Page 26 of Daddy’s Pursuit (The Daddy Guard #1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Well, you three look adorable!” Auntie Athena said. “Where are you cuties going?”

“Just out and about for some Little fun,” Macy answered.

Night had fallen and the girls had applied extra makeup, teased their hair into bouncing curls, and were wearing obviously Little outfits, though leggings covered their diapers just in case they had to stop for some reason between the nursery and their destination.

“One of our friends is having a party,” Elena explained.

More guilt gripped Iris. That wasn’t exactly true.

This wasn’t just some get-together planned by someone they knew.

But the dishonesty was necessary. Auntie would want to know more if she knew what they were really up to.

She might even call Jack and tell him. Then Iris wouldn’t have the money she needed and…

Forcing her mind to stop its doom-spiraling, she smiled and said, “It’s going to be so much fun!”

She hoped the excitement seemed genuine.

Why was she nervous anyway? Sure, she hated lying. But once she got to the party she would truly enjoy herself. There was a pool and other Littles. What more could she ask for?

Daddy.

That’s what she could ask for. Or rather who .

But he was working late, anyway. Hanging out with him wasn’t an option. She loved hanging out with Auntie Athena, but that wouldn’t earn any money.

This way, she would get to have fun while getting some income.

It was a win/win.

“Well, I know sometimes Littles like to put down their juice boxes and enjoy some adult beverages,” Auntie said. “So, ladies, do you promise to drink responsibly?”

“Yes, Auntie,” the trio answered.

“And if you have one too many—if you even suspect you’re the tiniest bit tipsy—you’ll call me or Auntie Caroline?”

“Yes, Auntie.”

Athena nodded. “Good. Because if I find out you drove when you should not have, I’ll spank your bottoms so hard you won’t sit down for a week.” She looked even more serious as she continued. “And do not, under any circumstances, leave your drinks unattended. Watch each other’s backs. Got it?”

“Yes, Auntie,” they promised.

With a smile, she added, “Now, go have fun. Safe fun.”

The Littles hugged her before skipping out the front door.

Trevon, having overheard the conversation, called out, “And if anyone messes with you, call your Uncle. I’ll be there fast!

You heard what Auntie said about your drinks.

Someone tries to slip something in and I’ll bust through the wall and bash some heads.

Anyone tries anything, I’m coming for them! So just call if you need me.”

“Yes, Uncle Trevon,” Elena hollered back.

The Littles kept skipping right out the gate and to Macy’s car.

The house was a sprawling, multi-level mid-century modern home that had been kept up well, even if its early 1960s aesthetic still shone brightly.

Built on the side of the mountain like so many homes on Mulholland, it was somewhat disjointed but designed in a way that still made it accessible. Somehow, it just worked, Iris thought.

Music was being pumped through speakers positioned at various points.

People stood in the driveway, on the porch, in the main living room, and even in the hallways and the kitchen.

Iris assumed there were people in the bedrooms, too, but she didn’t want to find out firsthand.

They were probably in there for a certain reason, and she wanted to give them privacy.

She sure didn’t want some guy hitting on her, thinking she was looking for that .

Daddy was the only man for her.

In the living room, an inflatable pool had been placed in the center, filled with silver and clear plastic balls. Women wearing only diapers and angel wings were inside of it, splashing or dancing, their breasts hanging free and swaying with their movements.

Iris knew she couldn’t go that far. She didn’t judge. Those women owned their own bodies. They could show them off to whomever they chose to. But that wasn’t for her. She was already feeling exposed with her diaper visible.

“The Mamas and the Papas partied at this house!” Macy called over the music as she led Iris and Elena through the crowd. “The Beach Boys, too. Or that’s what I’ve heard. How cool is that?”

“That’s wild,” Elena yelled back.

The space was so dense with people that a few accidentally bumped into Iris as she tried to wade through them. That nervousness she’d felt earlier was growing stronger, roiling around in her stomach and making her hands shake.

Perhaps it was just that this was a new experience. She’d never been to a party before.

Whatever the reason, she suddenly found herself wishing she was with Daddy. Or Auntie.

“Want to go to the pool?” Macy asked.

“Huh?” Elena said.

“The pool! Want to go to the pool?”

