Page 463 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection

“Are those cupcakes for me, little girl?”

“Two are,” I say casually, like offering him cupcakes after eleven o’clock at night isn’t a big deal for me. “One’s for me.”

Daddy rubs his hand over his mouth, eying the cupcakes. I think I better be quick to claim my cupcake before the Cupcake Monster nabs it.

I return to the kitchen counter for the tea service: an adorable tea-pot shaped like Dr. Who’s telephone box and Dalek-shaped mugs that I found in the same second-hand store where I got our mismatched China plates. Sure enough, by the time I bring the tea service to the table, Daddy’s scarfed down one of the cupcakes and has his huge wolf paws curled around the remaining two.

“Daddy!”

With obvious reluctance, he pushes the plate back into the middle of the table.

“I really like your cupcakes.”

“Iknow.”

He chuckles. “Thank you for making everything better, little wonder.”

“You’re welcome.” I cut my cupcake in half, take my half, and leave the other half on the plate which I push toward him. He eyes it like it’s going to run away before he pops it in his mouth. I don’t even think he chews. “I think Daddy needs to chew his food ten times.”

He smiles at me guiltily as he unwraps the last cupcake. “But they’re so good.”

“How would you know? You can’t possibly have tasted the one you just inhaled.”

“I’m just making sure I eat the cupcakes before your cat gets them.”

I laugh, remembering Sable’s red-velvet-cupcake-stealing ways over Halloween. Goodness was he stinky the day after. Red-velvet cupcake doesnotagree with my kitty’s tummy.

“Daddy, what Master Mac was saying in the taxi sounds very serious. Anything I can do to help?”

Daddy pauses in the act of stuffing the cupcake in his mouth. He takes a more moderate bite, chews, and swallows, before he says, “Sweetheart, I don’t want to burden you with this. A lot of it is very ugly.”

If we were just partners instead of Daddy and little, I’d say something like “your burdens are my burdens.” I must have said that to Ash a few thousand times. But it was a lie. My burdens in that relationship were my own.

I’ve given my burdens to Daddy and he’s shouldered every one. That’s what being a Daddy is for Logan. But that doesn’t mean he has to weather the storms on his own.

I stretch my hand across the table and Daddy wraps his huge wolf paw around it. “Thank you for protecting me from the world’s ugliness. I appreciate it. But a little takes care of herDaddy, too, and I can see you’re going through it. How can I help?”

“I need to solidify support at the club. Could you reach out to some of the subbies? Twitch, Moon ... I hate to ask but Pence, too? I need to know Bull, Sean, and Harry are with me on these votes. I got blindsided when Chess, Caddy, and Cris abstained on Mac’s vote. I need to be a hundred percent sure.”

“I already messaged Queen Twitch. We’re meeting for lunch tomorrow. I’m sure Sean will support you but I’ll contact Moon. Maybe Bren should contact Pence? I think he still holds a grudge about what happened over the summer.”

Daddy nods. “I haven’t always made the best choices in the heat of the moment. Or maybe they seemed right at the time and it’s only with hindsight that I’m seeing how I’ve hurt my relationships at the club?—”

I shake my head. “You’ve done some tough things but I think most of your friends at the club realize they were therightthings. I heard Master Harold say Pence was out of control and needed correction. He agreed with the punishment. He took part in it. He can’t blame you for it now, Daddy.”

“I hope not but I need to make sure.”

“Something you can be absolutely sure of is that the house submissives are behind you. Did you notice that almost all of them came to the Opening? Even Apple and Skye, who almost never come to Monday Madness or our other events, were there.”

Daddy rubs his temple, smearing a few red-velvet crumbs into his sideburn. I control a giggle. I’ll clean him up later. A cardinal rule of dealing with a wolfy Daddy? Do not come between him and his food.

“I hadn’t noticed but you’re right.”

“I know facing the storm isn’t easy, Daddy. I know you have lots of worries. But you’re not alone. I’m right here, no matter what happens.”

He squeezes my fingers. “I’ve never doubted that for a second, my little wonder.”

When I wake in the morning, I’m alone in our big bed, which isn’t unusual because Daddy likes to work out with Master Mac first thing and leaves me to have a lie-in. But he usually wakes me up for nookie before he goes, or at least a blow-job. That he didn’t this morning niggles against my happiness as I contemplate Livvy coming back, lunch with Queen Twitch, and a mermaid afternoon.