Page 21 of Daddy's Desire

“Oh, I’m sorry…”

Ronin grinned. “Don’t be sorry, Honey. I like your eyes on me.”

She nodded and watched him walk into the bathroom and close the door. Courtney got out of bed and rushed into the playroom, where all her clothes were.

She pulled out a nice outfit and walked into the bathroom attached to the playroom. She pulled her hair into a rubber band and showered quickly. Within thirty minutes, she was dressed and ready to go.

Someone knocked on the bathroom door.

“It’s me, Larkin.”

Courtney grinned and opened the door. She gasped when she was pulled into a strong hug.

“Daddy said I can go with you all today,” Larkin said.

“Is your daddy coming?”

Larkin nodded. “Yes. He called a few other people to meet us there. How about some breakfast?”

Courtney giggled when Larkin hooked her arm through Courtney’s and dragged her down the hallway and steps.

“What are you doing?” Courtney asked and laughed.

“I’m hungry for pancakes,” Larkin said.

Pancakes? Yum. She couldn’t remember the last time she had them.

She froze for a moment in the doorway to the dining room when she saw Larkin’s daddy at the head of the table and Ronin sitting in the chair on the left side of him. Larkin pulled her over and had her sit in the second chair on the right. Then she dropped into the first one.

Courtney looked across the table at Ronin and smiled when he winked at her.

For the next hour, she and Larkin talked, giggled, and ate an enormous number of pancakes. Courtney guessed if she ate too much, they would have to roll her out of the room.

Darian set his coffee cup down. “Girls, why don’t you get washed up and meet us at the front door?”

“Okay, Daddy,” Larkin said and pulled her out of the chair.

“Pet,” Darian called out. “If you keep yanking her around, you’ll dislocate her shoulder.”

Courtney giggled when Larkin gasped.

“Daddy…”

Darian smiled. “I know. That was mean, wasn’t it?”

Larkin nodded emphatically. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. I don’t think you realize how strong you are sometimes,” he said.

“I’ll be more careful. I promise,” Larkin said and started to pull her out of the room again, although she was a bit gentler.

Courtney couldn’t help the anxiety from rising as they walked to meet the guys at the front door. Larkin kept squeezing her hand and telling her it would be all right, but she wouldn’t believe it until she had seen her mother and was back at Larkin’s.

A man she hadn’t seen before held the front door open.

“This is Elder, Courtney. He gets to take care of me whenDaddy isn’t here.” Larkin hugged the older man and grinned up at him.

“That is true, Miss Larkin,” Elder said.

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