Chapter 10
TABITHA
My heart, which was already beating far too fast after being tickled awake, slams against my ribcage at the sight of the giant wooden structure looming ahead of us.
“I thought you said you lived in a cabin!”
Behind me, his chest rumbles with laughter. “We do. Just a very large cabin.”
“That’s not a cabin, it’s a palace.”
Mouth open, I stare up at the “cabin” as it grows closer with every passing second.
Palace doesn’t seem very far off, though this is a palace made of wood instead of stone.
There are two stories, with balconies wrapped around the top.
The roof slants upward in a steep triangle, I assume in deference to the heavy snows an area like this is likely to get.
It’s stunning, not just in size but in sheer beauty.
And this gorgeous palace is my new home.
Someone pinch me, I’m dreaming.
Our car hasn’t even come to a stop at the top of the long driveway when a door opens and two women spill out, racing toward the vehicle. Unlike me, they’re both dressed in denim overalls, though their hair is braided in pigtails like mine.
“Uncle Colt, Uncle Colt!”
Their squeals of excitement are cut off by a booming voice. “Melanie! Josephine! Stop right there!”
Both girls freeze and whip around, and I watch with horrified fascination as they throw their hands behind them to protect their bottoms. A loud sigh fills the car, and when I glance over, Daddy is shaking his head.
“I was wondering how long it would take them to get themselves in trouble once we got home. But I figured they’d wait at least ten minutes,” he says with a deep chuckle.
My gaze snaps back to the scene playing out in front of me.
A giant man, maybe even bigger than Daddy, stops in front of the two recalcitrant Little girls, his arms crossed and his features twisted into a scowl.
He’s saying something, lecturing them by the looks of things, but I can’t make out his words with the window up.
I’m debating the wisdom of just rolling the window down so I can hear when the car finally comes to a complete stop. Fear and excitement and worry and what feels like a million other emotions tumble around in my stomach as we wait for the driver to open the door.
“What if they don’t like me?” I blurt out, my vision blurring with tears.
“Oh, baby.” Daddy’s arms tighten around me. “They’re going to love you. I promise.”
I nod, the lump in my throat blocking any protests I might even try to give.
It’s stupid, I know, to be so worried about if people will like me when I’ve literally been kidnapped here against my will.
But apparently I’m stupid, because that’s literally all I can think of as Daddy helps me out of the car, taking my hand tightly in his as we approach the trio a few feet away.
“...can’t believe you would go running toward a moving vehicle.
If it wasn’t a special occasion, you’d both be grounded,” the gruff, terrifying man is saying.
Both of the women in front of him have their heads down, staring at the dirt beneath their bare feet.
“I want you both in the living room, overalls off and your noses in the corner. Go.”
“Could I maybe get a hug from my favorite nieces first, Ax?”
The scary man looks up, the furrow between his brows deepening, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from whimpering as I cling to Daddy’s hand.
But then he sighs, and his expression softens. He may even be smiling, but it’s hard to tell beneath the bushy beard. “One hug, no presents, and then they’re going inside to get their bottoms spanked.”
Squealing excitedly, as if this giant of a man hasn’t just promised them both a painful punishment, the two girls spin around and race for me and Daddy.
“Uncle Colt! You’re home!” The smaller of the two launches herself at Daddy, wrapping her arms around his waist. After a brief embrace, she steps back and turns her wide smile on me. “You must be Tabby! We’re so excited to meet you.”
Before I can confirm or deny, she throws her arms around my neck and squeezes. Frozen, I look up at Daddy, who nods encouragingly.
“Tabby, this is Lanie, your Uncle Axel’s Little girl.”
“Oh. Um, hi, Lanie. Nice to meet you.”
Lanie pulls back with a giggle and a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I can get a little bit overexcited sometimes. Josie’s much more mature than me.”
“Are you calling me old, Lanie?”
Despite the biting tone and the hands fisted on her hips, Josie is grinning. She is old, though, or at least older than me and Lanie as far as I can tell. Maybe closer to Daddy’s age, though I don’t know how old Daddy actually is.
