Page 24 of The Puck Daddy

“You are! You’re the Daddy that all the littles are chatting about. The one who sits on the side looking for the right boy to play with. I’ve seen the way you look at my brother, you know. Does this mean you might’ve found your boy?”

My heart beats triple time in my chest, and that little flicker of hope burns into a desperate need. “Are you saying that Adrian might be a little or a boy?”

Felix hesitates. “Would it matter if he were one or the other? Or neither?”

My respect for Felix grows even more. He’s trying to protect his older brother by not outing him. I decide to lay my cards on the table and be as honest as possible. “It’s true. I’m a Daddy,but my last relationship didn’t end well. The boy I fell in love with hurt me deeply, so I’m nervous about fully putting myself out there again. It’s another reason why I’m hesitant to want to do this whole fake thing with Adrian. I want to find my forever boy. Whether he’s a little, middle, puppy, or some other kind of submissive, it doesn’t matter. As long as my boy understands that I’m a caregiver through and through.”

Felix nods eagerly. Just then, his phone vibrates on the table. He glances down at it and hits ignore. “That’s my Daddy. He’s here to pick me up. Talk to my brother, Theo. The two of you have amazing chemistry. Call me a hopeless romantic, but maybe a fake relationship is exactly what you need. The two of you could test the waters. See how the two of you would be if this thing were real, because I think it has the potential to be real if you want it to be.” He beams at me.

That hopeful, desperate inferno blazes even brighter right when I spot Adrian walking toward us. I definitely have a lot to think about. “Thank you, Felix,” I whisper.

“What’s going on here?” Adrian asks with a large grin as he reaches the booth. “Why do you two look so happy?”

My eyes bounce to Felix.

“Jared’s here. So, I thought I’d leave you two,” Felix replies.

Adrian glances behind me, and his smile falls, replaced with a frown. “Will you be okay, Fe?”

Peering over my shoulder, I notice someone walking toward us. I immediately recognize the man from Clutch, and wish I didn’t. If this is Felix’s Daddy, I’ve definitely seen the man chat with other littles. The guy seems like a player and reminds me of the possessive Daddy my ex replaced me with.

“I’ll be fine. Promise.”

Felix and I climb out of the booth at the same time, and I leave a few twenties with the bill.

Adrian scoops Fe into a protective hug. “Call if you need anything. Any time. You can also stay in my room with me if you need to. I can sleep on the floor. I promise I don’t mind.”

Suddenly, I feel like I’m witnessing something I shouldn’t. I want to give the two siblings privacy, but I don’t like the look on Jared’s face as his gaze bounces between Adrian and me. My Daddy instincts are telling me to stay. To protect what’s mine.

Wait, mine?

Felix pulls away from the hug with a bright smile. “Don’t forget what I promised you earlier, Aid. I’m fine. Nothing’s happened. Okay?”

“Okay,” Adrian grumbles.

“Plus, I left Delfy House because it’s too loud and crazy. You should, too. And stop trying to protect me, big brother. You’ve done so much for me growing up. I’m an adult now. I got this.”

Adrian pulls Felix into another quick hug, determination on his face. “I might not be very good at it, Fe. But I promise I’ll always be here for you.”

I swear, if my heart didn’t melt at this moment, I’d be made of stone. Something about the fierce loyalty Adrian has for Felix makes me fall for him just a little. Adrian has clearly been through more than I realized, and the Daddy inside of me wants to reach out to help him.

The brothers say goodbye, and Felix gives me a meaningful look. Jared approaches but doesn’t say anything. He offers me a small smile and a nod, which eases my thoughts just a little.

Suddenly, Adrian leans against me, pressing his arm against mine. I’m tempted to lace my fingers with his, something I’ve never done in public before.

As soon as Jared and Felix are out the door, Adrian pulls away. “Sorry about that. I wanted Jared to think we were together, and to know that he doesn’t have anything to worry about when it comes to you and Fe.”

“What do you mean?”

“Felix and Jared got into a fight when Jared found out he was meeting me at the bar. He didn’t believe Felix. And I didn’t wantthe asshole to think that Felix was meeting you instead, even though I’m standing right here.”

I nod, glad it isn’t just me who thinks Jared seems like an asshole.

“The ironic thing is, my teammate, Callaway, thought I was meeting someone else, too.” He lets out a deep sigh. “What’s wrong with hanging out with my brother? He’s my best friend.”

I give Adrian a reassuring squeeze on his forearm, causing him to smile at me. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Thanks, Theo.”

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