Chapter 18
VANESSA
Imanage to keep myself out of trouble the rest of the day and even most of the next morning.
Not that it seemed to matter at bedtime, when Daddy put me on my knees and used my mouth for his pleasure before tucking me into bed beside him without returning the favor.
When I pouted about it, he just reminded me that I hadn’t yet earned Daddy’s cock in my pussy.
I fell asleep trying to pretend I wasn’t the least bit bothered by not getting an orgasm.
And I’ve continued the charade all morning, as much as I’ve been able.
But I have a feeling he knows the truth, and he takes every chance he can get to tease me.
Paying extra attention to my clit when he bathes me and changes my diaper, teasing my nipples as he reads me my Nessie book.
Bastard.
At least I got a short reprieve from his teasing torment during lunch. But now our midday meal is over and dread settles in my stomach at the thought of him returning to his torture methods.
“All right, little fox. Time for a bottle and then a nap.”
Oh, thank god. I’m too relieved by the prospect of at least another hour free from his questing, clever fingers to argue. “Okay, Daddy.”
Judging by the way every adult in the room stares at me, they’re shocked by my easy acquiescence. Dane, however, only smiles down at me as he picks up one of the bottles Uncle Eli delivered for each of us after lunch. “Such a sweet little girl,” Dane croons, lifting the bottle to my lips.
The extra-sweet milk coats my tongue as I suckle, and I hum with satisfaction around the rubber nipple in my mouth, earning me a quiet laugh from Dane.
“When we visit the island, we’ll have to be sure to take you to the farm.
Would you like to meet the cows responsible for your delicious milk, little fox? ”
I nod, not releasing my hold on the bottle. Whatever kind of cow made this milk has to be a really special cow indeed.
“Good girl. Your Uncle Evan and his Little girl, Natalie, are looking forward to meeting you. Natalie likes to give her Daddy a run for his money too. Would you like that, baby? A new friend for you to run through the woods with?”
Again I nod, though my movements feel more sluggish now. Like my head is too heavy or something.
I realize with growing horror that my head isn’t the only thing that feels heavy. My eyelids do as well, and when I try to lift my hand to shove the bottle away from my mouth, I can’t do more than flutter my fingers.
“Sleep tight, little fox. Daddy will be right here when you wake from your nap.”
He drugged me. The sonofabitch drugged me.
Fuck.
Dane
The betrayal in my babygirl’s eyes stings a bit, but I remind myself that what I have planned is for her own good.
“What’s wrong with Nessie?” Josie’s voice pitches up with worry. “What did you do to her?”
“Nothing,” I lie easily, pulling the bottle from between my babygirl’s lips and setting it aside. “She must just be extra tired today.”
“But she never naps. She always says they make her feel weird. Are you sure she’s okay?”
The truth is, I added a mild sedative to Vanessa’s bottle. But I have a feeling that telling Josie that will only upset her, so I continue my lie. “If it will put your mind at ease, I’ll have Uncle Ford look her over when she wakes up. Deal?”
I was going to do that anyway, because even a mild sedative can have side effects, so the offer doesn’t cost me anything and it seems to settle Josie down. A win-win situation if I ever heard one.
“Okay… but only if you promise.”
“I do. She’s my Little girl, Josie, and I’ll take care of her the same way your Daddy takes care of you.”
Before Josie can argue any further, the doorbell chimes, the tinkling melody echoing throughout the house.
“I’ll get it,” Eli grunts as he pushes up from his chair and heads for the front door.
He returns a few seconds later with a huge hulk of a man behind him.
My family is all on the tall side, but Gunther is larger than any of us, Eli included.
He’s also much scruffier looking, more like a man who was born and raised in the mountains than a bunch of city kids who decided to make this our home.
Eli has hinted at some secret, shady past, but he’s annoyingly tight-lipped about what exactly that past might entail.
None of that matters to our nieces, however. Squeals of excitement echo around the dining room as Lanie and Josie wiggle out of their Daddies’ arms and go racing for Gunther.
“Uncle Gunny!” They cry out together as they fling themselves into his arms.
A deep rumbling sound that might be a laugh emanates from the giant man as he hoists both Little girls into his arms with an ease that should frighten them. But they both only giggle, delighted to see their favorite uncle—outside the family, of course.
At least, that’s what we all tell ourselves.
“Did you come to play with us?” Lanie asks, her eyes widening with a silent plea.
“I’d love to play with you.” Like the rest of him, Gunther’s voice is rough, like he’s not used to using it. Considering he lives alone and rarely ever visits town unless it’s absolutely necessary, the likelihood of that seems high. “But I have to help your Uncle Dane with something first.”
