Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Isabella
Breakfast passes with no more teasing, much to my relief. And when I’m stuffed full, Daddy carries me back to the bedroom, where he sits in a large, comfortable rocking chair with me cradled in his arms.
“Would you like your surprise from Auntie Cat now?” he asks, an indulgent smile curving his lips as he stares down at me. This smile is much nicer than the one he gave me before putting the torture device in my pussy earlier, and I’m almost able to relax in his arms.
“Yes, Daddy.” It doesn’t even matter what the surprise is. He wants to hear me agree, and so I’ll agree. I’ll do whatever it takes to buy myself the time I need to figure out an escape plan.
Practically beaming now, he leans over to the side, and when he straightens up a moment later, I can only stare at what he holds in his hand.
A bottle. Full of milk.
Where the hell am I?
“Open up, little one.”
I hesitate, long enough for his lips to dip down in a distinct frown. “Isabella. Don’t be stubborn.”
The sharp tone of his voice is enough for me to force my mouth to open. Daddy slides the rubber tip between my lips and I give the nipple a tentative suck.
Sweet, cold liquid rushes into my mouth, and just like with the cinnamon bun, I nearly moan at the delicious taste. If it weren’t for the whole “drugging me and kidnapping me out of my apartment in the middle of the night” thing I might actually be able to enjoy this. Being fed and pampered and taken care of isn’t exactly the worst fate in the world.
But you didn’t ask for this. You have a dream back in the city! You’re really going to give all that up just to be some asshole’s baby?
No, of course not. Of course not. But for the time being, it really could be a lot worse, so there’s no point in fighting him on something as simple as drinking from a bottle.
After all… it’s not like this is any more embarrassing than wearing a diaper and being dressed like a porcelain doll.
My eyes drift shut as I drink, and the swaying motion of the rocker nearly lulls me to sleep before the bottle is finished. And even when Daddy pulls the bottle away, we stay there, cuddled together in the chair, him humming softly as he rocks me nearly to sleep.
A soft beeping sound stirs me from my near slumber and Daddy shifts me in his arms to pull his phone from his pocket. Swiping open an app, he chuckles and shakes his head.
“Just as I thought. Your Auntie Cat couldn’t wait to meet you, little one.”
* * *
Gideon
With Isabella wrapped around me, I make my way downstairs to greet Catharina. She’s already waiting for us in the entryway, pacing back and forth in front of the stairs. When we’re about halfway down the steps, she stops and looks up, joy lighting her face.
Maxwell and I have known Cat nearly our entire lives, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile the way she has since our first Little girl arrived on the island a few short months ago. And it makes my chest ache, in the best possible way, to see that smile aimed at my own Little one now.
“Oh, Gideon!” One hand pressed against her chest, Cat sighs. “How precious is she?”
Isabella whimpers, her arms tightening around my neck as she buries her face in my shoulder, and I can’t help but chuckle even as I give her back a soothing pat. “She’s a bit shy, I’m afraid. Isabella, can you say hello to your Auntie Cat, little one?”
There’s a muffled sound that might have been a “hello”, and Cat’s smile turns sympathetic. “Poor thing. Would she be more comfortable up in her nursery, do you think?”
“We’ve been there all morning. I think she might enjoy seeing some more of the house.” If I can unwrap her from around me long enough for her to actually see anything, that is.
“The living room, then. It’s a bit less stuffy than your parlor. Has she eaten?”
Because she has a point about the parlor, I lead the way toward the back of the house and the much less formal living room, settling in on one of the deep, comfortable couches with Cat beside me. “We just finished breakfast. And she had a bottle of milk.”
As I’d expected, hunger and a hint of envy fill Cat’s dark eyes. “Did she enjoy her bottle?”
Gently taking hold of Isabella’s wrists, I try to pull her arms away from my neck, but she doesn’t budge. “Isabella. Your Auntie Cat is here to visit with you and you’re being very rude.”
“Oh, leave her be, Gideon. She’s still getting used to everything. Aren’t you, my sweet girl?”
To my surprise, Isabella slowly lifts her head, her eyes wide as she nods. “Yes, Auntie Cat,” she whispers, so quietly I can barely make out the words.
“There’s our pretty little one,” Cat says, her voice dropping to a low, soothing tone as she reaches out to cup Isabella’s face. “Hello, Isabella. I’m your Auntie Cat.”
