Page 38 of Tempted By her Daddies

“Uh, because I called you Pet.”

He couldn’t believe he’d done that. This wasn’t like him at all. He was usually far more careful.

“Oh, is that the problem? Pssht, don’t worry about it. I call Alexei, Mr Grumpy Butt in my head.”

“Yes, but that’s in your head. And we all call him that.”

“I don’t mind if you call me Pet.”

God.

Did she know what she was doing to him? She couldn’t. She was so damn innocent that it tugged at his protective instincts.

“I best go clean Mr. Grumpy Butt’s bathroom.” She waved at him cheerfully as she skipped off.

Oh, he was in so much trouble here.

“Alexei!”

A groan escaped him as he heard Salem snap out his name. He needed to get to the boxing gym. He had to get rid of this excess of emotion somehow.

Alexei didn’t like feeling this way.

He preferred not to care about anyone else’s feelings. Which might be why he’d had his membership to Club Slade revoked.

He still thought that was bullshit.

He hadn’t technically broken any rules, but he didn’t like giving aftercare and he could be blunt as hell. When had that become a negative thing?

Maybe after you started making little subbies cry, asshole.

He sighed. “I’m going for a box. What do you want?”

Pounding on someone was the only way he knew to tame his emotions.

“Well, that can wait until you tell me why you told Tamsyn that she was doing a terrible job.”

Well, now, didn’t he sound possessive? And protective.

That was interesting. And it might make things easier on him. If she belonged to Salem, then she would become his problem.

“Did she go crying to you?” Strangely, he’d thought better of the brat.

“She did not. She told me that she was sorry that she was such a terrible cleaner and that she would quit if I wanted her to.”

“I hope you told her yes,” he said, without meaning it.

“I did not,” Salem said firmly. “She stays. And you will not berate her like that again. If you have any problems with her work performance, speak to me.”

“All right, I have a problem with her work performance.”

“I don’t want to hear it.” Salem stormed away.

Yeah, just as he’d suspected. She had Salem wrapped around her little finger.

And he didn’t like that at all.

7

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