“I don’t need the money, but I have a feeling that Jakob is way too stubborn to get the place rent-free.”
Caden threw his head back, and I watched him laugh. Judging by how much the bed shook, it was a full belly laugh, so I must have been right with my impression of Jakob. After a few seconds, Caden drew in some air and looked at me again.
“You figured him out pretty quickly. You are right. He would never agree to that.”
“What if I don’t keep the money?”
“What do you mean?”
“Would it be legal if I gave the rent to a good cause?”
“You can donate anything you want.” Caden smiled proudly at me, kissed my nose, and then went back to stroking my cheek. “Do you have a charity in mind, or do you want me to help you find something?”
“Can you…Can you find out if there is something like…like for victims?”
“There are lots of charities for victims, Henry. Why don’t you tell me more about what you have in mind and I’ll see what I can find?”
“Back in Kentucky, you know, when I lived with my family…” Swallowing hard, I reached out and toyed with the collar of Caden's shirt. Then I closed my eyes and spoke. “There was a ritual, like a rite of passage, when you turned sixteen. That was when you had the opportunity to earn your tattoo.” I shivered, and Caden went from stroking my cheek to gently running his fingers through my hair. “I was twelve when Robert had his ritual. You had to be twelve to be a spectator. I didn’t want to be there, because…by that time, I had met Collin and was questioning my whole life. But…I had no choice. Robert was away for two days with three other men from our compound. When they came back…he got his tattoo.”
Caden tapped my chin so I would open my eyes and look at him. “What did he do to get it?”
“They went to Louisville. The day after he got his tattoo, Collin showed me this article about a Jewish bakery that got vandalized, and then they started a fire. They…they destroyed the whole place. The bakery…it was their home and where they worked. They weren’t hurting anyone, and Robert destroyed it. He stole their livelihood to get that damn tattoo.” I sobbed when I remembered what I found out years later. “They lost everything that night. Their home, their work, everything. Just because Robert wanted a stupid tattoo.”
Caden stroked my cheek to get me to open my eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Henry. You don’t have to pay for the misdeeds of your family.”
“I know, it’s just…it was my family. I just want to…I just want to do something to help.”
For a moment, Caden just looked at me, and then he kissed me. He pulled back and made sure that I could see his lips again. “I think I have the perfect charity organization. The Survivors of Swastika help victims of these hate crimes with therapy, financial help, and legal costs. I’ll look into it when I’m back at the office, okay?”
“Thanks.”
“You’re more than welcome. Now, I think you need a nap. Do you want to be in my arms, or do you need some meds for your headache?”
“No pills, Daddy. My head is already much better with you holding me.” A nap in his arms sounded heavenly. “Caden?” I had to pull back from his arms to see his lips, but it was worth it. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Cupcake. Now close your eyes and let Daddy hold you while you nap.”
Chapter 18
Caden
Tuesday, I was leaving the courthouse when my phone rang. For the last few hours, whiny messages from Henry had flooded my phone. Each message increased in drama, and I expected this call was from him. The cock cage we ordered had finally arrived yesterday. Henry was over the moon about it when I put it on after his change this morning. At first, he stared at it in wonder, curious about the feeling of the cage against the diaper. But when he realized that I wouldn’t take it off until I got home, his excitement had quickly faded.
My little sex-driven Monkey had learned that a cock cage wasn’t as much fun as he thought. Two hours after I’d left him, I got the first message from Henry, complaining that he was horny but couldn’t get hard. Even though his texts got more desperate as time went on, he never once used his safeword or asked to use the emergency key. Complaining or not, Henry liked the thought of his Daddy having control over his cock. My phone rang from my pocket, so I reached in and grabbed it. I pushed the thoughts about Henry and his locked cock away and concentrated on my day. The sooner I was done with work, the sooner I could go back to my Boy and reward him. I answered the phone without looking to see who was calling.
“Evans here.”
“Where are you?”
“Zach?”
“Yes. Where are you, Caden?”
“I’m just leaving the courthouse.” Frowning, I walked down the steps. Zach and I had been friends since college. We both graduated and went to work in different law firms that we hated. We decided to open our law firm with Noah, another friend, only a year after graduation. Meaning, I knew him long enough to know that something was going on based on his tone. “What’s wrong?”
“I need you to get back to the office right away. We need to talk.”
“I’m already on my way. Zach, what’s going on?”
“Former Detective Jakob Lannister is here. He wants to talk to you. About the Altmanns and their son, Michael.”
“Yes, he wanted to do some…” I nearly tumbled down the
