24. Tessa
24
TESSA
T hree weeks later…
I stand in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches on my makeup while trying to ignore Ronan’s stare from across the room. He’s leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, his dark eyes locked on me with an unreadable expression that always makes my stomach flutter.
“You’re sure you don’t know what the girls have planned?” he asks skeptically.
I swipe on one last coat of mascara and glance at him, suppressing a smirk. “Nope. They’re keeping it a surprise. I’m just along for the ride.”
Ronan pushes off the doorframe, closing the distance between us in two slow strides. He stops behind me, his hands settling on my hips as his lips brush the shell of my ear. “You better behave tonight, baby girl,” he murmurs, his tone thick with warning. “Because if you don’t, you know exactly what’s going to happen when you get home.”
I bite my lip, trying to keep my face neutral, but my pulse kicks up at the quiet threat. “Oh no,” I tease, placing a hand on his chest. “Not a spanking, Daddy. Whatever will I do?”
He lets out a low chuckle, but his grip tightens on my hips. “You think I’m joking, but I promise you, I’ll redden that ass if I find out you’ve been naughty. And it won’t be like the playful spankings you’ve gotten before.”
I laugh and wiggle out of his hold, grabbing my clutch. “I’ll be fine, Daddy. It’s just a wedding shower. What’s the worst that could happen?”
His sharp gaze tells me he has plenty of ideas. “Take the guards with you and obey them,” he says firmly.
I roll my eyes but nod. “We will, Daddy. You know we wouldn’t even be able to get off the estate without an army of bodyguards with us.”
“Damn right. Can’t ever be too careful when it comes to our girls.”
I’m still grinning as I head out the door and drive to Paige’s house, where all the girls are already gathered. She’s been fully moved in for a week, and while I miss seeing her at our house every day, she wasn’t really there that much anyway, which I suspect had been on purpose on her part to give us alone time.
The chaos begins before we even leave.
Paige has somehow acquired multiple bottles of expensive champagne, probably from Declan’s, and within minutes, we’re all drinking straight from the bottle like we’ve never had alcohol before. Cali is already tipsy, Scarlet is encouraging us to drink more, and Paisley is trying to convince Anastasia to take shots. Our bodyguards look less than pleased, their expressions already weary as soon as we step out of the house. It’s actually pretty fun seeing these large, broody, mafia men get exasperated over us. Deep down, I think they enjoy being assigned to us, but when we’re all together and drinking, it’s probably a bit more challenging for them.
“Should we tell Ronan and the guys where we’re going?” Chloe asks, giggling as she refills her glass.
Paige snorts. “And ruin the fun? Absolutely not.”
By the time we make it to dinner, we’re buzzed but mostly in control of ourselves. The restaurant is gorgeous—private, upscale, and dimly lit, with candles flickering in the center of the table. The food is delicious, but the drinks are even better. It’s so fun, and even though I miss Ronan, even though we’ve only been apart for a couple of hours, I’m having the best time hanging out with the girls.
“To Tessa!” Cali toasts, raising her glass of wine. “May her wedding be beautiful, her marriage full of love, and may she always remember that she is part of the most terrifying, overprotective family ever.”
I laugh as everyone clinks their glasses, warmth spreading through me that has nothing to do with the alcohol. These girls have become my family, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. We all know what it’s like to be with men of the mafia, and that alone is a bond most would never know.
It’s sometime after dessert—when we’re all feeling pleasantly reckless—that Cali leans in with a devilish grin. “So… there’s a male revue just down the street.”
“Like strippers?” Paisley asks, perking up.
“Like professional, sexy, sweaty men dancing just for us,” Chloe corrects, waggling her eyebrows.
The bodyguards standing a few feet from our table immediately shake their heads, their expressions stone-cold.
“Absolutely not,” one of them says.
“We’re just going to go look,” Paige argues sweetly. “A little peek won’t hurt anyone.”
The head guard sighs like he’s already aged ten years tonight. “You’re not authorized to enter a club like that. Boss’s orders.”
That makes me pause. “Wait. Ronan specifically said no?”
“They all did,” the guard replies.
We all exchange glances.
Scarlet smirks. “So, we’re definitely going, then?”
“Obviously,” Cali says, standing up.
“Terrible idea,” I add, already reaching for my clutch.
We weave our way down the street, our heels not helping our lack of balance due to all the alcohol running through our veins, but we hold onto one another to keep steady. The entire time, the bodyguards are grumbling behind us until we reach the club.
Cali spins around to glare at them. “Snitches get stitches, so just remember that when you report us to our Daddies.”
I burst out laughing as the large, bulky men slow their steps at her threat. It’s hilarious to see someone as small as Cali unafraid to talk shit to deadly mafia men.
“One day, I’m going to be like you when I grow up,” I tell her.
Cali giggles and links arms with me. “I can’t wait to teach you all my ways. It’s going to be so fun. Although you’ll have a sore ass all the time, so be ready.”
I’m grinning as we approach a brick building. The neon sign glows in the dark, promising exactly the kind of ridiculousness that’s about to unfold.
