Page 9 of Bet On Me, Daddy

Silver cheered, and even Frankie stopped scowling at her wine long enough to flash an approving smile. Cordelia, on the other hand, simply shook her head. “You don’t want to get caught up in Lottie’s brattiness, Ruby. Especially when it involves Braden. He won’t hesitate to take you to task right alongside her.”

“Shhh, you’re ruining all my fun, Cordelia. Don’t listen to her, Ruby, I’ll protect you from my big, mean, Daddy.”

“Ah, well, that’s not what he said when I talked to him just now.” At Lottie’s outraged gasp, Ruby offered up an apologeticsmile. “Sorry, I was feeling guilty about lying to him so I had to come clean.”

She wasn’t quite ready to tell anyonewhyshe’d been feeling so guilty, so she just kept that part to herself. Beside her, Lottie sighed and shook her head. “I don’t blame you, really. I can’t keep anything a secret from that man, no matter how hard I try. But thanks for saving my ass last night, anyway. Your first drink’s on me.”

“Lottie, I work here. I get one free drink on non-working nights, anyway.”

“Shit. Right. Well… I owe you a drink. Eventually. Anyway, you’re just in time to listen to Frankie bitch about her GSFD.”

“GSFD?” Ruby asked, at the same time Frankie narrowed her eyes and let out what sounded distinctly like a growl.

“Giant Silver Fox Daddy.” Beaming, Silver raised a hand, a pink, puckered scar still visible across her palm from where her bastard of an ex had tried to end her career. “I came up with that one. Pretty proud of it, actually.”

“He isnotmy Daddy.” Frankie shot Silver a glare. “So stop calling him that.”

“I will not.” Sitting back with a smug smile, Silver shrugged. “It’s fitting and I like it. And he’s only not your Daddy because you keep fighting him.”

“Why are you bitching about him?” Ruby asked, as much to distract Frankie, who looked like she was ready to strangle Silver, as anything. “What did he do?”

“Oh, oh, let me tell her the story!” Without waiting for an answer, Lottie shifted in her seat, an excited gleam in her eyes. “So, a few months ago—well, actually, I guess it’s like six months ago now? Maybe more? I don’t know, actually. Anyway, not important. However long ago, Frankie and I went out clubbing with some friends and Frankie went home with thissmokinghot silver fox.”

“GSFD,” Ruby provided, earning her a proud nod from Lottie.

“Exactly. So she goes home with him, he spanks her ass and makes her call him Daddy, she falls head over heels in love.”

“I didnotfall in love! It was strong lust at most.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, babe. Anyway, she falls hard, they spend some more time together and then… boom. She breaks it off. Nobody knows why.”

The last was said with an ominous tone more suited to telling ghost stories than sharing her friend’s sordid dating history. “So why is she bitching about him if she dumped him?”

“Because he refuses tostaydumped.” Crossing her arms, Frankie slouched in her seat, her scowl returning with a vengeance. “He’s here every night I’m here, he has all the other Doms too scared to scene with me, and when I tried to put myself in the auction a few months ago, he walked up on stage, announced he was paying thirty grand for me and carried me off the stage without even letting anyone else bid!”

“Oh.” The soft-hearted romantic buried deep inside Ruby’s soul sighed. “That’s… awful.”

Frankie narrowed her eyes. “You think it’s sweet. I can hear it in your voice.”

“Okay, well, yes. Guilty as charged. But you have to admit itiskind of romantic, in a very fucked up, bodice-ripper-romance kinda way.”

“I just don’t know what it’s going to take to shake him.” Groaning, Frankie let her head fall back against the padded seat. “No matter what I do, no matter how clear I make it that I amnot interestedhe refuses to budge.”

“Have you tried just being a huge fucking brat?” When five sets of eyes turned curious stares in her direction, Ruby blushed. “I mean, it works, depending on the Dom. I’ve scared off my fair share of them over the years.”

“Um, have you met me?” Lifting her head, Frankie cocked an eyebrow in clear amusement. “I’m nevernota brat. He just takes it all in stride. Even the auction didn’t faze him, and I thought for sure that would be the thing that finally broke him.”

“I know this may seem like a crazy idea, but have you tried just having a conversation with the man?” Cordelia asked. “You know, like an adult?”

“Of course, I have. He just tells me he disagrees with my reasons for dumping him and he’s not going anywhere.” Tapping her fingers on the table, Frankie appeared to mull it over. “Maybe I’m just not being the rightkindof brat.”

“For the love of god,” Cordelia mumbled. “Are you actually hearing yourself right now, Francesca?”

“What? There are different kinds of Doms, so why can’t there be different types of brats?”

“That’s not… okay, yes, that’s true but you’re going about this entirely the wrong way.” The frustration was clear in Cordelia’s voice, and Ruby almost felt guilty for being part of the reason. Although it was amusing to watch Frankie get under the usually unflappable Domme’s skin. “Seriously, Francesca. Justtalkto him.”

“Tried that. Didn’t work. But our Ruby here… she claims she can out-brat any Dom.”

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