Page 198 of Little Sunshine

Mila and I may have been married, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t still her Daddy. Or that I didn’t take that job seriously. My rules hadn’t grown lax over time. If anything, I’d gotten stricter.

Because I knew what I had was valuable. Precious. I would live and die to protect her.

Even from herself.

Not much had changed about our daily lives. She still came to one of the resorts with me more often than not. If Juliet was there, they hung out. If she wasn’t, Mila either stayed in the penthouse to work on her online courses, or she hung out with her other best friend.

Miles.

When I’d asked him to walk Mila from the elevator to the arena on the one and only fight night she’d attended, I’d hoped the tiny nudge would be enough to show her that he didn’t harbor any judgment or hostility toward her. I hadn’t wanted her to continue avoiding him until her insecurities tied her in knots.

That was my job.

I hadn’t anticipated that they’d bond over architectural history.

Since she’d known Juliet and Miles would both be there, I’d been surprised when Mila had asked to stay home instead. And after a long-ass day, I’d been counting down the fucking seconds till I got home. I’d expected to find my sunshine tied to the bed where she was supposed to be.

But as I stood in our empty bedroom, she was missing.

“Little girl, you better get your ass out here.”

Nothing.

“If you come out now, I’ll go easy on you.”

Not even a creak.

After changing out of my suit and into a pair of basketball shorts, I checked the bathroom. I opened the closet door, but the light was off, so I knew she wasn’t in there. I moved through the rest of the house.

Not in the loft.

Not the living room or kitchen.

Not in the guest rooms, the gym, game room, or my office.

Leaning over my desk, I brought up the outdoor security cameras on my monitors, but she wasn’t outside, either.

“Where the fuck could she be?” I whispered to myself.

I backtracked up to our room, but nothing looked out of place.

Nothing except my missing wife.

“If you don’t come out right now, you won’t be coming at all,” I shouted.

That usually did it, but at the stretching silence, the first hint of apprehension hit my gut.

Is she not here?

With no other choice, I brought out the worst punishment—in her mind, at least.

“Camila Cooper, show yourself right now, or Daddy isn’t even going to fuck you. I’ll jack off and come on your sweet little pussy instead.”

“Eek.”

At the quiet noise, I rushed to the door just in time to see Mila round the corner at the end of the hall.

That’s why I couldn’t find her hiding spot.

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