19. Chapter Nineteen #2
When I kissed her, it felt like coming home. Her lips were soft and yielding beneath mine, her body fitting perfectly against me as if we'd been designed as two halves of a whole. I poured everything I couldn't say into that kiss—my fear, my regret, my absolute devotion.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I rested my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry I left. I thought I was protecting you from me."
"I don't need protection from the one person that will always keep me safe."
I smiled, feeling something tight in my chest finally release.
Emily reached up, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw. "I know my dynamic is... complicated. I'm not always little, not in the way Abby is. Sometimes I need to be strong, to make my own decisions."
I nodded. "That makes sense. You're too strong-willed to stay in any one space for long."
"But I promise you will always have the final say on safety."
"And putting yourself down," I added, and she giggled, then sobered instantly.
“So, you’re going to be my forever Daddy?” Emily asked. “Even when I’m a brat or I think I can take on the world without help?”
“Especially then,” I answered and took her lips in a blistering kiss.
I pulled back when her moans made my pants way too tight, my expression shifting to something more serious. "But first, we need to address something."
Emily's eyes widened slightly at the change in my tone. "What?"
"You sneaked out of the house without telling me," I said, my voice taking on that authoritative edge she knew well. "After I specifically asked you to stay safe."
Her cheeks flushed, and I could see the moment she realized where this was heading. "Daddy, I—"
"No excuses, little one," I interrupted gently but firmly. "You put yourself in danger, and that requires consequences."
Emily's breathing quickened, and I watched with fascination as her pupils dilated slightly. "What kind of consequences?"
"The kind that will help you remember to trust me when I'm trying to keep you safe," I replied, moving to sit on the edge of the sofa. "Come here, Emily."
She hesitated for a moment, and I could see the internal war playing out across her features—the part of her that wanted to argue warring with the part that craved this dynamic between us.
"Are you going to spank me?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," I said simply. "Because you scared me, and because actions have consequences. But also, because I think you need it right now."
Something in her expression shifted, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation that made my chest tight. "I... I think I need it too," she admitted, her voice small.
"Good girl," I murmured, holding out my hand. "Then come to Daddy."
She moved toward me slowly, placing her small hand in mine. I guided her to stand between my knees, looking up into her face.
"This isn't about punishment for the sake of punishment," I explained, my hands resting on her hips. "This is about helping you feel grounded, forgiven, and cared for. Do you understand?"
Emily nodded, her eyes bright with trust and something that looked remarkably like relief. "Yes, Daddy."
"What's your safeword?"
"Blue," she whispered.
"Good. Now, let's get these dungarees off."
With trembling fingers, she unclipped the straps and let the garment pool at her feet, leaving her in just her white cotton underwear and the soft sweater. I helped her position herself across my lap, her weight familiar and precious.
"Ten spanks," I said, resting my hand on her cotton-covered bottom. "You'll count each one. This is for running off without telling me where you were going, putting yourself at risk when I was trying to protect you."
"Yes, Daddy," she breathed.
The first smack was firm but not harsh, and she gasped softly. "One."
By the fifth strike, she was trying to wriggle away but I held firm. By the eighth, tears were flowing freely, though she continued to count dutifully.
"Ten," she sobbed as the final smack landed.
I immediately began rubbing gentle circles on her tender skin, soothing the sting. "Good girl."
Emily remained draped across my lap, her body shaking with quiet sobs as she processed the emotional release. I continued the gentle massage, whispering soft reassurances.
"It's over now, sweetheart," I murmured. "You're forgiven. You're safe."
After a few minutes, I helped her sit up on my lap, cradling her against my chest as she buried her face in my neck. Her tears dampened my shirt, but I welcomed them—they were healing tears, washing away the fear and guilt we'd both been carrying.
"I'm sorry," she whispered against my throat. "I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry I didn't trust you enough to stay."
"I know, baby girl," I replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "And I'm sorry I made you feel like you couldn't depend on me."
We held each other in the quiet room, the sounds of the party downstairs a distant murmur. For the first time in weeks, I felt complete again.
"Daddy?" Emily's voice was soft, hesitant.
"Yes?"
She pulled back to look at me, her eyes still bright with tears but clear with purpose. "I want to go home. With you. I want to see our room, our dogs. I want to sleep in our bed."
Our. The word sent warmth flooding through my chest.
"I'd like that very much," I said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But first, we should probably let Gideon and the others know we've worked things out. They've been worried about us."
Emily smiled, the first genuine smile I'd seen from her since before the warehouse. "They're good friends."
"The best," I agreed.
As we straightened our clothes and prepared to face the world again, Emily caught my hand.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"I love you. All of you. Especially the parts that make me feel loved and protected and cherished."
I brought her hand to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "I love you too, Emily. Every stubborn, brilliant, beautiful part of you."
We left the room hand in hand, ready to go home, and I wondered to myself when would be the right time to put the pink diamond ring on her finger.
I’d bought that the day after I’d met her as well.