"Punishments. When you put everyone else first and forget yourself."
She shivers against me. "Like spanking?"
"Like spanking."
"I've never... I mean, I've thought about it, but..."
"I know." I stroke her cheek. "Say yes, Daisy."
"Yes." It comes out breathy. "Yes, Daddy."
The word settles in my chest like it's always belonged there. "Good girl. Such a good girl."
She melts at the praise.
"What happens now?"
"Now you take a bath while I make dinner. Then we talk about new rules." I stand, keeping her in my arms. "My rules."
I run her a bath, make her soak while I cook. When she emerges in fuzzy unicorn pajamas, hair damp and face scrubbed clean, she looks young and soft and utterly mine.
"Eat," I order, setting a plate in front of her.
She eats everything. Good girl.
"New rules," I say when her plate's clean. "No work without permission. They want you to stay late or cover shifts, you ask me first."
"What if it's important?"
"Then I'll probably say yes. But you ask first. Always." I watch her process this. "You wear what I lay out for you on Sundays. That's my day—you're mine all day."
Her pupils dilate. "Okay."
"Bedtime is 10 PM on work nights. You ask permission for purchases over twenty dollars." I lean in close. "And no touching yourself without permission."
Her face goes scarlet. "Rex—"
"Daddy."
"Daddy, you can't—"
"I can. Your orgasms belong to me now." I watch her squirm. "That a problem?"
"No." She's breathless. "No, Daddy."
"Good. One more rule. You sleep in my bed. Every night."
"That's moving really fast."
"No. It's exactly right." I pull her into my lap. "You need to be close to me. Feel safe. Owned. Don't you?"
"Yes," she whispers.
"Then that's where you sleep."
That night, she climbs into my bed wearing those ridiculous pajamas. I pull her back against my chest, arm around her waist, feeling her settle into me.
"Better?" I ask.
