Protecting His Brat

by Sorcha Black

  I grunted, happy, and yet not. No one had been caught, and she wasn’t a lick safer than she had been when we’d left. But what was another week going to accomplish? It seemed like an odd statement, like Ms. Kincaid was deliberately trying to keep Aberdeen away from home.

  “She’s pleased I’m safe,” she said tonelessly.

  “But?”

  “When something like this happens, who doesn’t ask their kid if they’re okay? Who doesn’t tell their child—even an adult child—that they love them and that they were worried when they didn’t hear from them for days?”

  “Lots of parents, I’m sure.”

  She nodded, sticking her chin out stubbornly, as though acting tough was the only thing helping her keep things together.

  “I’m not saying it’s right, kid. If I didn’t know where you were and how you were doing, I’d be out of my head worrying.”

  “I know. Sometimes it feels like she doesn’t consider herself my mother, for heaven’s sake.” She leaned on my arm. “Do you think my father gave a damn?”

  “I’m sure he did. If he was the one who was eager for a baby, what are the chances he didn’t worship every curl on your pretty head?”

  “Maybe he just wanted an heir, or maybe I was a disappointment because I wasn’t a boy.”

  I sat her down on a bench, crouched in front of her, and pushed the sunglasses up on her head. The pain in her beautiful eyes was killing me. How could her mother not adore her?

  “Look at me.”

  Her eyes looked very big and blue and red-rimmed when she met my gaze.

  “There’s no way to know how he felt about you, so why assume he didn’t love you? What purpose does that serve in your life?”

  She shrugged.

  “If all you’ve got to go on is a guess, why not believe the best instead of the worst?”

  She shrugged again.

  “Anyone who doesn’t immediately fall in love with you is an idiot or is hopelessly broken. You’re a clever, funny, pretty girl, with a kind and gentle soul. What’s not to love?”

  I could see she didn’t believe me, but she wanted to.

  I kissed her briefly, and she wrapped her arms around my neck, then tucked her face against my shoulder. Hot tears soaked into my T-shirt, so I held her like that until my legs cramped up. Then I picked her up and sat on the bench, holding her in my lap. She felt so right there, even though my lead-weight of a heart hurt for her.

  It wasn’t fair that she’d gone through her whole life wondering if anyone even gave a damn about her. The poor kid didn’t deserve that—no one did. Sure, Jake and her nanny had been good to her, but what about affection from her family?

  We’d been poor and my father had been a mean drunk, but I’d always had Violet, no matter how shitty things had been.

  Eventually, my girl cried herself out, and I dried her face with my hand, wishing I was the kind of a man who carried a handkerchief. Taking care of her made me feel important.

  “I don’t need her love and approval anymore though, do I?” she asked. “I’m an adult and I can find other people to get that from.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Like you.”

  “Like me, for now. After me, there’ll be other men. You’ll find the right one before long.” The words sounded ugly and harsh coming out of my mouth because I didn’t want some other man doing this for her—not now, not ever. “You can make friends. Sometimes found family is a lot better than the family you got stuck with.”

  She nuzzled my cheek. It felt like she was inhaling, breathing me in—like I was something special.

  How was I ever going to give her up?

  “Sure. Maybe you can pick out someone nice for me,” she whispered.

  I probably died then, because it felt like I’d gone straight to Hell.

  Chapter Fifteen

  He was pacing along the edge of the water, looking large and lethal. Whatever was going on in his phone call with Ariel wasn’t making him happy. It was funny how the fight they’d had seemed so dire at the time, and yet Blue had chosen to call him right after he’d called to chat with and check on his twin sister.

  We were in a town so small I doubted it even qualified as one. If it had a name, I hadn’t seen a sign for it anywhere. It had a general store, a few houses, and something that looked like a small bar that served food, but it was hard to tell from the outside since the only thing the hand-painted sign said was “Steve’s.” The people we encountered kept staring at us, and I wondered if it was because we were strangers or if it was because we stuck out somehow. It didn’t seem like the kind of place strangers visited.

