Chapter 44
Jared watched her yawn for the third time in as many minutes.
Someone needed a nap.
It was kind of late in the day for a nap, but he didn’t think she was going to last until bedtime.
They’d been playing with her new tea set for the last forty minutes. And frankly, this tutu was starting to dig into his skin.
Standing, he pulled off his play clothes.
“Daddy! What are you doing?”
North was off doing some work, so it was just the two of them.
“It’s time for a nap, baby girl,” he told her.
“Nuh-uh,” she said.
“Yes,” he said firmly. “You keep yawning.”
“I’m fine, Daddy,” she said as she poured another cup of tea. “Would you like some more tea? You know, maybe I just need a coffee. An iced coffee. I can go make us some.”
She jumped to her feet.
“No, the last thing you need is caffeine,” he told her. “It’s been a big day for you. You can take a short nap. Then have a quiet night, dinner, and bed.”
“Daddy, I don’t need a nap. Miss Melanie will miss me.”
“She can nap with you,” he told her. “She looks tired.”
“Poor Miss Melanie,” she said. “She doesn’t look tired. That wasn’t very nice, Daddy. Maybe you should apologize.”
He simply raised an eyebrow. Apologize? To a doll?
She was dreaming.
She sighed and he moved around the room, pulling the drapes. However, when he turned back she was still playing.
“Baby girl,” he said sternly. “Come here.”
“Nope, Daddy.”
Oh, she was pushing him, was she?
“Angie. Here. Now.”
He sat on the side of the bed and watched as she stood with a loud sigh.
Part of him was rejoicing. Not only had she let her Little out fully around him. But she also felt safe enough to push at him. To see where the boundaries were.
Which made him want to smile.
It was odd for him. He was happy with North. But he wasn’t soft and cuddly. He was hard edges and dynamite.
Which made Jared feel alive. It gave him a buzz.
She gave him something else. A soft place to feel content.
Both were needed.
And he would do whatever it took to keep them safe.
Her feet dragged as she moved toward him. It was adorable. But he knew he couldn’t go soft on her. She needed to see what he’d do if she was defiant and sassy while in Little headspace.
He grasped hold of her hips and drew her between his legs. She wasn’t being too naughty so he was going to be firm but not harsh.
“Little girl, when Daddy says something he expects you to obey.”
Angie’s lower lip dropped on a pout. “But I don’t need a nap.”
“Daddy decides what you need and don’t need. What you have to do is listen to Daddy and obey him. Understand? Or Daddy will need to get stricter.”
She sighed. Long and loud. “But what if Daddy is wrong?”
“Daddy is never wrong.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Uh-huh. I don’t think I believe that. Do I really have to have a nap, Daddy?”
“Yes.”
He stood and drew back the blankets.
“I’m not gonna sleep.”
“You will. Climb into bed.” He drew open a bedside drawer. Turning, he saw that she hadn’t moved.
“All right, then,” he said.
Seems she needed more.
Sitting, he drew her over his lap and opened the back flap of her onesie to reveal her panties underneath.
“Daddy! What are you doing?” she cried, trying to wriggle off his lap.
He tightened his hold on her. “You’re not obeying Daddy. I gave you a warning. Now, you’re going to bed with a warm bottom.”
Nooo!
She kicked her feet and kept trying to slide off his lap but he held her tight.
His hand landed several times on her butt. She let out a screech, even though his smacks weren’t that hard or sore.
Stopping, he rubbed her bottom.
Okay, that wasn’t that bad at all. Was that all?
“How are you, baby? Green, yellow, or red?”
Drat. She wanted to say red but she was more of a green.
“Green,” she grumbled.
“Good to know.”
His hand landed again, over and over until she gave up trying to fight it. By the end her bottom was throbbing.
Jared sat her up on his lap, facing him. He rubbed her back until she settled. Then he drew her back, looking down at her.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Like I got my bottom spanked by Daddy,” she grumbled.
How did he think she felt?
“Are you angry at me?”
“What? No, Daddy. Why would I be?”
“Just checking,” he murmured. “I want you to know that Daddy always has your best interests at heart. Even though this doesn’t seem a serious infraction, one day it might be. One day, obeying Daddy might be a life or death situation. Okay?”
That was scary. But she knew he didn’t live a safe life. That was something she had to take into consideration.
Then again, she’d never really lived a safe life, had she?
Even when she tried to, it took a twist.
So she nodded. “I understand, Daddy.”
He gave her another hug and then tucked her into bed with Wally and Wallina. Then he placed a pacifier against her lips.
She frowned at him.
“Just try it,” he told her. “If you don’t like it, you don’t need to use it.”
Fine.
Opening her mouth, she took the pacifier into her mouth. It felt a bit weird, but she decided to go with it for a while.
After tucking her in, Daddy picked up a book that she hadn’t realized was in the bedside drawer.
She grew excited as she saw it was the latest Daddy Dom by CJ Bennett.
Awesome.
“Where is North?” she asked later that night as Jared held her hand and led her upstairs.
They’d had a simple dinner of grilled cheese.
