Page 44 of Master Daddy

“Jesus, Luke. This place? Really?” Patrick begins. “The décor looks like it was last updated in the nineties, and the menu probably hasn’t changed since then either. There’s no way you can actually be happy here. It’s so… unironically lame. Remember the rooftop bars we used to go to? The speakeasies with the mixologists who actually knew what they were doing? This is a far cry from that. Like, way, way far away.”

I stay quiet, letting Patrick talk.

Part of me wants to defend my home immediately, but I need to hear him out so I can close this chapter for good. And I know Patrick doesn’t actually care what I think about anything anyway.

My ex keeps going, leaning forward now like he’s sharing some great wisdom…

“Look, I know I crossed some lines back in the city. I was under a lot of pressure, said things I shouldn’t have. But I’ve changed, Luke. I’ve been in therapy, working on myself. I want you back. I can give you the life you deserve. The real life. Not this middle-of-nowhere existence you’ve settled for. You belong in the city with me. You don’t need to worry about work anymore. We both know you weren’t really cut out for the high-stakes world of finance. I make more than enough now. I’ll take care of you. You can relax, shop, travel… whatever you want. No more slinging groceries or playing house in this backwater town.”

Inside I’m seething. How dare Patrick talk like this? And I know that this is what he always felt too. He’s ugly, but now I’m truly seeing it with perspective.

Patrick’s words land like little needles, each one designed to make me feel small again. The old Luke might have wavered, might have let the charm and the promises pull him back in.

But I’m not that boy anymore.

I sit up straighter, heart steady.

When Patrick finally stops talking, flashing that smug, expectant smile like he’s already won, I look him dead in the eye.

“I appreciate you coming all this way to say that,” I say, voice calm and clear. “I really do hope you find happiness, Patrick. I hope therapy helped and you become a better person. But there is no way in hell it’s going to be with me. We’re done. We’ve been done for a long time and quite frankly I couldn’t give a damn about you.”

Suddenly, Patrick’s expression shifts—surprise, then irritation. He reaches across the table fast and grabs my hand roughly, fingers digging in.

“Come on, Luke. Don’t be like this. You’re making a huge mistake.”

I yank my hand back hard, rubbing my wrist. “Don’t touch me. Leave, Patrick. Never contact me again. We are finished.”

Darrly scoffs, leaning back with that familiar condescending look. “I’m not going anywhere until you⁠—”

A large shadow falls over the table.

Daddy.

Mason stands there like a mountain—arms crossed, jaw set, eyes locked on Patrick with pure, protective steel. He doesn’t raise his voice. He doesn’t need to. His presence alone makes the air feel heavier.

Patrick’s face goes pale. He looks Mason up and down, clearly intimidated by the sheer size and quiet authority radiating off him. “Who the hell⁠—”

“Time for you to go,” Mason says, low and final. No room for argument.

Patrick slides out of the booth, muttering under his breath. “Whatever. This town is a fucking hellhole anyway. And you…” He glances at me with a sneer. “You were never my first choice.”

Patrick storms out, trembling in a combination of impotent rage and the shock of a rejection he never saw coming.

The second Patrick is gone, Mason slides into the booth beside me, one big arm wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me close.

“You okay, little one?”

I let out a shaky breath and lean into him, breathing in his familiar scent. The tension drains out of me instantly. “I am now. Thank you for coming.”

“I was already on my way to pick you up when I saw you two through the window,” Mason murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Saw the way he grabbed your hand. I almost lost it. But you handled yourself beautifully before I even got here.”

I tilt my head up to look at him, warmth blooming in my chest at the pride in his voice. “I did, didn’t I? It felt good. Standing up for myself like that.”

“You were incredible,” Mason says, squeezing me tighter. “Strong, clear, no hesitation. I’m so damn proud of you, Luke.”

My Daddy’s praise wraps around me like the warmest blanket. I snuggle closer, letting the last bits of adrenaline fade. After a moment, I notice the small, secretive smile playing on his lips.

“What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes playfully. “You’ve got that look. What’s going on?”