  Blue’s gaze kept seeking me out, and it seemed like every time I moved, he was clocking where I was. I’d forgotten what he looked like when he was working—he’d seemed so relaxed for the past few days on the island. It was too bad we couldn’t just stay there.

  He was right, though. Mother would never allow it. But why did it matter what she would allow and not allow? In a few days, the trust fund from my grandmother would be mine, and I could do anything I wanted, up to and including cutting ties with Mother entirely.

  I’d worked my whole life to earn her love, though. What was I without her disapproval and low opinion of me? Who would I even be?

  The first thing I should probably do with my money was find a therapist who wasn’t on my mother’s payroll.

  I glanced over at Blue, who flashed me a reassuring smile, and I felt myself melt into his dark regard. He made me feel cherished and safe, but also excited and alive.

  His version of taking off the training wheels had been eye-opening, but it had been hot too, and if that’s what he was into, I could see myself learning to love it. I’d have to be careful not to let him break me.

  He did something to the phone and slipped what looked like a few pieces of it into his pocket, then made his way back over to me. I watched him approach, and the intensity in his eyes made me breathless. When he reached me, he caught me by the back of the neck and pulled me into his chest. I pressed my forehead against him, and his strong hand kept me there, stroking my neck and making me shiver. When I gazed up at him, he was gazing down into my face. He kissed me softly, his mouth lingering on mine for a long, delicious moment. When he pulled back, my eyelids fluttered, and I felt ridiculous. It wasn’t my fault I reacted to him the way I did. How could any woman not?

  “So, do I need a Kevlar vest, or what?” I asked.

  “Consider me your Kevlar vest.”

  “That sounds like fun unless I have to carry you. I never skip leg day, but I think you might be too big to wear.”

  He chuckled, and the warm, rusty sound made me want to purr and curl up in his lap.

  “What am I going to do with you?” He fiddled with one of my curls, winding it around his finger.

  “Well, I have a few things in mind. I could make a list if you find me a pen.”

  “An entire list? So, are these things we’ve already done together that you want to do again, or new things you want to try?”

  “Both. I want to try everything at least once.”

  He sighed and clucked his tongue at me in disapproval. “You should never say things like that to a sadist. It’s very hard for us to control ourselves when submissives give us carte blanche.”

  He cradled the side of my face then brushed his thumb over my chin, but it was my mouth he was looking at.

  “If you get too mean, I’ll safeword.”

  “The word fuchsia never seems to pass these pretty lips.”

  I smiled up at him, plucking at his T-shirt while biting my bottom lip. “Then I guess we’ll have to see what it takes to make me say it.” I raised my brows at him and possibly smirked a little, but I made sure not to make it too obvious.

  “Do you think challenging me in public is going to keep you safe? I have a long memory. I also have a very open mind about spanking little girls in public parks when the townsfolk might amble by any minute to see what we’re doi
ng down here.”

  If the man thought a threat would deter me, he didn’t know me very well.

  “Don’t even think about it, Missy.”

  “Missy? Really? You’re my daddy, not my grandpa. And the fact that you used the word ‘amble’ is making me reevaluate our age difference. I’m going to have to get you to fill out a questionnaire to make sure you’re not a ninety-year-old in disguise.”

  “If I was ninety, I hope you’d take it easy on me. I could break a hip.”

  “Ninety-year-olds can have active sex lives,” I pointed out.

  “I doubt I could keep up with you if I was ninety.”

  “I’m quiet and demure, you know. Those are the two words people use to describe me.”

  “It’s amazing how you had all those people conned for so long.”

  “I’m only like this with you, Daddy. You’re a terrible influence.”

  He groaned. “I know.”

  I grinned. He didn’t look sorry.

  “See? I can’t be blamed. The next time I misbehave you should probably get to the root of the problem and spank yourself.”

  He laughed so loud it startled me. Birds in the trees near us squawked indignantly and took off flapping.

