“I can manage myself,” I answer weakly.
Can I? I’m pretty sure I don’t need his help. Although I’m slowly crashing. The adrenaline pumping through me before is no longer there. I’m so beyond tired.
Xander looks like he might argue, but he doesn’t as I close the bathroom door behind me and stand for a second with my back against it, taking a deep breath before I slide to the floor. And then, like some sort of wrecking ball crashes through me, I break into a thousand pieces.
Sobs shake my body, and though I try to cover my mouth, I can’t keep quiet. A second later, the door is pushed open,sending me slowly sliding with it before Xander can fit his enormous body through the gap.
“Baby girl, fuck,” he says gently as he kneels in front of me, pulling me to his chest.
“I’m sorry I’m being such a crybaby,” I struggle to get out between heavy breaths and sniffles.
Xander shakes his head and reaches for some toilet paper, then takes it upon himself to start cleaning up my face. When I try to take it from him, he pulls his hand away and shakes his head.
“Let Daddy do it.” His tone leaves no room for argument, so I let him dry my tears and soak up every second of his attention.
“How old are you?” I ask, feeling like he’ll tell me anything I want to know.
“Forty. And you’re twenty-four.” He says it matter-of-factly, like it means nothing. I suppose it doesn’t. Jason was only five years older than me, and he was an idiot. Maybe having an older man would be good for me… and for the Daddy factor. He’s certainly good at taking care of me.
“So you’re a Xaddy,” I reply with a soft, sniffly smile.
His eyes flick to meet mine as he pulls the tissue away from my face. “Don’t call me that.”
I giggle quietly, loving the softness of this moment, even if it is in my very cramped bathroom.
“What should I call you then?”
What the hell is wrong with me? Did I hit my head against the wall or something?
Xander leans closer, his woodsy scent like an essential oil for my soul. I’ve never been this attracted to a man’s smell before. Of course, I catch a whiff of a rich cologne here and there, but with Xander, I’m drawn to him.
“What I want and what I deserve are two different things, sunshine. Because what I want is you on the bed with your legsspread, calling me Daddy, while I worship your beautiful body all goddamn night. But what I deserve is to be shot for even thinking that when you’re crying.”
My entire body reacts to what he described. He likes my figure? Somehow, I struggle to believe that. The man has been chiseled from stone. I look like I was rolled out of one of those cans you pound on the edge of the counter and hold your breath because you think it might explode.
“Whatever the fuck you’re thinking, I can already tell I’m not going to like it. In the morning, we’re going to have a talk about all the negative shit you believe about yourself. Right now, I’m going to help you get ready for bed.”
I stare up at him, wanting to ask what he means by “have a talk,” but I have a feeling I’m not going to like whatever it is, so I’ll just keep quiet for now.
He rises to his full height and leans down for me, pulling me up like I weigh nothing at all. Then he turns, lifts the lid to the toilet, and literally grabs me by the hips to move me in front of it. When he reaches for the hem of my skirt, I instinctively grab his hands to stop him.
“I can use the toilet by myself.”I think.My knees are still trembling from earlier.
I’ve been in a lot of situations since I started bartending, but I’ve never been followed and cornered like that. It was a secret hallway that only staff have access to. I don’t know how he got back there. What if… What if Xander hadn’t found me?
“Baby,” he murmurs. “You’re crying again. Let me help you. Be my good girl tonight and let me take care of you.”
Tears drip from my chin to my chest, and my legs shake slightly. I haven’t needed anyone to help me for as long as I can remember. Somehow, I’ve always done things for myself. Taken care of myself. But maybe I can let go for one night.
Slowly, I remove my fingers from his hands and move them to his hard biceps. He lifts my skirt and tucks his thumbs into the waistband of my lace panties and pulls them down. He doesn’t hover or stare, though I don’t miss the way his gaze flicks to my pussy for just a second before he looks away.
“Sit, baby. I’ll give you a minute to yourself, but don’t get up from that toilet until I get back.”
I nod. As soon as he closes the bathroom door behind him, not all the way, I might add, I relieve myself, sighing as the pressure eases. When I’ve finished, I clean myself up and stand, swaying a little as I reach down to pull up my panties, then adjust my skirt. Right as I turn and flush, Xander walks in, his eyes dark and brows furrowed.
“I should punish you for disobeying my instructions, sunshine.”
My clit throbs, and I try not to squirm at the pressure building between my legs. There’s something about Xander that makes me want to disobey him to see what he’ll do. To see how he’ll punish me. Will he spank me? God, I’ve always wanted to try that. Jason said I needed to see a therapist when I asked him to spank me.
