Daddy’s Orders (Silver Fox Daddies)

Everything felt so damn surreal. Logan and Roberto, both huge, hulking men, strode just behind me as we made our way toward the enormous estate, the green of the island, the white of the beach and the blue of the ocean combining to paint a perfect picture of paradise.

I could hear Logan and Roberto speaking in low, quiet tones to one another. I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, other than that the subject of their conversation seemed to be Logan wanting to make sure the security of the island had been bolstered.

It was strange. Did Logan really think that I was going to try to escape? I’d told him that I had no idea how to drive, well, anything. Did he not trust me? Or was there some other reason why he wanted to make sure that security was boosted?

Either way, the conversation ended when Logan’s phone rang. He clapped his hand on Roberto’s shoulder to signal that he was happy with whatever they’d talked about, then slipped his phone out of his pocket and took the call.

“This is Stone. Sure, go ahead.”

With that, he slowed his pace until he was well behind us, far enough that I could only hear the uttering of his conversation and not the words. I spotted Roberto ahead and decided that this would be a good time to get to know the man who was either in charge of my safety, or in charge of keeping me prisoner on the island—depending on how one chose to look at the situation.

“Hey,” I said, hurrying up to his side. “How are you?”

Roberto turned his head slowly. Like Logan, he was the sort of man who didn’t do anything in a rushed manner. Even behind his pitch-dark aviator sunglasses, I could sense that he was sizing me up in the way he likely did with everyone he met, giving them a once-over and determining whether or not they were a threat.

No doubt he decided that a woman half his age and height was nothing to worry himself about, at least for the time being.

“I am well, thank you.”

“You speak Spanish, right?” I asked, switching over to that language.

Another skeptical look. “Yes, I do.” He didn’t give away anything more than a direct answer to any of my questions.

“I’ve been speaking it for years, ever since I was a little girl. I’m excited to have so much opportunity to practice it.”

He grunted, his eyes fixed forward. The noise suggested without words that he didn’t give a damn whether or not I was excited about practicing my Spanish. I decided to try another angle.

“So, this whole thing with me living on the island… it’s weird. Nice, but weird. I’m sure that you’ve got a ton of stuff on your plate managing security normally, and having another person to worry about probably only makes your job harder. Is there anything I can do to, well, maybe make it easier?”

He said nothing at first, the silence dragging on long enough for me to wonder whether or not he’d simply decided to end the conversation.

“You’re an unknown factor,” he finally said. “Follow the rules of the house, stay out of the way of my men, and we’ll get along just fine.”

The certain way he finished the sentence sent the message that this was the end of our little getting-to-know-you chat. Roberto seemed to ease up a bit, suggesting that my efforts in trying not to be a pain in his ass had done a little good. I made a mental note to work on him a bit more, see if I could get on his good side.

I smiled at Roberto one more time before falling back a bit, taking the opportunity to admire my surroundings. The estate was stunning. A sandstone path led from the dock all the way to an enormous gate, behind which was the complex itself. The style of the buildings was what I’d consider palatial, with columns and high roofs and arched doors. There were modern touches, however, like the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the property.

I breathed in the salty air, closing my eyes and smiling as the sun warmed my face. Sure, the place was just as much of a prison as my home in New York, but it didn’t feel that way. Rather than being confined to my room for most of the day, I had the run of the island. I could wake up with the sunrise and start my day on the beach with a dip into the sea.

Freedom was what I wanted. In the meantime, my month with Logan was shaping up to look pretty damn good.

The gates opened as we approached, leading into a gorgeous courtyard garden that seemed to function as the middle grounds between the buildings of the estate. The main structure, a three story mansion, was straight ahead past the garden and fountain. To the left and right were smaller buildings, along with a shimmering pool and a warehouse-like structure that appeared to be a garage.

Once we reached the center of the garden, just before the circular fountain of dark granite, the flowers and trees surrounding us, Logan finished his call. He tucked his phone into his pocket before saying something else to Roberto, who responded with a nod before giving me one more skeptical look and then leaving.

“I have to get to work,” he said.

“Work on vacation?” I asked. “That’s no way to relax.”

Logan let out an amused snort. “When you’re in my position, you don’t get vacations, only different office locations. The staff is around if you need anything. Remember, Pearl is the woman in charge of non-security estate affairs. You need anything, ask her.”

