Page 12 of Bet On Me, Daddy

“How long do you think you need to prove your point?”

“Frankie’s even more stubborn than me, so let’s call it thirty days. You stick it out that long and it should be enough to prove Ruby’s theory is bullshit.”

The odds were high that another firm could swoop in and steal Preston out from under him in that timeframe. But so far, Holden was his only tangible lead and he was already feeling a bit desperate. “Done.”

They shook on it, and Beckett slid from the booth, flashing a grin for his friends. “Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a brat to tame.”

Ruby

She was still tryingto convince herself she hadn’t made a huge mistake by agreeing to Silver’s offer when a shadow fell over the table. “Ladies.”

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Heart pounding, she forced herself to look up, forced herself to smile as if she wasn’t second-guessing every decision that had led her to this moment. “Hey there, Beckett. Something we can do for you?”

Fire flashed in his eyes, telling her he’d caught onto the fact that she’d dropped his usual title, but the smirk he wore never faltered. “That depends. Are you ready for your punishment, Ruby Red?”

Thank god she’d already told everyone about their scene so she didn’t have to explain the situation in front of him. She wasn’t sure she would have managed to get the words out with him looking at her like she was the juiciest cut of meat at the butcher shop.

But since she had, and she’d promised Frankie a show, she was able to set her embarrassment aside to flash him a cheeky grin. “What punishment?”

Her cheekiness earned her a raised eyebrow to go with the smirk. A lethal combination if she’d ever seen one. “Pushing your luck already, little girl?”

God, she was a sucker for being called ‘little girl’ in that silky warning tone. It took everything she had not to simply melt at his feet. “What? I’m not allowed to ask questions?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Instead of pushing the issue, he turned to Cordelia. “Delia, do you mind if I borrow Ivy for a bit? If she’s up to it, I’ll need her during negotiations.”

The heart that was already threatening to beat out of Ruby’s chest raced even faster. What the hell could he need someone else to sit in on their negotiations for?

“Do you want to help Master Beckett, blossom?” Cordelia asked, running a hand down Ivy’s bare arm.

Practically bouncing with excitement, Ivy nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Go on, then. I’ll be watching.”

As Ivy slipped from Cordelia’s lap, Beckett turned back to Ruby, his hand held out toward her. “Coming, Ruby Red?”

Now or never. Placing her hand in his, she let herself be pulled to her feet and tried to ignore the jolt of electricity that raced through her at his touch.

“You guys should come watch the show,” she said to the table with another bright smile. “Apparently I’ve been averynaughty girl.”

“Yes you have,” Beckett murmured in her ear as he led her away, with Ivy trailing along behind them. “And playing the brat is only going to make it worse on you in the long run.”

“Who says I’m playing?”

Instead of scolding her as she’d half expected, Beckett tossed his head back and laughed. “Touché, Ruby Red. Touché.”

They settled at a more secluded table, with Beckett on one side and Ruby next to Ivy on the other. And Ruby watched, fascinated, as Beckett transformed in front of her eyes. From charismatic playboy to… well,Daddy. There was no other word for the stern set of his jaw, or the glint in his eyes that promised swift retribution for any misbehavior.

“Before we negotiate our scene, I need to let you know that I don’t do aftercare outside of committed relationships. I find it often leads to an emotional involvement that can… muddy the waters, so to speak. Ivy, on the other hand, enjoys taking care of people and she often assists my play partners with aftercare. Does that work for you, Ruby?”

Disappointment stabbed at her chest. She hadn’t even realized until that very moment how much she’d been looking forward to being cuddled and pampered by him.

But she’d heard that about him before, and even though it was a disappointment, it wasn’t a deal breaker. And she knew Ivy well enough to feel comfortable trusting her with such a delicate part of the process. “Fine by me.” Turning to Ivy, she grinned. “I like snuggles and soft blankets and chocolate. Oh, and to have my hair played with. I don’t know why but that always helps.”

“Got it. Do you need me for anything else, sir?” Ivy asked Braden.

“No. Thank you, Ivy.”

With a nod, Ivy slipped from the booth and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Ruby alone with her ‘disciplinarian’ for the first time.

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