Page 175 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection
“Straight up, if you take away my coffee, I will cut a bitch,” I tell Emily as she sits down across from me with her own breakfast, her own cup of tea, and my appropriated coffee.
“Just make it somewhere I can cover with a bathing suit,” she says breezily.
“I hate you. Give me back my coffee.”
“Peppermint tea is better for you. Drink your tea.”
“Bitch,” I say but I can’t keep the fondness out of my voice. “Like Ten didn’t bully me enough. Aaand I sat here by myself because I want to be alone. Go the fuck away.”
“Sure. Right after I finish my breakfast. Oh, and Daddy will be along in a minute, so, really, after he finishes his breakfast. Aaand if you wanted to be alone, you shouldn’t have stayed for the buffet.” She takes a sip of her own tea. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothin’.” I shovel some eggs into my mouth so I don’t have to answer.
“Uh-huh. I thought Master Ten was going to have an aneurism trying to beat you into subspace last night. You didn’t get there, did you?”
I shake my head. I shouldn’t have agreed to play; shouldn’t even have come to the club since I wasn’t scheduled to work. But the same weirdness that spoiled the scene has been dogging me for a while. I can’t settle anywhere, at anything. I came tothe club because I thought someone would be happy to beat the restlessness out of me.
It didn’t work, and I should be kicking myself for wasting a scene with Ten, but I can’t muster a single fuck this morning.
What the hell is wrong with me? I pined over Ten for a solid year when I first met him. I followed him around like a lost puppy; I gave him my anal cherry and begged for scenes with him on my knees. When did he stop being what I want?
“Whatever it is,” Emily says softly. “I won’t judge.”
She’s such a sweetie.
I reach across the table, take her hand, and squeeze it. “I know you won’t, hon. My head’s all over the place right now.”
“Start with the first thing that’s bothering you.”
“My navel piercing’s infected,” I say, tossing out the thing that’s bothering me the least. Although it is infected. Again. My favorite leather pants catch it exactly wrong and I never remember to take the stupid thing out. I should probably buy new pants, but I love my oxblood leathers. They’re worn in just right. I can feel the leather cupping my ass I sit on this hard, wooden chair that the club’s sadists must have designed purposefully to aggravate sore, subbie bottoms.
Hell no, the navel ring can go before I give up my favorite pants.
“And that’s what you distracted you so badly that even Master Ten couldn’t get you to subspace.” Emily lifts an eyebrow at me.
“Littles aren’t supposed to be snarky,” I tell her.
“Being snarky isn’t against the rules. Unless it’s Daddy. Snark Daddy at your bottom’s peril.” She grins. “Whatsubstantiallymore important things are bothering you?”
“I don’t know.” I take a sip of the tea she’s left me. It’s actually pretty good, but I grimace like I’ve bitten into a lemon anyway. “I just wasn’t feeling it last night. Ten’s probably reallypissed off. He has every right to be. I shouldn’t have agreed to do the scene. I hope I didn’t hurt his feelings.”
Emily breaks into a sweet, low giggle. I love her giggle. Emily’s giggle is like Christmas morning. Nothing bad could possibly survive that giggle.
“You’re assuming Master Tenhasfeelings,” she says.
“Juryisstill out on that.” I lift my cup in acknowledgment of her point. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I was watching you and Logan and I just?—”
“Just what?” Emily asks gently.
“You guys are so gone on each other. It’s kind of disgusting, actually.”
Emily grins, not at all fooled.
“Maybe you need a daddy to smother you in all the feels.”
“Hell to the no. I’d projectile vomit through every scene.”
“If Master Ten isn’t giving you the feels anymore, maybe it’s time to stop doing scenes with him, B,” Emily says, her eyes intent on me. She’s got these huge, hazel eyes, so big she looks like a manga character. She doesn’t wear any makeup; her big eyes are naturally rimmed with thick, dark lashes. I should really hate her.
