by Stella Moore
Fuck.
“I’m sorry to bother you.” Michaelson’s voice dripped with the same fake sympathy tainting his smile. “But we need to talk. The director is letting us use his office.”
“Can’t this wait?” James snapped.
“No, I’m afraid it can’t, Mr. Monroe. There’s been another murder.”
Chapter Fourteen
Detective Michaelson’s words had Olivia jerking her head up to stare at him. “What? When?”
But Michaelson just smiled his fake sympathetic smile. “Please come with me. This conversation is best had in private.”
James stood and held his hand out to her. “Come on, baby. I’m right here with you.”
Daddy’s here. She heard the words as clearly as if he’d said them. Leaning on that bit of strength, she slipped her hand into his and let him pull her to her feet. Hand in hand, they followed Michaelson down the hall to the office. The other detective was there, along with Shannon and a woman Olivia vaguely remembered from the shoot. Shannon looked up when they entered, and her red-rimmed eyes went wide with shock.
“Liv!” Rushing over, Shannon threw her arms around Olivia’s neck. “They said there’d been another murder and they wouldn’t tell me who and I hadn’t seen you.” Her voice hitched and her arms tightened around Olivia.
“I’m here.” Olivia rubbed her back, doing her best to soothe her friend. “I’m right here. I’m fine.”
“I know, I just—I need a minute. God, Liv, I was so fucking scared it was you.”
“It’s not me. I’m right here, Shay.”
“Okay.” Shannon pulled away and wiped at her eyes before slipping an arm around Olivia’s waist. “Okay,” she repeated softly.
James moved to her other side, lending her some more of his strength. God knew she needed it. Even flanked by her husband and her closest friend, she was terrified of the news to come.
Michaelson closed the door and walked to stand by his partner. The pair eyed the small group before Rogers spoke. “This afternoon, we received a call alerting us that Nancy Black had been found dead.”
“This is fucking ridiculous.” The brunette in the corner, the one Olivia only somewhat remembered from the photo shoot, glared at the detectives. “Why haven’t you caught this asshole yet?”
“We’re pursuing all viable leads,” Detective Rogers replied.
The brunette sneered. “By locking us all in a room to tell us someone else has been killed? What the fuck good is that doing?”
“We wanted to alert you all before you heard from the media. And we’d like to urge the three of you,” Michaelson looked around the room, locking eyes with each of the three women, “to be extra vigilant.”
“Great. Some fucking psychopath is out to get us and that’s the best you can do? Be vigilant? I’m out of here.” The brunette—Tracy, Olivia thought her name was—grabbed her purse and strode across the room to the door.
Olivia jumped when the door slammed shut. The detectives shared a look before refocusing on the trio still in the room with them. Rogers spoke first. “Have any of you noticed anything strange since the photo shoot?”
“Like what?” Shannon was finally sounding more like her usual, confident self.
“Anything at all,” Michaelson said. “Anyone paying too much attention to you during a showing or being a little too friendly?”
Olivia looked over at Shannon. Seeing her own answer reflected in her friend’s eyes, she turned back to the detectives. “No. Nothing comes to mind.”
“You’re sure?” Rogers pressed. “Nothing at all? Nobody getting a little handsy or wanting to know too much about you?”
“We already said no,” Shannon snapped.
“Is that all?” The steel in James’s voice was unmistakable. Olivia looked up at him, not in the least surprised to see a muscle twitching in his jaw.
“For now.” Rogers jerked her head toward the office door. “We’ll be in touch. If you think of anything out of the ordinary, anything at all, let us know immediately.”
“We will.” With that, James ushered them out and down the hall, through the front door of the funeral home.
“I can’t believe this.” Standing in the middle of the crowded parking lot, Shannon fumbled in her purse and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. The slender cylinder trembled in her hand as she struggled to light it. “What the fuck is going on?”
“I don’t know.” Leaning into her husband, Olivia pressed her face against his chest. “Why would someone be targeting us?”
“Jealousy? It’s the only thing that makes sense.” Shannon took a long drag off her cigarette and blew the smoke off to the side, careful to keep it out of her friends’ faces.
“I tend to agree.” James ran a soothing hand down Olivia’s back. But despite the gentleness of his touch, she could feel the violence in him, simmering just beneath the surface. “Or someone who has a problem with successful women.”
Flicking ash from the end of her cigarette, Shannon barked out a humorless laugh. “So, half the men in this fucking city? Goddammit, if I get murdered and prove my mom right, I am going to be so pissed.”
Fear wrapped its cold fingers around Olivia’s throat. “Don’t say that. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Trust me, I’m not keen on anything happening to me.” Shannon finished her cigarette and dropped the butt on the asphalt, grinding it to a pulp under the toe of her stylish shoe. There was a tremor in her voice when she spoke again. “I feel like an idiot asking this, but I-I really don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“You can stay with us.” Olivia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Shannon’s neck. “Tonight, tomorrow, as long as you need to feel safe.”
“Thanks.” Shannon’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “But shouldn’t you ask Mr. Sexy first?”
Shit. Shannon had a point. Releasing her, Olivia stepped back and turned to James, who was watching her with a carefully guarded expression. “It’s all right, isn’t it, James? Shannon lives alone and we don’t even know what happened to Nancy.”
