Page 71 of Daddy's Little Farmer

“That’s unacceptable. We need to have this out.”

“I think she’ll call you soon. I just wanted to let you know she was well and safe,” Porter said.

“She gave no clue where she was?”

“No, sir, but I have the number she called from. That might help.”

Jesus, why the hell didn’t he think of that? “Yes, I’ll take it.” Rafael scribbled the number down quickly. “Thank you, Porter. She’ll be coming back.”

“I hope so, sir.”

Rafael looked at the number. “Why does it look familiar?”

He didn’t waste another moment but dialed the number.

A man answered the phone, and at first, Rafael was extremely confused. “Alex?”

“Hey.”

“Hey? Goddammit, is my little with you?” Rafael asked.

“Yes. I believe so.”

God, he was going to strangle his friend if he didn’t stop messing around. “Why the hell is she with you?”

Alex sighed. “I found her in my building last night. She was extremely distraught, and her feet were injured.”

“How?”

“She ran through the street and alleys barefoot.”

“Fuck. She lost her shoes at the place we were at,” Rafael said. “Is she okay?”

“Her feet will heal. I just don’t know about the rest of it. Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Rafael rubbed the back of his neck. “I fucked up.”

“I know that much.”

“I brought Mara home about eight weeks ago. In that time, I never took her anywhere. I told myself I was too busy, but I was afraid to scare her any more than she already was.”

“Scared of what?”

“My life. If she wasn’t with her animals, she looked lost. I think the house and the servants made her feel inferior or something. Every time I saw her, I was terrified she would tell me she wanted to return to her farm.”

“I can understand that,” Alex said. “It sounds like you love her, man. I never thought I’d see the day. Now tell me about last night and the other woman.”

“I had one of those meet-and-great things, and I was supposed to meet a potential partner on a project. I had Tabitha come with me.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

“Because I knew if Mara were with me, my whole focus would be on her, not the business. The man is big into families and dislikes working with single men. I feared my Mara would get even more scared and want to run.”

“That’s why you worked late?”

Rafael sighed. “Yeah, there were a few reasons. One is if I came home when she was asleep, I wouldn’t be able to … be inside of her like I desperately wanted to, twenty-four hours a day. I can’t get enough of her. I had to take naps at work because I’d spend half the night just looking at her. Alex, I can’t fucking lose her. I know I fucked up, and I take full responsibility for everything. I’m going to beg her for another chance.”

“It might take some doing,” Alex said.

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