The moment we step inside, music pulses through the air, heavy bass vibrating beneath our feet. The stage is lit up, and a group of men are already performing some kind of choreographed routine that involves a lot of hip thrusting and far too little clothing. It’s a lovely sight. One that has my cheeks heating.
“Okay, wow,” Katie breathes, eyes wide.
I burst into laughter, the entire situation is so ridiculous I can’t even process it. The girls are fully immersed, cheering and clapping, and I’m joining in with them.
And then, thirty minutes in, everything goes to hell.
The air shifts.
I don’t need to turn around to know they’ve arrived.
It’s like a cold blast of Arctic wind hits us and all eight of us freeze, looking at one another.
The bodyguards move before I even see them, parting like the Red Sea as a group of large, dangerous men stride through the entrance of the club.
Ronan is leading the pack, his expression a mix of disbelief and fury, his gaze locking on me immediately. Declan, Bash, Killian, Kieran, Grady, Patrick, and even Alessandro are right behind him, their presence sucking the fun out of the room like a vacuum.
“Uh-oh,” Chloe whispers, her eyes wide.
Cali is mid-sip and nearly chokes on her drink. Scarlet immediately puts her hands behind her back like she’s innocent.
And me? I freeze like a damn deer caught in headlights.
Ronan doesn’t say a word. He just stalks toward me, his movements controlled and slow, like he’s barely holding himself together.
“Hi, Daddy,” I say sweetly, trying to act casual.
His jaw flexes. “Out. Now.”
I scramble to my feet, along with the rest of the girls, who are all trying to suppress their giggles.
Paige looks up at Alessandro as she passes him and tilts her head to the side. “Why are you here?”
Alessandro glares at her. “Because I was having a drink with your brothers when they got the call about you girls ignoring the bodyguards and coming into this… establishment.”
Rolling her eyes, Paige scoffs. “Right, because this is such a terrible place, even though all of you own strip clubs throughout the city.”
“Your brother was right about you. You do need your ass spanked,” Alessandro says before he stalks off toward the entrance.
The rest of the men herd us out of the club like we’re unruly children, and I don’t even argue because—let’s be real—I am in so much trouble.
As soon as we’re outside, Ronan grips my chin, tilting my face so I have no choice but to meet his hard gaze. “What did I say before you left?”
I bite my lip. “Umm… something about behaving?”
His eyes darken. “And what happened?”
I smile innocently. “We had fun?”
A muscle ticks in his jaw. “We’re going home. And when we get there, we’re going to have a long talk about rules and consequences, baby girl.”
The heat in his voice sends a shiver through me, and my stomach flips in a way that has nothing to do with fear.
I might be in trouble.
But God, I think I’m going to enjoy it.
“ D o you really think, with as possessive and jealous as I am, that going to a male strip club and putting dollar bills in a man’s G-string was a very good idea, Little one?”
What I think is that I might be in much more trouble than I initially thought. After being thoroughly scolded the entire drive home, I’m now starting to wonder if our little field trip was such a good idea. Ronan is not a happy man.
“I have half a mind to go to that fucking club and remove every single one of those men’s eyeballs. Do you want to be responsible for that, Little girl?”
“Daddy, we were having fun. None of those men touched us, and we didn’t touch them. We just tossed the dollar bills on the stage.”
Ronan narrows his gaze. “You’re really not helping your case.”
Letting out a sigh, I watch as he moves around the kitchen, grabbing bottles of water and a box of crackers. Then he turns his attention toward me.
“Upstairs to our room. Right now.”
Shoot.
My bottom clenches, and I take a deep breath as I head upstairs, with him following close behind. As soon as we’re in our bedroom, he hands me water and then brings me a couple of aspirin from the bathroom.
Despite him being angry, he’s still taking care of me the way he always does.
When he sits on the edge of the bed, his knees spread wide, he points between them. “Here.”
Slowly, I pad over to him. He’s spanked me several times over the weeks we’ve been together, but those spankings have been playful and sexy. I have a feeling this is not going to be like any of those.
As soon as I’m within arm’s reach, he wraps his long fingers around my wrist and pulls me toward him so I’m standing right between his thighs.
“Are you mad at me?” I ask, my bottom lip suddenly trembling.
The last thing I’d ever want to do is to purposely upset or hurt Ronan.
He cups my chin, squeezing it firmly so I can’t pull away. His gaze is softer now, his features slightly more relaxed. “No, Little girl. I’m not mad at you. You were having fun, and you had the bodyguards with you the entire time, so you were safe. However, you disobeyed them when they said no, and for that, you’re getting a spanking. You’re also getting a spanking for going to watch naked men. That was naughty. If I’d known you wanted to spend the evening looking at a man’s cock, I would have kept you home and fed you mine all night. Is that what you need? For me to force you to stay and feed you my cock all night while making you scream?”
I roll my lips and squeeze my thighs together, trying to keep from smiling at that thought. “You know I have no interest in those men, though, right?”