  “So, the fact that you bought me produce leads me to believe we’re not driving home today?”

  “Between what your mother and Ariel have said, it might be best to give it a few more nights before we start making our way back.”

  “What did Ariel say?”

  He shook his head. “The people who broke in to take you haven’t been making any mistakes. It’s all a little too perfect.”

  * * *

  Hands were touching me—gentle hands, strong hands.

  I sighed, stretching under the sheet, in the blurry nowhere between sleep and wakefulness. Male hands glided on my skin, touching me under my nightgown, thumbs running up the groove of my spine, making me murmur with pleasure. A gentle massage that set my skin buzzing, a memory of this going on before I was quite awake, maybe for a long while. There was reverence in his hands, and I melted into the mattress, not knowing where I was and not caring at all.

  “Daddy?” I murmured, knowing it was him, but wanting to hear his voice.

  “Shh, you’re still asleep, baby girl,” he assured me.

  I smiled and snuggled down, letting my mind drift as my nightgown shifted higher. Although I’d invited him to wake me this way, this was the first time he’d taken me up on it. There was something about him touching me while I was asleep that felt…more proprietary. Like he had every right to do what he wanted. Big fingers worked the tiny buttons at my back, loosening the neckline enough to slide the soft cotton up off me, leaving me naked. He must have taken off my panties before I even woke up.

  Quietly, I whimpered, desire tightening in my lower belly, but sleep still dragged at me.

  “So pretty.”

  He traced careful fingers over my skin, making me shiver—down the back of my neck and over my bare shoulders, along my spine to the swell of my bottom, caressing me there until my legs spread and my back arched, needing more. He tucked a pillow under my hips, and I couldn’t help but rub against it.

  “That’s right. Such a good girl.”

  His hands explored my bottom, grabbing it, spreading the cheeks apart with gentle thumbs. Breath tickled my back hole, and I mewled an objection.

  “Shh, you can pretend you’re still asleep. Let Daddy make you feel good.”

  My body was still warm and lax, but arousal tightened my stomach, and my privates were tingling. I was already wet and ready for him as though my body had been aware of his touch while my brain was still asleep.

  Was I awake or was this a dream? God, could a girl die from being too turned on? If I was dreaming, I didn’t want to wake up yet.

  He kissed one of the round globes of flesh in his hands, and his lips on my naked skin felt too delicious to complain about. I ground my swelling clit against the pillow, wiggling there, seeking relief and an embarrassed whimper escaped from my mouth. Everything felt too good, and I melted into the bed and let him do what he wanted. Slowly, he covered my backside with kisses, from my lower back to the pits of my knees. It tickled, and his breath tickled, and all of it felt clandestine and naughty and adoring.

  He explored the valley between my bottom cheeks with his tongue. My eyes closed tighter, and I stiffened, but he was gentle and took his time, so when he reached my last virginal hole, I allowed him to lick me there, trying not to think too hard. Then I wasn’t thinking at all as his mouth taught me the pleasure to be had from it, flicking and teasing, dancing over my skin, sending flutters of strange pleasure through me and making my toes dig into the mattress.

  “I knew you’d like this, baby girl,” he crooned as I couldn’t help but grind against the pillow between my thighs.

  “Nooo,” I moaned, trying not to gasp at the pleasure he was giving me. I didn’t want to like it. “It’s naughty, Daddy. You should stop.”

  “Should I?” He swatted my butt cheek, leaving a delicious sting. “All of your little holes are mine. You don’t get to tell Daddy which ones he gets to play with or what he gets to do with them. I’ll tickle them, lick them, finger them, and stick my cock in them anytime I want to, understand me, kitten?”

  “Yes, sir,” I said, but it was more of a squeak than an agreement. Sweet hell, the man made me hot all over.

  “You have a safeword if you need it.”

  I could safeword, but that would be silly. If I could shut off my brain, I’d be enjoying it, but then again, the taboo of being played with there was part of what was turning me on.

  “I don’t want to safeword,” I admitted.