Lanie gasps in horror. “No! I would never!”
Rolling her eyes, Josie waves a hand. “I’m just teasing you. But for the record, I am not more mature than you. I’m just more discreet because unlike you, I don’t go looking for reasons to get my butt busted.”
“Speaking of which…” Uncle Axel raises a bushy brow and points toward the house. “Corners. Now.”
They both whine and plead with him not to spank them, but Uncle Axel remains as immovable as the soaring mountains surrounding us. “You can do as you’re told, or I can carry you both inside and add six with my belt for not listening.”
That gets them moving. With shocked shrieks, they both hurry toward the front door. Once they’re out of sight, Uncle Axel shakes his head, and when he meets my eyes again, there’s no doubt about the smile hiding beneath his oversized beard.
“Welcome to the family, little one. Maybe you’ll be a good influence and they’ll be able to go more than an hour without needing their bottoms warmed.”
“Y-yes, Sir,” I manage to whisper. I’m still clinging to Daddy’s hand, and even though he’s the one who took advantage of me, spanked me, and kidnapped me, he is also the only familiar thing in this terrifying new world I’ve found myself in.
Moving closer, I press myself against his side, relieved when my heartbeat immediately calms.
Chuckling, Uncle Axel bends down and gives one of my braids a gentle tug.
“Don’t worry, Tabby. I promise we’re not as scary as we look.
” With a surprisingly charming wink, he straightens again and shifts his attention to Daddy.
“We’re mostly ready for the ceremony. After I deal with our two mischief-makers, Gray will help all the girls prepare. ”
“Ceremony?” The word slips from my lips before I have a chance to think better of it.
Uncle Axel’s smile broadens to a grin that shows his gleaming white teeth. “Yes, little one. Your wedding ceremony.”
Colt
Beside me, Tabby stiffens, and I bite back a sigh.
“But-but you said we were already married!”
She tries to yank her hand from mine, but I hold tight. It’s far too easy for a Little girl to get lost in these woods for me to risk letting her go.
“We are married,” I explain patiently. “Legally speaking. But my family has our own traditions.”
Eyes narrowing, she tries again to pull away, letting out an annoyed huff when I don’t release her. “I think you’re lying.”
“And I think that’s my cue to go,” Axel says, his tone full of amusement. “We’ll see you inside.”
“Yes. We’ll be there in a bit.”
When he turns to leave, I crouch down in front of my sulking Little girl. “Tabitha. I need you to listen to me and listen to me very closely. Are you listening, babygirl?”
“Yeah.”
Not quite the sweet, respectful tone I’m used to from her, but I’m willing to let the attitude pass for now.
“I understand why you might find it hard to trust me. But Daddy will never, ever lie to you. I might have secrets I can’t tell you, especially where my business dealings are concerned, but I will never lie to you. Understood?”
“You’re right,” she says quietly.
“About what?”
Her golden eyes lock on mine. “I don’t trust you. Not one little bit.”
I can’t help but smile at this hint of fierceness from my Little girl. “Understood. But even if you don’t trust me right now, you will obey me and your uncles and your Auntie Gray or you will get your bottom spanked. Am I making myself perfectly clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Good.” Pushing up to my feet again, I scoop her up, settling her stiff form on my hip. “Let’s go meet your new family.”
“Your family. Not mine. I don’t have a family.”
My heart cracks in two at her sad declaration.
I know from the background check Gunther ran on her last night that she aged out of foster care a few years ago and apparently has no contact with any of her former homes or siblings.
But hearing her actually say how alone in the world she is shatters something inside me.
“You do now. A giant, noisy family full of uncles and an auntie who are all going to spoil you rotten every chance they get no matter what I say.”
“This coming from the man who just bought me half a toy store,” she says dryly, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Touché, my little firecracker.”
I’m just reaching for the front door when she speaks again. “So if your siblings are my aunt and uncles, does that make their Little ones my cousins?”
“Huh.” Pausing with my hand on the doorknob, I frown. “I never really gave it much thought, but I suppose they would be.”
A shy smile curves her lips. “I’d like that. I never had any cousins growing up.”
