Page 17 of Orion

“No, Little doll. It doesn’t work that way. My bite only binds you to me as my mate. You will always be human. In addition, there are no females among my people. It’s why we mate with human females. Any male offspring we have will be lion cubs. The females will be human and unable to shift.”

“Offspring?” My voice quivers. I hadn’t thought of that possibility yet.

He keeps one hand around my waist as if afraid I might fall if he doesn’t and uses the other to reach over and turn on the faucet in the tub. When he returns his attention to me, he’s smiling. “Babies, Little doll.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not stupid, Daddy. I know what offspring means. But I’m not ready to have any babies. I’m too young.” Hell, until today I never saw children in my future. I would never want a child to endure what I’ve been through. It’s scary enough that I vowed to never open my legs for a man.

How did I forget that fact?

I squeeze my thighs together because the idea of parting them for this particular man makes my sex feel warm and swollen. I’m getting wet down there again.

Daddy gives me a crooked smile. “And yet the thought of practicing what it takes to make a baby gets my girl all hot and bothered.”

I gasp. How does he know that?

“I can scent your arousal, Little doll.”

My breath hitches. “What do you mean?”

He drops to his knees and grabs my hips. “I’m a lion shifter, Cora. My sense of smell is strong. I knew you were mine before I even approached you. Your pheromones called to me. I will always know when you’re aroused or sad or happy or any other emotion. I will also know if you’re ovulating and which days you can get pregnant.”

I stare at him, holding my breath, not blinking.

He grins and kisses my unmoving lips. “You’ll never be able to hide anything from me, Little doll. Now let’s get you in the tub. I want the smoke out of your hair and the scent of your stepfather’s house off of your skin.”

“It’s not his house,” I retort.

He flinches. “What?”

“I mean it was my mother’s house. He moved in when he married her. I guess it’s his now, but I grew up there. I hate him. He ruined my haven. My safe place. He made it uglier every day while he stole another piece of my soul.”

I’m stunned by my outburst. It’s not like me. I haven’t raised my voice or expressed anger for so long that it feels odd and leaves me shaking. If I’d shouted like that at Vincent, he would have backhanded me and probably slammed me into the wall and given me a concussion.

Orion looks horrified. “Is it possible he doesn’t even own the house, Cora?”

“I have no idea. I was sixteen when my mother died. He told me I was an orphan and that I had to do what he said, or he would put me out on the streets. I was scared and lonely. I didn’t feel like I had options. I never thought about whether or not he really owned the house.”

Daddy stares at me, brow furrowed. “I’m going to dig into this situation and find out, Little doll. And, for the record, you have every right to be angry. If you want to scream, go right ahead. I won’t stop you. But let me make a suggestion for your consideration.”

I swallow. A suggestion? For my consideration? When has anyone given me choices? Not Vincent. That’s for sure. “Okay.”

“You’re shaking with well-founded anger. Why don’t you let me spank you after your bath. Give it a try. It might chase away the icky feelings and help you relax.”

My mouth falls open. I want to tell him he’s crazy, but he’s not laughing. His expression is tight. He’s dead serious. “That makes no sense,” I finally say.

“It will, Little doll. You’ll see. If you’re ready. Think about it.”

Again with the choices. He’s not ordering me over his knees. He’s not mad. He’s offering me a very strange way to relieve my stress. It seems ridiculous, but maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt. He knows better than me.

“Arms up, Little doll.”

I’m so deep in my head that I automatically obey him without thinking, and seconds later, I’m naked. I should have expected this to happen. He specifically said he was going to give me a bath, not that he was going to leave me in the bathroom to bathe myself.

I awkwardly cross my arms over my chest, shivering more from nerves than cold.

Daddy says nothing as he lifts me by the hips and sets me in the tub. “On your bottom, Little doll,” he orders.

I quickly bend my legs and let him lower me to the floor of the tub, keeping my arms crossed.