Page 34 of A Little Safe At Home

Chapter 10

“Say goodnight to Daddy, Noah. It’s bedtime.” Katie kissed her son on the head.

He had been on video chat with Jeff for the better part of an hour. Claire was already in bed and Katie was exhausted. Even with Rose’s help it was a lot of pressure to be essentially living like a single parent with a roommate. She constantly worried she wasn’t doing enough or that Rose was doing too much. She didn’t want herself and her kids to be a burden on anyone else. She knew Rose would be offended and maybe even spank her silly for the thoughts she was having, so she kept it inside.

“I’ll take him so you can talk to your hubby,” Rose announced. “C’mon buddy, I’ll read you a book.”

“Yes!” Noah hooted. “Night, Daddy. I miss you.”

“Miss you too, bud.” Jeff smiled and Katie could see in his eyes that he was sad. She was lucky to get to be with the kids while Jeff kept working to support their family, and it really was safer for him to stay away for the time being.

Katie grabbed the laptop and headed to their room to collapse on the bed. It had become sort of a nightly ritual, unless Jeff had to work late, which happened more often than not. Their entire precinct was overworked because they were understaffed.

“Hi.” She sighed as she settled the computer on her nightstand and snuggled into bed.

“Hi. How was your day?” Jeff asked, following his usual script.

Katie shrugged. “It was fine. Yours?”

“Unusually quiet, thankfully. What have you been up to?”

“Just taking care of the kids.”

“Are you taking care of you, too?”

She shrugged again and he raised his brow expectantly.

“I’m fine.” She rolled her eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at your Daddy, little girl. Answer my question.”

She nibbled her lip, instantly sent into a Little mindset which, when combined with her stress level, was not a safe place to be.

“I did answer. I said I’m fine.”

“Are you eating right, taking your vitamins?”

“I’m eating and when I remember to take them, I take them.” She shrugged, knowing full well she forgot to take her vitamins more often than she remembered.

“Katelyn, do not shrug at me. When was the last time you took your vitamins?”

Without thinking she immediately shrugged again.

“Go to the corner.”

Her tummy danced. This was new. It had been months since Jeff had disciplined her and he’d never done it from far away.

She was curious what would happen next so she blurted the first pushy phrase that came to her mind. “What if I don’t want to?”

Jeff shook his head slowly. “You think you’re safe, little one? You think because Daddy isn’t in the same house as you that you can be a naughty little girl with no repercussions?”

Katie squirmed.

“I’m going to give you one more chance to obey me before you sorely regret your actions. Go to the corner.”

“Make me.”

Jeff grabbed his cell phone from next to him.

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