Page 77 of Break Me, Daddy

“Really?” There was an edge now to Braden’s words, one that had Frankie’s stomach clenching in response. She’d heard stories of how strict he could be, and now she’d willingly placed herself at his mercy. “Are you allowed to talk or move when you are in the corner?”

“Oh. Umm… No, Daddy.”

“Then you should have realized Francesca would have similar rules. Especially since I am the one in charge of disciplining her tonight.”

“Sorry, Daddy. Sorry—do I have to call you Master Holden?”

“Holden or Sir is fine for tonight, Charlotte.”

“Sorry, Holden. I wasn’t trying to get Frankie in trouble.”

“I know you weren’t. But Francesca knows the rules for corner time just as well as you do. Don’t you, little siren?”

Annoyance pricked at the back of her neck. Why were they being such assholes?

Well, if they could be sticklers for the rules, so could she. Straightening her back, she stared at the junction of the two walls in front of her and remained silent.

“Francesca. I asked you a question.”

Fear, delicious and sharp, traveled up her spine at the steel beneath his words. But she wasn’t quite ready to give in.

“Little girl, you can either answer me now or I can have Braden add another six to your count andthenyou can answer me. Which is it going to be?”

Shit. A dozen with the belt was going to be bad enough, the last thing she wanted was an extra six. “I’m not supposed to speak while I’m in the corner, Sir.”

Silence fell around her, punctuated several long seconds later by a smothered snort of laughter.

“Charlotte Ann.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! But she has a point!”

“She does.” To Frankie’s surprise, her Daddy’s voice sounded almost as amused as Lottie’s. “To clarify, you may answer questions from myself and Braden, Francesca. Though I believe you’ve already answered my original question as it’s clear youdoknow the rules of corner time.”

No way around that particular question, and she was already in trouble for lying. “Yes, Daddy. I do.”

“So you knew better than to engage in a conversation with Charlotte, didn’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy,” she answered with a sigh.

“Braden will be adding two more to your count, then.”

“What?” Anger replaced the amusement in Lottie’s tone. “But that’s not fair! It was my fault, too!”

“Thank you for admitting you knew better, Charlotte. Turn around and place your hands on the coffee table.”

“ButDaddy.”

“Now, little girl.”

“Ugh, fine.”

From the corner, Frankie listened as they moved around. And, a moment later, as the clear sound of leather connecting with bare skin echoed around the room, mingling with Lottie’s cries of distress. Just twice, the same number Frankie herself had earned for breaking the rules, which was a relief. The whole point of having Braden punish her was so she could stop feeling so damn guilty about getting Lottie in trouble, which would never happen if Lottie kept getting herself inmoretrouble.

“Are you going to be my good girl now, Lottie-bug?”

There was a soft sniffle before Lottie’s much more subdued response. “Yes, Daddy.”

“Good. Go stand with Holden, please.” When Braden spoke again, his voice was harder, scarier than Frankie had ever heard it. “Francesca. You may come out of the corner now.”

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