Page 54 of Lesson In Forgiveness

Another nail of truth slammed into Tabitha’s chest. She had no right to be here, breathing the same air as someone so adorably innocent, sullying her just by being in her presence.

“You and I will pick a movie while we wait for Tabitha to feel better,” Evander said lightly. “I’m sure she won’t mind.”

“The Dark Crystal?” Callie suggested immediately.

“Sure, sweetness. Do you need to hide Higgledy-Piggledy before we start?”

What the fuck was a Higgledy-Piggledy? Despite herself, Tabitha was curious enough to crack her eyes open and resurface—only to groan softly as she watched Callie snatch up a stuffed silver elephant and some kind of pig stuffie.

“Can’t forget, can’t forget,” she babbled, hurrying from the room with her friends clutched to her chest. “Higgledy-Piggledy hates the Skeksis! Maybe they’ll eat him all up!”

When the chatty Little was out of earshot, Tabitha groaned again and tried to push herself up. No way was she laying here like an exhausted toddler, on her belly with her ass exposed. Remembering the godforsaken flap, she patted the fluffy onesie to see if her essentials were still on show.

She froze when lips touched the crown of her head.

“Easy, little tiger. You checked out on me for a while.” Long fingers stroked through her hair—probably the same ones that had curved around the underside of her ass cheeks when he spanked her. “Back with me now, all the way?”

“Is my ass on display?” she fired back, weaker than she liked.

“No, your ass is perfect and pink and all covered up.”

“Doesn’t feel pink.” More like crimson and purple and blue.

“Trust me, it’s a beautiful color. Did you know you were going to disconnect that way, Tabitha?”

There was no point evading the question. She knew from experience with Jasper and his buddies how dogged Doms became, how relentless they could be when they demanded an answer. Acting blasé, she exhaled heavily. “It’s my party trick, okay? Self-taught. My way out when…”

Oddly, she couldn’t finish the sentence.

“When some asshole pushes you too far too fast?” Grit’s voice tensed.

She managed to smile against his thigh. “I’m not fragile, Grit. Fairfaxes are made of steel—we don’t bend, we don’t break, and we do any job required of us. For the right price, of course,” she added dryly. “It’s a defense mechanism, okay? Something I learned in case I was captured and tortured or… other things.”

“Hmm. Did you learn it while your father was doing these other things?”

Her throat clogged. “It seemed necessary.”

“I agree. All right, we’ll leave it at that for now.” Of course, he wouldn’t push her, not now he knew why. Not when there was an audience listening in. “Do you need anything?”

Surprisingly, she was happy exactly where she was. His fingers were magical, seeking out all the spots on her scalp that needed attention. “I’m good. I’m good, I’m good, it’s all good in the hood.” A tired giggle bubbled loose. “A goose fucked a moose because of the blackberry juice.”

Chuckling, Grit just patted her head. “Eli, throw me that blanket please?”

Extra weight and warmth settled over her from the shoulders down before he eased her head up and slid a pillow beneath her.

Callie came rushing back in, stuffie free, and squealed, “You’re awake!”

Barely. The combination of the blanket, Grit’s scent, and his ministrations were encouraging her to fall back into that drifting state, this time safely anchored to him. “Mmm-hmm.”

Suddenly, her half-lidded vision was consumed by a pair of huge, earnest gray eyes; Callie was on her knees, her nose almost touching Tabitha’s. Voice a whisper, she said, “Do you mind if we watch The Dark Crystal? Daddy said you choose ‘cause you’re the guest, but yous all sleepy now.”

“Sure. Whatever.”

Another squeal almost ripped loose, but Callie caught herself and silently clapped her hands together. With a disturbingly cute parting kiss to Tabitha’s nose, she scrambled away and bounced over to Evander.

“Hope you’re ready for this, Grit,” Elias muttered as he wandered over to turn off the lights and draw blackout blinds across the view of the city. “This is some of the weirdest shit you’ll ever watch in your life.”

Grit’s laugh was wicked. “Weirder than fruit porn?”

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