Page 64 of Daddy's Arms

“Ow! Daddy, stop!” Kicking and squealing for all she was worth, Olivia struggled to avoid his hand, but he was well practiced in giving his little girl the spanking she needed, no matter how hard she fought.

“You do not disappear without telling Daddy where you’re going!” He continued to pepper her bottom with hard, well-placed swats while he lectured. “I had no idea where you were. You scared the shit out of me, Olivia Jane!”

She froze over his lap. “Oh. Ouch! I’m sorry, Daddy.”

It was the real contrition in her voice that convinced him she’d had enough. After a few more heavy spanks, he stopped and rubbed her bottom. “Why are you sorry, little one?”

“I didn’t think about your feelings. I’m sorry, please don’t be mad anymore.”

“Oh, Livvy.” With a sigh, James helped her to sit up on his lap. “I’m not mad. I was scared. You should have left me a note or woken me up or something. Not to mention the whole issue with going into the ocean by yourself, young lady.”

“I’m not a baby, I know how to swim.”

“I know you’re not a baby. But even the strongest swimmers have accidents in the ocean. No more going in without me, okay?”

“But Daddy—”

“Olivia.”

She pouted, her full bottom lip sticking out so far he could’ve landed a 747 on it. “Fine, I won’t have any fun without you.”

Raising an eyebrow, he gave her ass a hard squeeze. “Someone seems keen to ride home on a very sore bottom this afternoon.”

“No, Daddy.” Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. “I’m sorry I scared you and I won’t go in the ocean alone again.”

“Much better. Now, how about some waffles?”

Chapter23

Olivia was fighting sleep by the time they turned into their neighborhood. Despite sleeping like a rock the night before, she’d worn herself out with swimming and other activities with her Daddy.

But when she spotted Bryant’s car in their driveway and the figure sitting on their front steps, every trace of sleepiness fled.

“Something’s wrong. James, did he call you? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know—Olivia!”

Before he’d even put the car in park, she was unbuckled and out of the door, racing for the front steps, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. “Bryant! What’s wrong?”

Pushing to his feet, Bryant reached for her, and the sadness in his eyes knocked the air from her lungs before he even spoke a word. “Livvy, sweetheart. It’s Shannon. She’s in the hospital.”

The world spun violently and she stopped at the bottom of the steps, clutching at the porch railing. “You’re lying.”

“No, sweetheart, I’m not. I saw it on the news this morning, and I made some calls. She was attacked last night.”

“Daddy?” Tears blurred her vision as she turned, seeking comfort, but even James’s strong, familiar arms weren’t enough to hold back the sobs.

“I know, baby. Let’s get you inside so you can lie down.”

“No!” Jerking out of his embrace, she glared up at him. “I need to see her.”

“Livvy—” As if catching himself, he broke off and sighed. “I’m sorry. Of course, you do, baby. We can go see her right now.”

“I’ll drive,” Bryant said, pulling her close to press a kiss to her forehead.

Unable to speak, she jerked her head up and down, grateful to have them to lean on as James bundled her into the back of Bryant’s car. Her mind was racing in a million different directions, but whenever she tried to focus on a particular thought, it seemed to skirt out of reach. Almost as though her brain was trying to protect her from the enormity of what was happening.

“What happened?” she managed to ask halfway there.

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