Page 31 of Daddy Dreadful (Forbidden Pleasures Island #5)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Millie

I’m vaguely aware of his cock sliding from my bottom, the sound of water running.

But it’s far too much effort to move, so I simply close my eyes and wait for him to come back for me.

Soon, I’m in his arms, being carried to the bathroom where he steps into the tub, lowering us both into the surprisingly hot water.

“Sorry, sunshine, let me cool it off a bit. I didn’t realize it was so hot.”

“No!” With a hum of pleasure, I settle back against him, content to float, literally and metaphorically. “You finally got the temperature right.”

“Really?” Behind me, his chest vibrates with laughter. “You enjoy this? I feel like I’m being boiled alive.”

“Mmm, no, this is perfect .”

“Then I suppose I can tolerate being turned into a lobster for a bit.”

For a long while, he simply holds me as the heat from the water leaches the aches from my muscles. When the water cools enough for me to shiver, Daddy washes me from head to toe, using extra care when he washes my sore bottom hole.

He dries us both, wrapping a towel around me to keep me warm as he carries me to the changing table in his room.

Gripping my ankles in one hand, he lifts my legs high in the air, and even though he’s seen literally every part of me, embarrassment still heats my body as he shines a light on my bottom.

“I don’t see any tearing. But let me know if you have any pain the next time you need to poop.”

“ Daddy .” I shouldn’t even be able to feel humiliation at this stage, after everything he’s done to me, but I cover my face with my hands anyway. “I don’t wanna talk about that!”

“Pooping is perfectly natural, little one. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I know, but it’s different!”

Chuckling at my ridiculousness, he wraps me up in a diaper and lifts me from the changing table, cradling me in his arms as he carries me to my nursery for a fresh change of clothes.

“Well, even if you find it embarrassing, you will tell me if you feel any pain. If I find out you’re keeping anything about your health from me, you won’t sit comfortably for a week. Am I understood, Camilla?”

“Yes, Daddy,” I grumble, dropping my head to his shoulder as he scans the dresses in front of him. He presses a kiss to my forehead, almost absentmindedly, and my heart swells at the sweet gesture.

“Hmm. What do you think, little one? A casual day at home, or should I get my pretty girl dressed up and take her out for breakfast?”

As much as I love the cafe and my pretty dresses, I’m feeling selfish. “I kinda want you all to myself right now. I have to share you with everyone else when you go to work, I don’t wanna share today.”

“Then we’ll stay home.”

“Can I still get dressed up, though?”

“Of course. Whatever my Little girl wants. Within reason,” he adds with a mockingly stern glare. “Which dress would you like?”

“Umm.” Lifting my head, I scan my options, settling on one in a pale pink covered in purple wildflowers. “That one!”

He dresses me, then sets me on my feet so I can twirl in front of the mirror while he calls down to the kitchen for our breakfast. When he’s done, he takes a seat in the glider and pulls me onto his lap. “I think we need to talk, little one.”

Uh-oh. My stomach twists at his serious tone. “Am I in trouble?”

“No, sunshine. Just the opposite. I wanted to ask you… how would you feel about coming back to work with Daddy?”

Excitement zips along my veins, and without thinking I bounce on his lap, then wince at the flash of pain the movement causes.

As much as I’ve enjoyed being his Little girl, I’ve missed working.

I’ve always loved being a nurse, and I especially love being a nurse on our island, surrounded by other Littles and their caregivers.

What I didn’t love was the way Doctor D treated me, however. And I’m not sure our relationship can survive a return to our old normal.

My stomach rolls at the thought of telling him that, but I manage to take a deep breath and gather all my courage. “I want to. I really do. But I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”

“Why not? You love being a nurse, and I don’t want anyone else.”

Hearing him say he doesn’t want another nurse almost crumbles my resistance, but I force myself to stand firm.

“I do love it. But I can’t be your Little girl at home, with you pampering me and spoiling me all the time and then turn around and be your punching bag at work.

I think… I think that might break me, in a way we could never come back from. ”

“Oh, sunshine.” Emotion swims in his eyes as he cups my cheek in his hand. “I’m so very sorry for how I treated you before. But if you agree to come back to work, I give you my word things will be different.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“I can, and I am. Working with you today at the farm, it solidified for me that I don’t want anyone else by my side. Give me a chance to prove you wrong, little one.”

The farm. I really had enjoyed our trip out there, taking care of Penny.

And if I’m being honest with myself, it was different. Even when he snapped at me, he immediately apologized, and he didn’t do it again while we were there.

Will it be perfect? Probably not. He’s likely to slip up, lash out when his patience runs thin. But if it’s like it was at the farm today… I think I can handle that.

