“I’m sorry,” she whispers, so quietly I almost don’t hear her. “I just… I needed to know.”
“Needed to know what, babygirl?”
“That you really loved me. That you wouldn’t just send me away like the last time.”
Confused, I nudge her away so I can stare down into those golden eyes. “What last time, baby? We’ve never sent you away.”
“Not you. There was… One of the families I stayed with for a bit. I wandered off one night and they never even noticed. And when the police officer brought me home, they were so mad. But not ‘cause they were worried. They said I could have gotten their license taken away. And then they sent me away. Because I was too naughty.”
I’m going to fucking kill them, just like I did her father. I don’t know who they are or where they live, but I will find out and I will end them for making my babygirl doubt my love for her for one single second.
“You listen to me and you listen to me good, little girl.” Eyes wide, Tabby nods. “Our love for you is not dependent on how good you are. You are my babygirl, which means you are part of this family. Forever, whether you like it or not. Even if you tried to leave me, I would track you down and drag you back here. I’d tie you to my bed. Chain you to my arm. Whatever it took to make sure you stay with me. Because you aremine. Do you understand me, Tabitha Grace Thorne?”
“I’m trying. I promise I’m trying, Daddy, it’s just so hard. Nobody has ever… I’ve never had a forever family. My head says you’re telling the truth, but my heart” —she taps her chest— “isn’t so sure.”
“Then we’ll keep working on your heart. And if you need to act out, if you need to be naughty every day of the rest of your life so that your heart believes it’s safe with us, then that’s okay. But I need you to promise me something, baby.”
Her brows draw together. “What?”
“No more hiding. No more disappearing. You can be as naughty as you want as long as you never, ever scare me—scareus—like that again. Understood?”
“Yes, Daddy. I really am super sorry.”
“I know you are, baby. But you are still getting your naughty bottom spanked.”
Worry flickers over her face. “Are you gonna use your belt again?”
“Oh, no, little girl. Daddy has something very special in mind to help you rememberexactlyhow much your family loves you.”
Tabby
Worry tangles my tummy into knots. What does he mean?
I don’t have to wonder long. “I want you to go upstairs and get the paddle Uncle Axel made for us, and the stuffie Uncle Dane gave you, and come right back downstairs. Do you remember where Daddy put the paddle?”
How could I forget? It’s sitting on his dresser, proudly displayed for anyone to see. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good. You have five minutes. If you aren’t back down here before the timer goes off, Daddy will add one day of no orgasms for each minute over. Go.”
The threat of not being allowed to come for a whole day spurs me into action and I hurry for the stairs as quickly as I can without running. Luckily for me, my toys are all well-organized, so it only takes me a moment to grab the stuffed triceratops Uncle Dane gave me as a wedding present. With her in hand, I hoist the paddle from its display stand, my heart sinking at the heavy weight.
But I don’t have time to contemplate how much it will hurt with the clock literally ticking, so I clutch the handle and make my way back downstairs.
Relief nearly makes my knees weak when Daddy smiles at me. “Good girl. Give your Auntie Gray the paddle, please.”
I offer it to her, unable to look up and meet her gaze before hurrying back to stand in front of Daddy. Taking my hand,Daddy pulls me over his lap so I’m stretched out on the couch, my bottom high over his knee.
“Daddy is going to warm you up a bit. And then every one of your uncles and your Auntie Gray is going to give you five swats with the paddle. Do you know why?”
Clutching my stuffy to my chest, I sniffle back tears. “Because I hid and I scared you.”
“Yes.” There’s a gentle tugging as he pulls the tabs of my diaper free. “But it is also to help you remember that you have so many people who love you and who would be devastated if anything bad happened to you.”
My diaper disappears, exposing my bare bottom once more to my entire family and I bury my face in my stuffie’s soft fur with a groan. But Daddy isn’t done.
“And once our family is finished punishing the outside of your bottom for hiding and worrying us all to death, Daddy is going to punish theinsideof your bottom for going out on the roof in the first place. I do not ever,everwant to see you pulling something that dangerous again. Am I making myself clear, Tabitha Grace?”
The inside of my bottom? What does that even mean?
