Page 352 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection

“I think I burned a bridge there,” he murmurs.

“No, sir,” Bren says, reaching out and putting her bruised hand on his arm. “You did the right thing. You’re a hundred percent right about an a-and-b case. With my record? There’s only one way it would go.”

“Given your kickboxing training, you could even be charged with assault with a deadly,” Napa says. Both he and Cinder were absolutely silent during the exchange with Theo and I realize it’snot because they lacked opinions. “If he tries to question you again, lawyer up.”

Brenna nods and lays her head on my shoulder.

“Ready for bed?” I ask her gently.

“Yes, Sir.”

It’s fairly early and we haven’t had a real dinner, but we ate lunch very late and I suspect Bren’s so drained by the day she just wants to put it behind her.

“I think we’re going to say goodnight,” I tell the assembled group. There are nods all around.

“Mac, any chance you’d come with us to the hospital tomorrow to see Taco?” Cinder asks, catching my eye as I help Bren up off the couch. There’s much more in his gaze than a “get well soon” visit to the kid.

“Sure. You want to come by for breakfast around nine?” I resist the impulse to look at Logan before I extend the invitation. I’m trying to treat this as my house, even though it’s still a little unsettling.

The bikers nod and that breaks up the gathering. Manny and Max both clap me on the shoulder before they leave.

Once we’re upstairs, Bren sags onto the edge of the guest bed, letting Logan’s bathrobe fall off her shoulders but not undressing. I kneel by her feet and draw off the cute, fuzzy socks she borrowed from Emily. When she doesn’t move, I rub her toes gently.

“Run out of steam, sweetheart?” I ask.

“I have, Sir. I felt like I’d chugged a dozen energy drinks while I was standing up to Theo but now I feel like he rang my bell.”

“Do you need the bathroom before bed?”

She nods and shakes herself a little. “I’m okay, Sir.”

“I know you are, girl. You’re more than okay. But this is where you let your Sir help.” I stand and put my arm around her. She leans heavily on me as we walk to the bathroom.

Bren’s always done her business in the bathroom, which I know includes cleaning herself out for my daily anal, very privately. Having lived in the confined quarters of ships and barracks for most of my life, privacy isn’t something I’m overly concerned with and there’s something pleasantly domestic about standing side by side at the sink with Bren while we brush our teeth. When she glances at the toilet and then at me, though, I clear out. There’s being domestic and there’s watching my woman pee. There’s not much fun in that outside a scene.

When she joins me in the bedroom, she’s carrying her clothes folded over her arm. She hands me the concert T-shirt.

“I appreciate you letting me wear it today, but I know it’s sacred, Sir. I probably shouldn’t sleep in it.”

I take it from her with a kiss and fold it into a drawer. Pulling out a pair of my briefs and a plain T-shirt, I gesture to her to hold her arms up so I can dress her.

“Sir, I— rule whatever it is. Seven, I think. I’m sorry, I haven’t memorized the numbers yet.”

Good subbie that she is, she’s offering me her ass before bed.

“Hold your arms up, girl.” When she does, I drop the T-shirt over her head and lean in to kiss her forehead. “Consider the offer made. I’m not up for that right now. I want to cuddle with my snuggleslut and put this day behind us.”

She droops and nods gratefully. When I hold out the briefs, she steps into them before climbing under the covers. I follow her into the bed. My head hasn’t even hit the pillow before she’s curling into me, tucking her face into my neck, stretching her arm across my chest to trace little circles on my shoulder.

“Thank you for everything today, Sir,” she whispers, her voice thin and soft. “For being there for me. Before those guysjumped me, I was thinking about you and how much trust you’ve shown me. It means a lot.”

I turn my head and kiss what I can reach, which is the part of her hair, but it doesn’t matter. She feels it and she knows what it means: her Sir has her.

“Means a lot you came to me and let me take care of you, sweetheart. I hope you didn’t feel Logan and I were crowding you by running interference with Theo. I was proud of you for standing up to him and calling him out on his shit, but I didn’t like the way he was trying to lean on you.”

She rubs her hand up and down my biceps. “I didn’t feel crowded. I felt defended. It was a nice feeling. It’s nice being part of this ... it’s kind of a family, isn’t it, Sir?”

“Very much a family, girl.”