Page 62 of Break Me, Daddy

“What’s wrong, little siren?”

“Nothing. Everything,” she amended with a shaky laugh. “But I don’t really want to talk about it right now. Is that okay?”

It killed him to see her hurting but he wasn’t going to push the issue. Not here, in front of everyone. “Of course.”

“Thanks. I promise I’ll talk to you when I’m feeling a bit steadier.” The corners of her lips twitched. “And when we don't have quite such a large audience.”

“Fair enough,” he said with a low chuckle. “Our friends are a nosy bunch.”

“The nosiest. But they mean well.”

“Uh-huh. Do you want to come sit, or do you need a few minutes?”

“No, I’m good.”

He wasn’t quite sure he believed that, but again he didn’t want to push her too hard with everyone watching. So he nodded and turned to head back to the couch. Everything in him longed to pull her down onto his lap, but he forced himself not to reach for her as she settled on the floor beside him.

“So… how about those Yankees?” Ice said, breaking the silent tension that had settled over the room as everyone burst into laughter. The heaviness around the room lifted, and the conversation finally moved on to lighter, happier topics.

But when Lottie began regaling the room with a story about a disastrous meeting she'd had with a potential wedding cake baker earlier that afternoon, Holden frowned.

“Wait. I thought you took Frankie to her therapy appointment.”

“What?” Lottie’s brows drew together in confusion, but only for a moment before she waved a hand and let out a breezy laugh. “Oh, yeah, I did. This was before that. I only have one day off from the club this week because we have a couple people out sick so I had to cram a lot into my day.”

Behind her, Braden narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything, and the hairs on the back of Holden’s neck stood up.

Something was up. But before he could press Lottie on her whereabouts, the conversation shifted again.

“Speaking of the club, are we going to do anything about those weirdos out front?” Ruby made a show of shivering, and Beckett pulled her closer, rubbing his hands down her arms as he pressed a kiss to her hair. “Last night when I was walking in with Tara, they started yelling stuff at me. It's starting to really freak me out.”

“You should use the service entrance,” Ivy said, glancing up at Cordelia who was perched on the arm of the chair Ivy had sunk into. “That’s what Dee and I do. We never even see them because it’s on the other side of the building and there’s some street parking available there so it’s not even much of a walk.”

“Ugh, I know, but the door sticks and it’s such a pain in the ass to get from that entrance to where we clock in.”

“Ruby Red, are you telling me you knew there was another entrance you could have been using this whole time and you’ve been avoiding it because it’s slightlyinconvenient?”

There was no mistaking the ripple of anger beneath Beckett’s words. And judging by the way Ruby’s cheeks paled, she didn’t miss it, either. “I’ve been using the buddy system at night like Braden told us to. You can’t punish me for following directions.”

“I have no intention of punishing you, baby.” A wolfish smile curved Beckett’s lips. “But you and I are going to have a very long talk tonight about being more proactive with your safety. And from now on, youwillbe using the service entrance when you aren’t with me. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Ruby mumbled, her cheeks blazing with embarrassment.

“If they’re getting bolder, then I think it’s a good idea for all of the staff to be using that entrance.” Mouth turned down in a fierce frown, Braden tapped his fingers rapid-fire against his thigh. “I’ll send an email in the morning letting everyone know and I’ll move the computer the staff uses for clocking in so it’s more convenient. Not sure why I didn’t think of that before.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Big bad Daddy B didn’t think ofeverything? What is the world coming to?”

“Hush, Cordelia.”

“Aw, but it’s so much fun to tease you.” She raised her glass as if toasting him before taking a long pull of the dark wine.

“Dommes really are the biggest brats,” Braden grumbled, shaking his head before his gaze zeroed in on Holden. “What about you? Any news on our… fan club?”

“Actually, yes. We’ve got an operative working his way into the group. He’s been talking to one of the girls and he managed to get a name out of her.”

Everyone seemed to sit up straighter at that. “What kind of name?” Braden asked, his voice snapping with authority.

“The Prophets of the Sacred Truth. Far as I can tell, they’re?—”

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