The guarded expression softened and a hint of a smile lifted the corners of his lips. “Of course she can stay with us tonight.” He shifted his attention to Shannon. “As long as you need.”
Swamped with relief, Olivia threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered.
“Of course, little one.” Straightening, he turned to Shannon. “Why don’t you go home and grab whatever you need and meet us at our place? Do you have to go back to work?”
Shannon shook her head. “No, and I don’t have any showings or anything scheduled. I’ll meet you guys there in about an hour. And thanks. I know it’s a huge inconvenience.”
“It’s not,” James said firmly. “We’ll see you there.”
After a quick hug for each of them, she took off for her car. James slipped an arm around Olivia’s waist and led her to the passenger door of his SUV and helped her in.
“I’m sorry. I should have asked first,” Olivia said the second he climbed inside and shut the driver’s side door behind him.
“It’s all right, little one. You were upset and worried. I’m not mad.” He started the car and backed out of the parking space. “But I am going to put a plug in your bottom for the rest of the night.”
“What? Why?”
Reaching over, he squeezed her hand. “You have a tendency to forget yourself, and our rules, when Shannon is around.”
It certainly wasn’t the worst punishment. And the way he phrased things, it wasn’t really a punishment at all, so she ignored the instinct to argue. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good girl. When we get home, I want you to go upstairs and wait in your corner.”
Now it definitely felt like a punishment. Pouting, she pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought you weren’t mad.”
“I’m not mad. But I want you to take a few minutes and settle, and think about how much I
love you, and remember that I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
Silence filled the vehicle. Her daddy was waiting for her to answer him, but the words wouldn’t come. On the one hand was resentment. She was a grown woman; she didn’t need a hunk of plastic or metal in her ass to remind her of the danger currently surrounding them.
On the other hand was gratitude. She had a man who loved her, and wanted nothing more than to make sure she was safe and well-loved.
In the end, gratitude and obedience won out. “Okay, Daddy.”
When he looked over, the smile on his face was worth every moment of embarrassment and discomfort that came with wearing a plug. “Good girl.”
* * *
As silly as it was to be embarrassed, she didn’t want to be in her little girl PJs when Shannon came over, so she changed into a pair of soft leggings and an old sweatshirt from college. Standing in the corner of her sweet little bedroom, she pushed the leggings to her knees, along with her panties.
James didn’t keep her waiting long. If she had to guess, she’d only been in the corner about five minutes when he joined her in the bedroom and called for her. Turning away from the wall, she found him sitting in the straight-backed chair from her desk. On the floor, to his right, sat a box and a bottle of lubricant. When she didn’t immediately move from her corner, Daddy lifted a hand and crooked a finger at her. Olivia shuffled to his side, and at his silent command, lowered herself face down over his lap.
He shifted under her, and moments later came the cool spurt of liquid between her cheeks. It never failed to make her jump in surprise, despite knowing it was coming. But Daddy held her easily in place and pushed a finger into her bottom, coating her inner walls with the slick liquid.
“Why are you wearing a plug tonight, little one?” he asked, his tone conversational, like he was asking about the weather and not why he had his finger shoved in her bottom.
“To remind me to behave while Shannon is here.”
When he pushed a second finger inside of her, stretching her, her voice rose to a whine.
“I’ll be good, Daddy, promise!”
“I’m sure you will, little one. But you’ll be extra good with this little reminder in your bottom, won’t you?”
It was pointless to argue, since they both knew the truth. “Yes, Daddy,” she answered with a sigh.
“Good girl. Bear down for me.”
She braced her core, and sure enough, warm rubber replaced his fingers. The plug stretched her, not to the point of pain, but definitely enough so she’d feel it with every movement during the evening.
The fullest part of the plug pushed past her entrance and Olivia winced. “Daddy! Ow!”
“Almost there.” Seconds later, the plug slid home, no longer painful, just mildly uncomfortable. “Such a good girl for Daddy. I think we have time for a quick spanking before anyone gets here.”
“No, we don’t!”
But his hand connected with her bottom despite her pleading. After the third swat, it had become obvious this spanking had nothing to do with punishment. The spanks stung—a lot—but nowhere near what he’d be giving her if she was in trouble.
By the time he finished, Olivia had practically melted over his lap, the stress of the past few days having slipped from her body as the warmth in her bottom had grown.
Stroking her bottom, James asked, “How was that, little one?”
“Mmm. Really nice, Daddy. Do we have time for more?”
The answer to her question came in the form of the front door slamming, and a familiar voice calling their names. “Oh! Let me up, let me up!” Wiggling from his grasp, Olivia slid off his lap and yanked her leggings into place. She ran from the room and down the stairs, where a tall, handsome man stood, waiting to catch her.
“Bryant!” Squealing with delight, she launched herself at him. Despite being twins, Bryant was a couple of inches taller than James, with at least fifty pounds more muscle. “What are you doing here? Did you bring me a present?”
“I live twenty minutes away, you little brat.” He pressed a loud, smacking a kiss to her lips and set her down.
