“Jade did mention something about that. It’s good. Opening a club out there.”
“Yep.”
“You buying the shelter.” She put down the hot iron after unplugging it. “That was good, too.” She turned to him, leaning back against the sink. “Your father has moved on, I understand.”
“My attorney was able to get him off the idea of going up against me with his eminent domain garbage. Yes.”
“Good. That’s got to be really hard for you, going up against him like that.”
“Not as hard as I thought it would be.” He went on to explain the situation with his father, and about his search for his mother. She stood, gripping the countertop of the sink, listening. Intently listening. He saw the rage in her when he explained the lies his father had told about his mother, and the sincere hope in her eyes when he talked about Grant’s work in trying to find her.
“I’m really sorry all that happened.” She didn’t move, but she looked ready to pounce.
“I’m really sorry, too. I’m sorry that instead of sticking around to explain it all, to let it all settle in my head first, I let it ruin us.”
Her lips parted, but she didn’t make a sound.
“I was so angry, so confused about what to do next, that dealing with you and that at the same time mushed into one thing. I should have waited. I should have dropped you off and gone home to get my head on straight before talking with you. I never should have come up here and taken my anger out on you like that.” He raked a hand through his hair. Could she forgive him for that?
“I didn’t exactly make things easy for you. I reminded you too many times about our deal. When the truth was—I didn’t want the month to end, I didn’t want to walk away. And it terrified me. Instead of telling you, instead of bringing you my worries I held them in and made a bigger mess. How could you possibly think anything other than what you did about me?”
“We did a great job at doing everything wrong that day, huh?” His lips tugged into a smile.
“Yeah, we did.” She let out a long breath. “Do you think I can confess one more thing?”
“Sure, why not.” He chuckled.
“I don’t want to go to the concert tonight. I want to stay here. With you. I want to clear the air and start over. I want my daddy back.”
His chest could have exploded, his heart expanded so quickly from her words.
“I want my Carissa-girl back.” He nodded. “No expiration dates.”
“No, no time stamp.” She shook her head.
“And no more hiding feelings. We deal with them head-on, both of us.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
His knees just about buckled. God damn she knew how to pull his strings.
“And the next time I see you get off that bus at the shelter without proper clothing, I’m going to paddle you right there. Don’t think for a second I didn’t see you without your hat and gloves at least a dozen times over the past few weeks.”
She lowered her eyes, and a rosy blush covered her cheeks.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Lift up your skirt for me, Carissa-girl.”
She turned around and rolled up the hem until he saw the words he’d seen before.
“Bad Girl, huh? What did you do that was bad?”
“I got arrested, for one.” She laughed and looked over her shoulder at him.
He laughed, too. It felt so good.
“You did a lot more than that, little girl. But we can start there.”
He closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair. “I missed you. So much I missed you.”
“Please don’t leave me again.”
“Never, Carissa-girl. Never. I swear it.”
Before she could respond, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
Chapter 19
The moment Jamison touched her, lifting her off her feet, she crumpled inside. So much tension had built all week, while she hoped she’d be able to see him at the concert. She hadn’t thought he would offer to drive her, but when the text had come in, she’d felt a surge of hope. Always cautious with her optimism, she didn’t let her mind spiral off into all the fantasies that could happen when she saw him.
But there he was. In her apartment and wanting to start over again.
All the emotion she’d shoved away for weeks flooded her, and tears spilled over her lids and down her cheeks. He immediately jumped into action, gathering her back in his arms and cradling her in his lap on her bed.
“It’s okay, Carissa-girl. It’s okay.”
“I know.” She sniffled. “I’m so tired of trying not to hurt, and now I don’t have to hurt anymore.”
He flinched but didn’t let her go. “I’m sorry you had to hurt at all.”
“You hurt, too,” she reminded him. He’d gone through so much, and she hadn’t been there for him. She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, and she didn’t try. She didn’t need to.
“We both hurt because we weren’t with each other. But now that we are here, we can heal.”
She’d missed him so much. How easily he could soothe her with a hug, a kiss, hell, a wink. She tried telling herself she could get over him, but she’d been lying to herself. She’d never be able to get over him.
“Aren’t you going to paddle me?” she asked when several minutes went by and he still held her.
“I think the last few weeks are punishment enough for both of us,” he said.
She looked up at him, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Do you still—” She swallowed. “Do you still want me?”
“Want you? Carissa, if I don’t have you in the next ten minutes, I will probably die a horrible death. Outside of the physical need I have for you, I want you in every other way, too. I always did. I love you, Carissa. And if that scares you, I’ll hold you tighter—”
“It doesn’t scare me, I mean, it would have a while ago, but seeing as I love you, too, it only makes good sense.”
