Page 29 of Break Me, Daddy

That same pretty blush as before colored her cheeks now. “I didn’t. You just caught me by surprise a bit, is all.”

“Francesca.” He let the warning infuse his words, delighted when she whimpered in response. “I am attempting to be understanding. But if you continue lying to my face, I can promise you are going to have a very uncomfortable evening. Last chance to tell me the truth.”

“Oh my god, you’reimpossible.” Lip pulled up in a sneer, she rolled her eyes. “I wanted to go for a run.”

Whatever answer he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it. “Why the hell would you lie about that?”

“You’ve been so… you know. Helicoptery since I got out of the hospital. I didn’t think you’d let me go.”

Well, he couldn’t exactly deny she had a point. Still, it didn’t excuse her trying to sneak around. “I can’t say for sure I would have been fine with it. But I can tell you that I amabsolutelynot fine with you going the ‘ask forgiveness rather than permission’ route when it comes to your health. The rules we have in place are there for a reason, Francesca. Am I understood?”

“But I feelfine,” she whined, pouting up at him.

“We’ll ask Dr. Winters about it when we see her in the morning. If she signs off on you starting up a more strenuous workout regimen, we can plan something together. I need to get back to the gym anyway.”

“I shouldn’t need your permission just to go for a run. It’s my body.”

Dangerous ground. He didn’t need the spark of defiance in her eyes or the rigid way she held her body to tell him he needed to tread carefully. “You’re right, it is your body. But you also just got out of the hospital because you weren’t treating your body very well, baby. I’m not going to let that happen again, not under my watch.” Gentling his hold, he slipped his hand up to her cheek, dropping his forehead against hers. “It won’t be like this forever.”

“How much longerwillit be like this?”

“Just until you’re feeling better, physically and mentally. Which reminds me, you still haven’t made that appointment with your therapist.” And he’d been letting her slide on that front for far too long.

“I left a message. Nobody’s called me back.”

“Call again tomorrow, and every day until you get an appointment. If you can’t get one by the end of the week, we’ll find you someone new. But you are going to find someone to talk to, Francesca. That is non-negotiable, am I understood?”

“Yes, Daddy,” she grumbled, pouting in a way that just begged for him to lean in and sink his teeth into that full bottom lip.

Which he did, and had the pleasure of hearing her sharp intake of breath before she melted beneath him, sinking into the kiss with a quiet sigh. He kissed her, long and slow, losing himself in the taste of her, the feel of her soft lips giving way to his. Lost himself in her surrender, completely oblivious of the world around them.

A loud cough jolted them both back to the present, where a woman in an expensive jogging suit pushing an even more expensive stroller was glaring at them from the path.

“There arechildrenhere. You two should be ashamed of yourselves.”

He wasn’t, not in the least, but he offered up an apologetic smile anyway. “Sorry, ma’am. Just got a bit carried away.”

“Hmmph. Obviously. Get a room.” Nose in the air, she took off jogging again, her ice-blonde ponytail swinging behind her as she ran.

Stepping back from the tree, Holden held out his hand. “You heard the lady, little siren. Let’s finish this at home.”

With a wide, sultry smile, Frankie took the hand he offered, stepping back onto the path. “Yes, Daddy.”

Chapter11

Frankie

Sitting in the passenger seat of one of Holden’s SUV’s, Frankie stared out the window, looking but not really seeing the scenery passing them by as they made their way to Dr. Winters’ office. Nervous energy had sent her leg bouncing up and down frantically the moment he’d buckled her into the car, and it hadn’t stopped.

“Baby.” Laying his hand on Frankie’s thigh, Holden gave it a gentle squeeze, and the bouncing slowed. “It’s going to be fine. Dr. Winters just wants to check in and see how you’re feeling.”

“I don’t see why we couldn’t have done this over the phone.” It was an argument they’d been having all morning, and she could tell by the way his hand tightened on her thigh that he was growing tired of her whining.

But it didn’t come through in his voice, which was as gentle and patient as ever. “Because she needs to be able to see you to make any judgement calls on whether you’re ready for more vigorous activities.”

The night before flashed into her mind. As he’d promised, he’d taken her back home, where he’d edged her for what had felt like hours until she’d promised to never lie to him again before he’d finally taken her. He’d held back though, just like he’d been holding back ever since she’d gotten out of the hospital and she was sick to death of being treated like a fragile little doll.

So if a visit to Dr. Winters was what it took to convince him she wasn’t going to break from being railed a little too hard, then so be it.

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