“Aw.” She pushed her bottom lip out in a pout she knew he couldn’t ignore. “But I haven’t seen you in forever!”
Bryant mock glared at her, then at the stairs behind her. “I thought you’d tamed this little brat?”
“I try. What did she do?”
“Acting like I live on another planet and only come around on holidays.”
“You do only come around on holidays!” Olivia protested, crossing her arms and sticking her tongue out at him.
James chuckled. “She has a point, little brother.”
“I’m about to make a point on her bottom. Here.” Bryant bent and picked up a paper bag she hadn’t even noticed sitting on the floor. “Have your present, brat.”
Olivia grabbed the paper bag from his hands and pulled out a bottle of peppermint schnapps—her favorite. “Yummy! I’m going to make a drink. Anyone else?” Without waiting for an answer, she headed for the dining room where they kept a fully stocked liquor cabinet.
“Olivia Jane.”
Her full name, delivered in her daddy’s no-nonsense tone, stopped her in her tracks. Turning back around, she gave him her best sheepish smile. “Yes, Daddy?”
“I let you slide on not asking permission earlier because you were upset. Do I need to go get a larger plug to help you remember the rules?”
Embarrassment heated her cheeks and she shook her head. “No, Daddy, I’ll remember. May I please fix myself a drink?”
“Wait until Shannon gets here and see if she wants a drink. One, Olivia Jane. And not a ‘jumbo’ one, either.”
Jesus, if her cheeks got any hotter, she’d be able to bake cookies on them. “Okay. I’ll just go put this with the other stuff.”
“Good girl.”
Chapter Fifteen
James watched his wife hurry through the entryway to the dining area where they kept the liquor cabinet. When she’d disappeared from sight, he grinned and shook his head.
“Jumbo drinks?” Bryant cocked an eyebrow at him, obviously waiting for the rest of the story.
“Yeah. She went out with Shannon the other night and ‘technically’ only had one drink like she’d been told. But considering she herself confessed that ‘one drink’ was really the equivalent of several margaritas, she earned every bit of the paddling she got the next day.”
“Poor little brat.”
James narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Don’t let her hear you say that.”
“Why not? All the easier to convince her to run away with me,” Bryant shot back with an easy grin.
“Asshole.”
“Jerk.”
James pulled his brother in for a quick, hard hug. Even that short embrace settled him, gave him back some of the strength he’d lost over the past few days. “God, I’ve missed you.”
“I know. I don’t come around enough.”
The pair separated and James punched his twin in his rock-hard shoulder. “You don’t. But Olivia and I haven’t invited you in a while, either. She misses you, too.”
“I know, I know. Jeez, just lay the guilt on me, Mom.” Bryant rubbed at the back of his neck, a habit James recognized since he’d caught himself doing so on more than one occasion when the matriarch of the Monroe family had given him a piece of her mind.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re here now. Thanks for coming, by the way. We need someone who can cut through the bullshit without letting emotions get in the way.”
With a derisive snort, Bryant shook his head. “I’ll do my best, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling some pretty strong fucking emotions about the whole thing. I love her too, you know.”
Olivia waltzed back into the foyer with a distinctly mischievous smile on her face. When she tilted her face up for a kiss, he tasted peppermint on her lips. Well, that explained the smile. His little brat was looking for a spanking. “Oliv
ia Jane Monroe. Did you have a drink after I told you not to?”
Her gaze slid to Bryant and back to him. As much as she tried to look contrite, there was no mistaking the excitement in her eyes. His little girl had a bit of an exhibitionist streak, at least with people she knew and trusted. It was something he didn’t often indulge her in, as he generally preferred to keep her to himself. But if it took her mind off of the horror surrounding them, even for five minutes, he was willing to play along.
“It was just a little sip, Daddy.”
Keeping his gaze stern, he caught her chin in his hand and forced her to meet his eyes. “But you still disobeyed me, didn’t you, young lady?”
“Um. I guess.”
He released her chin and wrapped an arm around her waist, forcing her to bend over. With one arm still holding her in place, he tugged her leggings down enough to bare her still pink bottom. The plug he’d chosen was topped with a bright pink jewel that winked at them from between her bottom cheeks.
“What a cute little plug you have in, Livvy,” Bryant said with a deep chuckle. “Too bad it didn’t do its job, huh?”
“Oh, hush, you!”
James landed several hard swats to her bare bottom that sent her dancing. “Watch your tone, young lady, or I’ll let Bryant have a turn when I’m done.”
Bryant grinned at his declaration. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d gotten to warm Livvy’s bottom, and James knew he wouldn’t turn down a chance to do so again.
“Actually,” James lifted his hand and swatted her bottom a few more times, loving the way she squealed and wiggled with each swat, “I think we need a new rule. If you get punished in front of Bryant, he gets to spank you, too.”
“What? Ouch! That’s not fair!”
After another dozen spanks, James let her up. He cupped her face in his hands and rubbed his thumbs along her heated cheeks. “If you really don’t want Bryant to spank you, just say the word, little one.”
But it wasn’t fear or refusal in her eyes. Oh, no, his little girl was enjoying every second of this. “It’s okay, Daddy. I was really naughty.”