Page 33

The texts had started, one per hour, roughly an hour and a half after they had stopped at Sev’s house. Yesterday they’d come every thirty minutes. Now someone was texting her every fifteen minutes. From the same number in under forty-eight hours.

How could he have missed her getting that many texts? They’d been together for most of that time. One look at her settings told him all he needed to know. She’d turned her phone to silent and turned down the brightness so he wouldn’t notice. She'd been hiding them from him, keeping them secret.

Secrets got people killed. He evidently needed to make a stronger point than he’d made before. “Even if you thought these texts weren't important, you should have told me about them. What is our rule about lying?”

Tildi stared at the floor. “We never lie. Not by saying something untrue or by not saying a truth that needs to be told.”

Remorse rang in her every word, but that wasn’t going to get her out of sitting on a sore ass for a day or two. “So tell me, little girl, if you know the rule by heart, why would you keep these texts from Daddy?”

Her breath hitched. She didn’t look up when she answered his question. “I don’t know. I just hoped they were for someone else.”

“Hope won’t keep you safe, babygirl. You know better than anyone what Nico is capable of.”

To be fair, he could understand why she hoped the texts weren’t meant for her. She’d been through hell the past year and wanted it to be behind her. The texter had never mentioned her name or any specific details of what she’d endured. With all that, he could see her trying to convince herself they were from some random debt collector. It was a very Little thing to do.

But it wasn’t as if debt collectors who harassed a person by blowing up their phone with texts weren’t dangerous. That wasn’t their typical MO anyway. More likely it would have been some low life, scum sucking loan shark. And picturing what that kind of man could do to his Little girl scared the shit out of him. That pissed him off even more.

“Tell me something, bluebell. What would you have done if whoever is texting you showed up in person? Today's technological advances make that more than possible.”

“I didn’t know that, Daddy. I guess I thought they couldn’t get onto the ranch.”

He needed to dial it down. He wanted her to be careful, not terrified. “I just need you to be safe, babygirl. The truth is, you have no idea who this is, do you?”

Still fixing her gaze on the floor, she shook her head. “N-no, Daddy.”

He couldn’t stand not touching her. Stepping closer, he lifted her to sit on the table again and held her close. “You don’t need to worry about anyone getting to you on the ranch. I’m glad you feel safe here because you are. And now that I know about the texts, I’ll take care of whoever is making them. What you need to focus on is how you received threatening messages and didn't come to me. I can’t keep you safe from threats I don't know exist. That has to be as important to you as it is to me, so we’re on the same page when it comes to your safety. It is never okay to keep things from Daddy. Not ever. Got me?”

This time he got a slow nod. “Yes, Daddy.” She said she understood, but evidence suggested she didn’t.

“Good, let’s go then.” He took her hand to lead her from the laundry room, but she resisted. Little girl, the last thing you need to do right now is give me more reasons to punish you by defying me.”

“Um, where are we going?”

The high pitch of her voice told him she already knew the answer to that question. “We’re going to our room now, little girl. When we get there, I’m going to put you over my knee, pull down your panties, and spank your naughty little backside until it’s as red and glowing as Rudoph’s shiny nose.”

She shivered at his words, but she also pressed her thighs together. That was exactly where he wanted her, anxious and excited. “But I said I’m sorry Daddy. I won’t keep anything from you again.”

“I believe you. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences to your actions. Before I'm finished, you’ll knowbeyond a shadow of a doubt what my position is on keeping secrets from Daddy, especially where threats to your safety are concerned. The only question is where that lesson is going to take place. I was going to take you to our room so we could have some privacy. But if you would rather get your spanking in the laundry room here, where everyone will know you’re getting your bottom roasted, you just keep resisting Daddy.”

Eyes wide, she shook her head. “I don’t want to get a spanking here, Daddy.”

“That’s good, babygirl. Now let’s go.”

Once they were back in the bedroom he shut and locked the door. No one would interrupt them, but she didn’t know that. He didn’t want her to worry about someone coming in.

Crossing to the desk by the wall, He pulled out the sturdy wooden chair and placed it in the center of the bedroom. There was nothing to get a naughty Little girl into the proper frame of mind for a punishment like a wooden chair.

Tildi stood with her back to the fireplace, watching him with wide eyes. He wasn’t sure warming her ass by the fire was a good idea, her ass would soon be more than warm enough. Crooking his finger, he then pointed to the floor in front of him.

She dragged her feet, inspecting the floor intently as she inched her way to him. He wasn’t going to complain because that was the only thing that kept her from seeing his lips twitching. After all, teaching her a lesson regarding her safety was serious business.

With the Cosa Nostra after them, she had to keep her guard up. But still, if there was anything that spoke to his Daddy side, it was watching his Little putting off a punishment as long as possible.

She planted her feet in front of him, hands clasped behind her bottom, and twisted side to side. Still inspecting her shoes, she mumbled, “I know I should have told you about the texts. It’sjust, everything here is so new and so wonderful… I didn’t want anything to spoil it. I know you don’t like secrets, but do you really think those texts were meant for me?”

“You’re right, I don’t like secrets. And yes, bluebell, I don’t just think the texts are for you. I know they are.”

That got him her eyes, but she took a small step back. “How do you know?”