“Okay, well I didn’t reallyjumpout of the window. And there was a roof beneath me so I really didn’t fall that far. It was perfectly safe.”
“Fucking hell,” Axel mutters. “If you ever try that here, I swear?—”
“I know, I know. You’ll spank me. Trust me, I’ve picked up the pattern.”
Dane, who has until this point remained entirely silent, grins. “Sassy little brat. I like her.”
Behind me, Axel grunts. “She’s about to get the sass spanked out of her if she isn’t careful.”
“See? A pattern.”
A large hand slides around my throat, pulling me back against his hard chest and my heart hammers against my ribcage. I realize, too late, that being surrounded by people made me feel braver than was probably wise. Because the man who stripped my ass bare for a thermometer and then washed my mouth out before spanking me raw would probably not have any compulsions about repeating those punishments with an audience.
“Maybe I am predictable.” His voice is a deceptively low purr. “But that won’t make your ass any less sore when I’m through with you. Watch the sass unless you want to be wearing the marks from Daddy’s belt to bed.”
“S-Sorry, Daddy.”
“Much better.” Without releasing his hold on my throat, he brushes a kiss over my cheek. “Continue your story, baby.”
Reeling now from the shift from growly asshole to sweet Daddy, I take another sip of my cocoa to help my system settle. “Um, well. That’s pretty much the gist of it. I didn’t want to get married so I snuck out the bathroom window, stole the church van, and hit the road. But I didn’t think to grab my purse or anything so I didn’t have any money for gas. So I just drove until I couldn’t drive anymore and… well, honestly, I didn’t really have much of a plan past that.”
Auntie Gray shakes her head, and in her eyes I can see the same fury I heard in Axel’s voice a moment ago. “You are damn lucky Axel found you when he did. You could have frozen to death out there if he hadn’t come along.”
“It’s notthatcold.”
Again, that muscle in her cheek jumps. “Are you arguing with me just for the sake of arguing, little girl?”
I am, because I know damn well storms like the one we’re currently trapped in are silent killers. The cold sneaks up on you and by the time you realize you’re in trouble it’s already too late.
But there’s something about being treated like an actual child who’s too irresponsible to make sure she doesn’t literallydierubs me the wrong way. “No, I’m arguing with you because I’m a grown woman who made an error in judgement and you’re making a federal case out of it.”
“Oh, little girl.” The smile that curves her lips is far worse than the glare she’s been sending my way this entire conversation and I can’t help but press myself back against Axel. “Trust me, you haven’t seen anything yet. The only reason I haven’t paddled your ass red is because I trust your Daddy to keep you safe. But if you ever want to test me, feel free to try. I promise you’ll find you prefer your Daddy’s discipline to mine.”
A soft whimper slips past my lips as fear climbs up from my stomach, its claws digging into my chest and throat. Behind me, Axel sighs and cradles me closer to his chest.
“I think that’s enough for now. I’m going to put her down for a nap.”
With me still in his arms, Axel rises from his chair.
“I don’t need a n-nap,” I say, but my protest is weakened a good bit by the wide yawn that interrupts my statement.
“You do, and if you know what’s good for you then you’ll stay where Daddy puts you.”
In the living room, he lowers me onto one of the oversized couches and drapes a blanket over me. Despite my insistence I don’t need a nap, my eyes are already drifting closed when he leans down to press a kiss to my forehead.
“Daddy will be right in the next room if you need me. Sleep tight, my little runaway.”
As he slips away, the exhaustion of the day overtakes me and I do exactly as he bid me to.
I sleep.
CHAPTER 7
AXEL
Settling back at the head of the giant dining room table we had built to fit us and any Little ones who come our way, I stare out at my siblings. Grayson may be the one undeniably in charge of our business, and she may be fucking bossy as hell, but I’m still the eldest. The one who’s been keeping our family safe and protected for the past two decades.
Which means bearing a certain amount of responsibility, not just for my Little one, but the six people staring back at me.
