Natalie
With Juliet’s words still echoing in my ears, I take off, racing for the door, any door. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a little voice is telling me that there’s no point. He’ll catch me, and when he does, he’ll punish me. In front of everyone.
But I don’t care. I can’t just let him dothatto me while they all watch. Not without at least trying to protect myself.
So I run, as fast as I can, through this maze he calls a house, my heart pounding as adrenaline-fueled fear pumps through my veins.
A sob of relief wells in my chest when I spot the front door.
I’m gonna make it. I’m gonna make it.
No sooner does the thought cross my mind than a strong, familiar arm wraps around my waist, pulling me up against a hard chest. “Naughty little kitten.”
“Let me go!” Kicking, flailing, fighting for all I’m worth I struggle against his hold. “Put me thefuckdown, Evander!”
“Excuse me, little girl?”
The ice in his tone freezes me in place. “Uh-oh,” I whisper past the sudden dryness in my throat.
“Uh-oh is right, Natalie Quinn. I was willing to overlook you running from me because I know this is probably a bit scary. But you know better than to cuss at Daddy, don’t you?”
“Yes, Daddy. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again!”
“It’s far too late for apologies, kitten.”
Lucas greets us at the entrance to the dining room, an exasperated sort of affection in his eyes. “You really should learn to control your impulses, little one. At this rate you’ll never sit comfortably again.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to think so, too.”
“Lucas, would you mind going to the kitchen and getting the ginger Mikhail peeled for me the other day? I had a feeling I was going to need it.”
Ginger? What does he need ginger for?
My Papa hesitates a moment before nodding. And it’s that split second of hesitation that tells me I may be in even more trouble than I realized as Daddy carries me back to the table. Juliet is no longer in her highchair, but rather curled up in her Daddy’s lap, her eyes red and watery as she sniffles pitifully.
Did she get in trouble for warning me? Our eyes meet across the table and she gives me a sympathetic smile and mouths, “Sorry”.
“Apologies for the interruption,” Daddy says, returning me to my former position, bent over the edge of the table with mytoes just barely touching the ground. But this time his hand is firm on my back without any room to wiggle away as he once again flips my skirt up to reveal my diaper. “And I’m afraid we are going to have to wait a while longer. My naughty little kitten has obviously not learned her lesson on speaking respectfully to people, so Lucas is getting me something from the kitchen that should help that lesson sink in.”
I amsofucked.
I am also, as has been pointed out to me more times than I can count over the course of my lifetime, stubborn as hell. And I refuse to give him the satisfaction of begging for mercy with my new “family” watching. Let him do his worst.
Movement catches my attention and I glance over to see Lucas approaching with a small plastic bag. Inside the bag is a large chunk of what I assume is the ginger Daddy asked for.
“Thank you, Lucas. I’m going to need you to hold her in place while I insert the ginger.”
“Of course.” Those large, rough hands press down on my shoulders, pinning me in place so that I can’t even look around to see what Daddy is up to.
“Insert it? Insert itwhere?” As if this whole situation isn’t humiliating enough, my voice rises to a squeak that sounds more terrified than commanding.
My answer comes a second later as something cold and wet presses against my bottom hole. “Oh, Daddy, no! Not there!”
So much for not begging. Dammit.
“Yes, kitten. Punishing your mouth didn’t seem to have a lasting effect, but perhaps having a sore bottom inside and out will.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!”
