Page 28 of Kneel Before Me

Maximus sought solace in alcohol yet found none. The ballroom swam; the guests chittered. It was all endless noise to him. He found himself on the edge of the ballroom, a glass of red wine clutched in his hand, his back against the wall. He was perfectly positioned to catch a draft from the hallway, savoring the way it cooled his face. All it would take was a single step and he would be free. Without thinking, he turned on his heel and set off down the hallway, making his way up the stairs and into Lilly’s nursery. Immediately, he stopped short.

The woman who’d just walked in on him in the pantry was holding his child.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Maximus cried.

His eyes were on Lilly, and they remained there as he crossed to his daughter and wrenched her from the woman’s arms. She awoke immediately, burrowing against his chest with a wail.

“I’m—I’m Daphne,” she stuttered, raising her hands in surrender.

“I don’t care who you are. I care that you are in my daughter’s nursery.”

“Please—I heard her crying, and I just thought I would—”

“You thought you would what? Pick up my child without my permission?”

“I’m sorry—she was alone—I just wanted to—”

“She has a dozen nannies. And her own father just downstairs. You could have called anyone.”

“I didn’t think to—”

“You didn’t think at all.”

Daphne didn’t reply. In the chaos, Lilly was only crying louder.

Maximus turned his attention to her. “Shhhh.” He pressed his lips to her head, bouncing her gently as he patted her on the back. “Quiet, my darling. All is well.”

The baby warbled in his arms, her tiny fists grabbing at his velvet lapels. Maximus soothed her with coos and kisses until she finally quieted, her little cheeks pink with exertion.

Daphne turned to leave.

“Wait,” Maximus said sharply. “I’m not done with you.”

Daphne froze. He understood that she probably felt uncomfortable or even scared. She’d just seen him getting his cock sucked in the pantry, after all, and now she’d been caught with his child. Maximus was tempted to punish her for this, but another desire reared its head instead. He thought of picturing her face right before climax. He had her here, and he intended to keep her.

“Well?” he snapped in a whisper, trying not to wake Lilly again. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Daphne had already apologized, but she did so again. “I’m sorry,” she said slowly, clasping her hands behind her back in what was clearly intended to be a nonconfrontational position. “You’re right, I should have called someone. But I meant no harm. She’s…she’s beautiful.”

Maximus softened imperceptibly at the compliment. He looked down at his child, who was fast sleep. “That she is,” he said quietly. Then his disposition hardened once more. “Shouldn’t you be downstairs, competing for my hand?”

“Your hand is rather hard to compete for when it’s up here holding a baby.”

A tense silence fell. Daphne had clearly meant it as a joke, but Maximus realized suddenly that what she’d said was true. He was holding the baby he’d had with another woman. How could any of the women downstairs compete with the mother of his child? Before he could respond, Daphne put his own question back on him:

“Shouldn’t you be downstairs?”

He snorted. “Downstairs is the last place I want to be.”

“Why?”

“Because this entire evening is a charade and a despicable one.”

Daphne blinked in surprise. Maximus was quite sure she hadn’t expected him to say that.

“How is it a charade?”

“The entire competition is nothing but an act.”