Chapter 45
“ D addy! What sort of pie do you want?”
Jenner glanced over from where he was sitting on the rug on the floor of her playroom.
It had been a smart idea of Tobias’s to order all of this stuff the first day they arrived here. They’d been at the cabin close to two weeks and Immy spent more time in here than anywhere else.
She was still moving a bit carefully and her wrist would take a while to heal, but it was clear to see that she was feeling much better.
Poor baby was still having nightmares, though.
She’d wake up most nights screaming. He and Tobias were taking turns sleeping in her bedroom with her. Although, he slept in the armchair because he was worried about kicking her.
Right. Is that what you’re really worried about? Or that you’ll start something that will lead to sex?
Something he wasn’t sure if either of them were ready for.
Because the likelihood of that was far greater than him accidentally kicking her in his sleep.
“I’ll take a key lime pie please, baby.”
He was actually surprised by how easy this had all been. Immy found it easier to slip into Little headspace when she was in her playroom. So this is where they spent most of their time. But while she’d been resting and recuperating, he and Tobias had spent a lot of time together.
They’d gotten to know each other better, which was helping them now take care of Immy together.
Tobias had spoken to Alejandro about moving to Nashville permanently.
Something Alejandro had been surprisingly onboard with, although Tobias had suspected he might use him for business down here.
They could figure that out later. The relief on Immy’s face when Tobias had told her that he was moving to Nashville permanently had informed them both that she’d been worrying about the future.
“Here you go, Daddy!” she said, walking over to him with a bowl of slime.
“Yummy!” He patted his stomach. He was surprised by how relaxed he was here. Other than at Christmas, he never took time off.
Seemed he was well overdue.
There had been no sign again of Lauren’s killer. Could be he’d disappeared, could be he was waiting to strike again. But it was doubtful he knew of this place. Tobias had ordered the stuff for Immy’s playroom under an alias just in case.
“Eat it all up, Daddy!” she told him, waggling a finger. “If you don’t, no dessert.”
“I thought this was dessert.”
“No! Silly Daddy.”
“Have I told you how adorable you are today?”
“Aww thanks, Daddy. Papa dressed me.”
“Papa did a great job.” She was wearing white fluffy leggings, and an oversized blue sweater with a white owl on the front.
When she bent over and the sweater rode up . . . well, he could tell that she had a padded bottom.
“Are you wearing your training pants today?”
“Yes! Papa insisted. I don’t know why.”
“Hmm, could it be because you barely made it to the toilet yesterday?”
She’d been having too much fun and also tended to wait until the last moment to tell them that she had to pee.
But he also knew Tobias was using that as an excuse to push her boundaries a bit. To see what she liked and didn’t like. She knew that if there was anything she didn’t like, she just had to say her safeword, which was red.
Jenner was wondering if he could get her into a diaper for her nap.
Worth a shot.
“That’s silly. Immy is a big girl.”
“Immy is our baby girl,” he countered. “And she’s adorable.”
She grinned at him. “Thanks, Daddy.”
He loved how carefree she was when she was Little. The rest of the time, she seemed a bit anxious, constantly worried about the man who’d killed Lauren. And about Isaiah.
They’d only heard from Isaiah once and that was when he’d sent them an email about Lauren. Seemed he’d done some research into her. He must have listened to their multitude of voicemails, explaining what had happened and begging him to come back or get in touch.
Jenner was kind of mad at Isaiah and extremely worried.
Isaiah had found some very interesting information on Lauren, though.
Apparently, that wasn’t actually her real name.
It was Marissa Steele. She’d had to create a new identity for herself because Marissa Steele was wanted in Alaska for the suspected murder of her estranged husband.
Her husband had met someone else and wanted a divorce. Marissa hadn’t been onboard with that and shot him.
Kind of explained a lot. That woman had been nuts.
Tobias walked in carrying their lunch on a tray. He set it down on the small table as Jenner got up to help Immy wash her hands. When they returned, he noted that the tray was filled with fruit and sandwiches and that the sippy cup held water.
Good.
“Papa!” Immy said with a groan as she sat and let Tobias put a bib on her. “This lunch has none of the good stuff. I’ve never eaten so much fruit in my life.”
“It’s good for you while you’re healing,” Jenner told her. “Plus it helps you poop.”
He said that last bit to rile her up. “Daddy! Don’t say poop. And are you sure I can’t have choccy milk instead of this stuff?” She held up her sippy cup.
“That stuff is called water and it’s good for you,” Tobias said.
She heaved a sigh, but ate the food on her plate. Of course, she got a bit messy, which Jenner thought was adorable and he ended up getting a cloth to clean up her hands and mouth. Then he kissed the tip of her nose. “Adorable.”
“You are, Daddy!”
“Nuh-uh, not as adorable as my girl. She’s the sweetest, prettiest girl in the world.”
“And the sassiest,” Tobias added with a grin.
“Papa! You’re sassy.” She pointed at him. “I’m finished. I’m gonna go practice my spells.”
“I think you said that wrong, baby girl,” Tobias said to her. “You’re supposed to ask if you can be excused.”
“You can be excused, Daddy,” she told him with a grin.
“Haha,” he replied. “Use your manners.”
“Papa, you’re obsessed with manners. I think you need to get that looked at.”
“Immy, speak nicely to Papa,” Jenner said sternly.
He found it harder to be stern with her, but he was learning that she wouldn’t break, or stop loving him if he scolded her.
They hadn’t had to punish her yet, but he got the feeling that was because she’d been holding back.
