Page 27 of Double Daddies
“You’re right. Do you know why I’m such a hardass, especially when it comes to our princess?”
“Why?”
“Because Little girls learn best with structure. Discipline. Boundaries. What happens when she decides to run again and we’re not around to stop her? What if she hurts herself? What if someone else hurts her because we decided to let it go ‘just this once’?”
Byron’s expression softens and he takes a step forward, reaching for me. “You can’t punish her because you’re afraid of what might happen.”
“I’m not. I’m punishing her because she broke the rules.”
“There were extenuating circumstances.”
“Maybe. But she still needs to know there are consequences, even when she’s feeling upset. Evenmorewhen she’s feeling upset. She needs to be able to trust us, so that when she’s too upset to think clearly she knows that our rules are absolute.”
Sighing, he scrubs a hand over his face. “You’re right. I know you’re right. It just breaks my heart to have to hurt her after everything she went through today. And I guess it sort of feels like it’s our fault. We put her in that class, we put her in a position to be bullied and made fun of. It feels wrong to punish her when it was at least partly our fault.”
Because his words echo my own previous thoughts, I can’t really argue. “I don’t disagree. So maybe we compromise.”
A ghost of a smile plays on my boy’s lips. “You? Compromise? Do you even know what that word means?”
“I know that you are gunning for a very sore ass inside and out tonight if you keep sassing me.”
Now he does glance down, the color in his cheeks darkening. “Sorry, Sir.”
“And for your information, yes, I do know what compromise means. That's why I generally don’t indulge in it.”
“Now who’s being sassy?” he grumbles.
“Still you, boy. Would you like to hear my offer, or would you prefer I take care of our little princess myself and then give you the attention you so obviously need from me?”
Looking properly chastised, he lifts his gaze back to mine. “I want to hear your compromise, Sir.”
“Good boy. Our Little girl needs a punishment, but more than that, she needs to understand who we are. Whosheis to us. She needs to understand that our claim on her is complete and absolute, so that the next time she feels the urge to run, she will remember to runtoher Daddies instead of away from us.”
A small smile curves my boy’s lips. “I’m listening.”
Chapter Twelve
Nicky
It feels like forever standing there, facing the stupid boring corner. My legs are starting to ache and I just want to get on with whatever punishment my Daddies have planned.
“All right, princess. Come here.”
Okay, maybe I’m not quite as ready to get on with it as I thought. Because the sound of Daddy Ezra’s firm voice roots me to the spot, unable to even turn around to look at him.
“Nicole Marie. Do not make me ask you again.”
My heart is beating so fast and hard I swear I can hear it as I force myself to slowly turn around and face my Daddies. My very stern-faced, disappointed Daddies.
Daddy Ezra crooks a finger, beckoning me over, and I drop my hands with a sigh as I cross the room, my shiny black Mary Janes dragging across the hardwood floor with every step.
When I stop in front of them, Daddy Ezra grips my chin in that way he has that never fails to make the butterflies in my stomach go crazy and forces my head up to look at him. “Do you know why you’re in trouble, little one?”
“Because I pushed Cassie down?”
“That’s one reason. What else?”
“Um. I tried to take my diaper off. And then I said lotsa naughty words.”
