Page 42 of Maddox

I knew he was right, but it didn't make it any easier. Tammy had been there for like a minute. I'd only known Clare for a short time, yet she'd become incredibly important to me. The way she'd opened up today, allowed herself to be little with me—it had touched something deep inside me.

My phone rang, and I nearly lunged for it. But it wasn't Clare; it was Eric.

"Got something," he said. "Blakeny is on the move. He checked into the Orlando Excel downtown. Traveling under the name James Black, but facial recognition confirmed it's him. He's made several calls since arriving and in none of them did he try to hide who he is."

I felt a surge of adrenaline. "Any idea who he's calling?"

"Working on it," Eric replied. "One number belongs to his lawyer in New York. The others are burners. But here's the interesting part—he's scheduled a flight to Tampa tomorrow morning."

Tampa. That was too close to Clare for comfort.

“He’s just made another call to his driver to collect him immediately. I have eyes and ears on him. Want me to follow?”

“Absolutely,” I said and hung up. Dion was already relaying what Eric had found out to Gideon.

Thirty minutes later it looked like Blakeny was going shopping. Except he’d only driven to one store—Bits and Little Pieces. It was a high-end kink store. The regular BDSM party stuff, nothing specialized like whips, but they had an area where specially made adult-sized Little clothes, pacifiers, diapers, and onesies could be bought.

My fingers curled tightly, and it was only when the pain from my nails digging in registered that I took a lungful of oxygen. “Keep lots of eyes on him,” I ordered and stood up. I needed to see Clare.

My phone rang again with a number I didn’t recognize. What did surprise me was that it was Anna, Clare’s therapist. "Anna," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Is everything alright?"

"Clare contacted me," Anna explained. "She's struggling with the news about Blakeny being back in the country."

I closed my eyes, guilt washing over me. "I should have handled that better. I didn't want her to find out that way."

"What's done is done," Anna said pragmatically. "What matters now is supporting Clare. She's expressed interest in exploring her Little side in a therapeutic context, to see if we can access more of the memories she's blocked."

My heart rate picked up. "She wants to do that?"

"Yes, and she specifically mentioned your playroom as a place she'd feel safe doing this. With you present."

Relief flooded through me. "Of course. Whenever you both want to do this, my home is open."

"I’m free today after my afternoon appointments, around four thirty, if that works for you? I would have suggested tomorrow, but I think Clare will just fret all night about this."

"I'll make it work," I assured her. "Does Clare want me to pick her up?"

There was a brief pause. "She didn't specify. Why don't you text her and ask?"

After ending the call with Anna, I immediately texted Clare: "Anna called about meeting today. Would you like me to pick you up, princess?"

I waited anxiously for her response, which came several minutes later: "Yes please, Daddy."

Those three simple words sent a wave of warmth through me.

Chapter Fifteen

CLARE

I was still hiding in my little nest between the bed and the wall when my phone buzzed with Daddy's text. Reading his words made me feel warm inside, and I hugged Henry closer as I typed my reply.

A wave of relief washed over me when he responded immediately: "I'll be there in 30 minutes, princess. Pack anything you want to bring with you."

I scrambled out from my hiding place, suddenly energized. What should I bring? I looked around my bedroom, my eyes landing on my empty shelves and a wave of sadness rushedthrough me at all I’d thrown away. I turned to my closet. Maybe some comfy clothes? I wasn't sure how long I'd be staying. I was torn on what to bring and indecision made me pause.

I tried not to think too hard about what was coming and flitted from drawer to drawer trying to make a decision. I stood in my closet a couple of times, then went to the bathroom to grab my things from in there. The idea of deliberately trying to access my Little side to remember traumatic events was terrifying. But if it could help catch Blakeny and whoever else was involved, wasn't that worth it?

I jumped when my phone rang—it was the building security desk.

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