The entire ride to my place takes all of ten minutes, but it may as well be years. My plan is moving faster than I intended, but I no longer care. She didn’t question when I said we weren’t going to the zoo anymore, which only fueled the fire that is quickly consuming me.

We sit in silence for the first half of the journey to my house here in Portland, but I’ve got her hand clutched in mine and it feels more than perfect. It feels right.

Why I waited so long I don’t know because I’ve missed out on the joy of touching her. I wind the Wagoneer through the streets, trying not to hit any of the many bike riders that use the streets here as much as the autos.

“You okay?” I turn to see her bat her eyelashes and take a breath. So beautiful. So fresh and free.

So fucking mine.

“Yes.”

“It’s a lot, I know. But I couldn’t pretend anymore. Then, goddamn, you show up wearing that fucking T-shirt today. The day I planned to tell you—”

I grit my teeth and swallow. I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t want to scare the shit out of her.

“It’s okay. Tell me what?” She squeezes my fingers, and just that simple gesture has my dick ready to spend in my pants.

I look over and see her eyes wide, her lips slightly open. Her brown irises seem full of glitter today. They sparkle and call to me just like those words scrawled in shimmering script across her chest.

Daddy’s Girl.

“The rules,” I manage, waiting for her to pull her hand away. But she doesn’t. My chest is barely containing the pounding of my heart. The need inside me is gripping around my throat, making each breath a struggle.

When I saw that T-shirt today, I knew it was a sign. No more waiting. No more holding back. Today, I believe in divine intervention because it was a sign from on high.

“The rules? I know how you like rules, but I’m not sure I understand…”

“Open the glove box,” I say, and it takes her a moment, but her free hand moves to do as I order. Inside, there is a white envelope. It’s been there for months. Waiting.

But today is the day.

Everything seems to move so slowly as I watch her take it out, lay it on her knees, close the hinged door. I can’t wait forever.

I bring the back of her hand to my lips, holding it there as I palm the wheel and ease us down the street to the Victorian house I bought the same day I met her. Paid cash. Because somehow, I knew, from that very first day, I would make this my home with her. One look. One conversation and I knew.

It’s taken me a few months to get my affairs in order, get my head out of my ass, and make my move. Running the business busied me for years. Brought me as close to what I thought was happiness, until I knew better.

The front of the envelope reads “Daddy’s Rules for His Babygirl,” and I watch her pick it up as I bring the Wagoneer into the driveway of my house.

With her inside, it will finally be a home. Our home. She just doesn’t know it yet.

“I’m taking you inside my house, Lexi. The house I bought the day I met you. Then we are going to open that envelope. Are you ready?”

So many things unspoken, and yet I can see in her eyes she understands completely. The connection between us is uncanny. I’ve never come close to feeling this way, how I feel with her. How I feel about her.

“Yes. I’m good.” Her eyes dart from me to the house as we approach, a smile starting to tug at the corners of her mouth. “This is the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen.”

My eyes glance toward the hundred-year-old gingerbread-trimmed structure. It’s painted a fanciful green and highlighted in deep purple with a touch of bright yellow.

“I picked the colors because they reminded me of you. But it will be a lot more beautiful when you are inside.”

That tugging on the corners of her mouth gives way to a flash of her teeth. She’s so fucking sweet I want to steal her away from this world and never give her back.

“You know I want things from you, don’t you, Lexi? You know I need things?”

She nods as I pull the car into the circular gravel drive and put it into park. Wide wooden steps lead up to the porch, putting images in my head of holding her hand to bring her into her new world. Her new life. Her new home.

“Yes. I think I do know.”

“Good. Because I’m done wasting time. And you need me too.”

“How do you know I need you?” Her whispered words are not a challenge; they are her way of asking me to reassure her. To take her where she belongs.

I lightly kiss her hand before letting it go to get out of the car. I’m making my way around to her side. No longer will she be required to open her own door, to risk falling ever again. I’ll be there to do it for her, because that’s my job.