  “I didn’t think so. You can pretend you’re still sleeping if you want to.”

  “Shh. I am sleeping. This is a dream.”

  He chuckled and licked me again, making me gasp, then he drew his finger through the slickness he’d left.

  A finger stroked there, making me bury my face in the mattress and moan in apprehension.

  “Am I hurting you?” He had to know he wasn’t. He hadn’t even tried to push it in yet.

  “No, Daddy.”

  “I’ll be careful. I know what I’m doing.” The finger was wiggling there, and I went very still, holding my breath. “If anything feels bad you tell me, okay?”

  “Okay.” My voice sounded sulky, but I didn’t care if I sounded ridiculous. I’d asked for this, but I had every right to be anxious about actually doing it. He had a big cock. It was too bad men couldn’t swap their dicks out for smaller ones when they wanted to do things like this.

  Forcing myself to relax, I stopped fighting the idea. It was him putting his mouth there that seemed so wrong.

  He coaxed his finger in—the tip first, then more, wiggling it, sliding it in and out, opening me up. It wasn’t so bad. It burned a bit, but it wasn’t a big deal.

  “Can you take more for me?”

  I squirmed, nodding. Gradually, he convinced my body to take a second finger, carefully spreading and twisting them as I whimpered at the strange feeling.

  “What a brave girl you’re being,” he murmured close to my ear, making me shiver. He kissed the back of my neck, and I melted against the mattress, the tension going out of me as I focused on his hot mouth on my skin and the stray warm breath caressing my ear and making me shiver.

  “You okay?” he asked, his fingers training my body to take the invasion of his fingers even though it ached worse than the first time we’d had sex. Two fingers ought to be about the same size as his dick, right? He had really big fingers. Then again, he had an obnoxiously sized cock. I moaned in distress at how far from comfortable things were going to get when he decided I was ready for him.

  “It’s never going to fit, Daddy,” I said, my voice tight and anxious.

  “We’ll make it fit, baby girl. Don’t worry.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about.”

  He added lube about
a million times, and I was starting to relax into the strange sensation when he withdrew his fingers and turned me over.

  “All done?” I asked hopefully, even though the knot of arousal in my lower belly was almost painful. It had felt good once I got past the discomfort, but I couldn’t imagine having an orgasm that way.

  “It’s up to you. We can be all done if you want, but I thought you wanted to try this.”

  “If you’re not finished, why did you turn me over?”

  “Daddy wants to see your face while he sinks his cock into your tight little asshole.”

  I shuddered. His eyes were burning, and his expression was as hard as his body—his dick harder than should have been humanly possible. The tip of it glistened with arousal, the head of it ruddy and swollen looking. I had seen it so often over the past several days, but it had never looked more intimidating.

  He spread my legs, got between them, then tucked the pillow under my butt. When I was where he wanted me, he grabbed the lube and stroked it over his broad, hard length. I reached out and touched the head of it shyly, even though this was hardly the first time I had touched him so intimately. He groaned, stopping to clutch his balls, breathing slowly as though struggling to get himself under control.

  He leaned over me, kissing me gently on the lips, each eyelid, then the spot between my brows.

  “Do you still want to do this, Aberdeen?” His voice was rough and made me shiver. “If you don’t feel ready, we can stop right now. I won’t be disappointed or upset. It can wait—or it can be never. It’s not something you need to do to please me or impress me.”

  “I want to.” The statement came out as more of a question.

  He raised his brows and studied my face. “Scared?”

  “A bit, but you know what you’re doing. It hasn’t hurt so far—not really. Just think, if I’d been a regular teenage girl, I probably would have done this years ago with some teenage boy who’d learned everything he knew from porn.”

  He chuckled, lowering himself and letting his bulk surround me. I should have felt trapped, but being underneath him made me feel safe—as though his bulk would keep me from flying to pieces. The hot length of his cock pressing against my clit made me whimper, and I moved under him, trying to satisfy the fluttering spasms that were desperate to become an orgasm.