Prologue

 

Luke

 

I turned around when Bob stopped waffling on about how long it had taken for the part to arrive and then went into a long-winded talk about what was wrong with the lift.

My mouth opened and shut. Where the hell had Scott gone? He’d been there a minute ago, I was sure. I grunted at Bob when he went to say something more, waving him off. “Did you see where Scott went?”

His eyes narrowed on me but I kept my gaze steady, working on not showing the panic wanting to choke me.

“No boss, he was there a minute ago. Maybe he just wanted to leave ‘cause he’d been trapped so long.” He shrugged as if it was nothing.

The urge to shout at him was stifled only by the fear I’d fucked up and given Scott the impression that I didn’t want for this to continue. I racked my brains to come up with an answer as to why he’d run off. I muttered to Bob that I’d catch up with him later as I stormed off to the stairs; he had to have gone down them.

Opening the door, I walked to the top and looked down. Seeing no sign of Scott I raced down them, breathless and with my heart squeezing painfully in my chest. I ran into the foyer, my gaze sweeping the reception. Finding nothing, I raced to the door.

Rupert’s replacement for the evening, Griffin, stood taller as I came out. “Good evening, Griffin. Have you seen a dark-haired gent dressed in jeans and a black top leave in the last few minutes?”

The head shake set my stomach to jumping. “No sir, I’ve just returned from helping a couple with their bags. I unfortunately haven’t seen a gentleman meeting that description. If I see him would you like me to call you?”

His brows rose and the interest in his eyes stopped me cold. “No, it’s fine, thank you.” Going back through the door, I searched the foyer again, coming up empty. I headed for the lifts, cursing with every step.

Why had he run off?

I was going to spank his backside so hard when I found him. Ten minutes later, my anger was past simmering and well on its way to boiling when my search of the hotel room I booked showed Scott had never gone there. It had taken stepping into the lift to make me consider that maybe that was where he’d gone. Only I was wrong and now I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Do I leave it, or do I message him?

Was him leaving his way of saying he didn’t want more?

I took several deep breaths and sat on the end of the large king-sized bed I’d never got to use and eyed the floor. Pull yourself together. He couldn’t fake the way he behaved, it was real. He wanted you.

Did I think that because I wanted it to be true? Was it real? Driving myself to distraction, I got up and paced the room, feeling like a caged animal.

No. What we had was real, the connection more profound than a quick fuck. Hell, I’d had plenty of those in the past. This was different. I sighed. Then what the fuck do I do now?

I sat back down and took out my phone. I eyed The App before opening it with trembling fingers.

DaddyL: Where the hell are you? This is so not over and don’t you think it is. This is only the beginning. And I swear when I get my hands on you, you’ll not be able to sit down for a week.

The thirty seconds it took for a reply to come through felt like an eternity. My palms sweated as my phone buzzed.

SassyS: Yes Daddy… I’m sorry. I’m in a taxi heading home. When I came out of the bathroom you were gone. I thought you’d left and it was over… When do you want to give me my punishment?

The simple explanation finally got my heart to stop feeling like it was no longer whole.

A grin spread over my face as I glanced at the phone.

Oh, my naughty boy was going to pay in the most delicious way. The App might have started this, but I was going to finish it and make Scott mine, no matter what it took.

With that thought running through my head, I started typing.

DaddyL: When is your next day off?

In my mind I could already envision Scott coming to my home and what I could do to him without the worry of a broken lift to think about. My hand tightened around the phone when the icon showed he was typing.

SassyS: We are slammed at work. I’ve agreed to do extra shifts over the next two weeks

With a sinking heart, I read the message twice before sighing.

DaddyL: Okay…tell me when your next actual day off is. I’ll make sure I take the day off.

Immediately my head started to argue with me. Why are you promising that? You know that might not be possible.

Refusing to listen to the voice of reason, I hit send and waited with my heart thundering in my ears.

SassyS: I’m not sure without looking at the rota at work. I never write it down because I usually just look when I’m in and remember what my next shift is… sorry Daddy. Can I tell you tomorrow?

The thought that he might be fobbing me off had started to push its way into my subconscious but was doused as I read the last part of the message. Daddy. Why did that one word make my heart tremble with need?

With shaking fingers, I typed back.

DaddyL: Yes, that’s fine. But I want you to send me all your designated shifts so I know when you’re working.

An idea formed as I hit send and a smile spread over my lips. There was nothing to say I couldn’t see Scott before his day off.

SassyS: Okay…

DaddyL: You wouldn’t be rolling your eyes at me, would you?

SassyS: Maybe…

I roared with laughter as I stood up and clutched my phone. God, I was going to be in so much trouble, I could see it now. Tears leaked out of my eyes as I tried to pull myself together so I could leave the room. I was sure my colleagues would think I was having some sort of break down as I very rarely laughed in work.

I had a feeling laughing was going to be something I was going to need to get used to. And what’s wrong with that?

Absolutely nothing.

The smile was firmly fixed to my face as I left the room, scrolling through my phone to find the number to my favourite restaurant.

Let’s see how Scott likes a surprise visit.