“You’re very pretty, too.” Pink blossoms on Isabella’s cheeks, making her look even more like a doll than before. “I like your hair.”
“Such a polite Little one, too. Thank you, sweet girl. I like your hair, too. Did your Daddy curl it for you?”
“Uh-huh.”
“He did a very good job.” Cat’s lips twitch with obvious amusement. “He could give your Uncle Jasper some lessons.”
“Who’s Uncle Jasper?”
Now Cat grins. “Has your Daddy not told you about your uncles yet? Naughty Daddy.”
Isabella’s high, sweet giggle fills the air. “Naughty Daddy.”
“I suppose I am.” I tap her nose, earning me another of those precious giggles. “Would you like to know about your new family, little doll?”
At the word “family”, her face falls, her bottom lip trembling. “My family is back home. In Pennsylvania.”
Her mother and father, she means, though from what I’ve learned over the past few months they aren’t very involved in her life. Other than a stilted fifteen-minute phone call home once a week, she barely has any contact with them. And they’ve never bothered to come see her dance.
I have, though. So many times. And she’s brilliant.
“Your parents will always be your first family,” I say as gently as I can manage, though what I’m feeling toward her parents right now is anything but gentle. “But now you have a new family. Your Auntie Cat and your uncles, who I’m sure will spoil you every chance they get.”
Isabella’s eyes narrow, and a familiar excitement rushes through my veins. A quick glance at Catharina shows that same anticipation in her eyes. Is my Little girl about to earn her first public punishment?
“What if I don’t want a new family?”
“I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice in the matter, little one.” Still keeping my voice somewhat gentle, I put just enough steel behind the words to let her know this isn’t up for debate. “They’re all very excited to get to meet you, so I expect you to be on your best behavior when they come over. Am I making myself clear, Isabella?”
I watch with bated breath as the struggle plays out over her face. Will she be a good girl and submit? Or will she give me a reason to put her over my knee while her Auntie Cat watches on?
After a long, tense moment, her expression shifts, all the defiance draining from her with a sigh. “Yes, Daddy.”
It’s almost disappointing that I won’t have an excuse to spank her, but I do appreciate her obedience, so I reward her with a smile and a kiss to her temple. “Good girl. Now, would you like to hear about your uncles and their Little girls?”
“Yes, please.”
“Well, to start with, there’s your Uncle Max and his Little one, Victoria. She’s been on the island the longest, and I think you two will get along very well. Your Uncle Max is my oldest friend. We grew up together, went to school together. Our families often even went on vacations together.”
Leaning back against the couch, Cat chuckles. “What your Daddy isn’t telling you is that your Uncle Max is very strict. He does not put up with any nonsense, and he won’t hesitate to put a naughty Little girl over his knee if he thinks she deserves it.”
Isabella gasps, horror filling her wide eyes. “You wouldn’t let him spank me though, right?”
“I absolutely would. In fact, all of your uncles and your Auntie Cat have my permission to spank you if the situation calls for it. The same goes for all the grown-ups in my household. And if you have to be punished by anyone else, you will receive another spanking from me at bedtime. So I suggest you remain on your best behavior, even when Daddy isn’t around.”
“But…” Bottom lip trembling, tears glistening on her lashes, Isabella looks the very picture of a worried Little girl. “I don’t want anyone else to spank me!”
A fierce possessiveness I’ve never felt before takes hold in my chest, sharp claws embedding themselves into my heart. The knowledge that my Little girl only wants me and no one else but me is… intoxicating.
Still, she needs to know her place. And should she misbehave when she is under someone else’s care, that place will be over their knee. “Then behave yourself for your auntie and your uncles and it won’t be a problem.”
“Y-yes, Daddy,” she says quietly, with a pitiful sniffle that tugs at my heart.
“My poor little doll.” Pulling her close, I press a kiss to her carefully curled hair. “This is a lot of information to take in all at once, isn’t it?”
“Uh-huh.”
Eyes bright, Cat leans down to open her purse. “Would you like another bottle while your Daddy finishes telling you about our family?”
Isabella looks up at me, her question clear in her eyes. “Can I?”
Already, she knows that I have the ultimate say where she is concerned. Such a smart Little girl. “Yes, little one. Cat, would you like to do the honors?”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Come here, Isabella.” Smiling widely, she holds her arms open. “Or do you prefer to be called something else?”