He didn’t wait for a response before turning and leaving. I watched as he ascended the white steps up to the main building, the tall, arched doors automatically opening. Logan stepped inside and was gone, leaving me alone.

The second he was gone it dawned on me just how out of my element I was, not to mention how little information Logan had given me about the estate. Logan was in his office, and Roberto was nowhere to be found. I turned toward the dock in the distance in just enough time to watch as a small team of three finished loading our bags into the back of a Jeep before heading off to only God knew where.

I was alone in the middle of a freaking private island, no idea which room was even mine.

Pearl. Logan had said she was the head of household affairs. Maybe if I could find her, or at least one of the other members of the staff, I could get some help finding my way around the place. My mission in mind, I started off through the garden.

I couldn’t believe how beautiful the space was. Flowers of all colors surrounded me, the wind hushing through the branches of the palms overhead. The garden was laid out in a neat and symmetrical design, reminding me of French gardens that I’d seen in travel books Marta had given me. I loved it. I imagined curling up on one of the hanging benches with a book and letting the hours pass, not a care in the world.

Not knowing where else to go, I left the garden and headed to the right, taking the path between the main building of the estate and the smaller structure beside it, which seemed more like a modest-sized house. Through the windows I could see a sleek, modern kitchen and other well-appointed rooms. But I didn’t spot a single soul.

It was actually quite peaceful. Dad’s place was always so busy with staff running here and there, Dad storming through the halls shouting into his phone and slamming doors. Being alone, knowing that I was one of a handful of people on an entire island, not to mention thousands of miles away from my father, was enough to bring a sense of calm over me that I hadn’t known in a long, long time.

I made my way around the smaller building, coming out onto a quaint veranda that wrapped around the back half of the structure. The view looked over the beach in the middle distance, the waves crashing onto the shore with a quiet hush.

Right away, I noticed that the sounds of the beach wasn’t the only noise in the air. A soft, melodic humming came from somewhere nearby. It didn’t take me long to spot the source—a young woman was sitting on a swinging bench, pushing herself forward with her foot as she worked on something, a pleasant smile on her face.

I moved toward her slowly, not wanting to startle her. Whoever she was, she was totally focused on what she was doing. As I moved closer, I saw that she had a sketchbook on her lap, her right hand moving in quick, precise lines as she drew. She sat like that without noticing me, rocking back and forth and humming to herself as she sketched.

I wanted to get her attention. At the same time, I didn’t want to surprise her. Not knowing what else to do, I cleared my throat and smiled.

The woman turned her head toward me. In spite of the distance between us, I noticed that her eyes were a brilliant ice blue—the same color as Logan’s. Before I had any time to think about it, a huge, broad smile spread across her face. She set down her pencil and book and sprang from the swinging bench, spreading her arms wide as she hurried over to me.

“There you are!”

I didn’t have a chance to react or respond before she threw her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. She squeezed me with enthusiasm, hard enough to wonder if she knew her own strength. I let out an urk! which seemed to signal to her that it was time to let go.

She did, and it took a moment for me to catch my breath.

“You’re stronger than you look!”

The smile stayed on her face, her expression not flinching a bit.

“Sorry, Logan says I can get a little too excited sometimes. It’s just that he told me you were coming and I’ve been sitting here anxiously waiting to meet you.”

As she spoke, I noticed that there was something slightly strange about her, something about her eyes. She smiled innocently, almost like a little girl. Her eyes were big and eager, not a trace of distrust or skepticism behind them.

“Wow,” I replied. “Then I feel like you’ve got me at a disadvantage.”

She cocked her head to the side a bit, her forehead crinkling in mild confusion.

“You’ve got me… what?”

She didn’t understand what I was saying.

“I feel like… you know more about me than I know about you.”

At those words, the smile returned to her face.

“Oh, I get what you’re saying.” She followed her words with a light, lilting laugh. “You probably think I’m so weird, just running up to you and giving you a great, big hug when you don’t even know who I am.”

“Are you Pearl?” I asked.

As soon as the question left my mouth, I knew that it was wrong. The young woman in front of me, as friendly as she was, just seemed a bit off—not a trait I’d expect in someone who was in charge of running an entire estate. Not to mention the matter of her striking resemblance to Logan.

