Chapter 20
VANESSA
It’s been a week since my switching in the woods, and I still haven’t found a way to escape. A week of spankings and soap and having my mouth and bottom used on a regular basis for his pleasure.
Not my vagina, though. Every day he continues to remind me that I have to earn Daddy’s cock in my “needy little pussy”, which doesn't seem like it’s going to happen anytime soon considering I can’t go more than a few hours without getting in some kind of trouble.
I try to convince myself I don’t care, but my lies are becoming less and less convincing as time goes on.
So far today, though, I’ve actually managed to avoid getting into any kind of trouble. Which is something of a record for me, considering it’s almost dinnertime.
The only thing more shocking than the fact that I’ve managed to stay out of trouble all day is the fact that I’m… actually, kind of, maybe enjoying myself. Spending time with my bestie and her new friends is actually kind of nice—if I ignore all the diapers and bottles and such.
Even with all that, we've had fun. I can’t deny that there’s something really freeing about pretending to be a Little girl all day, running around, playing pretend, climbing all over the swing set outside.
There’s absolutely no way I can live like this forever, but maybe it’s not so bad if I enjoy myself while I’m stuck here.
“All right, little girls.” Gray’s voice draws our attention to the doorway, where our “Auntie” is rubbing her hands together and grinning down at us. “Who’s ready for movie night?”
The air erupts in loud screams as my compatriots jump to their feet and rush to surround Gray, jumping up and down as she laughs.
“You know the drill,” she says, raising her voice to be heard over the cacophony of Little girl excitement. “Everyone go grab some blankets and meet me in my room. Go!”
With more happy shrieks, they all race for the stairs, slowing only when Gray yells for them to do so. Shaking her head, Gray looks over at me, one dark brow rising. “You don’t want to join us, little one?”
“I might if I had any idea what was going on.”
Gray’s grin widens even further. “Movie night. Every couple of weeks, the Littles and I build a giant blanket fort in my room, and Uncle Eli brings us dinner and snacks, and we watch movies until everyone falls asleep.”
Okay, well, that actually sounds like a lot of freaking fun. “What kind of movies? Can we pick?”
“Auntie Gray picks the movie,” she says firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. “We learned the hard way that anything else just causes lots of fighting and tears and sore bottoms.”
“Oh.” Having seen my friends in action, I can easily believe that asking them to all agree on a movie would be… an experience. “What did you pick for tonight?”
Head tilted to the side, she studies me. For a moment, I’m sure she’s going to tell me to get my butt upstairs or threaten my sitting privileges.
But neither of those things happen.
“Well, we’re working our way through the princesses. I think we’re up to Ariel now, and after that I was thinking we’d watch this cute robot movie I found.”
Ugh. I should have known we’d be stuck watching little kid movies. “Can’t we watch something more grown up? Maybe a scary movie?”
“Absolutely not, little girl. I will not be responsible for you all having nightmares.”
Insult pricks at the base of my spine. “I won’t have nightmares. I love scary movies.”
“Little girls do not need to be watching those kinds of movies, Vanessa Dawn.”
Crossing my arms, I stomp my foot, well aware the movement makes me seem exactly like the Little girl they’ve declared me to be. “You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my Daddy!”
“What’s going on in here?”
Uh-oh. Instinctively, my hands fly behind me to protect my bottom. But even under the threat of a spanking, I’m not willing to give up my position. “Auntie Gray says I can’t watch scary movies anymore.”
Dane’s mouth dips down into a frown as he looks over at his sister. “Did you tell her that?”
For the first time since I’ve met her, Gray looks uncertain of herself. “Well, yeah. She’s only a Little girl, Dane.”
“She’s my Little girl. And I’ve already discussed this with her. We’re going to give one scary movie a try, and as long as she doesn’t have any nightmares, I’m fine with her continuing to watch them.”
Ha. Take that, Auntie Gray.
Now it’s Gray who crosses her arms, her chin jerking up as she stares down her brother. “Fine. But not with the others. I’m not going to be up all night with a bunch of crying Little girls because a scary movie gave them all nightmares.”