“What about a trial run? I’ll come back to work for a month, and at the end of the month we can both decide if I should stay on as your nurse or if you should hire someone else.”

“I think that’s perfectly fair.” Still cupping my face, he leans in, brushing a kiss over my lips. “Thank you for giving me another chance, little one. I promise things will be different this time.”

“If it’s not, does that mean I get to spank you when you’re mean?”

His expression hardens and my bottom instinctively clenches in the face of his disapproval. “Absolutely not, and I don’t think I need to explain what will happen if you try.”

“No, Daddy.”

There must be something seriously broken in me, though, because even with my bottom still aching from his rough treatment just this morning, I already know I’ll be testing that threat the first chance I get.

Donovan

Happy shrieks and giggles pierce the air as our Little ones frolic through the waves. After we finished breakfast, Camilla begged for a trip down to the beach, and before I knew it, the entire family was tagging along.

Which means all her uncles and her Auntie Cat and her friends got a front-row seat to my Little girl getting her bottom spanked bright red after she argued about putting on sunblock.

But even with my handprints still fading on her skin, she seems no worse for wear, laughing and playing with her friends as they run into the crashing waves hand in hand and then back out again when the water nearly topples them over.

Gideon stands at the water’s edge, watching them like a hawk. Of all of us, he seems the most nervous that an errant wave might come along and drag our babygirls out to sea.

“She looks happy.”

Glancing over, I smile at Catharina. She looks like she just walked out of a magazine in her retro-style swimsuit and oversized hat and black sunglasses. Even with her eyes shaded, I can feel her gaze on me, taking my measure as if to be sure I’m living up to my role as Camilla’s Daddy.

“I believe she is. I know I certainly am.”

A knowing smile curves Cat’s lips. “Of course you are. You got what you’ve wanted since she stepped foot on the island.”

“How did you…”

“Please.” Cat waves a dismissive hand. “You men aren’t nearly as mysterious as you like to think. Granted, you held out much longer than I thought you would. I figured you wouldn't last a month with that sweet girl under your nose like that.”

“Was I really that obvious?”

“You were,” Maxwell agrees, with Evander and Jasper chiming in as well.

I’m not sure how I feel about being such an open book, but there’s not really much to be done about it. Determined to change the subject, I cock a brow in Cat’s direction. “What about you? You’re looking rather pleased with yourself this morning?”

Her smile turns wicked. “Oh, I am. Evander’s men came through for me and tracked down my little scam artist. I’ve been talking to her for over a week and things are going… better than I could have asked.”

Before I can press for more details, the sound of my Little girl calling for me distracts me.

Looking over, I spot her running toward me, slipping on the sand with every step, her expression serious. “Daddy! I need you!”

Worry slams into me and in a second, I’m on my feet, making a beeline for her. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Did you step on something? Show Daddy where it hurts, baby.”

“Huh?” Confusion knits her brows together as she stares up at me, but a moment later it clears and she giggles. “I’m not hurt, Daddy. I was coming to tell you I needed to potty.”

“Ah.” Thank god it’s just a bathroom emergency and not a real emergency. “Well, you’re going to need to use your diaper, little one. I don’t have a catheter on me and it wouldn’t be safe to use it on you at the beach anyway.”

Camilla rolls her eyes and my palm physically itches to connect with her wet bottom. “I know that, Daddy. I already did.”

For a moment, I can only stare down at her. “What?”

“I said I needed to potty. As in, I needed to and I did. So I need a new diaper, please.”

The way she says it, so matter-of-factly, as if she hasn’t just rocked my world with this new revelation, stuns me to my core. “You used your diaper.”

“Uh-huh.”

“All on your own. Without me forcing you.”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

Another roll of her eyes, followed by a withering stare. “Because I needed to pee. Why else would I use my diaper?”

“No, I mean.” Closing my eyes, I pinch the bridge of my nose and pray for patience. “For weeks you’ve refused to use it unless I made you. What changed?”

When I open my eyes, she’s smiling up at me, love shining from her bright blue eyes. “You did. I only fought it at first because I wanted that to be something I only shared with my forever Daddy. And that’s you.”

“Camilla…” Hauling her into my arms, I hold her against me, my face buried in her wet hair as emotion threatens to overwhelm me. “My sweet little sunshine. I am so proud of you, little one.”

“Thank you, Daddy. But, um, could you please change me now? It’s kinda uncomfortable.”

“Of course, baby.” But I hold her close another moment, dropping my voice for her ears only. “And as soon as we get home, Daddy is going to teach you what happens to naughty little girls who roll their eyes and sass their Daddies.”

She inhales sharply, her breath hitching. “Is it gonna hurt?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then I can’t wait.”