Page 23 of Daddy Devious

When I join the call, the others are already there, sipping their drinks of choice and chatting about the finishing touches our builders are putting on the water park.

Jasper notices I’ve joined before I can speak, and a wide grin splits his face. “Well if it isn’t the lucky bastard himself. How is our newest addition settling in?”

“As well as can be expected, I think. My palm is certainly getting a workout,” I add with a laugh that’s echoed by the rest of my coterie. “But luckily I haven’t had to resort to more drasticmeasures than a few spankings. She adjusted rather quickly and by dinnertime it only took a stern look to get her to behave. I cannot wait for you all to meet her.”

“Did she enjoy her milk?” On screen, Catharina’s eyes gleam with excitement.

“She balked at first, but then she drank nearly the whole bottle.”

Catharina’s smile brightens, nearly blinding with its brilliance. Which is saying something, considering I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Catharina Montgomery smile in all the years I’ve known her. Smirks, yes. Smug looks, plenty. But true, genuine smiles are not a currency Catharina deals in on a regular basis.

I have a feeling that is going to change now that our first Little one has arrived on the island.

“Are you still planning to take her to Doctor D in the morning?” Evander asks, swirling the dark red wine he favors in his glass.

“We have an appointment with him first thing. And then I believe Catharina is meeting us at Celeste’s for a fitting.”

“I promise not to buy out the entire store,” Catharina assures me with a throaty laugh. “Well, I promise to try, anyway.”

Victoria must be under my skin more than I realize, because I’m tempted to tell her not to worry about it, that she can spoil my little thief as much as she pleases.

But that’s a dangerous road to go down with Catharina, so I simply smile. “Thank you. I don’t mind spoiling her a bit, but Little girls sometimes need to be told no. As do Mommies, it seems.”

At that, Catharina raises a brow. “Well if you’re going to be rude about it, perhaps I will buy out the entire boutique. And the candy store, to boot.”

“Cat.” I infuse her name with as much warning as I dare, knowing that if I overplay my hand she really will send my Little girl home with a hundred pounds of candy just to spite me.

“Oh, don’t get your panties in a twist. I’ll be good. But can you really blame me for wanting to spoil my niece a bit?”

“No. And you know I appreciate you. I just don’t want her getting the idea she can have whatever she wants just because she smiles pretty at her Auntie Cat.”

Now the smile that curves Catharina’s lips has a sharp edge to it. “You know I’m not such a soft touch, Maxwell. I’m just as quick to spank a naughty bottom as any of you, if not quicker.”

Jasper chuckles. “She has a point, Max.”

“She does,” I concede with a small nod. “But if you’ll all excuse me, I’ve had a long day wrangling my naughty little girl and I have a feeling tomorrow will be more of the same so I’m heading to bed.”

I wait for the chorus of “Goodnight” before leaving the call. It's another two hours before I actually make it to bed, thanks to the emails that have piled up during my afternoon out of the office. When I finally climb the stairs again, I indulge in one final glimpse of Victoria, sleeping soundly in her crib. She’s sprawled on her back, her mouth slightly open and her hair a frazzled halo around her head.

And all I can think is that no one has ever looked more beautiful than my little thief.

Victoria

“Rise and shine, little one.”

Who is that? Groaning in response to the too-chipper voice, I roll to the side, yanking my blanket up over my head. Whoever he is, he needs to get out of my apartment. “Go ‘way.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the voice says with a chuckle. “We have a big day ahead of us. And I’m sure you don’t want to start that big day with a red bottom, now do you?”

His words unlock my memories of the day before and they come flooding back, filling me with all the shame and humiliation of being treated like a little girl all over again. And just like a cranky toddler, I curl even tighter into myself, as if that can somehow protect me from whatever Mr. Stone has planned for me today. “Don’t wanna.”

“It seems my little girl is not a morning person, Caleb.”

Laughter, deeper than I remember Mr. Stone’s being, fills my ears. “It would appear not, sir. Such an adorable little thing, even when she’s fussy.”

Caleb. The air in my lung freezes at the memory of the stern-faced man who greeted us at the door. Now, more than ever, I want to just hide away under the covers rather than face whatever it is these devious men have planned for me.

“Isn’t she just?” There’s a hint of what almost sounds like pride in Mr. Stone’s voice. “Caleb, will you get the solution ready? I’ll get our cranky little one out of bed and undressed.”

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