Page 73 of Ruin Me, Daddy

ICE

It hadn’t taken him long to realize he owed Braden a big fucking apology. Possibly Killian as well, but he wasn’t quite ready to make nice with him just yet. He still wasn’t over the image of his woman clinging to the arm of a literal mob boss, ready to walk into a room with him. Alone.

Pushing aside the fury that particular image whipped up, he pressed the doorbell beside Braden’s large blue front door. The robin’s-egg color was new, and it reminded him very distinctly of a certain jewelry company well known for their little blue boxes.

He had a feeling that wasn’t a coincidence.

Said door swung open a few seconds later, revealing a bright-eyed Lottie. “Ice! What are you doing here? Is Silver with you?” Rising up on her tiptoes, she peeked around him, her bottom lip immediately puffing out into a pout. “I don’t see her.”

“She’s still sleeping. You’ll be lucky to hear from her before one.” Not just because she was a late sleeper, but because he’d put considerable effort into wearing her out the night before.

“Dammit. I need a reason to get out of the house.” She rolled her eyes upward. “Daddy’s in a mood.”

“Yeah…” Ice flashed her an apologetic smile. “That’s probably my fault. We had a bit of a… ah… disagreement last night.”

“I wondered if it was something like that. I thought maybe it was Uncle Damian or Uncle Desmond because nobody makes Daddy as mad as they do. Guess that makes you family.” Sighing heavily, she turned and gestured for him to follow her into the house. “Come on in.”

Ice swallowed a laugh as he trailed behind her. “You call his brothers ‘Uncle’?”

The smile she shot over her shoulder was pure brat. “Oh yeah. I started it mostly as a joke but I’m afraid it’s kind of stuck. Once Tania got wind of it, there was no turning back. It drives them crazy.”

He imagined it did. And he imagined Braden not-so-secretly loved watching his babygirl torment his brothers.

Lottie paused outside a closed door, giving it a perfunctory knock before shoving it wide open. “Daddy, Ice is here to see you. I’ll be… anywhere else. Bye!” Without bothering to wait for a response, she spun on her heels, clearly ready to make a break for it.

“Charlotte.”

It was all Ice could do not to burst out laughing at the face Lottie pulled before she turned back around. “Yes, Daddy?”

From behind his oversized desk, Braden raised an eyebrow as he crooked a finger at her. With another dramatic sigh, Lottie dragged herself over to stand beside him.

Braden rose to his feet, capturing his babygirl’s chin between his fingers and nudging her head back. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Out,” Lottie replied with more than a little sass.

“Where?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll try to talk Frankie into taking a study break and going to brunch or something.”

“We’ve discussed this, Charlotte. If Frankie needs to study, you need to let her.”

“Pretty sure there’s such a thing as too much studying.”

“Charlotte.”

Her name was clearly a warning, and Lottie sighed in response. “Yes, Daddy. I won’t bug her.”

“Good girl. What are your other rules?”

“No more than two drinks, and remember my budget. You don’t have to remind me every time, you know. I’ve been really good about my spending.”

“You have been a very good girl, Lottie-bug.” Leaning down, Braden claimed her lips in a kiss so tender, Ice had to cast his gaze to the ceiling to avoid feeling as though he’d walked in on something private. “Go have fun. And be good.”

Braden released his hold on her, sending her on her way with a playful swat to her bottom. With a squeal and a giggle, Lottie rushed past Ice, all but running for the front door.

Still standing behind his desk, Braden watched Ice, any trace of amusement having vanished from his expression with Lottie’s exit. “Elias. Come to criticize how I run my club again? Or, perhaps since you’re in my home, you’re looking to give me your opinion on how I deal with my submissive?”

“No.” Well, no point in putting it off. “I came to apologize.”

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