“Natalie.”
My name is both a sigh and a warning and my cheeks heat in a way that has nothing to do with the warmth of my bath. “Sorry, Daddy.”
“That’s my good little kitten. Do you want to play for a bit? We have some time before we have to get you dressed.”
“I guess.”
Opening a large box beside the tub, he grins as he reaches inside. “Your Papa is going to spoil you rotten.”
Before I can ask what he means, he dumps a whole family of sharks into the water with me. An excited squeal slips from my lips before I can even think to stop it. “Sharks!”
And for a while, I really am a Little girl again, making my new shark friends chase each other around the blue water while Daddy scrubs every inch of me clean.Everyinch, including inside my bottom hole again, despite my protests.
When I’m squeaky-clean, he wraps me in a towel and carries me into my cavernous closet. “I picked out something special for you tonight, kitten.”
Pausing in front of my “special occasion” dresses, he reaches up. And despite my earlier assertions that I didn’t want to wear anything so nice, I gasp at the pretty black dress covered with silver sparkles.
“Oh! It’s so pretty!”
“I thought you might like it,” he says with a chuckle. “My little princess of the dark.”
“I’m notdark,I just don’t like bright colors.”
“I like that darkness in you, kitten. It matches my own.”
Why that statement should have my heart doing a slow roll in my chest like he just made some grand declaration of love, I’m not sure. But it does and there’s no denying that this dangerous man does actually make me feel something.
Since I’m still not sure exactly what thatsomethingis, I don’t bother to respond as he carries me back to the bedroom to dress me and curl my hair. An hour later, I’m standing in front of a full-length mirror, spinning in circles just for the simple joy of watching my fluffy skirt twirl. I’ve never liked any dress this much, even the ones I wore on the red carpet, but there’s something about the way it flounces when I move that I can’t help but love.
“One last thing, kitten.”
Daddy appears in the reflection behind me and I watch as he drapes a small locket with a fancy “N” engraved on the front around my neck.
“All of our Little ones wear lockets like this. I will take it off every night and put it on every morning. If I ever catch you without it, you will be a very sorry Little girl. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Daddy.” I’m not really sure why he’s being so strict about this particular issue but if he wants me to wear the locket then I’ll wear it. No big.
“Good girl.” In the mirror, he smiles, the gesture crinkling his scar a bit as he runs his hands down my arms. “My beautiful Little girl. Time to go meet the family.”
Taking my hand in his, he leads me downstairs to a room I’ve seen in passing but haven’t spent any time in. The parlor, I think he called it, is decorated in those same white and earth tones as the rest of the house. Auntie Cat is perched on the arm of a couch beside a rather severe-looking man with dark hair and even darker eyes. Maxwell Stone, the billionaire CEO who took an extended leave of absence around the same time one of his employees mysteriously went missing.
On the couch beside him is another man with equally dark hair but not quite as stern-looking. It takes me a moment to recognize him as Gideon Drake, one of Maxwell’s oldest friends. At their feet are two women dressed just like me, playing with dolls in dresses that match their own.
When we enter, Maxwell looks over at us, and it takes everything in me not to squirm under his stern gaze. “So. This is our naughty little Natalie.”
“Oh, hush, Maxwell.” Rising from the couch, Auntie Cat grins as she takes my hand and twirls me in a circle just like I did upstairs. “Look at this darling Little girl. She isn’t half as naughty as you all want her to be.”
Her words give me a boost of confidence and I return her smile. “They’re just mad a woman got the best of them.”
Head thrown back, Auntie Cat lets out a loud laugh. “You aren’t entirely wrong, little one. The men are all very much put out that you got past their security so easily.”
Maxwell frowns. “The only reason she got as far as she did was because Evander allowed it.”
“True, but the only reason she got anywhere at all is because she’s incredibly clever.” Leaning down, Auntie Cat taps a fingertip on my nose. “Aren’t you, sweet girl?”
I see no reason to deny it. “Yes, Auntie Cat.”
Behind me, Daddy chuckles. “She is a very clever, very curious little kitten.”
