2. Will

Chapter Two

WILL

" R oland is seriously hot. How do you even stand it?" I asked Kenny as our Daddies disappeared into the other room to talk business.

Kenny fanned his face. "I know, right? After so many duds, I finally struck the jackpot."

"You sure did." Leaning forward, I tapped his knee. "I'm so happy for you."

As he opened his mouth to reply, the front door opened, and Indie yelled out, "Hello, we're here." Our friends Luca, Chip, and Julian trailed in behind him. "What're we doing?"

Kenny smiled. "Will was congratulating me on finding the best Daddy ever."

I held up a finger. "Actually, I said hottest."

Indie groaned as he dropped down on the couch next to Kenny. "Stop. I love that Rollie found someone, and I can admit he's handsome, but… ew. No. You can't talk about him like that in front of me."

Kenny threw an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry. I'm going to be the best stepdad ever, and I'll protect your precious ears."

We all laughed. Luca fixed his gaze on me. "John's a pretty great Daddy, too. I don't know if I ever heard how you two met."

"Oh." I clapped my hands together. "That's my favorite story. So once upon a time…"

~Eight years ago~

"Are you sure it's safe? What if it's a ruse to murder us all?"

Swiveling in my seat, I tore my gaze from the monstrosity of a house on my right to glare at my best friend incredulously. "What have you been watching on TV?"

Timothy shrugged. "It's not that. It's just we don't know this guy."

Gripping his biceps, I shook him a little. "I've met Donald. And yes, I'll admit, it was only for a few minutes, but we know Max. My roommate wouldn't lure us to our doom." I added an evil cackle for effect.

Timothy slumped back into his seat. "I guess you're right." He pushed one hand back through his thick chestnut hair. "I'm just nervous."

"Hey. Are you two getting out here or what?" the taxi driver asked from the front seat.

"Excuse me." I leaned between the two seats, getting all into his face. "We're having a little bit of a crisis back here. Can you give us a minute?"

The driver turned back around in a huff, trying to escape me getting all in his space. "Yeah, yeah. Just hurry it up."

Sitting back, I took both of Timothy's hands into mine. "Look, we don't have to go in there if you don't want to. It sounds like fun, and it's something different than normal, but we're not doing anything that makes you uncomfortable."

Timothy expelled a deep breath. "No, you're right. I'm being a baby."

"Great!" Letting one of his hands go, I reached out and pulled the latch on the door. "Let's go in before you lose your nerve."

Timothy begrudgingly got out behind me. I didn't want him to know, but really, I was as nervous as him. One of my three roommates, Max, had started dating a Daddy. Completely intrigued, my other roommates and I had done a deep dive on the internet to find out what that really meant. It wasn't like we'd never heard the term before, but to have our friend all of a sudden puffing out his chest, declaring himself a boy… well, color me curious. Timothy didn't live with us, but he was my best friend, so of course, I sent him links to everything I learned. Especially the porn.

Donald, Max's Daddy, had stopped by the apartment one night to pick up Max for a date, and we… okay, I peppered him with questions about Daddy-boy relationships. Once he'd learned that we were interested, he suggested setting up a little meet and greet with us and some of his Daddy friends. So here we were, and I for one, was ready to get jiggy with it.

"Wow. This house is something, huh?" Timothy asked as we stopped at the bottom of the wide stairs leading up to a small platform with two white pillars on either side of a front door that you could drive a small van through. It was incredible.

"It's magnificent." This type of wealth was something I knew a little something about, but I pushed down my misgivings. Max was the one dating Donald, not me.

Timothy tugged on the cuffs of his shirt. "Do you think I'm dressed alright?"

Sputtering, I pulled him in for a quick hug. "Dude, you look delectable. I'm the one who probably overdid it a little." Holding my arms out to the side, I modeled my tight black satin pants, the see-through white shirt that I'd left unbuttoned down to my belly button, and the triple layer of pearls around my neck and did a little spin. "They might as well know what they're getting upfront."

Timothy laughed. "Trust me, Will, it only takes five seconds in your presence to know that you're larger than life, but the outfit sure doesn't hurt. Everyone will be drooling."

"I sure hope so." Unlike Max, I wasn't looking for some man to shower me with gifts, but it would be nice to find a man who wanted more than a hook-up. Not saying that I'd mind someone rocking my world in bed. No sense in settling for bad sex, after all.

"Well, let's go before I chicken out." Clasping hands, we jogged up the stairs. As we reached the top step, the door swung open. Donald, an older, five-foot-six, heavy-set man with a bulbous nose, greeted us with open arms. "Boys, you made it," he said in his booming voice.

Timothy startled, almost falling backwards, but I held on tightly to his hand. I'd met Donald before, so I knew he was a bit… much. "Hi, Don. Thank you for inviting us."

He waved me off with both hands. "No, no, no. I'm happy to have you. It's Donald, though." He winked, and I knew I hadn't offended him. I thought back to the first time Max mentioned him, and I had the whole room cracking up, teasing him about dating Donald Duck. How was anyone supposed to take a man with that name seriously? I'd definitely go by Don if I was him.

