Page 7

CHAPTER 7

T o distract himself from the desire to eat the enticing Little creature now sharing his space, Law focused on keeping the conversation light as he and Lovelyn ate the sandwiches, cut into four triangular sections as requested. He’d even added baby carrot sticks and trees, aka broccoli, with snow, aka ranch style dressing.

So far, it wasn’t working.

The game he had planned for them wasn’t going to help, either. He knew it, but his brain had never been very successful at outsmarting his instincts.

Logically, he needed to give her space. Instinctively? In his gut, he knew this was exactly what she needed to get out of her head and relieve the pressure already rebuilding inside her.

Like called to like, and he’d wager every dollar in his Daddy bank that she was just like him. He saw it in her eyes. He heard it in her sass. And for once, he knew he could give a Little girl what she needed better than anyone else around.

The question was, could he do that and keep his heart safe? A smart man would protect himself against being hurt again. The Daddy in him needed to help Lovelyn get past the pain she’d been forced to endure for the past four years. “Can I ask you a personal question about your time with the Warriors, Lovelyn?”

She stiffened, gazing at him with guarded eyes. After a brief pause, she reached her decision. “Sure. There’s not much exciting to tell.”

“Did anyone hurt you? Or force you to do anything you didn’t want to do? Anything… intimate, I mean.” He needed to know if those dickwads had assaulted her. If they did, he’d kill every last one of them. But first, he’d help her get the help she needed to work past the trauma.

Confusion clouded her gaze for a second before she grasped his meaning. Shaking her head, she assured him, “There was nothing like that. I mean, there could have been, I guess. But there was this one guy, Ravage. Someone appointed him as my personal guardian or something, I guess. He wouldn’t let anyone close to me.”

Law made a mental note to have Sawyer look into this Ravage guy. He might be someone they could use.

While dancing a piece of broccoli in her dressing, Lovelyn spoke without looking at him. “You know what the worst part is?”

Law’s gut clenched at the thinness of her tone. “Tell me.”

“The worst part is that there were days, and even weeks sometimes, when I didn’t think about getting away at all. As long as Ravage kept the other men away, it was usually peaceful.”

She lifted her gaze to his, and the guilt and pain in her eyes nearly gutted him where he sat. “I’m a terrible sister. How could I have not tried to escape every second of every day?”

Nope. That wasn’t going to fly. Taking the broccoli from her trembling fingers, he pulled her onto his lap. “Listen to me, babygirl. You are not a horrible sister. It isn’t possible for someone to stay vigilant every second of every day for four years. The brain needs to take breaks. If anyone had shown up at any point during those four years to rescue you, you would have gone with them in a heartbeat. I know that because you came with me today.”

Some of the pain in her eyes gave way to hope, so he kept going.

“I'm not sure exactly what happened the day you were taken, kitten, but I do know that your actions kept both you and Zane safe. I also know that he’s safe now, and so are you. I’m here to ensure you stay that way. So, let’s talk about your first rule.”

That earned him a smile and a question.

“Rule? What, like drinking water every day?”

Yeah, they’d deal with those eventually. Once the Warriors were gone from Darling and he knew she was safe. “Listen closely, Lovelyn. My land is secure. It’s protected in several ways, one of which is a perimeter fence. Do you remember the gate we had to open?”

“I remember.”

“Well, that gate surrounds my property.” It took a lot of time and even more money, but it was state-of-the-art technology. “Rule number one for you, little girl. Stay safe. At all times. Right now, that means staying inside that gate unless I am with you. No exceptions. Do you understand?”

The fear returned to her eyes, but he had spoken with Sawyer while she checked out her room. The General was already discussing methods to retrieve Lovelyn, and he didn’t seem to care about what condition she was in when delivered, dead or alive.

The thought of her being hurt affected him in ways that made no rational sense, and he didn’t have time to worry about it at the moment. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. To achieve that, he needed her close and confined to his property. Period. End of statement.

“We're going to play that game I told you about soon, fairy cat. But first, tell me you understand Rule One.”

“I understand. Stay inside the fence. That should be easy. ”

“I hope so, little girl. Because the consequences of disobeying that rule will be swift and designed to ensure you don’t break it again.”

The smile left her face. Good, she needed to take this very seriously.

“What does that mean?”

“Let’s talk about that. First, do you think you can keep both Zane and yourself safe from the Warriors and the Society on your own?”

“No.”

Good. They were on the same page so far. “Do you think you can follow the rules if there are no consequences for breaking them?”

She quickly nodded her head. Naturally, she did. He raised an eyebrow, met her gaze, and waited. It was a look he had perfected over two years of dealing with his brother’s Little girls and their friends.

Sure enough, Lovelyn’s nod wavered. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and gradually transitioned from nodding to shaking her head. The expression on her face was filled with such sorrow that he wanted to kiss her on the spot.

That would come later. That’s what the game was for.

“Good girl. Thank you for being honest.”

She rolled her eyes at that, and his palm itched to respond.

“What happens to the Little girls who break their Daddy’s rules in those books I know you read?”

She gasped. “How do you know what I read?”

“Because it’s the same books all you girls read, that's how. Now answer the question. What do the Daddies in the books do when Little girls break important rules?”

“They get punished, but only by their Daddies. You aren’t my Daddy. I mean, I’m not Little.” He leveled her with the look again. “Oh, all right. Fine. I am a Little, but you still aren’t my Daddy. ”

“That’s true. So how about I be your Viking? Vikings act a lot like Daddies, don’t they?”

“Well… I guess they do.”

