale. You'll never hear from me again.'

Kipp shook his head in disgust.

Benson was the worst kind of man. He preyed on those with less money than him, those with less confidence, and those who didn't know how to stand up to a bully. Kipp despised that kind of man. And even had Dale not been involved in this whole mess, he would have been more than happy to throw a serious scare in Benson Rose's direction.

‘Oh, and one more thing,' Kipp said. ‘I've got friends in this city. The kind you don't fuck around with. The Mafia Daddies NYC aren't men a rat like you ever needs to meet. Trust me. Do yourself a favor and don't ever go back on your word or you might just run into me and them down a dark alley.'

Kipp knew that this additional detail would be enough to seal the deal if it wasn't already. And judging by look of sheer panic and resignation on Benson's face, he was correct too.

‘Let's call this goodbye,' Kipp said, giving Benson one more hard stare before turning and leaving his office.

It was time to get the hell out of the city and make his way back home to Eagle Ridge where one special Little would be waiting for him.

Kipp knew that conflict could be dangerous, and he knew all too well of its potentially tragic consequences. But dealing with Benson was something he had to do for the young guy in his life.

One asshole down, no injuries to report.

Hold on Dale, Daddy's coming home.

And he's got some very good news for your sweet little butt.