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“Now, let’s get you settled before Nate comes looking for both of us, shall we?”

Chyanne shrugged an irritable shoulder, but gestured for him to lead the way.

Part of his daddy hackles told him not to trust this show of compliance, but the other part told him to at least give her the chance to prove him wrong. So he did.

And much to his surprise, she followed him out the door, across the lawn, and to the building where her room was. He held the door open for her and she went inside, once again without a word.

She didn’t say a thing as they went up the stairs and stopped at the door.

He used his key to open it and once more held the door open.

“This… this is it?” She hesitated, eyeing the dark room. She was no doubt thinking about what she had coming once they went inside.

“Yep.” He reached around her and flicked on the light switch, illuminating the room. “Come on in.”

Chyanne took tiny shuffles inside the door, looking this way and that the entire time. When he let the door close behind her with a bang, she jumped and whirled.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize it would be that loud.”

She grabbed her chest, breathing hard, and he couldn’t help but wonder if her reaction was more about the upcoming punishment.

“No one is going to hurt you, Chyanne,” he felt compelled to reassure her.

She laughed, but it was not a nice sound. “Ha. That’s not what you told me back in the office withhim. So, either you lied to him, or you’re lying to me now. Which is it?”

Geez, this little firecracker really needs her ass tanned.Still, he maintained his calm as he replied, “Hisname is Nate, and you will speak respectfully to everyone at Discipline Ranch, at all times. Got it?”

Her brow furrowed as she scowled.

He reached around her and smacked the seat of her jeans so hard, she jumped.

“Hey!” she screeched, both hands clasping her backside.

“I said,got it?”

He wasn’t sure if she was responding to the extra authority he packed into that question or the resounding spank he’d given her, but she nodded.

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” he demanded.

“Yes… sir.”

That last word was a whisper, but he nodded. “Good.”

Chandler moved around her and pulled the lone chair out of the corner and took a seat. Then he patted his knee, looking at her meaningfully. He couldn’t help but notice her hard swallow.

Now, instead of the blustering, brash girl he’d been in the company of for the last hour, she was folding into herself, as though trying to be as small as possible. With her pale skin—made more so by her red hair—and anxious green eyes, she looked… scared.

Not little-girl-about-to-go-over-Daddy’s-knee scared, but truly frightened.

Chandler had things to do, and people he had to talk to before he could completely buckle into his new responsibility. This punishment was just an item that had to be ticked off the list.

Or, it had been until he saw the look in her eyes. It cried out to his daddy heart and had all other responsibilities fading to the back of his mind.

“Chyanne, come here.”

She inhaled shakily, then shook her head.