Page 57 of No Rules
“No? And what will you do for me in return?”
“Anything.” Alex wasn’t even kidding. “I will literally do anything you want.”
Ryan put a hand on his shoulder. “Relax. I know how to behave myself, I promise.”
With Ryan on his heels, Alex returned to the library. “Dad, this is Ryan Mason, the private investigator I’ve been working with on the Sam’s Promise case…and my Dom.”
The words came out more confident than he felt.
Alex’s dad gave Ryan a thorough once-over.
“Nice to meet you, General.” Ryan extended his hand.
“All right then, Ryan,” Alex’s dad said as he shook hands with Ryan, not missing a beat. “I want to be clear about something. My son means everything to me. If you’re going to be a part of his life, in whatever capacity that may be, I expect you to take good care of him.”
The intensity in his father’s gaze made Alex’s heart swell with love and gratitude. His father was willing to accept and even protect his newfound lifestyle despite not understanding it, and how could he not be grateful for that?
Ryan didn’t back down. “I understand perfectly, General. You have my word. I’ll do everything in my power to keep Alex safe and help him grow.”
The sincerity in Ryan’s voice sent a warm shiver down Alex’s spine.
“Thank you.” His father’s expression softened. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
“Thank you, Dad,” Alex murmured, his voice choked with emotion. “It means everything to me you’re trying to understand.”
His father laid a hand on Alex’s shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’ll always support you, kiddo. No matter what.”
When Alex looked at Ryan, he caught the man staring at him with a mix of affection, protectiveness, and something harder to define. Something softer, more tender.
A glimmer of hope sparked within him.
That didn’t look like a man determined to keep his emotional distance.
That looked like a man who’d already lost the battle.
18
Meeting Alex’s dad had been…unexpected. Ryan wasn’t easily intimidated, but General Beck had made an impression—and not because he’d been in full uniform. He’d been kind and sincere in his affection and care for Alex, and that had hit Ryan hard. Maybe because he’d never had a father himself? His mom had done an amazing job raising Ryan and his sister, but he’d missed that male influence at times. Meeting Alex’s father showed him what he could’ve had if life had turned out differently, and it had made him think.
He appreciated how protective the man had been of his son, especially considering he’d only learned about Alex being submissive minutes before. Few parents would’ve been instantly a-okay with that, but Alex’s father had been. It spoke volumes about the kind of relationship Alex had with his parents…and it explained a lot about why Alex was the way he was. If he were honest, Ryan had thought his Hawaiian-influenced philosophy of ohana was BS, but now he could see how Alex had come to embrace it.
Anyway, he needed to kick himself out of his melancholy state and get some work done. Alex’s suggestion about the animal reports had been an excellent one, and it was time to start digging. Ryan leaned back in his chair, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, as he dialed the number for the New York Racing Association. He listened to the rings, absently picking at a loose thread on the hem of his jeans. Finally, someone picked up.
“NYRA, how can I help you?” The voice on the other end sounded bored, like he’d been answering calls all day.
“Hey there,” Ryan drawled, injecting some Texas charm into his tone. “I’m looking for information on animal abuse reports regarding racehorses in the last three years. What would I need to do to get those records?”
“Excuse me?”
“Animal abuse reports. For horse races. In New York State. In the last three years.” Maybe if he spelled it out, the dude would get it?
“I’m not sure if… Do we have that information?”
“I would hope so. Maybe you can connect me to someone else? Say, a supervisor?”
“Yeah. I mean, yes, sir. I can. I will. Have a nice day.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “You too.”