If Rex was here they’d have had a feast. But she was all too aware that he wasn’t.
Where was he?
“He’ll be home soon,” Jared told her as they reached the top of the stairs.
Instead of leading her to her room, he stopped at the door next to hers.
His room.
He led her inside and into the bathroom. He handed her a toothbrush to get ready and she noticed that a number of her things were in here.
Things North had bought for her. Where was he? Was he trying to find Rex?
“I need some pajamas,” she said as they finished in the bathroom.
“Go into the closet, the right side is yours.”
Hers? What did that mean?
As she walked into the closet, she saw that one side was filled with clothes.
For her.
“Pajamas are in the third drawer down,” Jared stated.
Turning, she saw Jared behind her. “How? What?”
He shrugged. “North ordered you some more clothes.”
“I really didn’t need them and why are they in here?”
“Because this is where I want them to be. This is where I want you to be. Every night.”
Holy heck.
She’d moved into Jared Bartolli’s bedroom. This was a big step.
Was it too fast?
Well, this whole experience was crazy and quick. It wasn’t normal.
Not at all.
“Is there a problem?”
“Is it not too fast?” she asked.
“I know what I want, baby girl. And when I want something I go after it. Get dressed in your pajamas. Don’t think so much.”
Don’t think so much? Easier said than done. But she found herself getting into her pajamas and climbing into bed to wait for him.
He came to bed just dressed in pajama bottoms and a bare chest.
Damn that was hot.
Getting into bed with her, he drew her against his chest and just held her. Some of the tension she hadn’t realized she was holding released.
“How are you feeling about everything that happened today?” he asked.
Wow.
He wanted to talk?
Okay. She could do this. She’d never had anyone to talk to until Keira came into her life. And she’d been in and out of her life.
“I’m pretty good. I was glad I got to call Keira. I didn’t like the lines but I enjoyed our time in the playroom. But I’m worried about Rex. And North.”
“Don’t worry about North, baby.”
But she felt like he was holding back. And were they excluding him? He wasn’t into the Daddy stuff so did he feel left out?
“I like that you worry about him. North deserves that after the life he’s led. But don’t worry too much. For one, he won’t accept much worry. And two, I want you relaxed and happy. Okay?”
“All right. I’ll try.”
He turned to face her, running his finger over her lips. “Part for me, baby.”
Her lips dropped open in surprise and he slid his finger in and out of her mouth.
“Fuck, baby. You’re so gorgeous. So sexy.”
No, he was gorgeous and sexy not her. Leaning in, he kissed her. The kiss was long. It was hot.
And she never wanted it to end.
Reaching around, he cupped her ass, squeezing it.
Arousal filled her and she wriggled closer. Rolling onto his back, he took her with him so she was lying on top of him. For a moment, she wasn’t sure she liked it. But he kissed her again and she rolled her hips against his.
Oh, that was so nice.
Her clit throbbed and she needed more.
“More,” she demanded.
“Hmm, not yet.”
“Why not?” she asked, disgruntled.
“Because my plan is to drive you insane. To make you want us so much that he doesn’t even have a chance to pop into your head.”
It wasn’t a bad plan.
But it might just kill her.
Jared moved them again so she was facing away from him and he was curled around her. With one hand he played with her breasts while kissing the back of her neck.
“I want you to sleep naked while you’re with me.”
Oh yeah.
That was sexy. And then she remembered the problem with that and stiffened.
“Problem? Too much too soon?”
“I . . . I can’t,” she said.
“Hey, it’s all right. We can work up to that.” He rolled her over to face him. “We’re going slow.”
What they’d just been doing hadn’t felt slow. And she hadn’t once thought of him.
Until now.
“What is it?” Jared asked.
He deserved to know. Before things went further.
“I have scars,” she blurted out. “And they’re hideous.”
North stilled as he stood on the other side of the bedroom door, listening.
He knew that Jared had deliberately left the door open as an invitation.
“How did you get the scars?” Jared asked.
“Fergus. He . . . he didn’t always hurt me.
In fact, a lot of the time I was left alone.
But there was this one time when I tried to escape.
I should have known I’d fail. It was after around six months of being married to him.
I think it was a test because it was almost too easy to leave.
His men found me . . . they dragged me back.
And . . . and he locked me in the basement.
He . . . for days he hurt me. Had his men hold me down so he could whip my back until I bled.
I’m not sure how long I was there. How long he hurt me for.
But now I have scars on my back. Ugly scars.
After that I never tried to escape again.
I was too scared. Too terrified of being hurt like that again. ”
North felt like he was going to break and that wasn’t acceptable. Leaning his hands against the wall, he breathed in deeply. He was relieved she was talking about the scars. But hearing the details was also breaking him apart.
He couldn’t splinter because if he did there was no putting himself back together. And he didn’t know what he would turn into.
So he stood there until he felt like he was under control. He could hear her distraught voice and Jared’s soothing one but couldn’t make out the words. Finally, there was silence and he left.
Perhaps exhuming Fergus’s body wasn’t a wise thing to do.
But it might help him calm the rage inside him.