Page 54 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

“Manytrips together to the south of France.” Another eye roll. “Daddy stayed there a couple of summers when he did sabbaticals to write his books. Soold friendsis a bit of an understatement.”

Certainly is.

“I didn’t know Master Javier was married,” I say. “Do you know if his wife was in the lifestyle?”

Matty shakes her head. “Not for sure but I don’t think so. She’s quite the society lady. Old New York money. She’s remarried now. She runs his big masquerade ball thing at a fancy club on Park Avenue. Daddy got free tickets. Would you and your daddy like to come? It’s in January.”

A masquerade ball? I’m all over that.

“I’ll ask Daddy. We should have a ball at Blunts. ALittles Ball.”

Matty grins. “We should. A winter water ball. In the pool.”

I love that idea even more. “With synchronized water dancing.”

Matty giggles. “I can’t water dance. But I figure no one will complain about their feet hurting if we’re dancing in the water instead of on land.”

“Excellent idea. We can do an ‘Under the Sea’ theme.”

“Back to the Future?” Matty asks.

I nod eagerly and Matty giggles.

I think I’ve found a new recruit for the Littles’ Army.

sixteen

LOGAN

With one question,my whole night goes downhill.

“Shannie, I trained you. Why didn’t you come to me with this?”

Shannie’s soft brown eyes go hard. “You left.”

“I was never further than a phone call away,” I protest.

She shrugs and sinks further into the guest chair in my office. Mac crosses behind her and gives me a hard look. I’m fucking this up.

I rise from behind my desk, hold my hand out to Shannie, and lead her over to the couch. I sit in my desk chair when I’m dealing with Emily. It reinforces our roles. But Shannie doesn’t need a Dom right now. She needs a friend.

I sit next to her on the couch and hold her hand loosely. Mac circles around to lean against Emmy’s standing desk.

“I’m sorry, Shannie,” I say gently. “I didn’t realize you felt abandoned. I thought I was leaving the house submissives in good hands. When I did my last check in with you, you said you were developing some real connections at the club and working toward your submission goals.”

“I was,” she says. A crystal tear trembles on her dark lashes, then slips down her cheek.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” I ask. Cappa’s been pushing me toward interviewing Shannie but she was reluctant to talk with me. Now I understand why. I’m glad Javier wore her down and got her to come today, then gave me an excuse to take her into my office and question her.

She shakes her head. “It won’t help.”

Mac moves suddenly, kneeling on the carpet in front of Shannie. “You don’t know me, Shannie. I know you’ve only got Brenna’s and Logan’s say-so that I’m trustworthy. But I care about what happens to the house submissives. Whatever you tell us stays in this room. And wewillhelp. No matter what you say.”

Shannie glances at Mac, then at me. I nod.

She looks down at our joined hands. After a moment’s silence, she squeezes my fingers. “Remember how one of my submission goals was to submit to two masters?”

“I do,” I say encouragingly.

---