“Ah, that’s good to know. Any other rules I should be aware of?”
Closing my eyes, I drop my head back against my pillow. “No sweets after eight, and no sweets after dinner at all if she doesn’t finish her veggies. No swearing, always tell Daddy where she’s going to be and when. There are more, a lot more. I think I still have the list somewhere on my phone.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
It isn’t bitterness in her tone, but sadness, and thatdoessurprise me. “Sloane…”
“Not now.” Her voice is tight, like she’s holding back tears. “I don’t want to have this conversation when you're five hundred miles away. Okay?”
The fog of alcohol is slowly fading. But as much as I want to push her to have this conversation right fucking now, she’s right. Clearly something is going on at home, and I need to get to the bottom of it.
For now, though, I’m willing to let her lead, at least for a bit. “Okay, baby.”
“Thanks.” She clears her throat, and when she speaks again, she’s back to her happy, sly self. “You never did answer my question.”
“What question was that?”
“Did you like your picture?”
“I fucking loved it. But it’s missing one little thing.”
“What’s that?”
“When Mia was my Little, she never wore panties. Only diapers.”
Sloane’s wicked chuckle comes through the speakers. “Ask, and ye shall receive.”
Sloane
I endthe call with my husband and head for the stairs, doing my best to ignore the twinge of jealousy in my chest.
Part of me always knew Mia was it for him. That he always has been, and always will be in love with her. But there’s something about hearing him confess he still has the list of Mia’s rules stored on his phone all these years later that has me feeling… less than.
It’s not a feeling I'm comfortable with, so I shove it down for now as I make my way up to the bedroom I share with Ethan—and now Mia. When I reach the bedroom, Mia is already there, sitting up against the headboard and chewing nervously at her thumbnail.
She looks up when I enter, worry filling the golden-green of her eyes. “Was Daddy very mad?”
“No, baby, he wasn’t mad at all. He just wants to be sure you get enough sleep. You are so very Little, after all.”
A blush creeps into her cheeks. “I’m notsoLittle.”
“Oh, but you are.” With slow, measured steps I approach the bed. “So Little, in fact, that your Daddy pointed out something I failed to notice.”
“Wh-what’s that?”
“Just that you are far too Little to be wearing those grown-up panties. You should be in a diaper, shouldn’t you, babygirl?”
The color in her cheeks deepens to a dark rose. “No. Imma Big girl.”
She doesn’t sound the least bit “big” right now. “I don’t think you are. Come with Mommy, baby, and let’s get you into something more appropriate.”
“Mommy,no,” she whines, shaking her head. “I don’t wanna wear a diaper! Please, I promise I don’t need them!”
I could make her. It would only take a well-worded threat, possibly a good hard spanking to make her comply.
But an even better plan forms in my mind and I nod in agreement. “All right. If you can make it until your Daddy gets home without having an accident, then I’ll tell him you’re a Big girl who doesn’t need diapers.”
Relief flickers across her face. “Thank you, Mommy.”
