Page 14 of Bash

She played with her hair as she thought it over. “Yes, Sir.”

Someone knocked on the door and she jumped at the unexpected sound.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s just Smoke,” I soothed, hating she’d been scared even momentarily. “There’s nothing here you need to be afraid of, okay?”

“Yes, Sir,” she answered, taking a deep breath and blowing it out.

“Bash, hurry the fuck up. This shit is heavy!” Smoke yelled from outside.

Laughing, I rushed to let him in. I took a few bags from him and he followed me into the kitchen.

“Just set them on the counter,” I told him.

Allyson’s eyes grew wide as we started to unpack the groceries. “Sorry, Allybaby, I didn’t have much food in the house,” I explained, “so Smoke helped me out and ran to the store for me.”

“Let me get you some money to help pay for this,” she said, trying to scoot her butt off the chair.

“You better not move, Little girl,” I warned.

She froze, and I winced, instantly feeling guilty for speaking so harshly when she’d just wanted to help. The reason I’d reacted so strongly was because I knew where her urge to pay was coming from—her fear of being a burden to those around her.

I set the plate with her toast in front of her. “Eat, baby.”

She averted her eyes and played with the hem of my shirt.

“Allybaby?”

Biting her lip, she looked up at me.

“I needed groceries for you. I don’t want you to eat the same fast-food junk that I do. You don’t owe me any money for them. It is my pleasure to take care of you. It makes my Daddy heart really happy.”

She nodded.

Smoke sat beside her on a stool and propped his head in his hands. “I want toast.”

“You gotta say please,” Allyson corrected.

“I want toast, please,” he corrected.

Allyson shrugged and nodded. “That was a little better.”

I added another piece of toast to the pan and fixed Allyson a sippy cup of grape juice.

“Thank you,” she said, flushing as she took several sips.

“I want fucking juice too.”

Allyson blinked several times and her mouth opened in disbelief. “You needa use manners, Smoke!”

I smiled watching them bicker back and forth, elated that her Little had come out to play again. Smoke was good at easing a Little out of their comfort zone. He was more soft-spoken and patient than I was.

“Please, give me juice now,” Smoke tried, taunting her.

She facepalmed and shook her head.

I handed Smoke a cup of black coffee, knowing that’s what he really wanted.

“About time,” he said, making Allyson dissolve into a fit of Little girl giggles.

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