He could work with this. “Sure they do. They’re bossy, and brave, and very, very protective. And they will paddle their Little girl’s ass in a heartbeat if she puts herself in danger.”

“I don’t think I ever read that anywhere.”

“Trust me, little fairy cat. They will. Now, until I know you’re safe from the Warriors and the General, do you agree to let me hold you accountable if you break the rules?”

“Will you do all the fun, nice things Daddies, I mean, Vikings do with their Little girls, too?”

“I have it on the best authority that a Viking loves playing with his Little girl. So, would you like a Viking to keep you safe, happy, and accountable?”

She didn’t respond immediately. What would he do if she said no? He wasn’t going to force her to accept his protection. Consent meant consent. She had every right to decide for herself whether she trusted him enough to say yes.

“Yes.”

It took a moment for him to realize the word had come from her and not from inside his own head. “Are you certain? There’s no changing your mind later if you break your rule.”

Why in the hell was he trying to make her second-guess herself? He needed to shut the fuck up.

She looked him up and down, giving him a taste of his own medicine. Little minx. “I like you, Viking. And I trust you. I have a sixth sense about these things. Sometimes you just have to follow your instincts, you know what I mean?”

Oh, he knew exactly what she meant. He felt it, too. There was only one thing left to say. He stood up, setting her gently on the floor so she could stand. Lowering his voice to a husky growl, he turned her so her back pressed against his chest. “I guess you mean it’s time to play our game then, little fairy cat. I’m fancying a game of hide and seek. We’ll play in the backyard. What do you think?”

Lovie

What did she think? Was he crazy? What was she supposed to think when a Viking suggested he chase her around the backyard? She’d never played hide and seek before in her life. Sure, she knew the playground game. Her classmates had played all the time.

She hadn’t participated. Not once. Everyone assumed she was stuck up, which was understandable given who her stepfather was. But that wasn’t the case at all.

She hadn’t played because she had been too afraid. What if she did it wrong? What if she were the first one found and everyone laughed at her? Even worse, what if she joined in and no one searched for her at all?

No, standing on the sidelines and watching was much safer than risking everyone mocking or ignoring her.

But this? This was completely different. She had no doubt Viking would seek her. Shivers danced along Lovelyn’s skin, puckering her nipples as Law’s breath teased the shell of her ear. Her Viking stood right behind her with his arms caging her in, one over her breasts and the other around her waist.

The only breaths she managed came in short, shallow pants. Not because his grip was too tight but because her heart raced too fast for her lungs to keep up. Her nerves stretched so taut she feared they might snap, because not only would he seek her, he’d also find her.

Did she dare? Could she be brave for her Viking? With her Viking? Brave enough to put aside her fear and have fun? Because there was no doubt playing with Law would be fun.

Excitement flooded her entire body with adrenaline, bringing her more to life than she had been in… well, forever. And to her shock, the slickness of arousal dampened her panties.

She was so damn turned on she shook with it. Why was she so turned on?

Law's voice rumbled in her ear, low and guttural. Almost a growl. A growl that did even more wicked things to her insides. “Well, little fairy cat, would you like to play?”

Did she? Her skin prickled, raising the tiny hairs on her arms and the nape of her neck. Her senses heightened to full alertness. Nothing mattered except what was happening around her in that moment. Everything grew more vivid. More intense. All-consuming.

No more worrying about what might or might not go wrong or who would be blamed. No future problems or past mistakes crowded her mind. Just Law and her. And it was intoxicating.

It was also everything she needed to let go of her reservations and nod her head.

He turned her to face him, his smile brilliant, dazzling. Enticing. It sent sparks of desire to her core and softened her thighs.

“I’ll count to ten to give you a head start. When I start counting, scamper away, little fairy cat. I’ll turn my back so I don’t see which way you run. But you’d better run fast because every time I catch you, you’re mine to do with as I please. Understand?”

Her pussy clenched. Then something swelled up inside her she'd never experienced before. Something bold and daring. She liked it. She notched her chin higher. “I understand, Viking. But first, you have to catch me.”

Why? Why would she taunt him? Because it was fun. And wicked. And thrilling.

He chuckled, and that was wicked, too. And delicious. Taking her hand, he led her into the backyard.

Surprisingly, scant snow still powdered the grass, thanks to the shade of the trees. This was good, as it meant fewer tracks for him to follow. She scanned the area, devising her strategy for staying out of his reach.

After a quick squeeze, he let her go and stepped back. She immediately missed the security of being in his arms. And his warmth. He exuded confidence and power. And desire. As shocking as it was, he wanted her.

Her lips parted as he turned his back to her. It took her a moment to realize he was counting. “Ten. Nine. Eight. You aren’t hiding, little fairy cat. I thought we were playing hide and seek. Seven. Six.”

Oops. He was right. She had to move.

Laughing for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she raced toward the left corner of the yard before veering back to the right. Hoping to trick him, she hid behind the thick trunk of a tree at the edge of the clearing.

His voice was deep and menacing when he spoke. “It’s all about the thrill of hiding, seeking, and what happens once Daddy finds you.”

He chuckled, and that was wicked, too. And delicious. Then he began counting again. “Five. Four. Three. Two. Run.”

She nearly laughed as the thrill of the chase surged through her. She turned just in time to hear his gravelly voice. “Ready or not, fairy cat, here I come.”

Setting aside her trickery and concentrating on staying as still and quiet as possible, she did her best to remain hidden from her Viking. After all, that was what Law was: a formidable Viking with a singular purpose- to find her.