Page 87 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

“Mmm, maybe.” I press a final kiss to her forehead. “I love you, my sweetheart. Let’s enjoy the rest of the day, huh? I’m sorry I let him get to me.”

“I’m not.” She smiles up at me. “Always happy for Daddy-time.”

“I’m always happy for little girl time. You’re amazing, Emmy.”

She stretches up on her toes to press a kiss on my chin, then takes Livvy and bounces her until Livvy breaks into giggles. I take her hand and lead her back to join the group.

twenty-four

LOGAN

I need a fuckingbreak from the intensity of today but I don’t get one.

When we return to the house, Mac’s waiting for us. As soon as I’ve shed my coat and shoes, he beckons me into my office.

A red-eyed former house submissive is sitting on my couch.

I cross the room and sit next to her. “Annabelle, thank you for coming to talk to us.”

She sniffs and dabs at her eyes with a tissue. Mac has moved the box that I keep on my desk to the couch next to her. Bloodshot eyes and red nose aside, she looks rough. Her curls are snarled and ratty around her face. Upset or sleeplessness has carved shadows and lines in her rounded, motherly features.

“I’m sorry for being a coward,” she says.

“May I touch you?” I ask and when she nods, I rub her back. “Why would you call yourself a coward?”

“I ran away. Instead of standing my ground and fighting, I ran away.”

Mac sits down in one of the wingback chairs that he’s pulled up across from the couch. “I know this is gonna sound strangefrom a man who used to fight for our country but there are times to fight and times to retreat. If you needed to retreat for your safety, that’s not cowardice, Annabelle. That’s survival.”

She nods and mops at her eyes. “I feel terrible for leaving the other subbies in the lurch. I abandoned them. I let everyone down. Master Javier’s been so wonderful with me and I disappeared without a word.”

I continue rubbing gentle circles over her back, feeling her nervousness in the damp fabric. It gave me huge amounts of comfort when Emmy rubbed my back in the museum bathroom; I hope rubbing Annabelle’s back gives her a fraction of that relief.

“D’you feel up to telling us why you left, Annabelle?”

She takes a deep breath and dabs at another tear. “They’re going to ruin my son’s career for this but yes, I’ll tell you.”

Mac sits forward, letting his hands dangle between his knees. “I swear to you, sweetheart, if it’s in my power, I will stop any repercussions from touching you or your family. No one should fear speakin’ up, speakin’ the truth.”

She sniffles. “I believe that, too but they have ammunition on almost all of the house subs. They’re very careful about that before they start hunting.”

The word hits me like a blow in the chest. “Hunting?”

She nods. “They call themselves the Wolfpack. They believe being Doms makes them predators.”

“And the house submissives are their prey?” Mac asks.

“Any submissive. They hunt anywhere. Blunts. Other lifestyle clubs. Private parties.”

“Who arethey?” I ask, my voice cracking.

“I only know Emmett and Drew at Blunts but there are more.”

Hearing Drew’s name—again—in the context of our house subs being hurt, sends my blood racing. This is more than a rule about guests.

“I’m not doubting you, Annabelle, I just need to understand why you think that.”

“Emmett likes to brag after he’s come,” she responds. “He says they’re growing the Pack within the club and soon they’ll have the numbers to take over.”

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