Chapter 2
Dallas walked over to the little family of ghosts with a smile on her face.
Halloween was her favorite holiday in the whole wide world.
These ghosts were even cuter up close. The tallest one must have been the Daddy ghost because he was wearing a pumpkin tie.
The middle-sized ghost had on matching pumpkin earrings, and the baby ghost had on a matching pumpkin bow.
Dallas knelt to study the baby one before deciding it was the cutest baby ghostie she’d ever seen.
She turned her zombie baby, Teefs, around so she could see the ghostie family too.
“Don’t worry, Teefs. They’re not real,” she whispered to the baby. Teefs wasn’t the best Zombie baby. She was scared of almost everything even though she pretended to be tough. Dallas kept her secret with the utmost privacy, though. Nobody would ever know Teefs was a big scaredy cat.
“Hi!” someone said from beside her.
Dallas jumped before standing and righting herself. She felt embarrassed to be caught talking to Teefs.
“Hi,” she replied shyly to the petite brunette standing in front of her.
“Are you just checking in?”
Dallas nodded, looking back at her Daddy. He gave her a thumbs up and she returned it, letting him know she was okay.
“My name is Sadie. My Daddy is Master Derek. He runs this place.”
“I’m Dallas,” she said, not sure what else to tag onto her introduction. “Um, this is Teefs.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Dallas. And you too, Teefs. Is this your first time at the Ranch?”
Dallas nodded.
“I thought so. I didn’t recognize you two.”
“D-do you know everyone who visits?”
“Most of the time,” she said. Her tone wasn’t boastful, though, just matter-of-fact. Dallas imagined if her Daddy ran Rawhide Ranch she’d know most of the people too.
“Are you going to be in the school-aged classes?” Sadie asked Dallas.
Dallas didn’t know. “I’m not sure. I didn’t know we were coming here until this morning.”
“Oh! It was a surprise?” Sadie asked, bouncing foot to foot. Her excitement caused Dallas to finally notice her skirt and shirt. She was dressed in a school uniform. How cute!
“Yes, a surprise.” Dallas nodded.
“Well, if you come to the school-age classes, I’ll be there and we can play together. I’ll introduce you to my friends! But if you’re in the Butterflies, I’ll maybe see you too. Sometimes I go to preschool. It depends on what Daddy decides based on my mood.”
“I’m six. I’ll be wherever the six-year-olds are.
” Dallas said, but the lie tasted yucky on her tongue.
She’d thought she was about six which was the age she played at since she’d realized she was a Little girl, but lately she wasn’t so sure.
Her heart and her Little were crying for something softer, younger, an age where Daddy was in control of everything and she didn’t have to make any yucky decisions.
An age where her weary soul could rest some.
When she first started having all of these feelings, she thought that maybe she just wanted more discipline so she’d started acting out, but that hadn’t helped her heart either, it had only made her sad because she’d been naughty. She didn’t like to be naughty.
“Oh, then you would be in the school-aged classes with me,” Sadie answered, studying her, like she knew she wasn’t telling the truth.
“But the nursery rooms are so fun too. You’ll get to have Nanny J snuggles or Ms. Price cuddles.
It’s nice to just have a snuggly day in the nursery, but don’t tell my teachers.
I don’t want to hurt their feelings. They’re fun too. ”
Dallas nodded. “I promise.” She felt compelled to assure the petite woman she wouldn’t spill her secrets.
Dallas caught her Daddy’s unique scent of citrus and fresh mountain air before she saw him and instantly the butterflies in her tummy settled down.
“Hello,” her Daddy said, smiling at Sadie.
“Daddy, this is Sadie. Her Daddy is Master Derek. Sadie, this is my Daddy, Pike.”
“Pike’s such a cool name!” the Little girl complimented, making Pike chuckle.
“Thank you.”
“Sadie,” a firm voice with a country accent said as a large man walked across the lobby toward them.
“Uh oh,” Sadie said, instantly covering her bottom.
“Didn’t Daddy tell you to get back to class?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said, “I was just greeting our new guests.”
He raised his eyebrow and she took a few steps back. “I’ll see you around,” she said, running off after giving a small wave.
“I’m sorry,” Dallas apologized, feeling guilty.
Master Derek smiled at her. “You don’t need to be sorry at all, little one. My sweet wife has a naughty side and she was dismissed from class so that I could spank her naughty bottom. She was supposed to return immediately to the Littles’ Wing, but she disobeyed again.”
Pike chuckled and stuck out his hand. “Pike Miller.”
“Ah yes, we’ve been expecting you,” Derek said, extending his own hand. “I’m Derek Hawkins. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You as well, this is my Little girl, Dallas.”
“Nice to meet you, darlin’.”
“You too, Sir.”
How was your flight?”
“Good. It was Dallas’ first flight, but she enjoyed it.”
“Well, aren’t you brave!” Master Derek exclaimed.
“I got wings for being such a Big girl,” Dallas said, proudly showing him the wings that were attached to her dress.
“Master Derek, they need you in the Littles’ Wing,” someone called.
