Page 121 of Morally Gray Daddies

Almost three hours had passed since my phone call with Devlin when I took the designated offramp from the highway and bore onto a small, two-lane road. The trees which had lined much of our route to this point now closed in even tighter, forming almost a canopy above us. The road wound through the forest, climbing upward before topping a small pass and dropping into a narrow valley on the other side. Twice more we did that until the automated voice chimed, “In one point five miles turn left onto Forest Service Road Five Eight Nine Nine.” That road wasn’t paved, but a well-maintained gravel path that snaked even deeper into the conifers. Four more miles passed until the voice came in once more: “In one thousand feet, turn left. Your destination will be on your right.”

“Whoa.” Aubrey’s voice broke the silence as we bumped down a narrow dirt track.

I could see what she was responding to.

Devlin Cane was a rich man, and this home spoke to it. It was more than just some secluded cabin in the woods; it was a large, log-cabin-stylized structure of wood, steel, and glass—A-frame shaped, with huge glass-paned walls facing outward to a clearing that stretched from the road back to the front of the house. It was something out of Architectural Digest, and if I’d ever wondered how well Devlin’s businesses were doing, this showed me.

After pulling up to a small carport, I shut off the SUV and sat for a moment in the sudden quiet. As the faint smell of the forest surrounding us crept inside the truck, Aubrey craned her neck around, taking in what she could.

“Come on, let’s head inside.”

The side door was locked, but a glance at my phone showed Devlin had texted me a code to open it. If the home’s exterior was impressive, the interior was even more so. Rich, stained wood walls and stone facings, tiled and hardwood flooring, and stylish rugs strategically placed tied every room together with a subtlety that spoke of wealth and comfort. Devlin didn’t do things by half measures, and this place proved it.

“Is this another safe house?” Aubrey asked in an awed tone.

“No,” I replied quietly. “This is your future.”

She looked over with narrowed eyes, but I ignored it, continuing to explore the home. Everything was immaculate, pristine, and I owed Devlin a debt for this, because for what I had planned for the next week or so, this was going to be perfect.

Having eventually figured out the lay of the land, I drew Aubrey back into the main living room. She followed wordlessly, stopping to stare out of the huge front windows as I sat down on the long leather couch that faced the same direction.

“Aubrey,” I beckoned, bringing her head around to look at me. “Sit. There.” I pointed to a chair sitting at a slight angle facing the couch.

She moved silently, following my order.

“So,” I began, “I know I’ve told you before you’re going to be introduced to a world you couldn’t possibly imagine. Well, the process of that starts today. Now, in fact.”

She shot me a look of confusion.

“This home… A moment ago you asked if this was a safe house and I told you, no, it was your future. Well, it is.”

“Okay?”

“This home belongs to the man I’m going to sell you to.”

I watched as she swallowed. “Sell me to.”

“Mmhmm. Once he has possession of you, he and his associates will finish your training, and then you’ll be put up for auction. At that point another man—someone who thinks of themselves as a taker—will purchase you.”

“Purchase me,” she replied, her eyes going wide.

“Yes. He’ll pay for the privilege of owning what few men ever will: a perfect submissive.”

She blinked rapidly. “Is that what I am?”

I shook my head. “No. It’s what you’ll become, at least in their eyes. But I want you to remember this; to me and people like me—anyone with truly discerning intuition—we’ll see you for your true value. Those things that are intrinsic in your very nature. The qualities that make you so incredibly special. Something to value beyond measure. Something to cherish.”

Aubrey’s lower lip quivered, her eyes glistening. “Is that the way you see me?”

“Of course.”

“Then keep me,” she whispered.

I drew a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “I can’t.”

The tears began to fall. “Why?”

“Because.”

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