Isabella hesitates, but just for a moment, before crawling into her Auntie’s arms. “My friends call me Izzy.”
A rather inelegant nickname for such a precious little doll, but I don’t have the heart to erase the smile on her face by insisting she go by Isabella instead. So I hold my tongue as she settles into Cat’s embrace.
“Well, I would like very much for us to be the best of friends, so Izzy it is.” Cradling my Little girl in her arms, Cat lifts the bottle to her lips. “Darling little Izzy. Would you like to hear about the rest of your family now?”
With her mouth full of milk, Isabella can only nod. Taking my cue, I settle back, watching the scene in front of me with a heart that’s full to bursting as I pick up where I’d left off. “Your Uncle Jasper is next, and his Little girl, Juliet. I’m sure you’ll come to think of Jasper as the fun uncle, but Juju will be the first to tell you he’s much more strict than you’d imagine. And as for Juju, well…” Sliding my gaze to Catharina’s, we share a knowing look. “Don’t let her drag you into any trouble. Juliet is a brat, and she takes great delight in keeping your Uncle Jasper on her toes.”
“And the rest of us, for that matter,” Cat adds with a throaty laugh. “Never a dull moment with Juliet around.”
“That’s for sure. And lastly, we have your Uncle Evan. Short for Evander. He can be a bit scary at first, but he’ll spoil you just as much as your Auntie Cat if I let him. Don’t tell him I told you, but beneath his tough exterior, he’s a bit of a teddy bear. I can only imagine how tightly he’ll end up wrapped around his own Little girl’s finger when the time comes.”
“He’d gut you like a fish on the spot if he heard you say such a thing.”
Cat’s offhand joke doesn’t go over Isabella’s head. My little doll jerks in her Auntie’s arms, choking and sputtering as milk spills out onto her cheeks.
“Give her to me.” My voice is sharper than I intend for it to be, but Cat doesn’t flinch as she passes Isabella to me. Holding her against my chest, I pat her back until the coughing fit passes.
“Shhh. There, there, little doll. You’re alright. Daddy’s right here. Daddy’s got you.”
“I’m so sorry.” Face stricken, Cat wrings her hands, her dark eyes round with worry. “I wasn’t thinking, Gideon. I’m sorry. Is she okay?”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Won’t you, little one?”
Still clinging to me, Isabella nods silently and I force a smile for Cat despite the fury boiling in my veins.
She didn’t mean any harm. I know that, and it’s the only thing keeping me from lashing out. But my Little girl is trembling in my arms, and whether she meant to frighten her or not, Cat is the reason for it.
“I think I’ll put her down for a nap. It’s been an eventful morning.”
“Of course.” Cat’s smile is strained as she rises to her feet. “I, ah, was planning to take Tori and Juju out for a girls’ day sometime soon. We’d love for Izzy to join us.”
“We’ll see. I’d like to give her some time to get settled in here with me before sending her out with anyone else. You understand.”
“I do.” Reaching out, Cat runs a gentle hand down Isabella’s back. “Sleep well, sweet girl. I’ll come visit you soon.”
Without waiting for Cat to leave, I turn on my heel and carry Isabella out of the room and upstairs to my bedroom. She should nap in her crib, but after the scare downstairs, I’m not quite ready to let her out of my sight just yet.
So I lay her in the bed with me, my heart lodged in my throat when she immediately curls into me when I join her on the mattress.
“It’s all right, little one. Daddy’s right here.”
“Was Auntie Cat telling the truth?” she whispers, her voice smaller and more frightened than I’ve heard it before.
“About what?”
“Uncle Evan. Would he really… would he hurt you?”
The heart she already holds in her hands melts at the quiet, worried question. “No. He might grumble and threaten, but at the end of the day, we’re a family and if there’s one thing your Uncle Evan prizes more than anything else, it’s family. He would never hurt you or me or any of the others. I promise.”
Holding up a fist, she holds out a delicate finger. “Pinkie-promise?”
It’s quite easily the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen, and even if I’d wanted to, I would be helpless to resist her innocent charms. Hooking my finger with hers, I lean in to press a kiss to her forehead. “Pinkie-promise. Sleep tight, little doll. Daddy will be right here when you wake up again.”
“Okay, Daddy.”