Page 15 of Lilly's Little Labor Day

But it also saddened him. She was a Little. She was perfect. She needed a strong man to take her in hand and guide her. Cherish her. Discipline her. Hold her close all her days.

It just couldn’t be him.

The irony of all ironies. They were a perfect match.

But it could never be him.

That didn’t mean it had to be Blake. Edward still had a bad feeling about this guy. He needed to know more. So he found his profile through Lilly’s connection and followed the trail.

Wow.

If one went back far enough, they’d see that Blake had posted some photos about a year ago of him in a local dungeon, playing with a few subs.

“Asshole,” Edward muttered.

This guy wasn’t playing safely. It was obvious because there were even videos. He then read some of the comments Blake had left on other’s posts.

Edward’s blood boiled.

He stood up. Lilly deserved better. She deserved a real Daddy. Blake wasn’t one.

He had to rescue her before she did anything she’d regret.

Chapter 8

The restaurant was nice.

The food was good.

Blake was handsome.

He wasn’t as hot and sexy as Edward, but he was handsome in a rugged sort of way. He had talked about how much he loved camping and other outdoor activities and it fit. He looked as if he’d stepped right out of an ad for hiking boots.

He had dark hair that was showing some silver, a prominent jawline, and sharp, somewhat hawkish eyes. His forearms were thick. Every now and then, his biceps bulged under the fabric of his shirt. He didn’t look like a gym rat—a fact Lilly was thankful for—but rather a man who worked with his hands and had the strength to show for it.

Still, something was off. Lilly wasn’t quite enjoying herself to the level she’d hoped she would. Had Edward gotten into her head with all his warnings? Who did he think he was, having her spill all the details like that. He’d written it all down like they were at some sort of court deposition or something.

Jerk.

Yet she couldn’t find the energy to be mad at her stepbrother. He cared about her. He just had a funny way of showing it sometimes.

“So what do you like as far as punishment goes?” Blake asked.

Lilly was taken aback by the question. They were in the middle of a restaurant. Had any other patrons heard? Was Blake always so open about his kink? The public discussion was definitely a red flag, Lilly noted. Consent was so important. Exposing unwilling participants was not cool, even if it was as simple as overhearing a conversation that should have been saved for a safe setting.

“I don’t think we should, uh, talk about this right here,” she said quietly.

Despite trying not to, she sounded apologetic. She hated it. She didn’t owe Blake an explanation. He should already know the rules.

“Easy,” he said. “Maybe I need to punish you. I’ve never met a Little who talks that way to a Daddy.”

Lilly was mortified. Her eyes darted from side to side, trying to gauge the reaction of nearby diners. No one was looking over at them. The conversations had not come to a screeching halt. Best she could tell, no one had heard. But she was beyond uncomfortable.

She remembered the promise she’d made to Edward.

I’ll pay attention to any warning signs. I’ll leave at the first sign of trouble.

Despite the pledge, she didn’t know what to do. Getting up and walking away would be rude. Should she wait until dinner was over? What was the harm in that?

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