Page 16

CHAPTER 16

I t wasn’t hard to see that Lovelyn felt like shit. Tension coiled in his abdomen. As her Daddy, it was his responsibility to help her work through negative feelings. Or shield her from them completely. Only thirty minutes in, and he was already failing her.

Reid broke the silence. “Okay. I think we get the gist of what happened. So, what do we do now? Lovie, did you have any plans for what you’d do once you got free of the Warriors?”

Damn. The bewilderment on her face killed. What kind of question was that anyway? It wasn’t as if she was brought here knowing she was about to be rescued. Why the hell would she have a plan?

She turned to him, her eyes begging him to do something. He loved that he was the first person she turned to. Her trust was intoxicating, but how far did her trust go? He knew what he wanted her to do. Whether she would agree was another thing entirely.

With one hand clutching his thigh, she turned back to face Reid. “I’m not sure. I assumed if I ever got away from them, I’d go back to California and find Zane. But it seems I don’t have to do that. I don’t think I can make a decision on my own. Zane is almost an adult. We’ll have to talk it out together and decide.”

Apparently, Zane had already thought about it. “I’m gonna stay in Darling, but I’m going to move in with Sawyer.”

Lovie, already stressed, stretched as taut as a well-strung bow at his words. “Zane! You can’t invite yourself to stay with someone. Especially in front of people. You put them in an awkward position.”

Sawyer spoke up. “Lovie, it’s not an imposition. Zane’s stayed with me a few times before. We both enjoy gaming, and we’d discussed how, at least for now, it might be beneficial to keep you and Zane in separate locations. That way, if the Warriors make a play, they’ll have to spread out their resources. All we need to do is go by Law’s house and get his things to move him in.”

That suited Law fine. He liked the kid, but he had so many things planned for his little fairy cat. Things he never thought he’d be able to do with a younger brother hanging around all the time.

His cock stilled thrummed thinking about what they’d done in the little girls room. Lovelyn had done exactly what he’d told her to, and it was hot as fuck. And when he had her out on his land, they’d be doing that again and a hell of a lot more.

Lovelyn’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Are you sure that’s what you want? Don’t you want to take a day or two to think about it?”

The first thing they were going to work on was her insecurities. He scooped her into his arms and stood. “We need a minute.” Without waiting for an answer, he carried her into Reid’s office and shut the door. Setting her on her feet, he stepped back and crossed his arms. “Who am I, Lovelyn?”

Her gaze shot back to the main room, where all the men were gathered around the table. Law didn’t care about them. He needed her to answer that question. If she is reluctant or no longer interested, it's best to address that now.

Her tongue peeked out to run along her bottom lip, and he wanted to drag her to him and trace the path with his own. That tell-tale flush of embarrassment crawled up from her chest to her cheeks. “Um, Law?”

He growled. Her using his name instead of calling him Daddy wasn’t a good start to their conversation. He stepped closer, invading her personal space. Her pupils dilated, and her breathing sped up. She stared up at him with those wide, wild honey eyes. What she did not do was step back to put distance between them.

With her back to Zane, she widened her eyes at him. It was cute, but it wasn’t the answer he wanted. Time for a reminder. Reaching out, he gripped the back of her hair and pulled her flush against him.

The tiny gasp she made hit him straight in his dick. She tried to struggle, but he easily held her in place.

“Law! Everyone is going to see!” Her voice, tinged with panic, didn’t help his thickening cock. How would she sound when she begged him to let her come while he edged her to near insanity? He’d be finding that out soon enough.

“I didn’t choose the time for this reminder, little fairy cat. You did.” Reid’s office windows were one-way. He and Lovelyn could see into the main room, but no one out there could see in. But she didn’t know that.

He’d never embarrass her by exposing her to anyone. Her body and her reaction to what he did to her were for his eyes alone. But for now, her fear they’d be seen worked in his favor. He really was a bastard.

He kissed the skin behind her ear where she was so deliciously responsive. “Law!” She tasted like a woman who protested too much since her hips were rocking into his. His name wasn’t her safeword .