And now, she was going to start pushing them.
“Can Immy be excused?” she asked.
“You can,” Jenner replied. “But before you move on to practicing your spells, you have to clean up your slime station.”
“Nooo, Daddy!” she cried.
“Uh, yes, baby girl. Clean it up while I help Papa with the dishes.”
He grabbed the tray and gave her a stern look as Tobias followed him out of the playroom and into the kitchen.
“You prepared to punish her if she doesn’t do as you told her?” Tobias asked him.
“I can’t spank her.” She wasn’t healed enough for that.
Tobias nodded. “I know, but there’s no reason she can’t go into the corner and do some lines.”
“You’re right. I’m ready.”
Tobias patted him on the back. “I’m going to tidy up, then get some more firewood from the shed so you’ve got the house to yourselves. Be back soon.”
Jenner walked back into the playroom to find the slime station in a mess and Immy in the corner with her spellbook out. Abe had packed it and her wands for her. Along with Snowy, of course, and Miss Pippa Porker.
“Immy,” he said sternly. “What do you think you are doing?”
She waved a hand at him. “Shh, Daddy! I’m creating!”
Jenner walked over and plucked the wand out of her hand.
“Hey! Daddy! That’s rude, you can’t just touch a wizard’s wand like that!”
“It’s also rude to ignore Daddy when he’s talking to you,” he told her. “And to disobey him. What did I tell you to do before you started practicing your spells?”
“But Daddy! I’m busy! I don’t gots time to clean.”
“That’s too bad. Because now you’re going to have to spend some time in the naughty corner.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“And then write some lines. Come with me.” He took her hand in his.
“No! Wait, Daddy! You can’t mean it!”
“I do mean it.” He ignored her trembling lower lip and led her to the naughty corner. “Sit in the chair. You’ll spend five minutes in the corner and I don’t want to hear any noise or see any squirming.”
“I’ll clean the slime station!” she cried.
“I’m sorry, baby girl. But you should have done that earlier. Sit.” He gave her a stern look.
She gave him another pouting look, but he didn’t cave. He knew she was testing the waters and he needed to start as he meant to go on.
Immy would learn that she needed to listen to both him and Tobias. In Big or Little headspace.
Immy sat with a sigh. He settled into the armchair and drew out his phone to check in with Sampson.
Still nothing going on there. And no sign of Isaiah over the past two weeks. Which really worried him. What was Isaiah thinking, taking off like that on his own?
Fuck.
Where was he?
Jenner hated not having control over Immy’s safety. It was making him antsy. And it meant he wanted more control in other areas.
He glanced over at Immy. Nothing could happen to her. He wouldn’t survive it.
“Immy, come here, please,” he said.
She stood and turned, then moved toward him. He opened his arms and she stepped between his legs. Carefully, he picked her up and held her on his lap.
“I love you, baby girl.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Are you okay?”
“Better with you in my arms,” he told her truthfully. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”
She tightened her hold on him. “I know, Daddy. Nothing bad will happen to you either.”
He kissed the top of her head.
“What happened to me wasn’t your fault, Daddy,” she told him
“I brought Lauren into your life. And if Tobias and I hadn’t been fighting, you wouldn’t have run off to that bar, she wouldn’t have found you. Fucking run you over and kidnapped you.”
“That’s a naughty word, Daddy. And you didn’t know what she was like. Or that she’d come after me.” She waggled a finger at him. “Stop beating yourself up, or I’ll have to punish you.”
“Nice try.” He kissed her lightly. “But we both know that I’m not the one who is being punished. Time for you to do your lines.”
“Daddy, I was already punished.”
He scoffed. “That five minutes spent in the corner isn’t really punishment.”
“Yes, it is!”
“Well, it’s not enough.” He stood with her in his arms and took her over to the small table, sitting her on a cushion on the floor. Then he found a piece of paper and a pen.
“Twenty-five lines saying that you will obey your Daddy. Understand?”
Immy sighed. “Yes, Daddy. I understand.”
Lines sucked.
They sucked even more than corner time. Immy didn’t even know why she hadn’t done what she was told.
Immy was usually a people pleaser. She liked being a good girl. But she guessed sometimes she also liked to push a bit.
Just to make sure that her Daddy and Papa were watching. And would take care of her.
Also . . . there might be a part of her that was curious about what a proper spanking was going to feel like.
But they hadn’t progressed to a spanking yet. Because she was still a bit bruised.
She felt a lot better, though. And the nightmares seemed to be fading. Or she hoped they were.
Immy finished the lines and held the piece of paper up with a cheer. “All finished, Daddy!”
“Bring it here then, baby girl.”
Immy had to admit that she loved being here with Daddy and Papa. And this playroom was the stuff of her dreams. In the playroom she could really let go and become Little Immy. She could play and have fun and not worry as much.
The rest of the time, it was harder to do that.
She walked over to where he still sat on the rocking chair and handed him the piece of paper. She fidgeted as he read through it.
It felt weird wearing training pants, but not uncomfortable or anything.
“Do you need to go potty, baby girl?” he asked without looking up at her.
“No!” she said as he set the paper down.
“Good job on the lines, baby girl. But tell Daddy the truth,” he warned.
“I don’t need to go, Daddy. Can I go practice my spells?”
“Yep. Right after you clean up your slime station. Thirty minutes of spell time. Then you can take a nap.”
Urgh, nap time.
That sucked.
But maybe he would forget.
She should have known better.