“Pearl? You think I’m Pearl?” Another laugh followed, her hand going to her mouth. “I wish I was as smart as Pearl. She’s so good at her job. She has so much stuff in her head all at once…” she shook her head in disbelief. “I have no idea how she does it all.” She smiled again. “I’m Marianne, Logan’s little sister. And you’re Emily, right?”

“That’s me.” I allowed myself an easy smile, a bit of relief taking hold now that I knew who I was talking to. “So nice to meet you, Marianne.”

Marianne was so excited that all she could do was squeeze her hands into fists and let out a happy squeal. Her eyes lit up, as if she’d realized something.

“Do you want to see what I’m drawing?”

“I’d love to.”

“Come on!” She took my hand and guided me over to the bench where she’d left her sketchbook. Once there, she picked it up and held it in front of me with two hands.

The drawing was amazing. It was of one of the trees ahead, the palm rendered in perfect, photorealistic detail, all the way down to the texture of the leaves and the palm fronds. I couldn’t believe what I was looking at.

“Marianne, this is incredible. How long did it take you to do this?”

She pursed her lips and looked away, giving the matter a bit of thought.

“Hm. Well, I just woke up from a nap an hour or so ago. Then I had my lunch. Then I came out here. So… twenty minutes?”

“You made this in only twenty minutes? That’s so good!”

Marianne’s eyes lit up even more. “You really like it?” Without a moment’s hesitation, she ripped the page out of the book, folded it in half, and handed it over. “Then you can have it! I mean, if you want it, that is.”

I took the drawing, giving myself another second or two to admire how incredible it was before folding it back in half and tucking it into my pocket.

“Thank you so much. I haven’t seen my room yet, but I have a feeling I’m going to need to decorate it. This’ll be perfect for that.”

“I’m glad you like it. If you want me to draw anything else, just let me know, OK?”

“I will.”

Before either of us could say another word, a voice spoke from behind me.

“Now, Marianne, are you being nice to our new guest?”

Marianne’s eyes lit up once more. “Of course, I am!”

I turned around to see a stout, serious-faced woman with swept-back graying hair. She stood with her hands on her hips, the universal pose for “no nonsense.” She projected an air of authority, intelligence, and competence. There was no doubt in my mind that I was looking at Pearl.

“You’re Emily, I assume,” Pearl said coming over to me and offering her hand.

“That’s right. And while we’re assuming, are you Pearl?”

A small smile broke the seriousness on her face that let me know she wasn’t all business.

“You got it,” she said. “Pearl Shepard—the caretaker for this oversized estate where you’ve found yourself. Pleasure to meet you. So, I’m going to guess that our humble host didn’t bother to show you around the place?”

I chuckled. “Sorry to laugh. Just that there are a lot of words I’d use to describe Logan, but humble isn’t one of them.”

Pearl laughed along with me. “Nothing like a little comedic irony to start the tour. So, the crew has your bags in your room. I’ll finish up the tour there since I’m sure you’re ready for a little rest.”

“You’re right about that. But I’m really eager to see this place.”

“Then come with me, I’ll show you around.” She glanced over my shoulder at Marianne. “You mind giving us a little privacy, Mary-Moo? I’m going to show Emily here to her bedroom.”

Marianne’s eyes flashed. “I can see her later, right? Oh! Tonight’s movie night! Can she watch with us?”

“We’ll have to see how she’s feeling. Emily came all the way from New York, so she might need a little relaxing on her own.”

“Movie night?” I asked.

Marianne nodded eagerly. “That’s right. Every Friday night. And I get to pick whatever I want.” She grinned with pride. “Oh! And there’s popcorn and soda too. But you don’t have to eat that; the staff are really nice and they’ll make you whatever you want. Last time, I had nachos with extra cheese.”

My stomach grumbled at the mention of nachos. “That sounds so fun. Let’s do it!”

Marianne let out a squeal, clasping her hands together in excitement. “It’s going to be so much fun!”

“Let’s not overwhelm Emily,” Pearl said, putting her hand on my upper arm and leading me away. “We can talk about movie night later.”

“So nice to meet you, Marianne!” I said, waving as Pearl and I made our way around the corner.

“You too, Emily!”

