Page 57 of Her Courage

Lottie smiled through her tear-dampened lashes. "Food sounds amazing right now."

"Of course it does," Andrei chuckled, helping her stand. "Nothing works up an appetite like a good spanking."

As they moved toward the door, Andrei's hand possessively cupped Lottie's red bottom, and she leaned into his touch rather than pulling away. That small gesture of acceptance, of trust even after discipline, made my heart swell with love for her.

Our girl was truly extraordinary—strong enough to accept correction, brave enough to submit, and loving enough to embrace all aspects of our unusual relationship.

I followed them downstairs, already planning exactly how I'd apply that lotion later tonight, taking my time to soothe every inch of her punished skin.

And if my ministrations led to more intimate activities... well, that was just one more benefit of being one of Charlotte Alexander's Daddies.

* * *

After dinner, we retreated back to our bedroom, the scene from earlier still lingering in the air between us. I could tell by the way Lottie shifted in her seat during the meal that her bottom was still pleasantly tender—a reminder of Andrei's firm hand and the consequences of breaking our rules.

"Let's get you changed for bed, little one," I said, my voice gentle as Kaleb and Andrei helped her up the stairs.

Our bedroom had become a sanctuary of sorts, the massive California king bed easily accommodating all four of us. The soft lighting cast a warm glow across the room as Kaleb opened a drawer and pulled out Lottie's favorite sleep shirt—an oversized tee with a cartoon character I couldn't identify but that made her smile every time she wore it.

"Arms up," Andrei instructed, his tone softened from the stern Daddy voice he'd used earlier.

Lottie complied without hesitation, allowing him to slip her blouse over her head. Kaleb worked on the zipper of her skirt, letting it pool around her ankles before helping her step out of it. The sight of her standing there in just her bra and panties—the latter still pulled aside from her spanking—made my mouth go dry with want.

"No panties tonight," Kaleb murmured, helping her into the sleep shirt. "We need to let your skin breathe, baby girl."

Lottie nodded, a delicate blush spreading across her cheeks as Andrei unhooked her bra and slid it from her shoulders before the shirt fell into place. The modest nightwear somehow managed to look impossibly erotic on her—perhaps because we all knew what was underneath, or perhaps because of the trust she placed in us to care for her this way.

"How's your bottom feeling?" I asked, finally approaching after enjoying the view of my partners taking care of our girl.

Lottie winced slightly. "Still stings a bit."

I stepped closer, running my hand lightly over the curve of her rear through the thin fabric of her nightshirt. She jumped slightly at the contact, confirming my suspicion that Andrei had done a thorough job.

"Turn around and bend over the bed for me," I instructed. "I need to apply some cream to help with the redness."

She complied, leaning forward until her upper body rested on the mattress, her perfect ass presented to me in an enticing display. I gathered the hem of her nightshirt, slowly drawing it up to expose her reddened skin.

The sight made my cock throb painfully. Her ass was a lovely shade of pink, with deeper red handprints visible where Andrei had focused his attention. Before reaching for the lotion, I couldn't resist leaning down to press a gentle kiss against each cheek.

"Colby!" she gasped, clearly not expecting the intimate gesture.

"Shh," I soothed, kissing each mark again. "Just showing these lovely marks some appreciation before I make them feel better."

She squirmed under my ministrations, her body already responding to the gentle kisses despite—or perhaps because of—the lingering sting.

"Be still," I admonished gently. "I can't apply the cream properly if you're wiggling around like that."

"I'm trying," she whined, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Andrei chuckled from where he stood watching. "Our little girl seems to be having difficulty following simple instructions tonight."

"Perhaps she needs some help staying still," Kaleb suggested, moving to the other side of the bed.

Without further discussion, Andrei positioned himself on one side of Lottie while Kaleb took the other. They each placed a hand on her upper back, gently but firmly holding her in place against the mattress.

"There," Andrei said, his voice laced with satisfaction. "Now Daddy C can take proper care of you."

The sight of her restrained by my partners sent a fresh wave of desire coursing through me. I reached for the bottle of aloe-infused lotion we kept specifically for this purpose and squeezed a generous amount onto my palm.