“We are going to your place, then we are getting in my car. We’re going to a store where we will buy everything that even remotely interests us. You are spending that week in bed with me. You are calling in sick to work. I will tell my family I am unavailable. Then I am going to have my way with you. I’m going to tie you up. I’m going to spank you. I’m going to clip your nipples and clit. I’m going to stick vibrators in your pussy, and I’m going to plug your arse. I’m going to spread your legs as wide as they’ll go. I will edge you, and I will fuck you. I will be rough, and I will be gentle. You will tell me how you want it, but I will decide how we do it. You will be naked the entire time. Try to keep me from seeing you, and you will need an entirely new wardrobe because I’ll burn it all. Do you understand me, baby girl?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Her pupils dilated as I spoke. I suspect what I discover before my hand gets to her pussy. She’s soaked. She’s not wearing panties, so I can feel how wet she is before my fingers touch her cunt.
“Daddy, I want to leave right now. I want to get in the car where it’s private and suck you off. I need to.”
“Because you want to submit?”
“Yes. God, yes.”
“But you know how much I’ll enjoy it. You’ll know you’re the one making me come. That you have the power to do that.”
“Well, yes. But your hand on my head, pushing me to take you deeper, is what I need right now.”
I stand and lower her to her feet. I wrap my arms around her waist and bring my head down, so our foreheads rest together.
“Thank you for telling me what you need, cailín. Knowing you’re comfortable speaking aloud what you need makes me feel ten feet tall. Please know I value your trust and your faith in me more than anything else. I’m not exaggerating, Tiera. I know you believe I do when I talk to and about you, but I don’t. Nothing matters more to me than you, and your trust is more valuable than anything else in the world.”
“Have I told you you’re a sweet man? You truly are the sweetest. I pray you never question whether your feelings are one-sided. They’re not. My relationship with my family differs from the one you have with yours. We’re close, but not like yours. I don’t know that any family is. I don’t want you to think the depth of my feelings and putting you first is because I don’t have anyone to care about, or at least not that much, so it’s easy to put you first. I do because I want to.”
“I never would have thought that, but thank you for telling me. Our situations are different, but I don’t think that changes the significance of what either of us feels or says right now. Not ever.”
I press a quick and gentle kiss to her lips, then peck her nose before I straighten.
“It’s time to go, cailín. No matter what happens, you do not let go of my hand. You do exactly what I say if I tell you to get behind me or to run. I don’t know what’s been going on out there since we came in. I trust no one, Tiera. No. One. Decide now whether you’ll go with your dad if he asks or tells you to.”
“No. Only you. Once upon a time, I would have chosen Aaron because I trusted him but also because I believed it was the right thing to do. But I would have thought about it first. I choose you because I don’t have a second of doubt. I’ll do whatever you say, but I have one caveat.”
I look down at her, and I know what’s coming. I’m already shaking my head.
“Don’t shake your head at me, Seamus. You can disagree, but you will not change my mind. I am not leaving you behind. I’m not saving my own ass at your expense. I won’t stay and distract you, but if I can defend you, I will. If I can protect you, I will. You cannot change my mind.”
I believe her. I can’t change it. I want to. But I know there’s not a chance I will. It makes me feel special, even if I hate the danger it invites.
“It’d better be I’m on death’s doorstep for you to do that. Anything less, I will spank you so hard, you won’t sit for a month. I’m serious, Tiera.”
“So am I.”
“I know. But you and I are not trained the same way. You and I are not matched in strength. And you and I definitely don’t have the same experience. If I tell you to run, you do it. Even if it’s my last breath, you do it. I won’t punish you if you stay with me because you care and can protect me. How could I? But if it’s an unnecessary risk or stubbornness, I will make your arse match those firetrucks you love.”
“I can live with that.”
I grit my teeth and shoot her a warning look. She smirks, then grins. She bounces onto her toes to kiss my cheek before she slides her hand into mine.
“Ready to face the world, cailín?”
“Ready, Daddy.”
We walk to the door, and I hold up my left index finger. I press my ear to it. I hear nothing. I pull out one of the guns I tucked into my waistband at my lower back. I let go of Tiera’s hand and step in front of her. I put my hand on the doorknob and count to ten. I won’t underestimate the O’Briens, and I doubly won’t underestimate them when Tiera’s nearby. I open the door, the barrel already pointing out. There’s no one in sight. I wait.
I’m certain Tiera would like to peer around me to see if I see anything, but she remains tucked behind me. I know she’s getting more nervous because she tucks her hand into my waistband near my hip. It isn’t there to grab the gun if she thinks she needs it. It’s inches away from the weapon. She’s doing it to hold on, so we can’t get separated.
Once I’ve counted to fifty, I step out, but I keep Tiera still shielded by the door. When nothing happens, I hold out my left hand and let the gun rest beside my right thigh. She pulls the office door closed behind her. We make our way down the hallway to the foyer. There’s no one there, but we can hear voices in the living room. I glance back at Tiera since her dad’s is one of them. She shakes her head as she shrugs. She’s letting me decide.
I steer us to the front door and open it. Two guards turn toward me, but they decide it’s better to lower their weapons. I nod. I signal for Todd to come over since he’s resting back against the hood of the car. When he reaches the walkway up to the house, I lead Tiera down the steps to meet Todd.
“Take Tiera to the car. Mo stóirín, wait for me there. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”