“I’ll show you the security suite this afternoon, where you can meet everyone.”
“Okay.”
“Forget that we are an established security team with our own procedures. I want to know what your approach would be.” He rubbed his chin. “I think we need fresh eyes on the issue.”
“Do you have a location in mind, like what’s coming up in the next few weeks?”
“There’s a Quad IV event Rayna and Tinley will attend. Part of the event is off-campus atThe Sphere.” He tapped on his phone. “We have a trip to New York next month. Then, Rayna and Tinley are planning a summer vacation. You can check with them about what they have planned so far. Most likely in Europe. Although, Tinley mentioned Costa Rica.” He grinned and shook his head. It was obvious how fond he was of both Rayna and Tinley.
“They are planning it?”
“Yeah, as much as their daddies will allow. They can pick the place and if it’s safe and we can secure it, then we’ll go.” He stared out the window again, but he continued to talk. “Rayna needs a tight rein to keep her out of trouble, but Kyler wants her to have as much independence within reason. He wants her to have the freedom she craves, but he needs to know she’s protected. It’s a tough balance.” He chuckled. “If Kyler had his way, he’d lock her in the apartment 24/7, but Rayna would personally make his life a living hell if he required it. He is trusting you with the most precious thing in his life and Josh with Tinley. We are all quite fond of them both, so I guess we are trusting you, too.
I nodded.They are fond of her. She wants more freedom. Rayna planned their vacations.It had to be a ploy. Something to placate her in her captivity. My mind went back to lunch, where Kyler clearly chastised Rayna for opening the door on her own, and I imagined being corrected, but it wasn’t in front of me, and she didn’t seem overly upset. She seemed more concerned about us eating her sweet and sour lobster. She was obviously well-fed and had all the luxury anyone could ask for: a nice place to live, all the necessities. Kyler treated her with care, but he also treated her with control. It didn’t matter if it was in a dirty house in the forest or in a penthouse in Las Vegas; if she was forced to be there, it was wrong.
If she wanted to leave, I would find a way to make it happen.
CHAPTER 8
PATRICK
We discussed her job expectations further before I sent her off with Collin to move into her new place and to give her a behind-the-scenes tour of the property. And because all the talk of daddies and littles was giving me a few aches, I needed some time out of her presence. I wish it were confined to my head, but my heart and my cock were distracted as well.
Being around Kylie did things to my nervous system I hadn’t felt in a long time. Yes, she was inquisitive. The girl was not afraid to ask questions. Something in the way she talked about her little took me back to the time when I had last been a Daddy Dom to a sweet little girl. It was why Kylie’s question about my priority between Kyler and Rayna threw me. My little and I didn’t last very long because I couldn’t make her a priority. I had too much riding on my relationship with Kyler.
When his parents died tragically, Josh and I both felt an obligation to help Kyler preserve his family’s legacy. Josh was like a brother to Kyler. They had grown up together. Josh was like a protector to me. I met them both in high school. I was anew kid, a poor kid, attending their private school because my dad was the maintenance man and I could attend tuition-free. Josh and Kyler took me under their wing from day one, and even when other students tried to bully me, I had their protection to stand up for myself. I owed them for that alone.
Upon graduation, while they were off to NYU and then Columbia Business School, I enlisted in the Marines. Did my stint and completed college courses when I could. I kept in touch throughout the years. Once I got out, I worked in a security firm and was bored out of my mind, but learned a lot. When I found out the Grants had died, I knew I had to pay back the favor and protect Kyler and those who were important to him.
“Did I overstep?” Kyler’s voice broke my reverie.
I spun around from my perch near the window in my office. “Fuck, Kyler.” I held my hand to my chest.
“You know, for the head of my security, I figured you’d be more aware of your surroundings.”
“Fuck you. Fire me so I can go off to the Caribbean and live my life drinking Pina Coladas and basking in the sun.”
“Nice to see your retirement plan is all figured out.” He approached the opposite end of the window, staring out with his arms crossed over his chest. “Well?”
“You saw the contract; she signed it.” I turned back to the window.
“Yeah, but you’re upset with me.” The pout in his voice was unmistakable and bullshit. Kyler didn’t need anyone to like him. He did need my respect for some reason, and I’d yet to figure out why. Asking him why was out of the question. Maybe I could get Kylie to ask for me.
“I’m not upset. I guess it served its purpose. No confusion as to what she’s doing here.” I faced him. “If she’s here to take us down, then the leverage is a good thing.”
“Yeah, there’s that, and then there’s the other thing.” He walked to the mini-refrigerator behind my desk and grabbed a bottle of water. “You want something?”
“No, thank you.” I shook my head. “And what’s the other thing?”
“You know.”
“Stop playing coy, Kyler. You’re ruining thetough guy everyone’s afraid ofpersona.” I chuckled and leaned against the arm of the couch.
“A, it’s not a persona.” He sipped the bottle of water. “And two, I can’t change the way people react to me. Not now anyway. It’s too late in the game and I don’t care enough about how people perceive me to change it.”
“I think Rayna would have something to say about that.”
He grinned. “Yeah, well, speaking of littles.”