With that, we left the veranda and started back toward the garden. Pearl waited until we were a little bit of distance away before speaking.

“That was sweet of you, the way you were back there.”

“She seems really nice. I was happy to meet her.”

“You’re right about that—Marianne’s as nice as they come. But, as I’m sure you noticed, she’s a little different. Mary-Moo’s twenty-five, but here…” she touched the side of her head with her fingertip, “…she’s only around twelve or so. No one’s really sure what happened with her. She grew up like a normal girl, nothing physically wrong. But around the age when she should’ve begun to grow into a woman, her mind just stopped.”

She shook her head, as if the mystery of the situation still puzzled her.

“Logan, who’s over a decade older than her and was already high up in the company when we realized what was going on with Marianne, vowed to take care of her no matter what. When their parents passed, he became even more adamant about it.”

Her words settled in my mind. Logan, who seemed like such a standoffish jerk at times, clearly had a heart big enough for his disabled sister. The revelation made me immediately view him in a different light.

“So, she lives here?”

“It depends. Logan likes to keep her close, but Marianne loves it here on the island. And with a staff here to attend to whatever she needs, it makes sense to not take her out unless it’s necessary. Speaking of which, might as well start the tour here.” Pearl swept her hand toward the house we’d just passed, the one that the veranda was attached to. “This is Marianne’s place.”

“She has the whole house to herself?”

“Sure does. She’s pretty independent, for the most part. Mary-Moo can do all the important stuff on her own. But now and then she’ll need a hand with things, so we’re never too far away. Just over there.” Pearl pointed to the building on the other side of the garden, a tall, three story structure that was just as big as the main building. “Those are the staff’s quarters. As you can see, the big man takes good care of us. Logan can be… well, I’m sure you know how he can be.” She chuckled in a good-natured sort of way. “But he makes sure we all have plenty of living space and whatever else we need.”

We returned to the garden. I was still stunned by the sheer size of the estate.

“You alright over there, little lady?”

I smiled, coming back into the moment. “Just trying to wrap my head around all of this. I thought the house where I grew up was big, but you could put it right on the island and not even notice.”

“That’s Logan. He’s a hard worker but he enjoys the finer things. Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the place.”

She guided me up the stairs of the main building. Once at the top, Pearl turned and gestured. Where we were standing allowed for a panoramic view of the property, all the way down to the dock where the Endeavor was moored.

“You’ve got the garage over there,” she said. “Pretty nice cars inside if you’re into that kind of thing. That building over there’s for gear and storage. Over that way is the guest house, though house is hardly the right word for it, it’s more like a small hotel. Then you’ve got the pool house.”

“I can’t believe how big this place is.” I felt silly saying the words, but it was how I felt. Everything was so much bigger than the bedroom where I’d spent most of my life up to that point.

“It’s good to be a billionaire,” Pearl said, nodding toward the doors to the main building behind us. “And it’s good for those of us who work for him.”

“Really? What’s Logan like as a boss?”

“He’s tough and demanding. Not everyone can hack it working for Logan. But if you can prove yourself to him, he’ll take very good care of you. He pays well, and there’s benefits out the wazoo. And…” She trailed off, as if not sure how to phrase what she had next on her mind.

“What is it?” I asked. “Sorry, kind of being nosy.”

“No, it’s fine. You have a right to know what sort of man you’ve hooked yourself up with.”

She had no idea how accurate those words were. Pearl opened the front doors.

“Logan can seem like a hard man. Hell, he can seem like a real prick at times. And I tell him when he’s out of line. I’m probably the only member of the staff who has that right with him. But he’s different than you might think. He actually gives a damn about us, and not just as employees. He always gives time off for family matters or anything else that might come up.”

“That’s sweet of him.”

“You have no idea.”

With that, the tour of the main building began. Pearl showed me everything—from the massive, industrial kitchen to the movie theater downstairs, to the private grotto and up to the rooftop party area. The place was like nothing I’d ever seen before, a true palace on an island. We reached my room at signaling the end of the tour. It was a perfect, little one room suite with a sitting area, a huge bed, and a balcony with a view of the trees below and the ocean beyond, a pool right below me.

“This work for you, kiddo?” Pearl asked.

“This works,” I said with a grin, ready to get the month started, the ocean breeze gently blowing in past the linen curtains. “This works just fine.”