Page 20 of Melt For Us, Daddy (Big Daddy Energy #4)

Did it make him uncomfortable? Looking down at his coffee again, he tried to figure out how he felt about it. There was nothing in the Bible, as far as he knew, that explicitly stated a woman couldn’t be called Daddy.

And even if there was… he was starting to have a lot of doubts about that particular book. Or at least the interpretations he’d been taught his entire life.

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable, I don’t think. More confused than anything, I guess. I don’t, um, really understand any of… this.”

“Yeah. I get that. It’s hard, isn’t it, when you’ve been told your whole life things are one way and then you get out into the real world and find out it’s all so much different?”

Relief washed over him and he risked a glance up to find Cordelia smiling at him.

“It’s hard, but I’m learning. And I-I don’t really see how what you two do together can be wrong.

Whenever you look at each other, all I see is love.

And I just don’t know how that kind of love, what you guys have, can be wrong. ”

“Because it’s not. I know that’s hard to wrap your head around.” Reaching across the table, she linked her hand with his and held on tight. “And I’m so fucking proud of you for not just accepting what you’ve been taught without question. That’s a hard thing to do, Jacob.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Eyes flashing with approval, she pulled her hand back. “You’re welcome. Now, blossom, you may get up and go get my vitamins if you ask me properly.”

Ivy sighed, and Jacob nearly laughed at how dramatic she sounded. Like his Sarabeth when someone told her they couldn’t play with her. “May I please go upstairs and get your vitamins… Daddy?”

“Yes, baby. Go on.”

Draining the last of his coffee, Merlin rose from the table. “We need to go do our rounds, check in with Holden. But we’ll be right outside if anyone needs anything.”

They disappeared, leaving Jacob and Cordelia alone in the kitchen. For a long moment, they simply stared at each other until he worked up the nerve to say what was on his mind. “Um. Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything you like. If it’s too personal, or if I can’t answer it for any reason, I’ll tell you. But I’ll never be angry with you for asking.”

It was weird, having someone understand him so clearly without him actually having to tell them what he was worried about. But then again, he supposed it wasn’t so strange, considering they were raised in much the same way. His doubts were probably the same ones she’d had when she’d first left.

“I know you said Ivy is your… partner. But she does things for you. It’s almost like?—”

“Like she serves me?” Cordelia’s lips curved up as she lifted her coffee cup to her mouth.

“She does. But it’s not like what we grew up with.

She enjoys her service. It fulfills her, much the same way being in charge fulfills me.

We take care of each other, but there are certain tasks she’s assigned, because that’s what works best for her.

She finds peace and calm in the structure, in knowing exactly what’s expected of her. ”

“What happens if she doesn’t complete her tasks?”

Studying him over the rim of her mug, Cordelia tapped her fingers against the table.

“It depends on the reason. I know her well enough to understand that if she misses a task it’s likely because she’s upset or there’s been a change to her routine.

We’ll talk about it, and if it’s the first time, she’ll receive a warning about not letting it happen again. ”

“And if it happens again, you punish her?”

“Yes. But not for my own benefit. I couldn't give two flying fucks if Ivy completed all her tasks for the day. But I know that structure is important for her . And because I love her, and I want her to be happy and fulfilled, yes. I would, and have punished her for missing the same task twice.”

“I don’t understand why anyone would like being punished like that.”

“Ivy?” Cordelia let out a low laugh. “No, my Ivy hates being punished. So she does everything in her power to avoid it.”

“But she said she likes to be spanked.”

“She does. Not all spankings are for punishment, Jacob. And there is a concept in our world of a ‘funishment’. Which is a bit like playing pretend. The spanking itself is very real, but the reason behind it is more like a game. Like what you saw at the club that first day, where Ivy was teasing me and I said I’d use my belt on her.

It was just us playing pretend together. ”

“And she likes that.”

“She loves it. And she knows I enjoy disciplining naughty subs, even if it’s just for play. So knowing that it pleases me brings her joy.”

“That’s all… very confusing,” he said with a sigh.

“I know. But just try to remember that whatever I do, I do with Ivy’s best interests at heart. She is my submissive, which means her needs come first for me, always.”

“Okay. I’ll try.” To remember, to give them the benefit of the doubt, and most importantly he’d try to stop reacting to them the way he had been.

Again, Cordelia gave him that approving smile and inclined her head. “That’s all I can ask.”