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She dropped the box she’d been carrying into the house and ran into the study to hide under his desk.
He’ll never find me here.
Impossible.
“Effie?”
She glanced over as he appeared by the desk, crouching down.
“Oh, hi, Daddy!”
“Effie, what are you doing?”
“I just thought it might be dirty under here so I figured I would come and check.”
“Out. Now.”
With a sigh, she climbed out and he took hold of her hand, leading her from the room and up the stairs.
“Everything okay?” Grady asked from the bottom of the stairs where he stood, holding a box.
“Can you carry on for a bit?” Steele asked. “I have a naughty girl who needs tending to.”
“Yeah, everything is nearly inside. Not like there’s much. We’ll unpack, then I’ll come find you.”
“Daddy G, save me!” she cried.
“What did you do?” Grady asked, following them up the stairs.
“She was carrying a box,” Steele replied.
“Your ass is toast, Twinkletoes,” Grady told her cheerfully.
Urgh. Yeah, that’s what she figured too.
* * *
“Daddy,can I come out of the corner now?”
“Nope. And sit still,” Steele ordered from where he sat across the room.
She was sitting on her Time-out chair in her playroom. This room and the kitchen were her favorites in the house. Although she loved the porch too. Especially now that the weather was so much warmer.
“It was just one itty bitty box, Daddy.”
“What were you told, baby girl?”
She sighed. “That all I was to do was direct things. I wasn’t supposed to pick anything up. But it was so light.”
It was late afternoon. Yesterday, she and Brooks had gone through their small apartment, chosen what they were going to keep and boxed it up.
Then, today, they’d been moving it all with the help of some friends. Although thankfully, they’d already left before Steele had caught her carrying a box.
“Daddy, this is boring and I have stuff to do.”
“Well, unfortunately for you, you’re about to get a spanking and put down for a nap.”
“Daddy, nooo!” She turned to pout at him.
