Lost in the Rain

Eighteen-year-old Laine, abandoned by her only friend on her birthday, finds herself stranded in a stormy, unfamiliar city. With no money, phone, or way home, she wanders the dark, rain-soaked streets, feeling the weight of her isolation and the neglect of her absent mother. Vulnerable and desperate, she encounters a predatory stranger, and her night takes a terrifying turn.

A Dangerous Rescue

As Laine faces assault in a back alley, Nick, a middle-aged, well-off man, appears and drives off her attacker. Sensing her distress and lack of options, he offers her shelter for the night. Laine, exhausted and grateful, accepts, and Nick brings her to his spacious, meticulously kept home, where he promises to keep her safe until morning.

Sanctuary in Pink

Nick settles Laine in a bedroom preserved for his absent daughter, Jane. The room is a pink, childhood sanctuary, filled with toys and warmth—everything Laine never had. For the first time, she feels safe and cared for, but also acutely aware of her own longing for a father figure and a real home.

Birthday Wishes and Cake

Nick surprises Laine with a birthday cake and flowers, a simple act that moves her deeply. She makes a wish for a "daddy" to love and protect her, feeling a confusing mix of gratitude, longing, and budding attraction toward her rescuer. The boundaries between safety, affection, and desire begin to blur.

The Butterfly Collector

Nick reveals his fascination with butterflies, likening Laine to a rare, delicate specimen. He shares that Jane, his daughter, is gone—lost in a tragic accident. Both Nick and Laine are haunted by loneliness and loss, and their connection deepens as they share their stories and vulnerabilities.

Boundaries and Ground Rules

Nick sets strict rules for Laine's safety, offering her structure and protection she's never known. He provides for her—new clothes, a phone, a place to stay—while insisting on regular check-ins and curfews. Laine, craving care and discipline, finds comfort in his authority, and their relationship takes on a paternal, yet increasingly charged, dynamic.

Shopping for a New Life

After Laine's home is vandalized and her possessions destroyed, Nick takes her shopping for everything she needs. He insists on providing for her, reinforcing her dependence and his role as caretaker. Laine is overwhelmed by his generosity and the sense of belonging she's never felt before.

Becoming Daddy's Girl

As Laine settles into her new life, her feelings for Nick intensify. Their relationship becomes a blend of fatherly care and forbidden attraction. Nick struggles with his own desires, torn between protecting Laine and wanting her. Laine, for her part, wants to be both his "good girl" and his lover, and the two begin to explore the boundaries of their unconventional connection.

First Lessons in Trust

Laine and Nick's relationship grows more intimate, both emotionally and physically. They share vulnerable moments—Laine watching Nick in the shower, Nick comforting Laine after nightmares. Each tests the other's trust, and their roles as protector and protected, dominant and submissive, become more pronounced.

The Rules of Care

Nick's rules become the framework of Laine's new life: he controls her routines, her safety, and her pleasures. Laine thrives under his attention, finding joy in being cared for and disciplined. Their dynamic, blending paternal affection and eroticism, becomes the heart of their relationship.

Crossing the Line

The tension between Laine and Nick culminates in a night of sexual initiation. Nick, aware of Laine's inexperience and vulnerability, is both gentle and commanding. Laine gives herself to him, and their relationship is consummated—an act that is both a loss of innocence and a fulfillment of her deepest wish to be loved and claimed.

The Gift of Innocence

Laine and Nick navigate the emotional aftermath of their first night together. Laine feels transformed—no longer a child, but a woman loved and desired. Nick, too, is changed, feeling both guilt and profound connection. Their bond is cemented by mutual care, honesty, and the promise of a future together.

Punishment and Forgiveness

When Laine breaks Nick's rules—forgetting her phone, missing curfew—Nick's fear and anger surface. He disciplines her, first with a spanking, then with the belt, echoing his own childhood. The punishment is painful but cathartic, leading to forgiveness and a deeper understanding of each other's needs and boundaries.

Letting Go of the Past

Laine finally confronts the truth about her toxic friendship with Kelly Anne, realizing she was never truly cared for. Nick, too, lets go of his grief for Jane and Louisa, recognizing that Laine is not a replacement, but a new beginning. Both commit to building a future free from the shadows of their pasts.

Becoming a Woman

Laine grows into her own, gaining confidence and agency. She takes initiative in her relationship with Nick, exploring her sexuality and desires. Their dynamic evolves from strict Daddy/little girl play to a partnership of equals, rooted in love, trust, and mutual respect.

The End of Friendship

Laine's final break with Kelly Anne is painful but necessary. She recognizes the difference between real love and conditional friendship, choosing Nick and her new life over the toxic patterns of her past. This act of self-assertion marks her true coming of age.

A New Family

Nick and Laine settle into a life together, blending care, discipline, and romance. They plan for the future—talking about children, redecorating Jane's room, and creating new traditions. Their home becomes a place of safety, love, and possibility.

The Christmas Ball

Nick brings Laine to his work Christmas party, introducing her as his partner. Laine, dressed in a beautiful gown, is welcomed by Nick's colleagues and their families. The event marks her acceptance into Nick's world and the public acknowledgment of their unconventional love.

The Promise of Forever

Nick proposes to Laine, giving her a ring and the promise of a family. They look forward to marriage, children, and a life built on the foundation of care, trust, and love. The story ends with Laine embracing her new identity—not just as Nick's "little girl," but as his equal, his partner, and the creator of her own happiness.