The suspicion returns to Josie’s eyes. “What are you helping him with?”
“Grown-up business,” Bram tells her as he pulls her from Gunther’s arms. “And you, little miss, need a nap so playtime will have to wait anyway.”
“Not fair! I never get to do anything fun!”
Their voices fade as Bram carries his whining babygirl up the stairs. Shaking his head, Gunther grunts. “Shocked that girl can ever sit comfortably.”
“We all are,” Colt agrees with a grin. “Gunther, I’d like you to meet my little one, Tabitha. Tabby, this is your Uncle Gunny.”
Shy little Tabby presses herself closer to Colt, who chuckles as he tightens his hold on his babygirl. “It’s all right, little firecracker. I promise he isn’t as scary as he looks.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, baby. Cross my heart, hope to die.”
Eyes round with some combination of wonder and fear, Tabby nods slowly. “Hi, Uncle Gunny.”
“Hello, little Tabby. It’s nice to meet you.”
“N-nice to meet you too.”
“And that leaves us with Sleeping Beauty here,” Gunther says as he turns his attention to the angelic bundle in my arms. “This must be little Vanessa.”
“Nessie,” Lanie corrects him. “Like the monster. Rawr!”
“Ahhh!” Gunther’s mock scream sends a ripple of laughter around the table. “What a terrifying monster you are, little Lanie.”
“She’s a little monster in need of a nap,” Axel says dryly as he plucks his pouting babygirl from Gunther’s arms.
“Aww, but Daddy I wanna play with Uncle Gunny!”
“You can play with him another time, little runaway. But right now it’s naptime.”
“But I’m not even sleepy!”
Again, we listen as Lanie argues her case the entire way up the stairs. Colt follows suit, carrying a much more subdued Tabby toward the steps. Leaving me alone with Gunther and the three of my siblings who don’t have Little ones to care for.
The change in Gunther is palpable. Gone is the playful uncle figure Lanie and Josie have managed to tease out of him over the past couple of months. In his place is a man who makes me wonder yet again about the mysterious past Eli is always dropping hints about.
“I brought you some options.” Settling on the seat Eli usually occupies, Gunther heaves his backpack onto the table and unzips it. “One is simply a bracelet containing a tracker.”
He pulls a long black box from his pack and opens it. Inside is a simple gold chain with a thicker piece of gold in the middle.
“Where’s the clasp?” I ask, frowning down at the jewelry.
“There isn’t one. You take the two ends” —he lifts the chain from the box and holds the ends together to demonstrate— “and weld them together. Called permanent jewelry. Pretty big in kink circles, from what I hear. I put this on her, nobody is taking it off without cutting it off.”
“And I wouldn’t put it past her to try doing exactly that.” I shake my head. “Too risky.”
“Thought you might say that, from what Eli has told me of her.” Something that almost sounds like pride rings in his voice. “Says she’s a fighter. Giving you a run for your money.”
“That she is.” The same pride echoes in my own words. “Which is why I need something more… permanent.”
“We’ll skip the other options, then,” he says, reaching into his bag and pulling out a giant needle that has Gray’s eyes going wide. Our baby sister is absolutely fearless—except where needles are concerned. “This lovely little device gets injected between her shoulder blades.”
Ford frowns. “Like a dog?”
“Similar, but those chips aren’t tracking devices.
They’re only useful if someone finds the dog and scans the chip.
This,” Gunther continues, holding up the giant needle as Gray recoils, “is an actual GPS tracking device that can be embedded beneath the skin. As far as the average person is concerned, they don’t exist.”
“And yet, you somehow have access to one.” Suspicion colors Ford’s tone as his frown deepens. “How?”
“Connections.” Gunther shrugs. “That’s all you need to know.”
I glance over at Eli, who only cocks a brow in response. Rolling my eyes at my incredibly unhelpful brother, I turn back toward Gunther. “Are there any risks?”
The look he gives me is the very definition of withering. “You’re injecting a piece of technology into her body. There are always risks. She could have a bad reaction, the chip could shift and get lodged somewhere it doesn’t belong, etc.”
“How high are those risks?”
“Lower than the risk of your Little one running off into the woods in the middle of the night. And even if she does have a bad reaction, it’s nothing Ford wouldn’t be able to handle until I can come remove the device for you.”
I look down at the sleeping babygirl in my arms, and my heart clenches at the thought of losing her. “All right. Let’s do it.”