Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jasper
“Your Juliet seems to be settling in well.” From his spot on the couch in my living room, Maxwell gives me what barely passes as a smile. But from Maxwell Stone, it might as well be a full-blown grin.
The approval in his tone goes a long way toward easing some of my earlier concerns, and I return his smile with a much broader one of my own. “She is, surprisingly. I thought I’d have much more of a fight on my hands, but she actually seems to enjoy being my baby. Other than when she has to use her diaper. She still argues about that nearly every time.”
“Victoria was resistant to it at first. Took her nearly a month to wet on her own. Now she uses it more often than not. I’ll be honest, I’m surprised you’re forcing the issue with Juliet.”
“I hadn’t planned to, but she just gets so adorably flustered. And I figure it’s best to begin as I mean to go on.”
“A good plan, indeed.”
I glance over at the baby monitor on my desk, and the video feed of our babygirls playing with their dolls. “Look how cute they are, Maxwell.”
Now Maxwell does smile, a wide gesture that’s reserved for his Little girl. “Precious. I’m glad you have the monitor. I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable leaving Victoria on her own for too long. It’s one thing if she’s napping, but…”
“But Little girls have a tendency to find trouble?” I supply with a laugh.
“Exactly.”
We both keep an eagle eye on the monitor as we delve into a conversation about Maxwell’s latest acquisition and some of the unrest at his company. It seems his board isn’t thrilled about him working from an undisclosed location or the fact that he made off with one of their analysts. But they all know that there is no Stone, Inc. without Maxwell Stone, so they seem willing to keep those particular skeletons in the closet. Even if they did try to out him, Maxwell has the power and the money to bury them, and his secrets, without breaking a sweat.
Movement on the monitor catches my attention and I hold a finger up, silencing my friend as I watch two very naughty Little girls poke their heads out of the nursery door.
“What are they up to?” There’s a hint of amusement in Maxwell’s tone, but I know better than anyone it won’t save his Little girl from the spanking she’s just earned herself.
Nor will it save Juliet. “Let’s see.” Picking up the monitor, I switch to a view of the hallway, and we watch as they creep toward the stairs, carefully making their way down the steps.
Maxwell rubs at his chin, a smile tugging at his lips and excitement dancing in his pale eyes. “Do we meet them at the bottom of the stairs or see what they have up their puffy little sleeves?”
“I vote we wait and see. I’d like to know exactly how naughty they were planning on being, so we can plan their punishments accordingly.”
“Agreed.”
We follow their progress via video down the stairs, right past the room we’re sitting in, and to the kitchen.
“What are you up to, naughty girl?” I murmur as I watch Juliet open several cabinet doors, then disappear into the pantry.
She returns a moment later, a triumphant smile on her face as she holds up two bottles of champagne. Victoria cheers, pumping her fists in the air as Juliet places a bottle on the island and begins fiddling with the top on the second bottle.
“And I believe that’s our cue,” I say, jumping up from the couch and heading for the kitchen, Maxwell hot on my heels.
Our little brats are so engrossed in opening the champagne bottle, they don’t even notice when we enter the kitchen.
“What do you two think you’re doing?”
Victoria jumps back from Juliet, as if the sudden space will somehow make her seem less guilty. Wide-eyed, she throws her hand behind her, shielding her bottom from the spanking she knows is coming.
Beside her, Juliet’s head jerks up. Unfortunately, our surprise entrance comes at the same exact time she manages to free the stopper from the bottle. The cork goes flying—straight at Maxwell’s face.
It’s like I’m watching in slow motion as the errant piece of cork buzzes through the air, smacking Maxwell right between the eyes. Victoria and Juliet stand rooted to the spot in apparent shock, the former with her hands still firmly behind her and the latter with bubbles pouring down her arm.
It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to burst out laughing.
“Fuck!” Maxwell slaps a hand over his forehead, wincing as he rubs at the red mark the stopper left behind. His expression is furious as he points at his naughty Little girl. “You have three seconds to find an empty corner and put your nose in it, Victoria Rose. One.”
With a shocked little squeak, Victoria spins in place and runs for the first empty corner she finds.
“There should be a couple ice packs in the freezer if you want one, Maxwell.” Gesturing toward the fridge with one hand, I grab the champagne from Juliet’s hand with the other and set it on the island. “I need to take Juliet to get cleaned up before we deal with… all of this.”
Maxwell grunts, and again I’m forced to swallow a laugh as I take Juliet’s hand and drag her toward the half bath just off the kitchen.
“What on earth were you thinking, little girl?” I ask when the door shuts firmly behind us.
“I-I don’t know. Is Uncle Max okay?”