Seemingly giving Gray’s stance serious consideration, Dane nods slowly.
“That’s understandable.” Turning, he crouches in front of me, his dark eyes full of such compassion it forms a lump in my throat.
“How about this? You go upstairs with your Auntie and your cousins, enjoy some silly movies, and one night soon we’ll have our own movie night with whatever monster or serial killer or ghostie you want to watch. Deal?”
His deal still requires me to go watch movies I have absolutely zero desire to see. But I know a compromise when I hear one, and I also know the Thorne siblings aren’t big on compromise.
So maybe I can play along with the whole “Little girl” thing just a while longer.
“Deal.”
A wide grin spreads across his face. “That’s my girl. Run on upstairs and help your cousins set up your fort, and Auntie Gray will be up in a bit.”
“Okay, Daddy!”
Hurrying away—but not actually running, because I know all too well how that will end for me—I make my way up to the second floor, where my friends are busy hauling every single blanket out of a linen closet in the hallway.
“Nessie!” Josie squeals when she spots me. “We were worried you weren’t coming! I know you’re not really into animated movies and stuff.”
“Josie says you like really scary movies.” Eyes wide, Tabby stares at me over an armful of blankets and pillows. “I don’t know how you can like those. I’d have nightmares forever.”
“Not me!” As if to punctuate her declaration of fearlessness, Lanie drops her stack of blankets and leaps into something approximating a karate stance, her hands held up like she’s about to chop someone. “I’d fight off any monster that tried to attack us.”
I can’t help but giggle at how fierce she looks. “And then your Daddy would spank your butt for doing something dangerous.”
Straightening, she grins and shrugs, as if it doesn’t bother her in the least. “Yeah, probably. But it would be fun until then!”
Josie and Tabby share a look, and Josie shakes her head at us. “We’ll leave the monsters to you two. But right now, we have a fort to build and we better get started before Auntie Gray comes up here and decides we all need some incentive to work faster.”
That gets all of us moving, and monsters fall to the wayside as we drag blankets and pillows into Auntie Gray’s room to set up our fort.
And even though I’m still not thrilled about the movie selections for the night, Dane’s promises and my friend’s infectious excitement soon override any disappointment.
Maybe this will be kind of fun, after all.
Dane
After Vanessa disappears up the stairs, I turn to face my sister, who is staring at me through narrowed eyes. “Something on your mind, little sis?”
Her eyes narrow further. Gray really hates being reminded she’s the baby of the family. Which is, of course, why I bring it up when I’m looking to push her buttons.
“Do you really think that’s appropriate? Letting her watch those kinds of movies?”
“Yes.” I’m not going to explain myself more than that. As far as I’m concerned, I’m Vanessa’s Daddy and if I don’t have a problem with her watching scary movies then neither should anyone else.
“What if she has nightmares? What if she scares the other Littles?”
It’s my sister’s genuine concern that moves me.
Stepping forward, I place my hands on her shoulders and squeeze gently.
“Gray. We all know they’re not literally children, despite how we treat them.
Vanessa’s been watching scary movies her entire life, and if she tells me she can handle it, then I believe her.
And if I’m wrong, well, I’ll deal with the fallout. ”
I can feel the tension leave her shoulders as she sighs. “I know. I just… worry.”
“That’s what makes you such a good Auntie. And what will make you such a good Mommy or Daddy, whichever you choose to be, when it’s your turn.”
Leaning in, I press a kiss to her forehead, earning me an eyeroll in return, though she can’t hide the blush on her cheeks as she pulls away.
“All right. Enough sappy shit. I’ve got a gaggle of Littles to go wrangle.”
“Good luck. Let me know if you need any help.”
Pausing at the entryway to the living room, Gray looks over her shoulder, her lips curved up in a smug smile. “Thanks, but I’ve got this. You go have yourself a nice little break from chasing after your brat for the past week. You're looking a bit tired, old man.”
With that parting shot, she heads for the stairs. But her words have planted a seed in my mind, so I go searching for my brothers.
Auntie Gray isn’t the only one who knows how to have a good time.