Page 72 of Use Me, Daddy

“It’s different for me,” he said, standing and rounding the desk until he was right in front of me, his towering presence making my heart race. “I’ve spent years building my network, earning trust, securing alliances. This is more than just my world. This is my life.”

“That’s why I’m telling you,” I said, lifting my chin. “Because I want to help.”

He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the conflict in his eyes—the mix of pride and frustration that always seemed to surface when I pushed back against his authority.

“You impress me,” he said finally, his voice softer now. “But this isn’t your fight. Santini has ties to men I don’t trust, and if you get caught in the middle, I won’t be able to protect you the way I want to.”

“I don’t need protection,” I argued, though the truth of his words made my stomach twist. “I need to prove that I can handle this.”

His eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, his hand sliding around my waist to pull me against him.

“Then listen to me now,” he commanded. “You’re going to stay out of this.”

“Why? It’s a good idea, Aleksei. You said yourself that Santini has connections. He could bring a lot of value to the gallery—and to your business. He could even help us against the Orlovs potentially.”

“It’s not about whether it’s a good idea,” he said, his tone calm but unyielding. “It’s about you stepping into something youdon’t fully understand. Santini is dangerous, and you don’t have the experience to handle someone like him.”

“I wasn’t planning to go in blind,” I argued, crossing my arms. “I was going to set up the meeting, do the research, handle it professionally?—”

“And what?” he interrupted. “Handle it alone? Did you consider contacting him without telling me?”

My throat tightened, and I looked away, unable to meet his piercing gaze.

“Maybe,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Maybe,” he repeated, his tone filled with quiet disapproval. “You didn’t trust me enough to handle this with you. Is that it?”

I swallowed hard, shame bubbling up inside me. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you,” I said quickly. “I just… I wanted to prove that I could handle it on my own. That I could be useful.”

His expression softened just a fraction, but the steel in his gaze remained.

“You don’t need to prove anything to me, Amy,” he said. “But going behind my back—even just thinking about it—is unacceptable.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died in my throat as he reached out, his fingers tilting my chin up, so I had no choice but to look up at him.

“You know what happens now, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice low and deliberate.

My breath caught, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. “Aleksei, I?—”

“You’re going to be punished,” he said, cutting me off. “Not because you had a bad idea, but because you thought you could handle this without me.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest.

“I… I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“I know you are,” he said, his thumb brushing against my jaw. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you need to learn a lesson, baby girl.”

I bit my lip, my cheeks flaming as I tried to process what he was saying. My emotions were a chaotic mix of frustration, shame, and something darker—something that made my stomach flutter and my pussy clench despite the situation.

“Do you trust me to handle this, Amy?” he asked, his voice softening just enough to make my heart ache.

“Yes,” I answered, the word escaping before I could even think.

That was the thing. I did trust him.

“Then you’re going to let me teach you,” he said, his hand slipping to the small of my back, guiding me closer. “And next time, you won’t even think about not coming to me first. Isn’t that right?”

I nodded, my pulse racing as I looked up at him. “Yes, Aleksei.”

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