Page 41 of Bet On Me, Daddy

RUBY

Five minutes didn’t give her enough time to actually change, so she just threw her jacket on over her corset and grabbed her go-bag from her locker before hurrying back out to the lobby.

Where Beckett was waiting, a smug smile on his stupidly handsome face as he held up his phone to show her the timer counting down the last thirty seconds of her time. “Cutting it close, Ruby Red.”

“You know, you’re being kind of a dick for a guy who wants to get laid tonight.”

Tucking his phone in his pocket, he stepped forward. His fingers wrapped around her ponytail with just enough pressure to let her know she was skating on thin, thin ice. “Keep it up, little girl. While I’d love nothing more than to take you home and have you come all over my face before burying my cock in that hot little cunt of yours, I’ll be just as happy to fuck your red, welted ass instead. How our evening plays out depends entirely on you and your attitude. Understood?”

Message received, loud and clear. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good girl. Are you riding with me or driving yourself?”

“I’ll drive. I just need the address.”

They took a moment to exchange phone numbers so he could text her his address, after which he walked her out to her car. She was grateful for the escort, and not just because it gave her a warm, fuzzy sort of feeling to be walking to her car with his arm looped around her waist.

Across the street, under the harsh glow of the streetlamps, stood a crowd of people all dressed in identical beige clothing staring at the entrance to Club BDE. When she’d first started at the club a couple months ago, Tara had filled her in on the religious whackjobs who’d been watching the club for a while now. They’d never done anything more than stand and watch, so the cops had been of absolutely no help despite one of the club owners being a retired Charleston PD detective. But they still gave Ruby the heebie-jeebies and Braden was very strict about his employees not entering or leaving the building alone after dark.

“I wish they’d find someone else to hassle,” she muttered as she and Beckett turned the corner to where she’d parked her car. “They freak me out.”

“Same. It’s weird how they all look identical.”

“Right! The clothes, the hair, everything. It’sweird.”

When she slowed to a stop beside her car, Beckett turned, pressing her back against the old sedan. Even in the dark, she could see the intensity in his gaze. “Have you been following Braden’s rules about leaving the club with a buddy after dark?”

“Yes. I have no desire to be abducted by some weird cultorto find myself on the wrong end of Daddy B’s paddle.”

Beckett’s lips twitched, despite the seriousness of the conversation. “You know he really hates that nickname, right?”

“Duh. Why do you think we keep using it?”

“Brat,” he said with a low laugh. “I have a feeling you’re going to have a red-hot bottom more often than not for the foreseeable future.”

“Promise, promises.”

Ducking his head, he captured her lips in a surprisingly soft, sweet kiss. “Drive safe, Ruby Red. I’ll be very cranky if anything happens to you before I get to taste you.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Body humming, she climbed into her car and turned the key in the ignition, praying the damn thing wouldn’t embarrass her in front of Beckett. For once, however, the engine roared to life immediately and she pulled away from the curb.

Where she would normally turn left to head home to her apartment, the GPS on her phone told her to turn right. She sat at the intersection, her heart pounding as she contemplated just going home and sending him a text letting her know she’d changed her mind.

That was the logical thing to do. Go home, drown her disappointment in a pint of chocolate brownie ice cream, and then get herself off with the assistance of one of her many handheld boyfriends. Put a stop to this thing between her and Beckett before one of them—most likely her—inevitably got hurt.

But she was feeling anything but logical just then. And when the light turned green, she turned the wheel to the right.

Toward him.

Beckett

Ruby’sancient sedan was already in his driveway when he pulled in, and he frowned at the sight of it.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” he said when they both climbed out of their respective vehicles, deliberately keeping his tone casual.

“You didn’t.” Slinging a backpack over her shoulder, she flashed a smile, and he resisted the urge to push her to tell himexactlyhow long she’d been sitting there.

---