Page 44 of Daddy's Heart

“I don’t expect to see you at any of the proceedings. No hearings, no court meetings, nothing.”

“Why isn’t parole good enough for you?” Why go through all the hassle to get everything overturned when he was already free and had the run of the town again?

“That’s not your concern,” he snapped. “Tell me you understand what I expect from you.” He put on the same dominating tone he’d used when they’d played together. He wasn’t anything like Ryder, not in the Dominant sense, but he knew how to take control. It had been that part of him she’d latched on to.

“Just leave me alone, Randall, and I’ll stay far away from anything that involves you,” she said. And she meant it. Randall was not her problem anymore. She wanted to be left out of it, left alone. She’d done the right thing, she’d answered everyone’s questions honestly when they’d asked her, and it was still following her around, still lurking in her shadow.

“Sounds like a fair plan, Samantha. But if I hear one whisper you’re coming back home, that you’re even thinking of showing up to talk to anyone about me, I’ll have to take precautions. To protect myself.” The threat couldn’t have been clearer.

Her fingers curled harder around the edges of her phone. The tightness of her throat didn’t let her answer escape fast enough for him.

“Do you understand me?” he demanded, his control slipping enough for his anger to seep through.

“Yes. I understand,” she answered.

“Good. And you tell that brother of yours to back the fuck off too.”

Paul. He was still in Indiana. He could get hurt.

“I’ll mention it to him.” She forced her voice to remain level. Inside, she was shaking, but she wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of knowing it.

“Not one whisper, Samantha. You got me?” She could sense his snarl, having seen it from the shadows, she knew how cold it could be.

“Yeah, Randall, I got it.”

“That’s a good girl.”

Chapter 18

Ryder checked his watch again and looked over his shoulder down the hall. He’d only signed up for a two-hour slot, and it was coming to a close.

Samantha was somewhere off in the back, helping George get organized, and he missed her—a feeling he wasn’t accustomed to, but there it was.

“Hey.” A hand clapped his shoulder.

Ryder turned slightly to see Kendrick standing there, and his lips split into a wide grin.

“Kendrick, man, it’s been a long time.” He turned around and held out his hand.

“Yeah, same here.” Kendrick grinned. “Been busy as hell, how about you?”

“Usual.” Ryder shrugged, adjusting his stance to keep an eye on the room while he caught up with Kendrick. “Your wife with you?” Ryder asked.

“Not tonight. Kelly’s pregnant again,” Kendrick announced. “The morning sickness is around clock this time. She’s at home, hopefully in bed, if Connor lets her sleep.”

“Your son’s a wild one if I remember.” Ryder had been invited to the little guys’ first birthday party, and he’d been a bundle of energy even before they’d sugared him up with cake.

“And impulsive—just like his mother.” Kendrick grinned with pride. “Anyway, I’m your relief.”

“Splitting time between here and Top Floor?” Ryder asked as he shimmied off the bright yellow vest to hand over. It made spotting the dungeon monitors easy in the darkened play spaces.

“Yeah. I like this place, though, more like home,” Kendrick said.

“Red!” A woman’s scream interrupted them. The room quieted at the sharp sound of the house safeword being called.

“I got this. You head out.” Kendrick patted Ryder’s shoulder and pointed to the blonde woman bound over a spanking bench. Her partner had already dropped the cane he’d been holding and was whispering in her ear while working the cuffs open, but Kendrick would hang close by incase he needed to interfere.

Ryder stuck around for a minute, to be sure there wasn’t any drama, then made his way out of the room. Samantha should be good and tired by now. He’d get her home and tucked into bed—his bed.

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