Licking his way down her neck to the mark he’d left there, he kissed and suckled it again. He wanted everyone to know she was his.

Her struggling ceased, so it was time to make his point. “Let’s try again. Who am I to you, Lovelyn? Or do I need to take you back to the Little Girls Room for a real reminder?”

“No.” Her voice, breathy and filled with need, squeezed his cock almost as tight as her hand had. “No, Daddy. I know who you are.”

He growled his approval. He’d never get tired of hearing her call him Daddy. It was who he was. “Now, here is what’s going to happen, little girl. Zane is going to stay with Sawyer, at least until I know everything has settled down. I’ve been a teenage boy, and believe me, Zane does not want to be there as we are settling into our relationship. He’ll feel like a third wheel. So, we're going back to the table, and you're going to tell them you’re fine with your brother staying with Sawyer, and that you want to stay with me.” He dropped his hands to her ass, squeezed her perfect handfuls of ass cheeks, and pulled her more snuggly against him. “That way we can relax and play whatever and whenever I want. And yes, to answer the question that's been bouncing around in your head, I’m sure. Do you have any questions?”

“N-no, Daddy. I want to be with you, too.”

Yeah, he sounded like a dictatorial ass, but her body relaxed, and the worry in her eyes disappeared. She liked it when he took control. That was two of them. Her submission was a precious gift, and that was how he’d treat it. How he’d treat her.

“Oh, babygirl. I want it. I want you.” He pressed his hips against hers so she could see just how much. “Are you ready to go back to the table?”

She smiled at him and batted her eyes. “If we have to, Daddy.”

He turned her to the door and gave her ass a swat. She yelped and covered her bottom with her hands. None of which helped calm his dick down before they rejoined his brothers .

Raleigh Stevens sat at the table when Law and Lovelyn rejoined the discussion. As Sabre’s legal consultant, they had asked him to work on securing Jaxon's release. So far, it had been an uphill battle, which was to be expected.

As the district attorney, the General held power over the court, and the Society’s influence and connections rendered them nearly invincible. Raleigh and his small team had spent the last six years battling against constant stonewalling, and to this day, the General had proven very effective. Judging by the look on Raleigh’s face, he wasn’t there to deliver any good news.

Another round of cheers and chants rang out from the Musketiaras. This time, Gabi Schwindler, Raleigh’s assistant and a bit of a nut, had joined the group. She was serving up the next round of drinks.

She coached as she poured. “Now, everyone, remember that they think they can wear us down, but we cannot let this egregious violation of our civil liberties stand. If we have to take them to court, we can hit them with unlawful imposition of a mandatory curfew and false imprisonment of a minor… because, hello, we’re all Littles, right?”

All the Musketiaras raised their margarita glasses and echoed, “Right!”

Gabi was on a roll. “We’ll go for a 632-4913… um… and an 81791… and… and anything else I can find! They will eventually have to give in to our demands. Everyone, say it with me. Heck, no! We won’t go! Down with tyrannical Daddies!”

After the women all set down their glasses, they picked up their picket signs and began marching around the circle of chairs, chanting and waving their signs.

“I’ve never heard of those particular statute case numbers, but then, I’ve never looked into how the legal system in Tennessee works, either,” Lovelyn muttered.

Gage glared at the girls. “Raleigh, why in the hell are you giving Gabi access to legal numbers like that? She’s dangerous enough as it is.”

Raleigh, who had been watching Gabi with a mix of exasperation and amusement, glared right back at Gage. “I understand your frustration, but I can’t keep all numbers away from her. I don’t believe her mother’s phone number and her sister’s birth date—what those numbers were—will hold up in court. Now, if we can return to the discussion at hand, I have a few other pressing matters to address.”

Raleigh then brought everyone up to speed on the General's trial preparations. “I was just saying that, after months of legal maneuvering, we finally received the documents from the Society we’ve been requesting. All one hundred and fifty boxes of them. It’s just more of the same stonewalling, just another tactic. The problem is that I don’t have the staff to review all that paper in time for it to be of any use. It’s the proverbial needle in the haystack.”

