“And more clever.” If I’m not mistaken, there’s a hint of pride in Lucas’s voice as he comes to stand in front of us, smiling down at me like an indulgent grandfather.
Without thinking, I throw myself at him, into the safety of his arms. “Lucas! You have to help me! He beat me with a stick!”
Chuckling softly, Lucas lets me wrap myself around his torso, his large hands patting my bottom, and even though he’s being gentle his touch reignites the ache left behind by Evander’s punishment. “There, there, little one. Your Papais right here.”
Papa?My mind races, trying to piece together what that could possibly mean.
Behind me, Evander sighs. “You’re going to spoil her.”
“As is my privilege, as her Papa. I assume she means you took a switch to her naughty bottom?”
“I did. As ismyprivilege as her Daddy.”
“And I would never suggest otherwise.” Craning his head to look me in the eye, Lucas tries to look stern but the effect is ruined somewhat by the amusement sparkling in his dark gaze. “It was very naughty of you to run from your Daddy, little one.”
As I listen to them speak, dread settles in my stomach. Whatever protection Lucas may have provided me on the boat clearly does not extend to the island. Or, at least, does not extend to the man behind me.
“Put me down.”
My demand is met with a raised eyebrow from the man I thought would be my savior. Though now I wonder why I ever thought that in the first place considering the spanking Lucas delivered on the boat, at Evander’s command.
“Don’t be rude, Natalie Quinn,” Evander scolds. “Your Papais right. It was very naughty to run from me.”
Twisting around in Lucas’s arms, I glare at the darkly handsome man with the scarred face who calls himself Daddy. “I was running because I was scared, you jackass!”
The arms around me tighten and Lucas’s chest rises and falls with a sigh. “Oh, little one. Your Daddy is going to make sure you regret that.”
Evander
Lucas is right. I have every intention of making sure my naughty kitten regrets her choices, so much so that she never even thinks of calling me a name again.
“We should take this conversation upstairs.”
Little Natalie is still glaring at me, but Lucas nods, shifting her onto his hip. “The nursery?”
“Yes. Obviously my Little girl needs some help understanding her place in this house.”
Turning, I lead the way up the stairs to the first door just to the right, which already bears a plaque with my Little one’s name on it.
“Wait. That’s my name!” she says, echoing my thoughts with her surprised outburst.
“It is.” Reaching for the knob, I turn it, pushing the door open to give my Little one her first glimpse of her new home.
Unlike the rest of my house, her nursery is bright. Colorful, with the walls painted a deep purple that offsets the white furniture beautifully. Along the walls are paintings of various farm animals dressed in human clothes doing human jobs. A rabbit in a construction hat next to a half-built house. A flamingo in a tutu and ballet shoes. A shark wearing a suit and carryinga briefcase. I found them through an artist online who has a particularly whimsical style I believe Natalie will be fond of.
“Oh.” The word is practically a sigh and her eyes are round as she takes in her surroundings. “This is beautiful. You did all this for me?”
“I did. I’m glad you approve.”
“How did you know purple’s my second favorite color?”
“I know everything about you, kitten. Where you grew up, who your childhood best friend was, even your standing order at the pizza place a block from your house. One small pizza, all meat, and a side of their bacon cheese fries. Not a single vegetable in sight, which is an oversight I will certainly be rectifying.”
Her eyes narrow slightly, though not in anger. More like she’s studying me again, with those stunning, shrewd eyes. “You’ve been watching me. For how long?”
Shrugging out of my suit jacket, I lay it over the back of the gliding armchair to my right and pop the button on my sleeve. “Nearly as long as you’ve been snooping around my airport.”
“You knew about that?”
