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"I don't know."

Daddy's expression hardened. "Try again."

"I thought—" JJ stopped. His voice broke immediately. He looked down at the floor. "I thought he wanted it."

"He did want a scene," Daddy said. "That isn't the question."

JJ's eyes started filling. Daddy continued. "What did you arrange?"

JJ dragged in a breath. "Bella. The stage. I knew he wanted to try something public eventually, and he said yes when she asked him. And the surprise Dom thing. He told me I could arrange that if she checked with him again before it happened."

Daddy nodded once. "Anything else?"

JJ shook his head. "No random people. I swear. Bella was the only one touching him. Dominic was supposed to be the surprise, but Gustav was asking him separately. I did what Sawyer told me."

My stomach twisted. Because he had. Technically. That was almost worse. Daddy's eyes moved to me for half a second, then back to JJ.

"Did you?"

JJ looked confused. "I—yes?"

"Did you help Max make his own decision tonight?"

JJ's mouth opened. Nothing came out. Daddy waited.

"You knew he was nervous," he said.

JJ nodded.

"You knew this was his first scene."

Another nod.

"You knew he'd never even come to The Hearth alone until tonight."

JJ's eyes were spilling now. "Yes."

"And when Bella gave him the choice between a private room and that stage, what did you do?"

JJ froze. I knew exactly what Daddy meant. The nod. That tiny, eager little nod I'd seen from across the room. JJ knew too. His face crumpled. "I just wanted him to know he could do it."

"I know."

"I didn't tell him he had to."

"I know."

"I wouldn't do that," he said, now crying.

"I know, baby." Daddy's voice softened on the last word, but he didn't let JJ escape what he was saying. "Pressure doesn't always look like an order." Daddy stepped closer. "You were excited. Max knew you were excited. You've spent weeks telling him how perfect this would be, how much fun he'd have, how much you wanted him and Dominic to work out. Tonight, when he hesitated, he looked at you."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know."

That made JJ cry harder. "I didn't mean to make him do anything."

Daddy reached up and took JJ's wrist gently, pulling his hand away from his mouth.