Again, my chest aches for the child she was, alone and abandoned. Even with all the trauma my family has been through, we always had each other.
“Well now you have two, and I’m sure there will be plenty more coming soon.”
With that, I turn the doorknob and we step inside, the sound of Josie’s wailing greeting us from the living room.
“Owie, owie, owie! No more, Uncle Axel, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
My babygirl’s eyes widen at the sound. “He’s really spanking her!”
She sounds so adorably shocked. “Yes, he is. Something to keep in mind if you’re tempted to let your cousins drag you into their naughtiness. Every grownup in this house has Daddy’s permission to spank you as needed.”
Red floods her cheeks. “It won’t be needed. Ever.”
I highly doubt that, but I’m willing to let her have her delusions.
Skirting the ruckus in the living room, I head for the kitchen, where Gray is leaning against the island while Elias bends down to pull something from the oven. My sister’s eyes light with pleasure when she spots us and she immediately sets her coffee cup down to reach for Tabby.
“Oh, Colt, she’s precious!” She tries to pull Tabby from my embrace, but my Little girl wraps her arms around my neck with a whimper. Gray looks at me, her brows raised in surprise. “Shy little thing, isn’t she?”
“Sometimes.” She was the farthest thing from shy last night when we were taking Vegas by storm, but instinct tells me that explaining that to Gray right now will only embarrass my Little one.
And while I have no issues humiliating her by baring her bottom and spanking it red in front of our family and friends, I’m loath to cause her any undue distress when it comes to things she can’t help, like her shyness.
“That’s okay.” My sister’s voice takes on a softer, almost cooing tone as she runs a hand over Tabby’s hair. “We’ll have her laughing and playing with the other Littles in no time.”
As if on cue, Axel steps into the kitchen, bouncing a sniffling Lanie on his hip. “Bram and Josie are in the living room. Probably want to give them a few minutes. He wasn’t very happy with her when he found out why she got her bottom spanked.”
Gray glances toward the living room, but she doesn’t move. It’s been difficult for her, adjusting to being Josie’s “auntie” rather than her best friend, the way they were when we were all younger. Even after nearly two months of being Auntie Gray, I still catch those flashes of grief in her eyes.
And when the unmistakable sound of a Daddy’s palm connecting with his naughty babygirl’s bare bottom reaches us, Gray sighs and shakes her head, a strained smile tugging at her lips when she looks back up at me and Tabby.
“What’s happening?” Twisting in my arms, Tabby cranes her neck toward the doorway Axel and Lanie just entered through. “Is that… Is he…?”
“Yes, baby. Josie’s getting another spanking from her Daddy.”
“But that’s not fair! She already got spanked!”
Uh-oh. My Little girl’s voice is practically vibrating with righteous anger.
“She did get spanked by Uncle Axel,” I explain, keeping my own tone calm in the hopes of settling her down.
“But sometimes when a Little girl has to be punished by someone else for being extra naughty, her Daddy will give her a second spanking to make sure the lesson sticks.”
Tabby gasps, and I already know my plan to calm her down has failed. “That’s horrible!”
Before I can stop her, she wriggles out of my arms and bolts toward the living room.
“Tabitha!” I dive for her as I call her name, but she’s faster than I gave her credit for. Without a giant sheet wrapped around her, she’s surprisingly spry, and she manages to evade me and race to the living room.
“Goddammit,” I mutter as I chase after her.
“Let her go! You’re being mean!”
The sight that greets me when I rush into the living room nearly shocks a laugh out of me, but I manage to hold it back.
Barely.
Seated on the couch is my twin brother, his arm held high in the air, and a look of pure shock on his face. The shock is, no doubt, due to the fact that my Little girl has a firm grip on his arm, preventing him from raining down any more punishment on the red, bare bottom draped across his lap.
As hilarious as the situation may be, I can’t let my babygirl get away with this kind of naughtiness. “Tabitha Grace!”
Swinging her head around, Tabby glares at me. Then frowns and turns back to Bram. And then back to me, her brows knitting together in confusion.
“There are two of you?”