Page 163 of Damaged Princess (New Orleans Malones)

“Does she think it was a bad idea to come here?” Liam asked.

“She wasn’t too enthused, no. She said she would rather have worked me up to where I was comfortable going out in public back home first. I think she saw this as several months down the track, maybe longer.”

“Fuck,” he muttered. He’d made the wrong move. Instead of listening to her, he should have taken her somewhere else.

He shared a look with Nico who appeared equally worried.

“I should talk to this therapist,” Liam suggested.

She turned her head to look at him. “Actually, she suggested that might be a good idea.”

“Did she? When?”

Lottie bit her lip on a wince. “Um, well, oh . . .”

“Charlotte,” he said in a low, warning voice.

“When we first got here.”

He stilled his hand where he’d been rubbing her lower back. “Really? And why didn’t you tell us that?”

“Um. I . . . I don’t know exactly. You guys were busy . . .”

“We’re never too busy for you,” Liam told her sternly.

Nico frowned. “Add on some extras for that.”

“Oh, you read my mind.”

His hand landed five more times. She started wiggling around on his lap and he placed a heavy hand on the small of her back. “Not telling us something like that is unacceptable, Charlotte. I get that this has been hard. It was possibly the wrong move. But you should have told us what your therapist said. You should have told us that she wanted to speak to us. That sort of thing is not something that you keep to yourself. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes,” she sobbed, between spanks. “I understand.”

“What if we’d done something that damaged you irreparably? Something that we could have prevented? How do you think we could live with ourselves if we did that?”

“I’m sorry, Liam. I’m sorry, Nico.”

He stopped. That was enough. Especially for her first real punishment. She was crying. Big tears that didn’t show any sign of letting up. Worry flooded him as she didn’t quieten.

“Lottie? Are you all right, pretty girl?” Nico asked her.

Fuck!

Liam managed to turn her, arranging her on his lap with her bottom off one side.

“Charlotte? Did I hurt you? I mean, really hurt you? Scare you? Charlotte, talk to me!”

“I’m fine,” she finally managed to get out. “Sorry. You didn’t hurt me. I’m all right.”

“You don’t seem all right,” Liam grumbled.

Nico moved so he could rub her back. “She’s just releasing all those emotions she had pent up. That right, Lottie?”

Lottie nodded.

Relief filled Liam. He’d never forgive himself if he’d hurt her.

“That’s okay, pretty girl. You just cry as much as you need. We have you.”

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