Page 133 of Melt For Us, Daddy
She hadn’t considered that. This whole time she’d thought of herself as just someone caught up in everything happening to Cordelia and Jacob, rather than part of it. But now, seeing it through her Daddy’s eyes, fear crept up her spine, wrapped icy fingers around her heart. “You really think he might do that?”
“I do. Which is why it’s so important for you to follow Holden’s rules.”
“You won’t get any argument from me, then.” She’d already been planning to follow them, but knowing she could be an actual target…
Yeah. She’d be following every single rule, order, whatever they gave her.
“That’s my good girl.” Frowning slightly, Cordelia tapped Ivy’s chest, just below her neck. “You forgot something, blossom.”
It took a moment for her to realize, and when she did, her hand went to her throat. “Sorry. I didn’t want to wake you two and I didn’t really have time to get used to the new routine before we… Sorry,” she repeated with a shake of her head. “I’m making excuses.”
“No, baby. You’re making very valid points. We didn’t have time to settle into the new routine and now there’s a whole other person for both of us to consider. We’ll figure it out. For now, go get your collar and bring it to me. I put it in its usual spot when we were getting ready for the club last night.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Hurrying back to their bedroom, she slipped inside, careful not to wake their sleeping boy as she lifted her necklace from its stand on Cordelia's nightstand. Already, she felt steadier as she carried it back to the kitchen to hand it off to her Daddy.
“Thank you, blossom. On your knees.”
She would have done so anyway, since that was how they’d always completed this part of their morning ritual. But hearing the words still did something to her, tapped into some deep, primal part of her psyche that had her feeling even more submissive than usual.
Sinking to the floor, she lowered her gaze to Cordelia’s bare feet, her toes painted the same bright pink she almost always chose. It was one of those little things, the consistency of it, that Ivy loved about her.
“Eyes on me, baby.”
Another step of the ritual, another bit of comfort. And when her Daddy clasped the necklace around her neck, Ivy nearly sighed with happiness.
“Much better,” Cordelia murmured, cupping Ivy’s face in her hand. “I love you, Ivy Mae. So fucking much.”
“I love you, too. May I get up and finish making breakfast?”
“Yes, baby.”
Rocking back on her heels, she pushed up to her feet, once again humming happily to herself as she made her Daddy’s coffee and breakfast. When she finally settled at the table with her own tea and plate of food, she watched as Cordelia scooped up a forkful of eggs.
“Should we get Jacob a collar?”
Pausing with the fork halfway to her mouth, Cordelia lifted her gaze, one eyebrow arching upward. “I suppose that depends on what he wants.”
“He wants us. He told us so.”
“I know. I just… don’t want him to feel trapped. Collaring someone isn’t a commitment I take lightly.”
Ivy raised her hand to her own throat, letting her fingertips brush over the rainbow-colored stones that resided there. “I know what it means to wear your collar, Cordelia.”
“You do. Which is why you should understand it’s not something we can just spring on him.”
“You didn’t ask me before you bought me this.”
With a hum of agreement, Cordelia lifted one shoulder. “That was different. I knew from the first time I spanked you that you were meant to be mine. And you weren’t as… innocent as he is.”
A smile tugged at Ivy’s lips. “He’s not nearly as innocent as he was a month ago.”
“You know what I mean, Ivy Mae.”
“I do. But just like you knew I was meant to be yours, I know he’s meant to be ours. I can feel it in my bones, Dee.”
Leaning back in her chair with a sigh, Cordelia shook her head. “I can’t even think about this with everything else hanging over our heads. Once his father is behind bars where he belongs, we can revisit the issue. Okay?”