He chuckles and pulls me in for a quick kiss. “Yes, baby. I know that. I might be a possessive bastard, but even I know that you’re going to find other men attractive. And each time you do, I’m going to spank your ass to remind you who you belong to. Understand?”
His reasoning makes me want to giggle and tell him he’s ridiculous, but at the same time, I love that he’s completely unreasonable when it comes to me.
He pulls me effortlessly over his lap. A shiver runs down my spine as I brace my hands against his thigh, my breath coming in quick bursts. Heat pools in my stomach, a mix of nervous anticipation and something else—something that makes my skin prickle and my body tremble. He lifts my dress, pushing the fabric up to my waist, leaving me exposed. Cool air brushes against the backs of my thighs, and I shiver again, my fingers curling against his pant leg. When he tucks his thumb into the waistband of my panties and tugs them down, I hold my breath, hoping he doesn’t notice how wet I am.
His palm glides over my skin, slow and deliberate, sending a rush of warmth through me. “You knew this was coming, didn’t you, baby girl?” he murmurs.
I bite my lip, nodding slightly.
The first swat lands hard against my bare skin, a sharp sting that makes me suck in a breath. Before I can recover, another follows, and another. With each one, I yelp and wiggle against his firm hold. The sting spreads through me, and it doesn’t take long before I’m apologizing to him.
“Ouchie! I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
“You’re right, Little girl, you won’t. And if you ever think of going to a strip club again, just know your Daddy will hunt you down and bring you home to teach you this lesson once more.”
My legs twitch, my toes curling into the rug beneath us. “Daddy,” I whimper, my voice breaking.
He continues spanking me, ignoring my whines and pleas. When I start kicking my feet, he lifts one of his legs and uses it to trap both of mine, pinning me completely in place. I’m not escaping this punishment. The only way he’ll stop before he’s ready is if I use my safeword, and as much as my bottom is on fire, it isn’t unbearable.
“I love you, Little girl, and when I tell you to be a good girl and listen to your bodyguards, I expect you to obey.”
Tears prick my eyes, and I can’t stop them from spilling down my cheeks. He keeps going, his palm landing again and again, until I’m sobbing loudly, my breaths coming out in uneven gasps.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.”
Ronan lets out a slow breath, his hand resting on my heated skin, rubbing over the hot marks he left behind. “I know you are,” he murmurs, his voice softer now. “I’ve got you, baby girl.”
In one fluid motion, he lifts me into his arms, shifting me so I’m straddling his lap, my face buried against his chest. He holds me close, rocking me gently, his lips pressing to my temple as his hands stroke my back in soothing circles.
“I love you,” he whispers. “You’re my good girl. Always my good girl.”
Tears continue to trail down my cheeks, and I wrap my arms around his neck, clinging to him like he’s the only thing anchoring me to the world. “I love you, too,” I whisper against his skin.
He holds me for a long time, rubbing my back and telling me over and over how much he loves me. When I sit up and meet his gaze, my chest swells, and even though my ass is still sore, my heart is so full and my mind so quiet.
“Drink, baby,” he says, lifting a bottle of water.
Instead of taking it from him, I let him hold it to my mouth, tipping it back for me to sip. When he pulls it away and sets it on the nightstand, he grabs the box of crackers and pulls out a few to feed me.
When I tell him I don’t want anymore, he carries me into the bathroom and sets me down in front of the toilet, then goes to the vanity, turning on the faucet while I pee. He rarely leaves me to use the toilet alone. At first, I’d been mortified, but I’ve gotten used to it over the past few weeks. As soon as I finish, I wash my hands and then stand still for him while he washes off my makeup and brushes my teeth. When I tell him I can do it, he tells me to hush and let him take care of me. So I do. Because I love every second of it.
Once he has changed me into one of his T-shirts, he tucks me into bed, strips down to his underwear, and climbs in next to me. I immediately scoot into his arms, curling into him and resting my ear against his chest, and I swear his heart beats in sync with mine.
“Daddy.”
“Yeah, baby?”
“When Cali brought up the strip club, the guards said that you guys said we weren’t authorized to enter a club like that . Did you guys know we were going to go to a strip club?”
Ronan chuckles, his hand running up and down my back. “The other girls should know by now that anything they search online, we see. Any text message that gets sent from any of your phones, we see. And our guards listen and report everything back to us.”
My mouth drops open, and I sit up to glare at him in the dim light. “Daddy, that’s an invasion of privacy.”
He doesn’t look the least bit sorry about it as he stares back at me.
“See, that’s the thing, baby girl. In our relationship, you get no privacy. None. And that’s something that goes for all you girls. We aren’t your average men, and we don’t love averagely either. We’ll do anything and everything to keep you safe, including taking away your privacy.” He searches my face for a second as he brushes a strand of hair away from my face. “Can you handle that?”
I don’t have to even think about it before I nod. This is the man who saved me. The one who basically stalked me for four years while I was in college. Who married me to save me from my parents and the future they tried to force me into. If he wants to invade every inch of my privacy, I trust him to because out of all the people in the entire world, Ronan will always do what’s best for me.
“Yes, Daddy. I can handle it.”