When I open the door, I take the envelope from her hands and put it in my back pocket. We will get to the rules soon, but I need her safe and sound inside first.

Once she’s out of the car, I guide her toward the front of the house, helping her up each step. “Do you remember when you were at the supermarket checkout four weeks ago and then discovered you didn’t have enough money to pay for your food?”

Her eyes flash with confusion before answering slowly. “Yes. How did you know about—”

I cut her off and continue as we reach the front door. “There was a woman behind you. About forty years old, dark hair in a ponytail, she gave you the difference and said it was her good deed for the day?”

Lexi’s face twists a little with the effort as she tries to understand. I punch in my key code on the electronic lock, and the front door swings open. I may have bought a hundred-year-old painted lady, but I’ve spent a good half a million in renovations and upgrades to make it perfect for our future.

My hand grazes just above the swell of her ass, ushering her through the door for the first time. She’s quiet, looking around, taking in her new surroundings as I ease the door closed behind us.

“Then twelve days ago, you were walking home after your shift. It started raining, and you had to run? You tripped and fell, but you didn’t hit the ground. Instead, you found yourself caught in one hand by a monster of a man holding a red umbrella?”

“What is going on? How do you know all this?”

“He walked you home. Told you about his mother, who lives just around the corner from your place. You’ve waved to him since then because he turns up now and again, doesn’t he?”

I relieve her of her bag, setting it on the turquoise blue upholstered chair in the foyer, before reaching down for her hand and guiding her into the living room. I turn her to sit on the white velvet sofa, and her eyes pin onto my face as I see her swallow hard.

“I need things from you, Lexi. And you need things from me. But the one thing that is nonnegotiable, the one thing I will always do above all else, is keep you safe. I’ve been doing that as best I can since the first day I saw you. I’m sorry, don’t be scared, please. I hired people to follow you when I couldn’t be here. I couldn’t sleep at night. Couldn’t function if I didn’t know you were okay.”

“I should be completely freaked out right now.” She turns her toes inward, and her hands come to rest in little fists in her lap as I crouch down in front of her. “You’re like, stalking me. You’re a stalker. Like, a legit stalker. I mean, you hire people to do the actual stalking, but still.”

I accept her accusatory title for me. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a moniker I’ll wear proudly. She doesn’t know I watch her from the rented apartment, but I decide that extra information could push her over the edge right now.

There is no fear or malice in her words. I even note a hint of joy dancing on each of them. Somehow, I knew she would understand.

“Call it what you like. Tell me truthfully that, in your heart, it doesn’t please you, knowing I care so much. Are you scared or happy to know that? Don’t tell me what you think you ought to say. Tell me what you really feel. Because that’s one of the rules, isn’t it?”

She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth, wiggles a bit on the sofa, and I take her hands in mine. The discomfort of my erection pushing upward distracts me for a moment. I swear I can smell her building lust from here, and it’s turning me into an animal. I’m tortured by visions of my fist in her hair, tearing her skirt from her body, fucking into her with her sweet candy panties torn off to the side.

“This is…” Her voice trails off, and the room goes silent. The only sound is the thumping of my heartbeat in my ears. When her eyes come back up to mine, I see the glimmer of tears, and for a split second, I think I’ve ruined everything. I’ll never forgive myself. If I’ve hurt her, if I’ve made her hate me… I’ll spend the rest of my life in exile. I’ll never be able to get over the shame. But, no. These tears are different, unlike the ones I saw after she fell out of the car. These are tears of joy. I see it, and I can barely contain myself. “No one’s ever cared that much about me. I mean, my parents, but since they died…nobody. I should be totally freaked out, right? Everything I know about the world is saying this is crazy…” She shakes her head. “But I’m not. I feel…”

She tips her head back to gaze at the ceiling, and I let go of one of her hands, bringing my fingers to her chin. Pulling her wide eyes back to me.

“You feel what, Babygirl? Tell Daddy what you feel.”

