Page 91 of Break Me, Daddy

Stepping back, he let his hand drop to his side, and she could swear she saw him transform intoDaddyright in front of her eyes. Everything about him was a bit harder, a bit sterner, and it sent a delicious little shiver of fear racing up her spine.

“Take off all your clothes, fold them neatly, and place them at the edge of the stage.”

Well that was easy enough. Except that when she turned, she found all of her friends and their Daddies gathered around the stage, watching. Where had they all come from? Wasn’t Beckett supposed to be at some work event? When had Ice gotten there?

She met Lottie’s gaze and her friend grinned, holding up two thumbs as if in approval.

And then it hit her. They’d set her up.

The question was… Why?

That temptation rose in her again, to turn around and demand answers, but she forced it back down. Holden loved her and wanted the best for her, and so did her friends. So for once in her life she’d just have to trust in that love and do as she was told.

Her nerves settled, at least a bit, as she stripped down to nothing, folding her clothes as she’d been instructed and placing them at the edge of the podium before returning to her Daddy’s side. Pride shone in his eyes as he cupped her face in his hands, lowering his head to capture her lips in a long, slow kiss. There was no urgency, no desperation, not like there had been the other day when he’d kissed her. And unlike the other day, when she’d pulled away because it had all just felt a little wrong, now she sank into the kiss, intohimbecause it felt so completely right.

This was where she was meant to be, every day for the rest of her life. In his arms, being kissed like the rest of the world didn’t exist.

When he lifted his head again, a slow smile curved his lips. “I’m not going to hurt you, not the way you’re probably expecting me to. But I am going to take you to the edge of what you think you can handle and probably further. I’m going to force things on you that you may hate me for in the moment, but I promise it all has a purpose. Do you trust me, little siren?”

She did, more than she’d ever trust another soul, so she nodded.

“One last question. Do I have your consent to make you come?”

Oh, god, yes. Please, Daddy.

Another silent nod.

“My sweet girl,” he murmured, brushing another kiss over her lips. “I know you think you don’t deserve me, but you’ve got it all twisted. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you. I’ve fucked this up at every turn, but starting now I’m going to do whatever it takes to be the man you deserve.”

You’re already so much more than I deserve.

But since he’d already made it clear she wasn’t allowed to talk, and because she knew those words would only piss him off, she kept them to herself as he helped her up onto the cross. Lifting her arm, he captured one wrist in the metal shackle attached to the top of one bar before moving to the other. Leaving her exposed and helpless, staring out at the small crowd in front of the podium.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, tracing a finger down the length of her arm, and her body trembled in response. “Stunning, really. Sometimes, when you’re sleeping, I just look at you. So beautiful and perfect in my bed. But you know what the most beautiful thing about you is, Francesca?”

Uncertain if she was allowed to answer verbally, she shook her head. The slight smile he’d been wearing widened as he reached into his pocket. Fear and excitement slammed into her, a delicious mixture that sent her heart racing and made her head a bit light as she wondered what he might have in store for her.

But it wasn’t some pocket-sized torture device. It was… a marker?

Pulling the top off, he pressed the cool, wet tip to her breast and she watched in fascination as he drew it along her skin. “Your heart, baby. You have such a big, beautiful heart. You love so hard and so fiercely, and everyone around you is a better person for just being in your orbit.”

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the center of the heart he’d just drawn on her skin. And her actual heart, the one in her chest, nearly skidded to a stop.

Was this the scene? Him telling her everything he loved about her and drawing random things on her skin?

Before she could decide if she wanted to risk a punishment by breaking the ‘No Talking’ rule to ask, he turned and held the marker out to the audience. “Lottie, you’re up next.”

Chapter33

Frankie

Lottie? What the actual hell was going on?

Determined to be a good girl and keep her mouth shut, she watched as her oldest, closest friend climbed the steps to the podium to take the marker from Holden even as panic gripped her, squeezing her lungs so tightly she could barely breathe. Having Holden tell her how much he loved her while he drew all over her skin had sounded like a fun little game.

But this? She wasn’t sure how she felt about whateverthiswas that was happening right now.

Then Holden sank to his knees in front of her and for a moment, the rest of the world faded away. There was only her, and her impossibly large, impossibly strong Daddy. Kneeling in front of her.

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