The music was really thumping now. Iris wasn’t sure she’d swim, but the pool might be a little quieter at least. “Sounds good to me.”

They trio made their way through the house, into the kitchen, and then out the backdoor. The throng extended out there, but it wasn’t quite as thick.

Littles in bathing suits splashed loudly in the pool. The lights beneath the water shone up to the surface, casting the space in an otherworldly glow. A few young women wore nothing but swim diapers as they took turns jumping off the diving board.

As the trio stopped in front of the only cluster of chaise lounges that were unoccupied, Macy asked, “Want to put our swimsuits on?”

That uneasiness still had ahold of Iris. She looked at the pool as she considered her options. A voice inside her head yelled at her to leave. But then she remembered the money.

Macy had explained on the way over that the party’s host walked through toward the end of the festivities, about midnight, doling out the cash.

Could she hold out that long?

Possibly. She needed to.

That money sure would come in handy. It would allow her to pay her own way and stop taking advantage of Auntie Athena.

And perhaps the water would calm her.

“Sure,” she said. “But I didn’t bring one.”

Macy took hold of her hand. “They have some. I know where they keep ‘em. It’s open to anyone. Come on.”

Elena followed them as they went back into the house and upstairs. There were a couple of people in the long hallway on the second floor, but they were lost in conversation and didn’t pay attention to the girls.

Macy stopped at the last door on the right and said, “The swimsuits are in this room.”

She opened the door to reveal two people making out passionately on the bed.

“Uh. Oh.” Macy looked back at Iris and Elena and winced before whispering, “I’ll creep in and grab them and we can change somewhere else.”

Iris watched as her friend swiftly scurried past the bed and to a wardrobe that was against the far wall. Rummaging through the drawers, she came up with several swimsuits, grabbed a few swim diapers that were in there, too, and crept back out as quietly as possible.

The couple never came up for air or seemed to notice.

“There are plenty of rooms we can change in,” Macy said. “Let’s go to the third floor. Hardly anyone ever goes up there.”

There was a back staircase around a corner that Macy knew about, and she led the way to the upper floor.

“It’s a lot quieter up here,” Iris pointed out.

She was glad. There was something about all the people and noise below that made her nervous. It wasn’t that she didn’t like fun. Having a good time was awesome! This party, though, just seemed off to her.

More and more, she was wishing she would have listened to her gut and stayed home.

You don’t have a home. Remember? You’re living with Auntie Athena and that’s why you need this money. Just stay until midnight. It won’t be long. Maybe you’ll even have some fun.

Steadying her nerves, she followed the other girls as they found rooms to change in.

“Meet you all back out here in a second,” she told the others before closing the door.

Inside the room—which looked to be an office of some kind—she shimmied out of her regular diaper and into the swim one. She then got out of her dress and put the two-piece swimsuit on. It was a surprisingly good fit, though it was just a tad too big.

Gathering her things, she opened the door to leave but backed up when a group of five men walked in.

“We’re sorry, little lady. We didn’t know anyone was in here,” the guy in the lead said.

She gulped. “I’m sorry, sir. I was just changing so I can swim.”

The tall, muscular, handsome man’s smile reached his dark eyes. “No need to apologize. Make yourself at home here. What’s your name, honey?”

For some reason, Iris wasn’t sure how much she should reveal to this man. Suddenly, she felt very alone and vulnerable. Five big guys were here and she was just little ol’ her. What could she do if they decided to… well, do something awful?

You don’t have to be afraid of everyone. They’re probably just nice guys who are here to have some fun. Calm down.

“Iris,” she said after a long, tense few seconds.

“That’s a very pretty name,” the man said. “Don’t you think, guys?”

The other four men nodded and voiced their agreement.

Just as Iris was wondering if anything bad was going to come of this, the sea of men parted, giving her access to the door.

“You have fun in the pool, honey. And be careful. I’m sure you have a Daddy who wants you to stay safe.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said with relief.

See, Iris. You misjudged them.

Back in the hall, she found Elena and Macy waiting for her.

She tried to inject as much cheer into her voice as possible. “Let’s go have some fun.”

But inside, even though she was walking away from the men and going downstairs, that sense of dread was still gnawing away at her. Something wasn’t right here.

She just hoped she didn’t figure out what it was too late.