Please Me Daddy (Gracie) novel Chapter 36

**Across Distant Skies Lies Hope Waiting To Be Found by Kade Rowan Flint**

I couldn’t believe it—what a day it had turned out to be.

Apollo.

As I sat at my desk, my gaze drifted over the scattered documents, the words dancing and merging into an indecipherable haze. A familiar, dull throb pulsed through my temples, a skull-crushing headache making its presence known once more.

Another headache, just what I needed.

With a sharp exhale, I removed my glasses, the frames clattering softly against the polished wood of my desk. Leaning back in my chair, I pressed my fingers into my temples, hoping to stave off the encroaching pain.

The office felt like a tomb—dark, quiet, and utterly devoid of life. I couldn’t help but let a smirk creep onto my lips.

Just like me.

My eyes flicked to the wall clock, its hands mocking me as they read 10:03 p.m.

Of course, I had lost track of time again.

Austin was still in the hospital, recovering from his injuries, which meant I was left without a ride home tonight. Not that it mattered much; I was perfectly content to stay in the office, just as I had done the previous evening.

I shuffled through the disorganized pile of papers, searching for the one elusive file that Chase had claimed he left at the reception desk downstairs.

With a resigned sigh, I pushed myself up from the chair, my hand instinctively slipping into my pocket as I made my way out of the office. The dimly lit hallway felt eerily empty; it seemed everyone had already retreated to the comfort of their homes. The elevator chimed softly as I stepped inside, pressing the button for the sixth floor.

Resting my shoulder against the cold metal wall, I allowed my eyes to flutter shut for a brief moment of respite. When the elevator doors slid open again, I stepped out onto the lower floor, making my way toward the reception desk. It was then that I heard a voice cutting through the silence.

“Let me go. I’m telling you the truth!”

I froze, my heart racing as I followed the sound, turning the corner with deliberate slowness. Sure enough, a small commotion was unfolding near the security desk.

Grace.

There she was, barefoot and clutching her heels in one hand, her other hand waving animatedly as she argued with the night guard. The black dress she wore clung to her curves, and her curls cascaded over her shoulders in a wild, untamed manner. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked nothing like the woman who timidly walked through my doors each morning, tense and awkward, always biting her tongue to suppress her thoughts.

“You need to show me proper identification, miss,” the guard replied, his tone sharp and unyielding.

“I showed you,” Grace snapped back, her voice rising.

He shook his head, unimpressed. “Ma’am, I don’t know what kind of prank you’re trying to pull, but the woman on the ID has blonde hair and glasses. You don’t even look remotely like her.”

“That’s because—” she retorted, her frustration boiling over, “I have a reason for looking different! But we’re the same person, can’t you see?”

He scoffed at her desperation. “Why were you sneaking in barefoot like a thief, muttering to yourself? That’s suspicious as hell.”

“I wasn’t sneaking! I was just trying to avoid making noise because I knew this would happen!”

“Calm down—”

“Call the CEO,” she insisted, her voice unwavering. “He’ll confirm I work here!”

I raised an eyebrow at that.

“Oh yeah?” the guard laughed, incredulous. “You really think he even knows you exist? He wouldn’t remember a director’s name if his life depended on it. That’s how little people matter to him. What makes you any different? Don’t be delusional.”

The guard blinked, confusion clouding his features. “Sir—?”

“I won’t repeat myself.”

He glanced at his hand as if it had been set ablaze and quickly released her. Grace rubbed her arm, sticking her tongue out at him with a triumphant smirk. “I told you I worked here.”

With a sigh, I turned back to the guard. “You may leave.”

“Y-yes, sir. I’m so sorry, miss!” he stumbled over his words before practically sprinting away, eager to escape the scene.

Grace watched him flee, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. “You are forgiven.”

I turned my attention back to her, curiosity mingling with annoyance. “What exactly do you think you’re doing here, Miss Grace?”

She lifted her gaze, stepping closer, her heels swinging in her hand. With each step, the atmosphere shifted, and I found myself looking down at her. She stared up at me, her eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and determination.

“Let’s have sex,” she declared boldly.

I blinked, momentarily speechless.

“What?”

“I said, fuck me, Apollo.” Before I could process her words, she seized the front of my shirt and yanked me down, as if I weighed nothing. Rising onto her tiptoes, she closed the distance between us, her breath warm against my skin, and then her lips crashed into mine with an urgency that took me by surprise.

I froze, her fingertips gripping the fabric of my shirt, anchoring me in place.