Page 41 of Kipp

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.

Chapter 17

Dale

After receiving a text from Kipp saying that he was only a few minutes from home, Dale waved Marshall away as he departed the ranch on his candy-pink scooter.

With Brutus sitting patiently at his side, Dale stood at the entrance to the house and waited to hear the sound of Kipp’s truck tires crunching their way down the winding driveway.

‘Come on, Daddy, where are you?’ Dale asked, going up on his toes to see whether he could make out any lights through the tall trees that bordered the sweeping driveway.

Dale suspected that Kipp would be returning with good news, but as his text had been brief and non-committal either way, he didn’t want to get his hopes up too high. After all, Benson was devious and full of surprises at the best of times. Dale truly wouldn’t have put it past Benson to already have had a plan for Kipp should he show up in the city.

But Dale desperatelywantedhis Daddy to be coming back with a resolution and it was pointless for him to pretend otherwise.

Please please please let this be good news.

Maybe if I wish on a star that’ll help?

I’ll do anything if it means Benson is gone forever…

Dale could feel himself getting anxious all over again. Having Marshall over for the playdate had worked wonders to bring him back to a happy place and keep his mind firmly away from Benson. The two of them had played with their stuffies, watched a Disney movie, and even had time to bake some choc-chip cookies together. However now that Marshall was gone and it was just Dale and his thoughts, it was a different matter altogether.

However just as Dale was beginning to wonder where the heck Kipp was, he heard a familiar crunching of heavy duty wheels on rough ground. And then following that, he saw that truck’s bright headlamps shining in the near distance.

‘Wait… is that… it’s Daddy!’ Dale squealed, jumping up and down in time with Brutus’s excited barks of relief that his best human friend was home. ‘Come on Brutus, let’s go and say hi to Daddy.’

With that, both Dale and Brutus walked down the steps at the edge of the decked area out front and waited impatiently as Kipp pulled up and turned his engine off.

In the heat of the moment, Dale even forgot where Kipp had been – and why he was there too. All Dale cared about was that his Daddy was home and he would be able to dive into his embrace in a matter of seconds.

‘Hey, young man, don’t you want to know the news?’ Kipp asked, gently prizing Dale off him so that he could ensure that Dale could hear what he was about to say.

‘Oh, yeah, right,’ Dale said, his heart suddenly skipping a beat as the reality of the city trip hit home once more. ‘Please tell me something good.’

Kipp smiled.

Dale knew that good news was coming just from the look of happiness in Kipp’s soulful dark-brown eyes. But Dale needed it confirmed. He wanted to hear the details.

‘You don’t have to worry about Benson Rose any longer,’ Kipp said, his voice sincere with just a hint of an edge to it. ‘He knows that it would be a grave mistake to ever contact you again, my darling.’

‘D-d-d-did you hurt him?’ Dale asked, his voice quivering just a touch.

‘Nothing he won’t recover from,’ Kipp replied. ‘But it was the kind of warning that sometimes you just have to deliver in the clearest terms. Trust me, he’s out of your life. And I mean forever.’

‘Daddy, I don’t know what to say,’ Dale said, his eyes filling with tears of joy. ‘Thank you a billion times to the moon and back.’

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