Please Me Daddy (Gracie) novel Chapter 87

**Across Distant Skies Lies Hope Waiting To Be Found by Kade Rowan Flint 87**

“Stay away from her.”

Apollo

The man seated across from me raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of disbelief and incredulity as he echoed my words slowly. “Touch what is yours?”

His surprise was palpable, almost as if the very notion was both absurd and laughable.

Grayson took a deep, steadying breath, trying to regain his composure. “With all due respect, Mr. Reed, I have navigated this world long enough to discern whom to challenge and whom to steer clear of. And among everyone, I would never dream of crossing the Reeds, especially not you—the man whom everyone fears.”

His gaze was sharp, calculating, as he scrutinized me, searching for the root of the problem. On the surface, he seemed calm, but I could detect the slightest tremor in his fingers as they gripped the armrest of his chair, a telltale sign of his inner turmoil.

He was holding himself together quite well. Better than most would in his position.

Most men, upon sensing they had wronged me, would already be on their knees, stammering out desperate apologies, pleading for mercy. Yet Grayson maintained his gaze, forcing his voice to remain steady even as his body betrayed him. I had to give him credit; he was composed, at least on the outside.

But his son…

I shifted my focus to the boy, and the stark contrast was almost comical. The child was visibly trembling, his bottom lip caught between his teeth, unable to summon the courage to meet my eyes.

I didn’t need to utter a word. Grayson noticed my shift in attention.

For a brief moment, he froze, his gaze darting from me to his son and back again. I could see the cracks forming in his facade, and when he spoke, his voice hitched with a hint of panic. “H-he couldn’t… was it my son that offended you, Mr. Reed?”

I remained silent, yet the message was clear; it had everything to do with him.

Grayson’s jaw clenched tightly, his hand curling into a fist as he turned to face his son, his eyes darkening with a fury that was all too familiar.

“What did you do, Charles?!” His voice boomed through the empty restaurant, echoing off the walls.

The boy flinched, his face draining of color as he stammered, shaking his head vigorously. “N-nothing! I did nothing wrong, Father. I would never offend him. I swear, I—”

His words barely left his mouth before Grayson’s hand shot out.

Smack!

The sound rang through the room like a gunshot. Charles stumbled back, clutching his cheek, a startled yelp escaping his lips. Even Austin, who stood silently behind me, couldn’t suppress a gasp.

And here I had thought Grayson possessed more control than most. But the truth was painfully simple; he was just like every other man. When confronted with something he couldn’t combat, he resorted to violence where he could, and in this instance, that meant unleashing it upon his own flesh and blood.

It wasn’t entertaining. It was simply tedious.

Perhaps it was because my own father had never been that kind of man, or perhaps it was because I had never been the type to be controlled. Regardless, I could not relate to their plight.

To me, there was always a choice. No matter the circumstance, there was always a way out. The boy was wasting his breath, prolonging a battle that could never be won.

Men like Grayson would never find satisfaction.

With a bored sigh, I interjected, “That’s enough drama.”

Both their heads snapped in my direction, startled by my sudden interruption.

“Mr. Reed, please, let me explain. My son—”

“I don’t care about your family squabbles,” I stated, my voice flat and devoid of emotion. “What I want is simple: stay away from her.”

He blinked, confusion etching his features. “W-who?”

“The woman you keep trying to push on your son.” My eyes narrowed, the warning clear. “If you so much as involve Grace in your schemes again, I will ruin you so completely that you’ll wish you had never heard her name.”