“Excuse me, duty calls, but I would love to have dinner with you one night. I’ll have Erika set it up with you,” he said.
Dallas perked up at the idea of having dinner with Sadie.
“Looking forward to it,” Pike said before Master Derek walked away.
Looking back, Derek addressed Dallas, “I think your wings are very cool, Dallas.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Sir.”
“Bitty, any of the men on the Ranch you see who aren’t Littles should be addressed as Master, okay? Daddy should have told you that earlier, but you used very good manners even without Daddy telling you,” Pike told Dallas when Derek was out of earshot.
She giggled, “Yes, Master Daddy.”
Pike laughed and ruffled her hair. “Are you ready to go to our room, Bitty? Moses should have our luggage there soon.”
“Yas, huh, Daddy,” Dallas said, taking his hand again. She loved holding Daddy’s hand. It made her feel safe and secure.
“Daddy?” she asked as they walked to the elevators.
“Yes, Bitty?”
“Can I ask things about the trip or is it all a secret?”
“You can ask me anything you want about our stay at Rawhide.”
“Am I gonna go to school?” She pulled Teefs closer, seeking her comfort.
Pike pressed the button for their floor before turning to look at her. He pulled her close and his large hands rubbed up and down her back.
“You are going to go to the nursery.”
She frowned. “But I’m six.”
He picked her up under her arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He rocked her back and forth. “Well, that’s part of why Daddy wanted to bring you to Rawhide. I don’t think you feel six. I think maybe you feel younger and you’re scared to tell Daddy.”
Unable to answer him, Dallas buried her face in his neck and willed herself not to cry.
“You know, Daddy will love you no matter what age you are. He doesn’t care if you’re two months, two years, or twelve. He just wants you to be happy.”
“I’m not a baby. I’m six,” she lied again.
“Dallas, I understand you’re struggling with what you need, but I won’t tolerate you lying to me.
Something has been bothering you for months.
It began when you first started acting out and even though you’re back to being Daddy’s good girl, it’s still bothering you.
Since it’s been so hard for you to talk to me about it, I had to brainstorm what might be wrong.
It took me a while to pinpoint the exact time it started, but I did eventually.
Everything began the weekend Daddy was in the hospital and you stayed with Uncle Travis, Uncle Maddox, and Reagan, I can only assume it’s because you got to see firsthand the life Reagan lived and you realized you wanted that too and that’s perfectly okay, Little girl. ”
Dallas couldn’t believe that her Daddy was able to read her so well.
That was exactly when her identity confusion happened.
She was the oldest Little in the friend group and she had always loved that.
She liked helping her “Uncles” with the Little ones who all played about two or three years old, but when Daddy had a kidney stone and he’d been in the hospital and she’s stayed with Reagan and her two Daddies, she’d been shocked to realize how envious she was of the Little girl.
Reagan played at a very young age. She took bottles and wore diapers.
Her Daddies took turns feeding her, rocking her, and taking care of her.
Pike took wonderful care of Dallas, but that weekend had sparked a deep longing inside of her.
She wanted to be completely dependent on her Daddy like Reagan was on her Daddies.
She wanted to have even her most intimate needs met by him—to have him control every aspect of her day down to making all the decisions for her.
“Is Daddy right, Bitty?”
Dallas balled her hands into fists and tried to control her breathing. Why was it so hard to tell Daddy what she needed? He was so good to her, she knew he would meet this new need of hers too and that made her feel very guilty.
“Is a lot,” she mumbled into his neck.
The elevator dinged and he carried her out and down the hall.
“What is a lot, baby?” He balanced her in one arm while he unlocked their room door.
As much as Dallas wanted to study the room, she was so nervous she couldn’t even lift her head.
Pike sat down with her but didn’t make her move from his shoulder.
“What is a lot, baby?” he repeated.
“What I want. It would be a lot on you.”
“No, Bitty, nothing you need will ever be too much for Daddy,” Pike assured her. “I love taking care of you and by allowing me to take care of you, you’re taking care of me.”
“I am?” She didn’t feel like she took care of Pike at all. It felt like he did so much for her and she did almost nothing for him.
He continued to hold her and rub her back. “You are. There’s a big part of Daddy that needs to take care of you and every time you allow me that privilege, I get what I need too.”
“I feel so guilty,” she said with a wobbly voice.
She pushed back to look at Pike. “You do so much for me already—you’ve done so much for me already.
You took me in when River died, you made sure I had a good education, you gave me a great job.
You took care of me as a young adult finding her place and now you’re taking care of me as your Little.
It’s so selfish of me to ask for more,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.
She was such a bad girl for even wanting more from him.
“I’m so naughty for even needing more and I’m a bad friend because I was jealous of Reagan.
She’s so nice and I was so grumpy with her on the inside.
And I’m not a good Little because I don’t do anything for you.
I feel like our relationship is all about me.
And the other Little girls will be so disappointed if I’m not a Big girl for them,” she said, collapsing into his chest, big sobs tearing from her mouth.