Page 52 of Bet On Me, Daddy

As if he’d read her mind, Beckett gave her neck another gentle squeeze. “All right, everyone is up to date on me and Ruby. I think we’re ready for a change of topic.”

Gratitude swamped her, and as much as Ruby wanted to tell him she appreciated him stepping in, she’d been given very strict orders. And the best way to show her appreciation, would be following his orders to the letter.

So she straightened her spine, pinned her gaze on a spot well past her friends at the table, and did her best to tune out the conversation happening around her.

To her surprise, it wasn’t long before their voices did actually fade to background noise and a strange sort of peace settled over her. Beckett’s hand never left the back of her neck, and she was grateful for the connection as she sank deeper and deeper into her submission.

There was peace here, in this floaty place she’d never been before. A calm that seemed to reach all the way to the depths of her soul that she’d never experienced with anyone else.Thiswas what she’d been missing all these years. No matter how many men she’d knelt for, no matter how they punished her or hurt her or ordered her around, nobody had ever brought her to this place.

Nobody… until Beckett.

She’d completely lost track of how long she’d been kneeling there when he leaned over and whispered in her ear. “You’re being such a good girl for me, Ruby Red. I’m very proud of how well you’re taking your punishment. Ivy is on her way with our food, so I’d like you to turn and face me. You can stay on your knees or you can sit on your bottom, whichever is more comfortable.”

With a quiet sigh of relief, she shifted positions, sitting with her legs folded, facing the table. But she didn’t spare a glance for her friends.

She only had eyes for her Daddy.

“That’s my good girl.” An indulgent smile spread across his face as he cupped her chin. He took his eyes off her for only a second, long enough for him to choose something from one of the many plates now scattered across the table. Holding a piece of succulent pork belly in front of her he tapped it against her lips. “Open up for Daddy, sweetheart.”

With her gaze still locked on him, she opened her mouth, welcoming in the sweet, savory bite. Flavor exploded in her mouth, and though she’d always loved the food at the club, she could swear it tasted a million times better from his fingers.

“Beautiful,” Beckett murmured, running his thumb over her lips. “Ready for another bite, pretty girl?”

Yes, Daddy. Since she couldn’t say the words, she nodded again, this time accepting a stuffed mushroom, one of her favorite items on the menu.

And as she ate, bite by hand-fed bite, she began to think her favorite place in the world might be right here, at her Daddy’s feet.

CHAPTER 18

BECKETT

Ruby’s eyes fluttered closed on a low moan as he pushed a bruschetta topped crostini past her parted lips. Shifting slightly in his seat to ease the pressure on his aching cock, he tapped her nose. “You’ve been such a good girl for me, Ruby. Don’t ruin it now.”

A blush stole across her cheeks as she opened her eyes, the brown full of unspoken apology.

“Oh, don’t be such a hardass, Beckett,” Frankie said with yet another roll of her eyes as she picked at the stuffed mushroom on her plate. “She hasn’t spoken a word in like half an hour. Hasn’t she been punished enough?”

Across the table, Lottie dug an elbow into Frankie’s side, earning her a glare from her friend. “What? What did I say?” Frankie asked, more annoyance than confusion in her tone.

“Stay out of it,” Lottie whispered. “He’s her Daddy, it’s none of our business how he punishes her, even if he’s being a dick about it.”

“All right.” Tossing his napkin down on the table, Braden rose from the chair he’d pulled up at the end of the booth and pinned Lottie with a stern look. “Apparentlymynaughty girl isin need of a lesson in manners. Say goodnight to your friends, Charlotte.”

“But I didn’t do anything!”

“If I have to tell you again, I will put you in the stocks and leave you there with your welted ass on display all night.”

Pouting openly now, Lottie slid from the bench. “Fine. But I still say I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Somehow, you never do.” Amusement wound around Braden’s words as he slipped an arm around Lottie’s waist, pulling her close. “And yet you’re always very sorry for it by the time we’re done.”

“Semantics.”

Chuckling and shaking his head at his babygirl’s sass, Braden waved to the group and led her away. Frankie, who was now full-on scowling, let out a heavy sigh. “Well, if Lottie’s going to be tied up all night I might as well go home. It’s not like anybody is going to scene with me anyway.”

They said their goodbyes to Frankie as she sauntered off, and Ice slid from the booth to join Silver on the opposite side. “Holden is going to have his hands full with that one,” he said with a grin.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Silver muttered, lifting her wine to her lips.

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