Characters

Laine Seabourne

Laine is an eighteen-year-old woman whose life has been marked by abandonment and emotional neglect. Her mother is absent, her father unknown, and her only friend, Kelly Anne, is unreliable and self-centered. Laine's psychological landscape is shaped by longing—for safety, affection, and a sense of belonging. She is both naïve and resilient, craving structure and care, which she finds in Nick. Over the course of the story, Laine transforms from a lost, vulnerable girl into a confident woman, learning to assert her needs, set boundaries, and embrace her desires. Her relationship with Nick is both a healing journey and a coming-of-age, as she moves from dependency to agency, and from innocence to experience.

Nick Lynch

Nick is a forty-two-year-old successful accountant, haunted by the loss of his daughter Jane and her mother Louisa in a tragic accident. His life is defined by order, control, and a deep-seated need to protect those he loves. Nick's psychological complexity lies in his struggle between paternal care and forbidden desire, as he is drawn to Laine's vulnerability and innocence. He becomes her rescuer, provider, and disciplinarian, but also her lover and partner. Through Laine, Nick confronts his grief, lets go of the past, and learns to love again—not as a replacement for Jane, but as a man embracing a new future.

Kelly Anne

Kelly Anne is Laine's childhood friend, characterized by selfishness, recklessness, and a need for attention. She uses Laine as a prop for her own social standing, often abandoning or betraying her. Kelly Anne's actions—especially her sabotage of Laine's curfew—serve as a turning point, forcing Laine to recognize the difference between real care and conditional friendship. Kelly Anne represents the toxic patterns Laine must break free from to grow.

Jane

Jane is Nick's deceased daughter, whose preserved bedroom becomes a sanctuary for Laine. Jane's memory haunts Nick, shaping his need for control and care. For Laine, Jane's room is both a reminder of what she never had and a space to heal. Letting go of Jane's room symbolizes both characters' readiness to move forward.

Louisa

Louisa, Jane's mother, represents Nick's unresolved grief and the dangers of recklessness. Her absence is a cautionary tale for both Nick and Laine, underscoring the importance of care, boundaries, and trust.

Penny

Penny is Nick's efficient and empathetic secretary, who helps facilitate Laine's transition into Nick's life. She represents acceptance and normalcy, helping Laine feel welcomed and valued.

Michael French

Michael is Nick's business partner, whose approval and friendship signal Laine's integration into Nick's professional and social world.

Caroline French

Caroline, Michael's daughter, offers Laine the possibility of genuine friendship and belonging outside her relationship with Nick.

Laine's Mother

Laine's mother is emotionally and physically absent, prioritizing her own desires over her daughter's needs. Her neglect shapes Laine's longing for care and her susceptibility to Nick's authority.

Tyler and Mickey

These minor characters represent the threats and risks Laine faces in the outside world, underscoring the importance of safety and trust in her relationship with Nick.

Plot Devices

Dual Narration

The story is told in alternating first-person chapters from Laine and Nick's points of view. This structure allows readers to experience both characters' vulnerabilities, desires, and psychological struggles, deepening empathy and understanding.

Symbolic Spaces

Jane's preserved bedroom symbolizes innocence, loss, and the possibility of new beginnings. The transformation of this space mirrors Laine's journey from childlike dependence to adult agency, and Nick's movement from grief to hope.

Discipline and Care

The use of discipline—spankings, rules, and the belt—serves as both a literal and symbolic means of establishing trust, boundaries, and care. It reflects the characters' need for structure and the complexities of power dynamics in relationships.

Foreshadowing and Repetition

The story frequently references Nick's loss of Jane and Louisa, foreshadowing the dangers of neglect and the importance of vigilance. Repeated motifs—such as butterflies, birthday wishes, and the phrase "good girl"—reinforce themes of transformation, longing, and affirmation.

Transformation and Coming-of-Age

Laine's journey from innocence to experience is marked by milestones—her first sexual encounter, her assertion of boundaries, and her break from toxic relationships. These moments are both plot points and symbols of her maturation.

Public and Private Acceptance

The Christmas party and Laine's engagement represent the public acknowledgment of their unconventional relationship, moving from secrecy and shame to pride and belonging.

Analysis

Call Me Daddy is a provocative exploration of the intersection between care, control, and desire, set against the backdrop of trauma, neglect, and the longing for family. Jade West crafts a narrative that is both taboo and tender, using the "Daddy/little girl" dynamic as a lens to examine the psychological needs for safety, structure, and unconditional love. The novel's dual narration invites readers into the minds of two wounded souls—Laine, desperate for protection and affirmation, and Nick, haunted by loss and seeking redemption. Their relationship, while controversial, is depicted as consensual and healing, challenging conventional notions of age, power, and intimacy. The story's central lesson is that true love is not about replacing what's lost, but about building something new—rooted in honesty, trust, and mutual care. By the end, both Laine and Nick have let go of their ghosts, embraced their desires, and chosen each other—not as substitutes for the past, but as partners in a future of their own making. The novel ultimately asks: What does it mean to be loved, to be safe, and to belong? And it answers: Sometimes, family is not what we're born into, but what we create, one act of care at a time.

Last updated: May 21, 2025