Daddy.

That word hangs between us, heavy and in silent motion like a pendulum, counting out the seconds in which she studies me, and I wonder if I’ve pushed her too far. I watch the intensity in her eyes multiply, the flush rise up her neck in a pink cloud.

I hold my breath. Will she shut down at the word? At my name? The one name I need so badly for her to use.

Her lips come out in a quick pout before she answers.

“I feel safe. Daddy…”

Finally, I release my breath. Hearing her try that name on her lips makes my head light. I need her. I need her right now. Before I can stop myself, I’m leaning forward, taking her mouth with mine, drawing a kiss from her because I have to have it; I have to have her.

I reach around and draw the envelope from my back pocket. I want this now. It’s time. As much as I want to lay her down and spread her pussy lips with my mouth, I want to start out right.

Our life.

Daddy’s rules.

“Okay, princess. Let’s read your rules. You understand what this means?”

I sit down next to her, then pull her snugly into my lap, handing her the envelope.

“I’m not sure. Maybe I do, but I—”

She’s stammering, so I help her out.

“I want you, princess. And not just in my bed. In my life. And this—” I tap the envelope with my index finger “—this is part of who we are. We are special, Lex. We’re not going to be dating, or boyfriend and girlfriend. What we have is bigger than that. And it started the first time I saw you. You know that, don’t you? We’ve been building this since then. And this just makes it official. So open it, and I want you to read Daddy’s rules out loud.”

She accepts the envelope, and her index finger pushes under where the flap is sealed.

The paper separating tears into the silence. My heart is the only other thing I hear as she slips the folded page from the envelope and opens it.

Her eyes dance across the words before she looks at me, and I nod in encouragement.

Her voice falters at first. Then she takes a breath, clears her throat softly, and begins to read. I hug her closer into my lap as each word binds us together.

THE RULES:

1. Always tell Daddy what you are feeling. Never be scared to tell him anything and everything.

2. Daddy’s decisions are final, but remember he always wants the best for you.

3. When Daddy tells you to take off your panties, you do it.

4. Always ask for permission to touch your princess parts.

5. When Daddy gives you permission to touch yourself, only think of Daddy when you do.

6. You belong to Daddy and Daddy only.

7. Always answer Daddy’s phone calls and texts.

8. It’s your job to make Daddy happy. You will never say no when Daddy needs to fuck his Babygirl. That’s part of making him happy.

9. Always tell Daddy if you don’t want to do something, then Daddy will decide. You always have a voice, but Daddy makes the decisions.

10. You are to wake up Daddy with your mouth on his cock.

11. Show Daddy your pussy whenever he asks. Never keep your pussy from Daddy.

12. Always remember how beautiful you are. Be confident in your body and your value. You are priceless.

13. Keep your body clean and healthy. No candy, soda, alcohol, or junk food without asking permission first.

14. If you feel sick, anything hurts you, you must tell Daddy immediately.

15. Shave your pussy every day.

16. Always answer Daddy when he asks you a question. Do not make Daddy ask twice.

17. Daddy decides what you will wear. If he is not home to pick out your clothes, you are to text him a picture of what you want to wear before you dress so he can decide.

18. Always tell Daddy if you break the rules.

19. Take your punishments like a good girl. Because you are Daddy’s good girl.

20. As we love and grow together, rules may change, rules may be added—always at Daddy’s discretion.

When she’s done, she holds the paper in her trembling fingers, staring down at it.

Her ass is soft on the raging hardness under my pants. I didn’t think it possible, but I want her more than ever. I need to taste her and own her with my body.

“Here.” I take the papers from her hands and set them next to us on the sofa. “Now, look at me.”

Her eyes come to mine, a small smile teasing her lips as I wrap my fingers behind her neck and pull her forehead to my lips for a soft kiss before releasing her.

“So, you understand the rules?”

“Yes.”

“How does that make you feel?” This is the moment of truth. What she says now will make or break me.