just damn hot and didn’t need any deeper meaning.
Just then they heard clapping from the main room, and Patrick shook his head. “There’s a charity auction happening tonight. It’s a big event, but Adrian who owns the club has someone posted outside our door to prevent entry.”
“Did you always know you were a Daddy?” Jensen asked, intrigued.
“Oh hell no. I’m a master. I’ve whipped and flogged more people in twenty years than I can count.”
“Really?” Jensen wasn’t gonna lie. He was stunned.
“Oh yeah. I even trained other Doms.” He sighed wistfully. “Do you remember me mentioning the Daddy that might be interested in taking Dash on if you decided it wasn’t something you wanted? I trained him.”
Jensen wasn’t likely to forget it. “You said his boy had died?”
Patrick nodded. “Ben was the sweetest little you ever met. He and Jacob were together for three years before Ben was diagnosed with testicular cancer. But by the time it showed, Ben had bony secondaries. I’ve seen patients go downhill fast from diagnosis, but this was awful. It was all over in three months, and Jacob has never gotten over it. That was four years ago, and I’ve been doing my best to get him back here, but no go yet.” Patrick eyed him. “I might have exaggerated his interest.”
Jensen shrugged. It had been the kick up the butt he had needed at the time, and he had known Patrick had his heart in the right place. “And there’s no chance of getting Jacob back?”
Patrick huffed. “Maybe. He wouldn’t ever come to a crazy night like this out there, and Adrian has a rule that only Daddies are allowed in here when they have their littles with them. It’s to protect them. Stop them becoming a sideshow.”
“That’s actually a good idea,” Jensen agreed. “So, was it meeting Charlie that brought out your Daddy instincts?”
Patrick chuckled. “Yeah. I mean I’ve been in the scene too long not to be aware of just about every lifestyle there is, and Charlie and I had scened a few times out there, but it wasn’t working and I couldn’t figure out why when in all other aspects he seemed so perfect for me.”
“You mean you didn’t get off?”
Patrick shrugged. “Not even that. Sex is neither a requirement nor even a result of a lot of scenes.” He grinned ruefully. “And don’t get me wrong, I like sex all right. I was just looking for something else, something I couldn’t put a name to. A deeper connection if you like. I was beginning to seriously think we just weren’t compatible when Jacob and Ben came in. They’d just moved to the area and were checking out clubs. We got chatting, and Jacob casually got some toys out of his bag and sat Ben on the floor to play. Charlie was kneeling on a cushion at my feet. After a few moments, I looked down and saw the expression on Charlie’s face, and I knew. It was obvious to anyone that was looking that Charlie was barely able to stop himself from joining in.”
“He hadn’t told you?”
“No.” Patrick shook his head. “And that was why we weren’t connecting. Charlie was convinced that no one would never be able to give him what he secretly wanted, so he hid it from me. As soon as I realized, in less than two minutes Charlie was on the floor playing with Ben, and Jacob was talking me down from a proverbial ledge.” He held his palms face up. “Twenty years’ experience and I couldn’t see what was right in front of my face.”
“But you worked it all out.” It wasn’t a question.
“I’m disgustingly happy and nauseatingly in love,” Patrick confirmed. He nodded over to me, then Dash. “And I think it’s contagious.”
Jensen grinned. He hoped so. “Personally speaking—”
But he never got to finish what had been personal, because his words were abruptly cut off when both double doors to the room were banged open.
The submissive, bartender—whatever—didn’t stand a chance in keeping the man out. He was belligerent, he looked drunk, he was angry and very loud.
It was also Dash’s father.
“What the fuck?” he screeched. And at the same time as every Daddy plus Ellie stood up, all the littles cowered away. Except the one who Jensen had expected to be the most terrified.
Jensen took a furious step forward, only to be halted by the gentlest touch on his arm.
“This area is off-limits,” Patrick snapped. Jensen immediately stepped closer to Dash, and while Roxy’s