Page 415 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection

“It’s bad,” Shannie says. “You’re not gonna like it.”

“This isn’t about our comfort,” I say. “It’s about making Blunts safe for you again. Please give us time, Shannie. Please don’t quit the way Annabelle did.”

Shannie nods. “I wasn’t plannin’ to. I need the money. But I was gonna refuse scenes with anyone who asked until Rob an’ I go exclusive.”

“Fair enough,” Mac says. “And don’t worry about Ty and Hart. We’ll talk to them tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” Shannie gives Mac a small smile. “I can see why Bren picked you. You’re a good man.” She flushes and glances at me. “I mean, you both are.”

I pat her back. “It’s okay, Shannie. I know Mac’s a much better man than I am. That’s why I’ve looked up to him for so long.”

Mac snorts. “Logan gets the job done, which is the important thing here. You know how to reach Logan but I want you to have my number, too. You need anything, you call me, Shannie.”

“I will, sir.” She pulls her phone out of the pocket of the little sweater-dress she’s wearing, since I’ve made an exception to the no clothes for subs in the house rule with Javier’s friends Faolan and Matty joining us tonight. Mac puts his number in. Shannie tucks it in her pocket and then asks for a hug from each of us, which we give her. I rock her in my arms for a minute and murmur to her.

“I’m so sorry I let you down, Shannie.”

She pats my back. “I forgive you. Just please don’t do it again. All of us, we really need you.”

“I’m here. I won’t let you down again.”

Her smile as we leave my office and rejoin the party makes the discomfort worthwhile.

Emily notices my mood shift. She sticks to my side like glue for the rest of the dinner party. She lets Mac and Bren clean up with barely any supervision and when I sit down on the floor next to Livvy’s sensory mat, Emily worms into my lap.

“Hi, baby doll.”

“Hi, Daddy. I know everything’s not okay because you have your frowny on. Can it wait until milk and cookies or do you want to talk now?”

I circle my arms around her and hug her tightly. “You are such a little wonder.”

“ILY, Daddy.”

“ILY too, baby. It can wait until milk and cookies because you’ve already made me feel better.”

She rubs her thumb over my forehead until some of my tension eases. Then she scoots around in my lap so she’s facing the baby. While I dangle the brightly colored shapes, Emily puts her palm under Livvy’s feet and encourages her to kick. When I ask her what she’s doing, she explains that she’s helping Livvy strengthen her leg muscles.

“Next month, we can start holding her upright with her feet on the ground or on our legs and see if she’ll push against us but for right now, it’s better for her to be lying down with her head and back supported,” Emmy says.

“You learned all of this helping your friend Gracie?”

“Mmm-hmm and reading baby books.”

“You’ve been reading baby books?” I ask. She’s been doing it when I’ve been out at work if she has, because she certainly didn’t tell me about it.

“Master Mac recommended a couple and we read them together.”

Mac really is the best man I’ve ever known.

“That’s wonderful, baby doll. Tell me about this stage of development.”

She explains the physical changes Livvy’s going through this month while the party winds down around us.

Javier, Faolan, and Matty are the last to leave. I wish I could offer a way for them to stay the night but our guest room’s gone and Javier’s given me his opinion on the bondage bed in the basement several times. Emily and Matty talk about an “art attack” play date they’re planning, as well as their dragon costumes, while Javier and Faolan thank me for the fun day.

“Logan, I hope I don’t offend you if I say that Blunts is more our speed than the playgroup,” Faolan says to me.

“Not at all.” I glance at Javier. “You may find a little resistance to age-play and daddykink at Blunts. But we’re working to change that.”