“You are a good girl,” he told her firmly. “And I won’t hear you say anything else. Understand me? You’ve always been a good girl. Sometimes you just don’t think about what you are doing first. That’s where Daddy comes in. I have to punish you so that the next time you think about disobeying me, you don’t.”
“I should just obey you in all things, huh?” she joked.
“I do think you should have learned that by now,” he replied solemnly.
She sighed. “I guess so, Fox. I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Bunny. And I love you, Pup,” he said, looking over at Brody. He slid over on the sofa and gestured to Brody to sit next to him. Then he wrapped his arms around them both. “I want to keep you safe because you two are my everything, and now that I have you, I couldn’t ever imagine my life without you, understand?”
“I don’t ever want to be without you,” Brody said.
“I know you love us, Fox,” Autumn added. Then she glanced at his watch. “Is that the time? I’ve got to go finish getting the salad ready.” She jumped up and rushed toward the kitchen.
“Do not run!” the Fox ordered. “Walking. And Bunny?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she said, turning to look at him.
“You might want to put some clothes on first.”
She glanced down at herself. “Why didn’t anyone tell me that I was naked?”
The Fox smiled. “We were enjoying the view, of course.”
“Fox!” she cried.
The Fox got to his feet. “I’m going to finish getting ready. Then we’ll head off to this barbecue. I swear I never thought I’d be going to a Fourth of July barbecue with a bunch of bikers and their Littles.”
“I know!” Autumn cried. “Isn’t this going to be fun? I love fireworks! It’s like fire in the sky! So pretty. And I’ve got my outfit all picked out.”
3
FOX, BRODY, AND AUTUMN
The Fox stood by the internal garage door, waiting for his Pup and Bunny to appear. He would have helped get them ready, but they’d been squeezed for time and he couldn’t guarantee that he’d be able to keep his hands off them.
Brody appeared first. He was wearing a pair of green shorts and a white T-shirt with the image of a fox holding a bunny and a puppy.
Autumn had gotten them all the same T-shirts last Christmas.
The Fox grasped hold of him by the back of the neck and drew him in for a deep kiss. When he drew back, Brody was smiling dreamily. They both turned as Autumn walked toward them. She was dressed in denim cutoff shorts and a cropped gray T-shirt with the American flag on the front.
She looked utterly gorgeous.
Autumn gave them a nervous look. “Is this okay to wear to a barbecue? It’s not showing off too much skin?”
Brody stiffened next to him as the Fox held up his finger and did a twirling motion for her to turn around.
“I can go change,” she said quickly as she spun. “I won’t take long. If you don’t like what I’m wearing.”
“Do you like what you’re wearing?” the Fox asked, genuinely curious. He didn’t quite understand why she was so worried. Surely, she must like what she had on, or she wouldn’t have chosen it.
“Well, yes. But I wasn’t sure if you guys would.”
“Baby, you can wear whatever the fuck you want when we leave the house. If anyone looks at you funny, Daddy knows how to maim and kill.”
Autumn’s mouth dropped open as he grabbed both of their hands and led them out toward the car. Brody was grinning for some reason.
There were still times when he didn’t quite understand these two. But that kept life interesting.
