“It’snot! They’re going to arrest you and our family and-and-and?—”
Poor little bug. “Baby, nobody is getting arrested.”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do, because your assistant never got that email.”
Josie freezes, her tears drying up instantly as she slowly sits up to stare at me. “What do you mean?”
Unlike her wails of despair a moment ago, now her voice is almost deadly calm. “Your Uncle Colt and I put a block on your computer so we could monitor your emails and messages. Nothing goes out or comes in without our approval.”
For a long moment, she simply stares, unblinking. “You’ve beenspyingon me?”
“Yes. And it’s a good thing we were, or else you’d be in even bigger trouble than you already are.”
“That still doesn’t give you the right to monitor my email! That’s private!”
“Little girls don’t keep secrets from their Daddies.”
Fire snaps in her eyes. “They do when it’s related to theirjobs. You can’t go poking around in my work!”
“Josephine Elise, you listen to me.” Gripping her chin, I hold her in place, our heated gazes locked on each other. “You aremine. Which means I will do whatever it takes to protect you, including monitoring every single text, email, message you send and receive. And maybe, maybeonce you’ve proven you can be a good girl and not send sneaky emails to people behind my back Imightconsider giving you some semblance of privacy. But until then, you can consider yourself under my constant watch. Am I understood, little girl?”
Color floods her cheeks and she drops her gaze to my chest. “Yeah. I understand.” She peeks back up at me through her lashes, and fuck if I’m not tempted to let her off the hook entirely because of how damn cute she is. “I do actually feel really bad for sending that email.”
“I know, baby. And Daddy is very proud of you for being honest even though you were scared.”
“You’re proud of me?”
“So proud, baby.”
“Does that mean you’re not gonna spank me?”
Her voice is so full of hope, I almost hate to burst her bubble. “Oh, my sweet little lovebug. You are absolutely getting spanked. And then Daddy is going to take a page from one of your books and punish that naughty little bottom in an entirely new way.”
Josie
I’m going to be sick.
Standing in front of my entire family, I can feel the weight of their stares on me, I can feel my stomach churning as I wait to tell them how I betrayed them. Even sweet Lanie is completely silent, her eyes wide as she looks from me to Daddy and back again.
“Josie has something to tell all of you.” Daddy’s voice is clear and firm, and the sound of it helps to settle my jumping stomach. “But before she does, I want it made clear that she has recognized that what she did was wrong and once we’ve discussed her actions, she will be very soundly punished for betraying our trust.”
At that last part, I have to bite my lip against a whimper. Even though I already know some of what he has planned for me, hearing it stated out loud like that sends my heart racing as I step forward.
But as difficult as it is, this is the right thing to do. I betrayed the people I love most in the world, and they deserve to hear the truth from me. Clasping my hands tightly in front of me, I lift my head to meet their curious gazes. Uncle Colt winks, and my stomach settles even more.
“The other day, I sent an email to my assistant, telling her I was being held hostage in a cabin in the mountains.”
It’s all I can do not to hide behind Daddy at the waves of anger and betrayal rolling off my family. Auntie Gray, in particular, is staring at me with such stunned surprise, my heart feels like it might crack in two.
“You sold us out?” Hurt radiates from her so strongly I’m surprised it doesn’t knock me over. “How could you, Josie? We’re yourfamily.”
“I know. I don’t have any excuses. What I did was wrong and selfish and I’m so, so sorry.”
At my apology, everyone starts talking at once, buzzing, angry words that made me want to run and hide.
“Enough.” Daddy steps forward, his voice rising above the furious din, and everyone falls silent once more, though it doesn’t stop them from shooting angry glares my way. “As I said before we began, Josie understands that what she did was wrong and she is going to be punished for it.”