“Fuck!” Law had had enough of those people and their constant bullshit. He turned to Reid. “When are you going to untie my hands, bossman? Raleigh is a great lawyer, but he has to follow the rules. I don’t. Just say the word, and I’ll get us everything we need to get Jaxon out of that hellhole of a prison.”

Raleigh jumped in before Reid could speak. “First of all, it’s taking all I can do to work on Jaxon’s case. I certainly don’t have time to work on yours as well. And second, use a little discretion. If you’re thinking of doing what it sounds like, you damn well don’t need to discuss it with your lawyer in the room.”

But Law was finished. “Then get out.”

“That’s not helping,” Hutch said. “Raleigh’s right. You know I want Jaxon out as much as anyone. More than most. What Jaxon is going through cuts us all deep. He’s our brother. But giving the General more ammunition to fight with isn’t the answer.”

Reid took control of the discussion. “I get you, Law. We all get it. Do you think I don’t feel like shit? I’m the one who called everyone back to Darling to fix this shit. But you’re not doing anything that has me visiting two brothers in prison instead of one. You need to stand the fuck down.”

Zane took the quiet that fell after Reid’s words as an opportunity to speak. “Lovie’s a lawyer. Maybe she could help.”

Law stared at Lovelyn. With everything that had been happening over the past few days, he’d almost forgotten his fairy cat held a law degree. She’d never practiced, as Sawyer could tell, although she’d volunteered at a local non-profit giving legal advice.

At Zane’s words, Lovelyn shrank back into him. What the heck?

Raleigh sat up straighter. “You have a law degree, Ms. Thorne?”

Lovelyn jerked as if the words had struck her. She shook her head, but that was her only response.

This was not his Lovelyn. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but based on what he knew of her time in California and the fact she’d changed her name, he’d be willing to bet it had something to do with her stepdad. He couldn’t deal with her reaction to Raleigh at the moment. But her name, he could. “Her name isn’t Thorne; it’s Reese.”

“Oh, sorry about that. Ms. Reese, if you have a law degree, I’d love to speak with you.”

Lovelyn sat up but remained pressed against his chest. Her entire body trembled. Whatever this topic triggered was huge. Yet, to hear her voice, no one would ever know. A lake on a windless day showed more agitation than his girl. He’d have to remember that.

Shaking her head, she said, “I have a degree, but I’m not a real lawyer.”

“What do you mean?” Zane asked. “You graduated Valedictorian from Berkeley School of Law. You earned one of the highest scores on the bar exam in California's record. How could you not be a real lawyer?”

She reached for a smile but missed it. “I appreciate the accolades, but you’ll just have to take my word for it. Besides, I’ve never actually practiced in a court of law. And California’s bar exam is only valid in California. I can’t officially practice, but I’d be happy to go through some of the boxes if that would help.”

Law was impressed. She’d shut that down without offending anyone. Sounded like a good quality for a lawyer. He wrapped his arm around her, hoping it would calm her. It might help, but he knew something that would help a hell of a lot more. “You ready to go home, babygirl?”

She continued to stare at the table, but she nodded. That was all she had to do.

“All right. We’re headed home. It’s been a hell of a day. Hell of a four days, really. Raleigh, call me tomorrow. We’ll set something up if you need help with those documents. I want to do whatever it takes to get Jaxon home. I’m tired of talking to him two Sundays a month.”

Raleigh didn’t hide his disappointment well for a lawyer. He must be worried, and that wasn’t good.

Law stood and set Lovelyn on her feet, but he didn’t let go of her hand. “You’re on my bike, right?” Zane nodded. Good. “Do you need to come by the house and pack a bag?”

Zane shook his head. “I’ve got a few things already. I’ll run by your place tomorrow and pick up whatever else I’ll need.”

Sawyer threw Law a smirk, and Zane grinned down at his phone. Yeah, Sawyer would be giving Law shit for months. That was fine if it meant he’d have some time alone with Lovelyn. She needed to relax, and he knew exactly how he could help.