Page 187 of Morally Gray Daddies

“Aye,” Declan replies. “Figured so. Most men wouldn’t put up with half the shit from our girls with such finesse if they weren’t Daddies.”

It’s true. The girls in this family somehow have the ability to drive someone to the edge. They bring us back down with their sweet smiles and loving words. I love it when I’m around them because my Daddy side is more present. On the other hand, I hate it because I can’t spank their sassy asses myself. And they deserve so many spankings.

“When you find your Little girl, don’t let her go. If it weren’t for Cali and the guys telling me to pull my head out of my ass, I might have made a stupid mistake. I can’t imagine my life without my girl in it. I’d rather die than live without her.”

I nod like I understand, but in reality, I don’t. I’ve never found a woman I’ve felt that strongly for. Hopefully, when I come across the one, I won’t let her pass me by. I want what these guys have.

“Anyway,” Declan says. “On a different note, I’ll have a contractor out here this week to work with you on a design plan for your house.”

“I have a house,” I reply, confused by his words. “I mean, it’s a penthouse, but you know what I mean.”

Declan shrugs. “You’re top seven now. The top-tier men have always lived here on the estate. We have several empty acres, so there’s plenty of room to add another home. You’ve earned this spot, Patrick.”

I stare at him, letting it all settle in. It’s been two weeks since I got promoted, and it still feels strange. In a good way. I hadn’t even thought about moving here, though. I figured I’d stay where I am since there aren’t any empty houses on the property. The thought of building my home hadn’t occurred to me. I’m speechless. They really do want me in the top tier in every way.

“Thanks, boss.”

He snorts and lifts his chin. “Do me a favor, and don’t call me boss. It makes me feel old as fuck.”

The corners of my lips twitch. “Noted.”

“Good. I need you to pay one of our clients a visit today,” Declan says, leaning back in his chair. His face is pinched with irritation.

Anytime a client is about to be paid a visit, it means they owe us money, and unless they cough up, it’s not going to end well for them.

“Sure thing. How much should I collect?”

His jaw flexes. “All of it. He’s been avoiding us and reached out to Alessandro for a loan. Who knows how many other families he owes. It’s time to pay up.”

I dip my chin. “How much are we talking?”

“Half a million. Take a couple of your men with you, just in case.”

It’s strange to hear him call them my men. I used to be one of someone’s men, and now I have my own who report to me. Sometimes, I’m not sure that I have what it takes to be a good boss, but I’ve been learning from six of the best for many years. They wouldn’t have promoted me if they thought I couldn’t do it.

“Will do. Anything else?”

He smirks. “Yeah. Don’t let my wife get away with giving you so much shit. You’re allowed to scold her or send her to me to get her butt spanked.”

Warmth spreads through me. I smirk. “She’s a handful, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. The best fucking handful of my life, though. It’s all worth it when you find the right one, even if your palm is constantly twitching.”

“One day, I’ll find the right one. Today isn’t that day, though, so I’m going to get to work.”

Chapter Two

Ana

My stomach grumbles and cramps. Again. After pulling my knees up to my chest to muffle the sound, I lay my head down and stare out the window at the courtyard. Watching the leaves flutter in the breeze helps distract me.

If only he weren’t here. Then I could go down and find something to eat. I won’t do that while he’s home, though. I’d rather starve to death in the safety of my bedroom than take a chance of running into him.

Branches sway in the soft wind right outside my window, and a mama robin swivels her head around, looking for a snack for her new babies. Sometimes, at night, I slide my window open to talk to her as if she is my mom. She seems like a good one to her hungry little birdies. I like to think that my own mom would have loved me and treated me well. Maybe he would have been different to me, too.

I do everything I can to distract myself while the sun settles behind the mountains in the distance. Usually, as long as he doesn’t see me, he leaves me alone. That’s my only hope for tonight. Besides the hopes and dreams I have of him dying of some kind of painful disease or getting hit by a car. Better yet, a bus. No, a train. He deserves to be hit by a train.

One day, I’ll get free of him. I’ll be brave enough to slip past his guards and run away. I may have been sheltered all my life, but I know I’ve been of an adult age for two years, so technically, I’m free to do whatever I want.

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