Page 32 of Double Daddies (Dirty Daddies Anthologies #8)

Chapter Eighteen

DD Estate, Dreamer’s Cove

Elle

The tension at breakfast was palpable, with Elle maintaining a frigid silence and refusing to meet either man’s gaze. She wasn’t halfway through her meal when Drake’s chair scraped against the floor as he stood abruptly.

“I have some emails to write. I suggest you address her sulking attitude while I’m gone, Damian.

I don’t have the patience this morning, and I sure as hell don’t look forward to this kind of behavior every time we reprimand her.

” His retreating footsteps were punctuated by a final warning.

“Be sure to remind her that she should be grateful she can still sit since I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to spank her or whip her with a branch switch. ”

“That’s not fair,” Elle protested lamely.

Her chest ached as she watched him disappear, noticing how his entire posture radiated disappointment.

After falling asleep in his arms last night, this distance was like a physical blow.

She turned to Damian with misery painted like a Picasso over her face.

“You never said I’m not allowed to leave the house or go for walks or runs. ”

Damian lounged in his chair. He was the picture of casual grace in white shorts and an open cotton shirt that displayed his ripped abdomen. Where Drake blazed with intensity, Damian exuded a steady calm that drew her in just as powerfully.

“You’re right, we didn’t,” he acknowledged gently. “But that doesn’t mean we didn’t get a fright to find you gone and reacted accordingly, Elle.”

“I might be fulfilling a role as your Little, but I’m not a helpless child.

I am a grown woman, and if you expect me to turn into a mindless twit who only follows instructions and is never allowed to do anything other than be at your beck and call.

.. then I’m afraid my fate is sealed... I will end up in jail because I’m not that kind of person. .. that kind of slave Little.”

Damian leaned forward. His eyes were intense despite his relaxed demeanor.

“Elle, it’s your independence, assertiveness, and confidence that drew us to you in the first place, as much as that yearning deep in your eyes to be nurtured.

That’s our goal… to protect and nurture you.

We’ll never expect you to change the individual that you are, only to let free the deep desires hidden inside you.

We’ll never ask you to stop being the independent woman you are, only to be our woman in the way we see you fulfilling our lives.

We’ll never ask you to stop dreaming or reaching your goals, only that we are part of the big picture. ”

Elle’s breath caught. “You’re... it sounds like you’re talking about the future... far beyond the three-month agreement this is supposed to be.”

“And if I were?” He watched her unblinkingly. “We’ve been preparing for this for years.” Shaking his head, he smiled wryly. “Did you honestly believe we just picked you because you vandalized our property?”

“To be honest, I have no idea why you chose me. I’m nothing but a broke baker and,”—she laughed cynically—“so far out of your league it’s laughable.

I don’t suit your wealthy patrons or the exalted circles you move in.

Bottom line, I am the worst fit you could ever have imagined.

.. and I’m not even referring to being a loser as a Little. ”

With a sob, she fled to the nursery, locking herself in the bathroom, not even wondering why there was a key in the door since they were adamant about taking care of her every need.

Under the warm spray of the shower, tears flowed freely.

In a very short time, these two men had become inexplicably intertwined in her heart.

They were so different, yet they functioned as one seamless unit.

Where Drake blazed with intensity and demanded immediate compliance, Damian’s quiet authority drew willing submission.

Drake’s touch set her ablaze, while Damian’s gentle commands made her melt.

They knew exactly when to trade roles, too—like just now.

Drake had stepped away, knowing his fury would only fuel her defiance.

Damian took over with his calm reasoning, speaking directly to her heart when she was most likely to listen.

Yet last night, it had been Drake’s strong arms she had sought for comfort.

She pressed her forehead against the cool tiles.

How had they become so essential to her existence?

They weren’t two separate entities in her mind anymore but rather two halves of a whole that she craved with equal measure.

The thought of choosing between them was impossible, like being asked to choose between breathing and her heartbeat. Both were vital, irreplaceable.

“Wait. Years?” Her mind snagged on Damian’s words.

She had never met them before two weeks ago.

Fear clawed at her throat before reason reasserted itself.

They were respected businessmen, not kidnappers.

They had their pick of willing women, so why force anyone, especially her?

No, Damian must have said it to throw her off balance. That had to be it.

But even as she dismissed the notion, his words echoed in her mind, along with the undeniable truth that walking away from them would shatter her completely.

Since the day was warm, Elle put on a bright red bikini under white shorts and a t-shirt.

The mirror reflected a woman trying to project confidence she didn’t feel.

She had realized when she found more ‘grownup’ clothes that the Little look was reserved for the privacy of their property and that there was an entire selection for when they wandered to other islands.

After hiding in the nursery for hours, hunger finally drove her from her sanctuary.

Following deep male voices, she found them at the pool-side lattice where Chef Marco was setting out an array of grilled fish, fresh fruits, and crusty bread.

The sight of her Daddies lounging in swimming trunks sent heat coursing through her veins.