"Come on in." He gestured for us to walk past him into the house.

Stepping through to the foyer, we were met with glass, chrome, and leather everywhere. Nothing warm and fuzzy about this place.

"Are you sure we're not here to be slaughtered?" Timothy whispered in my ear.

Laughing, I hip-checked him and followed Donald into a living room where my other roommates, a few friends we knew from the Majestic Club where we liked to go dancing, and several gentlemen I didn't know were standing around or sitting on the leather furniture socializing. "Make yourself at home, boys," Donald said. "And don't be shy about getting a drink." He pointed over to the wall where there was a bar with glass behind the bottles on the shelves and a bartender in a striped vest. "I hired him for the night to take care of everybody." He winked again, which I was starting to think might be a little creepy.

Timothy moved closer to me, still clutching my hand. "Is that guy for real?"

Tilting my head to the left, I asked, "What do you think?"

Timothy's gaze followed the direction I nodded, and I heard his sharp intake of breath. Above the large marble fireplace, hung a painting of Donald. "Good Lord," Timothy breathed out.

I bit back a hysterical giggle. Timothy might be uncomfortable with the idea of looking for a Daddy, but this whole place reminded me of a childhood I'd rather forget. I moved to the city of Takoda at eighteen, chasing the dream of being known for myself and not my parents and all their wealth. They'd surrounded themselves with opulence, while being shitty parents.

I squared my shoulders. I could fake it until I made it with the best of them. "Come on, let's make the most of this."

Max noticed us right then and waved us over. "Can you believe this house? Isn't it great?" His gaze moved up to the portrait of Donald, and his smile grew impossibly wider. I didn't know if it was the gifts Donald had been bestowing upon him, or if the guy was that great in bed, but Max was here for it.

"Hey, Max. Why don't you introduce me to your new friends?" a man in a navy suit asked.

Before Max responded, I stuck out my hand, palm down. I wasn't sure if Donald had the type of friends who I'd even be interested in, but if we were going to mingle with these Daddies for a night, I was determined to have fun with it. "Well, hello. Why don't you introduce yourself, Daddy?"

Timothy choked at my side. Several men made their way over to make my acquaintance, and I introduced Timothy and myself, while stroking the pearls around my neck and blinking my long black eyelashes playfully. I knew what my best assets were and how to work them.

The gentlemen ranged anywhere from their mid-thirties to their forties, most were pleasant enough, but no one had the kind eyes I was looking for. Neither Timothy nor I would be hanging with any of these guys unless I saw that special quality shining through the windows of their soul. My bestie and I had bonded over issues with the treatment we received growing up, and we both deserved someone who'd be altruistic and caring.

"Are we having fun?" Timothy whispered in my ear as I sent our latest acquaintance to get us both a drink.

Snorting, I threw both of my arms around his shoulders and leaned into him. "Relax. We don't have to go home with anyone. Let's enjoy the appetizers over on the table and the free booze. Donald promised Max he'd call a taxi for any of us who needed a ride home."

"I don't want to be a drag if you meet someone, though. I feel like I'm being a buzzkill."

I smacked a big kiss to his cheek. "Even if I met someone, I wouldn't let them drive me home. Have you noticed how much some of these supposed Daddies have been drinking?"

"Are you having fun running all of these poor schmucks around?" a deep voice asked.

Expecting yet another disappointment, I stroked my pearls in preparation for a little more harmless teasing and looked up into the palest green eyes dancing with amusement. He was on the younger side of the men here, but at least ten years older than me with a strong, smooth jawline and a businesslike haircut. But the laughter in his eyes intrigued me. "What if I am? They deserve it."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, you're a handful, aren't you, boy?"

Listen, I'd been so obsessed and focused on what it would mean to have a Daddy that I'd never considered how I'd feel when someone called me boy. Hell, I didn't think I'd care either way. How many times had a man I didn't even know sidled up to me and called me baby or sweetheart? It was what it was, and I didn't actually care. But this… my belly swooped, hearing boy directed at me in his silken tone. Cocking my head up, I asked, "And what if I am?"

He stretched out a hand, running his finger slowly down the side of my face. "I'm not complaining. I've been over at the bar enjoying the show."

At my side, Timothy snickered. Ignoring him, I stepped into the taller man's space. "Oh yeah? Then maybe you should tell me your name so I know who my voyeur is."

"I'm John." He clasped my hand in his and brought it to lay my palm against his chest with a cocky grin. "But you can call me Daddy." It wasn't the smirk decorating his face I noticed, though. No, it was the tenderness in his eyes as he said it. That special something I'd never thought I'd find. At least, not directed at me.

"I haven't even introduced myself," I said, grabbing for anything while I searched for my equilibrium.

The smile softened. "You didn't need to. I already know you're my boy."

And like that, I thought I might actually have a Daddy.