My heart melts a bit at the clear concern in her voice. “He’ll survive. What you should be worried about is the state of your bottom, naughty girl.” Shaking my head, I flip the faucet on and grab a washcloth from beneath the sink. “Where are you supposed to be right now, Juliet Sloane?”
She sniffles pitifully, her bottom lip trembling just a bit. “In my room.”
“You are in so much trouble, princess,” I say with a sigh as I scrub the sticky liquid from her arm. “Even if you hadn’t just beaned your Uncle Max in the head with a cork, you’d still be in a world of hurt.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy. We didn’t think it would be a big deal.”
When she’s all clean and dry, I pin her with a stern look. “You didn’t think it would be a big deal, or you didn’t think you’d get caught?”
Juliet’s head drops, and I know without her answering what the truth is. “I dunno.”
“Well, unfortunately for you, I’m pretty sure I do know. Come on, princess. Time to face the music.”
Juliet
Crap, crap, crap.
We are in so much trouble.
Why the hell did I think we could get away with anything? I’m not sure how our Daddies knew what we were up to, but obviously they did since they were in the kitchen just a few short minutes after us.
Uncle Max is leaning against the island when we return to the kitchen, a blue ice pack pressed against his forehead and a scowl on his face. The memory of the cork flying straight at him, and the look of shock on his face when it hit him square between the eyes comes rushing back to me and I have to cough to cover up the laugh threatening to sneak out of my chest.
In the corner, Victoria shifts from foot to foot, and the laughter dies in my chest. My Daddy is right. Even if I hadn’t hit Uncle Max with the stopper, we would still be in tons of trouble.
And it’s all my fault.
“Come here, Victoria Rose.”
Head down, shoulders slumped, Victoria shuffles her way over to stand beside me. I have the fleeting thought that she must hate me now, but that idea is banished the moment she wraps her hand around mine.
Whatever happens next, we’ll face it together.
Jasper moves to stand beside Uncle Max and my breath catches in my throat. Separately, they’re each formidable in their own way. Together, they’re very nearly terrifying.
“What was the last thing we said to you girls before we left you alone in the nursery?” Uncle Max asks, his voice tight with anger.
“Not to leave the room.” Victoria’s voice is soft, almost a whisper as she raises her head to meet her Daddy’s furious gaze. “We’re really sorry, Daddy.”
“Believe me, little thief. You will be very sorry by the time we are through with you.”
Fear flutters in my belly at his words, but right after it comes my own anger. Poor Victoria’s head has dropped again, silent tears slipping down her cheeks, and all because her Daddy is being a big, mean jerk about a little bit of naughtiness. “You don’t have to be so mean to her!”
“Juliet. Stop.” Authority cracks like a whip in my own Daddy’s voice, and I know I should back down, but I can’t. My emotions are everywhere, spiraling out of control, and all I can think to do is direct them at someone.
And that someone just happens to be Maxwell Stone.
“No!” I stomp my foot, aware I’m acting just like a child, but I can’t seem to help myself. “This was all my idea, so I should be the only one getting in trouble. Tori didn’t do anything.”
“Well, that answers my next question,” Uncle Max drawls. “Thank you for being honest with us, Juliet. But you need to mind the way you speak to me, little girl, unless you’d like to add getting your mouth washed out with soap to your punishment.”
“You can’t do that. You’re not my Daddy!”
“No, but I am.” Stepping forward, Jasper pulls a familiar item from his pants pocket. “I had a feeling I’d be needing this again. Open your mouth, Juliet.”
The last thing I want is to be gagged, especially in front of Uncle Max. Pressing my lips together, I shake my head and glare at my Daddy.
“Juliet, if I have to force you, I will wash your mouth out before I put the gag in. Your choice.”
What the hell kind of choice is that? Not a great one, that’s for sure. But I can recognize when I’m out of my depth, so even though my stomach is still churning with a nauseating mix of anger and guilt, I force my lips open.
Jasper pops the rubber tip into my mouth and buckles the gag behind my head. I suck, because if I don’t I’ll end up drooling all over myself and I’d rather take a hundred spankings than humiliate myself that way. But as it has before, the gesture soothes my ruffled feathers, at least a bit.
I’m still mad at both of them, though.
“Now that we have that handled…” Pulling the ice pack away from his forehead, Uncle Max tosses it on the island behind him and folds his arms over his chest. “You’ve both earned yourselves a spanking. And since you broke a rule Uncle Jasper and I both gave you, I think it’s only fitting that you both get a spanking from each of us. Jasper?”
“Agreed. Would you like to warm up Juliet before I take a spoon to her naughty bottom?”
“You read my mind. Come with me, Juliet.”