Water droplets traced tempting paths down their muscled chests, suggesting they had just emerged from the pool.

Wringing her hands, she approached with lowered eyes. “I’m sorry for my attitude this morning, Daddies. I guess I’m not Little material after all. I’m sorry you’ve wasted all the time and effort to bring me here.”

The silence stretched until Drake spoke in an unexpectedly gentle tone. “Sit down, baby girl. Your lunch is getting cold.”

She sank into a chair between them, biting back the questions burning on her tongue with difficulty. Damian selected morsels of grilled fish and mango.

“Come, eat for Daddy.” When he lifted the fork to her lips, she instinctively jerked back. She doubted she would ever get used to being treated like a little girl.

Drake’s low grunt of displeasure made her freeze. The flash of disappointment in his eyes twisted her heart. Swallowing her pride, she leaned forward and accepted the bite from Damian. Amanda stepped forward with a napkin, dabbing at her mouth with maternal care.

Heat crawled up Elle’s neck. Being fed like a child should have mortified her.

Yet Damian’s complete focus on each bite he offered, the patience as he waited for her to finish before preparing the next morsel, made her pulse quicken.

Drake’s intense gaze followed every movement of her lips, every swallow.

Their combined attention wrapped around her like a warm embrace.

When Amanda dabbed her mouth again, Elle’s fingers clenched beneath the table.

Being pampered and infantilized created a confusing swirl of resistance and pleasure in her belly.

She couldn’t deny how cherished she felt, being the center of their world at this moment, no matter how hard her mind screamed out in protest.

“The Pirate’s Festival commemorates the annual turtle release. I’m sure you’ll enjoy all the festivities.”

Elle immediately perked up when Damian mentioned the festival as he prepared another bite. This was her and her father’s favorite topic.

“The whole island celebrates the hatchlings’ journey to the sea,” he continued.

“It started sixty years ago when the islanders noticed the turtle population declining. Now it’s grown into a week-long celebration with the whole community protecting the nests and helping guide the hatchlings to safety. ”

“My father used to tell me that the local children dress as turtles,” Elle said enthusiastically. “Is that true? Have you been to a festival?”

“We’ve been to a couple.” Drake smiled, and his eyes softened at Elle’s rapt attention. “Yes, the kids dress up and perform traditional dances that tell the story of the great sea mother who chose our beaches as a sanctuary for her babies.”

Elle’s eyes lit up despite herself. “The way they navigate by the moon’s reflection is fascinating. Did you know they can detect the Earth’s magnetic field to guide them across thousands of miles of ocean? Some even return to the exact same beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs.”

“The festival has become quite famous,” Damian continued, lifting another bite to her lips. “Marine biologists from around the world come to study the nesting grounds. Last year, they tagged over three hundred hatchlings to track their migration patterns.”

“It’s absolutely amazing. I can’t believe I’m finally going to…” Her smile slipped. “Am I still going to see them hatch?”

“Yes, babygirl. We’re going to attend the opening of the festival.”

“Eeek! Thank you! Thank you!” she squealed and planted a kiss on each of their cheeks with exuberance trumping through her.

Her Daddies smiled at her enthusiasm, and for a moment, the tension eased. She accepted each bite Damian offered after that, finding an unexpected peace in surrendering to their care.

Drake’s expression turned serious as he finally turned to her. “About this morning.” He took her hand in his. “Your safety is our top priority, but we can’t keep you safe if you run wild all over the island.”

“I understand. I totally overreacted, and I’m truly sorry.”

“Daddy Damian told me about your discussion, which is why I decided not to punish you… this time.” Drake’s brows drew together.

“Let me reiterate one thing he told you, Elle. You’re here because we chose you, not because of any single act you performed.

You’re the woman we want in our lives. Yes, we would love you to transition into our Little, and deep within ourselves, we know you have the yearning to be nurtured.

We are patient men, and because this is important to us, we have decided to accede to your request of being a tomboy Little. .. at first.”

“However,” Damian interjected, offering her a slice of mango, “we need your assurance that within that concession, you will open yourself to a full transition as our babygirl.... the kind of Little who will twirl for us in her dresses and ballet shoes.”

Elle visibly cringed.

Play the part, Elle. It’s only for three months.

How hard can it be to wear a frilly dress for a couple of hours a day, for fuck’s sake?

" The voice in her head sounded less convinced than usual, but no matter how her heart felt about them or that they were hinting at more than the contractual period, that was all to which she could commit. This kind of life wasn’t for her.

She needed freedom to choose, needed to maintain control of her choices, and most of all, freedom to be a full-grown woman and be treated as one.

Yet here she sat, willingly accepting bites from Damian’s hand while Drake’s presence anchored her in place.

“I promise to try, Daddy,” she said and offered them a timid smile.

Her chest tightened at their smiles that beamed with approval. The line between pretense and reality had just been drawn, but already, with each passing minute, it blurred.

In three months, would she even remember where that line had been?