Page 24 of Daddy’s Oath (The Daddy Guard #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

The following morning, Lana was sitting at the kitchen table with Iris, eating pancakes Kendrick had made.

“You make the best pancakes, Uncle Kendrick,” Iris told him.

He was still over the stove, flipping flapjacks. “Glad you like ‘em, sweetie. You be sure and eat plenty. I bet you’ll have a full day at Auntie Athena’s. You’ll need lots of energy.”

“Yes, sir,” Iris said.

Lana was a little surprised at how much more obedient and demure Iris was this morning. She assumed she’d gotten her bottom reddened last night, too. That certainly had a way of settling one down.

“Are you going to go to Auntie Athena’s today, too?” Iris asked Lana.

“Yes. I think so. Ace has some stuff going on with my case and I know he won’t let me tag along.”

Kendrick appeared with another plate of pancakes.

He placed them in the middle of the table and said, “You’re right about that.

We’re all going to be out in the field. We need you cuties somewhere we know you’re safe.

Athena’s is the best spot.” He eyed the pancakes he’d just sat down.

“Eat some more. I need to go get ready.”

After he left, Iris said, “You want to be with Ace really bad, huh?”

“Yeah. I guess I can’t hide it.”

Iris took another bite and shook her head while she chewed.

Once she’d washed it down with a gulp of milk, she said, “I wish we could sneak around and follow them. But I probably need to stay out of trouble.” She was bashful as she added, “I’ve kind of…

you know… gotten in my fair share of it lately.

” A slight giggle accompanied the admission.

“More than normal?” Lana asked.

“Well, there really wasn’t a normal for me until I ended up with Jack,” Iris explained. “But now that I’m not having to worry about what I’m going to eat and stuff I have more energy to be… well… I’m sort of naughty.”

The girls both giggled.

“But I need to stay on the straight and narrow today,” Iris added. “You probably should, too. We don’t want another spanking. Besides, the guys are right. They’re trying to keep you safe. We should probably stay away and let them work.”

“I admire your maturity.” Ace’s statement caused both Littles to jump slightly.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said as he walked to the table. “How are those pancakes?”

“Perfect! Fluffy and just the right consistency,” Lana replied.

“Good. Pancakes are one of Kendrick’s specialties,” Ace said.

After turning his attention to Lana, he told her, “I’m going to be in the garage loading the van.

We’ll leave in about forty-five minutes or so.

Drop you off at Athena’s on our way.” Bending down, he planted a kiss on her forehead.

“And you be a good girl and listen to Little Iris. It sounds like she’s giving good advice this morning. ”

Watching him go, Lana wished the previous night had turned out differently.

It wasn’t that it was bad. She’d just fallen asleep early.

Playing all day had been exhausting. And then the spanking had zapped what little energy she’d had left.

That was disappointing because she’d wanted to do other things with Ace.

But snuggling close to him as she’d drifted asleep was good, too.

Now, though, a dreadful thought kept running through her mind: what if something happened to Ace today? What if they never had a chance to be together?

She tried to dismiss such an awful idea. Ace and the Guard knew how to do all this. It wasn’t their first rodeo, so to speak.

He’d been a cop for years. She remembered him telling her about how he’d flown helicopters and stuff. That had to be far more dangerous. Right?

But she knew her stepfather. He was a ruthless man who led an equally ruthless gang. The thought of them hurting Ace made her sick to her stomach.

“You okay?” Iris asked.

“Yeah. Sorry. Just… thinking.”

As if knowing exactly what was on her mind, Iris reached across the table and put a hand atop Lana’s. “Ace will be okay. He has the other Guard members backing him up. And even if he didn’t, Ace is tough! Like, one of the toughest.” She grinned. “Next to my Daddy, of course.”

Both women giggled.

“You’re right,” Lana said. “Ace will pull through. I just wish I could be with him a little bit this morning. But I know he needs to handle all this. I mean, he’s doing it for me. I shouldn’t complain.”

Iris left her hand on Lana’s a moment longer. “I get it. But you know, you could go be with him right now. While he loads the truck.”

Lana wondered what exactly her new friend meant by that. While she was worried about Ace, she was also wanting to be with him for… other reasons. Perhaps the two were connected, too. Subconsciously, perhaps she feared Daddy would be hurt and they would never have a chance to…

She told herself to stop thinking thoughts like that.

But Iris was right. Ace wasn’t gone yet. There was still time to go see him.

“I think I’m finished with breakfast,” she said, standing up.

Iris had a knowing look in her eyes. “I’ll get your dishes.”

“I can?—”

“Go catch your Daddy before he goes.”

Lana gave her a nod of appreciation. “You’re the best.”

She was almost to the back door when Iris called out. “Hey, Lana?”

Turning, Lana said, “Yeah?”

“You might want to brush your teeth first. I have a feeling I know what you’re about to do.”