Page 203 of Daddy's Pride
“Are you sure you liked that? Because it’s been the best week of my life, but you’ve had to work hard. I didn’t even do my laundry. Like, that’s a lot for you.”
Brody grinned. “Oh, I’m not saying I’ll spoil you like this for the rest of your life, baby boy. You’ll need to do chores, and if you don’t do them, there will be consequences.”
Josiah shifted, his cheeks growing red, and Brody had no trouble deducing where his mind had gone. “Still hoping for that spanking, huh?” he asked with a wide smile.
Josiah nodded.
“We can make that happen, no worries. As punishment or as a reward.”
“B-but you don’t mind doing all that for me?”
“No. I love it. See, I find it incredibly rewarding to be needed.” Brody brushed his thumb over Josiah’s knuckles in rhythmic circles, grounding them both. “It gives me purpose, focus. Taking care of you this week has felt like a privilege… one that I hope to have for a long, long time. But before we can take that step, there’s something about me you need to know… about why I walked away from you.”
Josiah’s head dropped to his chest, but Brody tilted his chin back up. “No, baby boy, this isn’t about you. This is about me and my past, and I need you to listen to me and swear it stays between us.”
Josiah’s expression changed. Instead of hurt, it showed concern. “I promise. What’s going on?”
Brody took a deep breath. “Ten years ago, I lived and worked in LA as an accountant. The company I worked for had some big clients, and I was hungry for the top, so I worked my ass off to gain my boss’s trust. Well, it worked, and I was awarded one of our bigger clients. Within weeks of taking over the account, I discovered something fishy. The books showed creative accounting that was hiding something illegal. Something big. I talked to my boss about it, albeit in covert terms, and he told me to let it go. But I couldn’t. I started digging and found out my client was at the top of a massive money laundering scheme, all involving money from drugs and human trafficking. And my boss knew and chose to actively help them do it—in exchange for a hefty fee, of course. A fee I would receive a share of if I participated. But I couldn’t.”
“Oh my god,” Josiah said. “The Victoria case.”
Brody wasn’t surprised Josiah recognized it. The case had made national headlines for months as the trial dragged on and on, complicated by several witnesses committing perjury, evidence of jury tampering, countless motions from the defendant in an attempt to prevent the inevitable, and all the legal tricks in the book. But in the end, justice had been served. Thanks to Brody’s testimony.
“Yes.”
“You were the star witness.”
“Yes.”
“So you’re in…?”
“I’m in the Witness Security Program. I changed my name, had plastic surgery done to alter my appearance enough to make me unrecognizable, moved across the country, and have kept my head low ever since. Until you.”
He saw the moment it clicked for Josiah. “Milan and Asher. The connection to President Shafer.”
Brody nodded. “The biggest rule for anyone in the program is to stay out of the limelight. No interviews, no public careers, nothing that would put my face online. And when you mentioned Denali’s connections to the White House, to the president, it scared me. Milan and Asher have been involved in the biggest terrorist case since 9/11. They’re practically celebrities, and so are President Shafer and anyone in his inner circle. I can’t be connected to them in any way. No one can ever see my face on the news. Ever. Because those guys I helped put away still hold a grudge against me. There’s still a contract on my head, and if they discover I’m here… if they were to find you… The idea that I’d put you in danger was too much.”
“Protecting me,” Josiah murmured more to himself than to Brody, the shock slowly fading from his expression. “You ghosted me because you were protecting me, not because I did something wrong.”
“Still, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
“I understand now. But…” Josiah frowned. “What has changed? That connection is still there.”
“I’m forty-six, baby boy. I can’t be alone for the rest of my life, as Elya, my roommate, pointed out. That’s too high a price to pay. I deserve happiness… and so do you.”
“I’ve been so happy this week… Happier than I’ve ever been.”
“I’ve spent the last ten years hiding from myself, from others,” Brody said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But with you, I don’t want to hide anymore. You’re not just someone I enjoy being around. You’re… you’re the one I find myself thinking about when I should be focusing on spreadsheets and market trends. You’re always on my mind, baby boy. And I’ve become greedy. I want more with you.”
A half laugh, half sob bubbled up, and Josiah reached out, tracing the stubble along Brody’s jaw with a tenderness that sent shivers down Brody’s spine. “Falling for me, huh?”
“Hard.” Brody captured Josiah’s hand in his and pressed it to his cheek. “I want more than casual, Josiah. More than the occasional scene or dinner date. I want… whatever this is, this thing growing between us, I want to give it the chance it deserves.”
“So do I,” Josiah whispered, resting his forehead against Brody’s. “So do I.”
“Will you be my boy, then? My precious baby boy? Will you let me care for you and give you what you need?”
He held his breath, but Josiah didn’t keep him in suspense long. The boy’s face lit up like the sun after a thunderstorm. “Yes, I want that. I want that more than anything… Daddy.”