He looked down at her, a warm smile spreading across his features.
“Still such a smart mouth.”
She giggled and snuggled closer, enjoying the warmth of being in his arms.
“I know how to cure that.” His hands wandered down her body, feeling her and pinching her. She didn’t wiggle away or try to stop him. Instead she gave him free rein.
It felt so good to have his hands on her again, to have her daddy back with her.
“I think we can do without these panties,” he said. She scooted off the bed, rolled the cotton panties down, and stepped out of them.
“Your pants might get in the way, too.” She gestured at the bulge in his jeans.
“You’re right.” He hopped down and made quick work of getting as naked as her. He grabbed her and tossed her down on the bed, shoving her legs apart and pressing his hard cock against her.
“I’ve missed this, too.” He reached between them and petted her clit. She hadn’t touched herself in weeks, not feeling the desire to do anything without him. His little touch had her on the brink already.
He eased two fingers into her, his mouth agape as he watched her. “My girl is wet and wanting. You’re close, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” She nodded, gripping his shoulders.
“I’m afraid this isn’t going to take very long.” he poised his cock at her entrance.
“I don’t care,” she all but yelled.
He laughed then removed his fingers, quickly replacing them with his cock. “Oh fuck.” He gripped her hips and ground his pelvis into her.
She arched her spine, trying to get closer to him, to pull him deeper inside.
“I have to.” She panted, meeting his thrusts with her own
“Go,” he ordered, his voice gravelly and raw.
He captured her scream with his mouth, kissing her hard. Her breaths came in little gasps as he fiercely rode her toward his own release. As his body unleashed, whipping h
is mind this way and that until the last pulse of his orgasm slipped from him.
“Holy hell,” he whispered against her lips. “That had to be a record short fuck.”
She laughed. “That’s okay. We have all night.”
“No, Carissa-girl. We have forever.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Epilogue
“Where is he?” Carissa asked, checking her phone again for the time. They’d been sitting in the crowded coffee house for almost an hour and still no sign of Detective Warner.
“He’ll be here, don’t worry.” Jamison sipped the last of his latte.
“Maybe you should have used a different detective,” Carissa said.
“You only say that because you think Grant doesn’t like you.” Jamison grinned.
“He thinks I’m trouble.” She shrugged.
“That’s only because the first time he met you, you were sitting in one of his holding cells.” Jamison reached over the table and squeezed her hand. “He’s a good detective and a friend. I trust him with this.”
Carissa nodded. Trust was important. Especially with this task.
“Hey, sorry I’m so late.” Grant appeared at their table and shook off his coat. Light flakes of snow dropped to the floor around them.
“No problem.” Jamison greeted him.
“Did you find her?” Carissa burst in before Grant took his seat.
Grant paused; his gaze flicked to Jamison. “Sort of.”
Carissa held Jamison’s hand.
“And?” she forcibly pressed when he didn’t speak right away.
“Carissa,” Jamison warned. “Let him sit before you start your interrogation.”
“It’s okay.” Grant gave a small nod. “I did find her. Unfortunately…shit…I’m sorry Jamison. She passed away two years ago.” Grant placed a folder on the table. “Her death certificate.”
Carissa’s gaze snapped to Jamison. His jaw went lax, and his shoulders drooped. All the waiting, the hoping- dashed with one sentence. He’d never meet his mother.
“There’s something else,” Grant said, opening the folder and pulling out a slip of paper. “A birth certificate. For a baby girl.”
Carissa snatched the paper. “Jamison, this girl is younger than you…shit- I think she’s your sister.” She brought her gaze back to him.
Grant took the paper back. “Yes, that’s what I think as well. Your father is listed on the certificate. This girl- well woman now- is your sister. Full sister. Your mom was pregnant when she left Chicago.”
Jamison sat back in his chair. His brow wrinkled with thought.
“Jamison?” Carissa said softly. “I’m sorry-”
“No. It’s okay.” He turned his attention back to Grant. “Did you find anything out about my mother, how she lived, died? Anything?” Jamison asked.
Grant nodded. “She remarried about ten years ago. They were in a car wreck. Died instantly.”
Jamison’s jaw clenched, and he dragged in a long breath. “My sister?”
“I didn’t do any digging on her. She wasn’t listed in the area, and I wasn’t sure how deep you wanted me to go,” Grant explained.
“Okay,” Jamison nodded. “Well, thanks, for finding this all out for me.”
“Not a problem. I can keep digging,” Grant offered.
“No, not now. I think I need to wrap my brain around all this first.” Jamison crossed his arms over his chest.
Grant stared in silence for a long moment. “Okay, well. Then I’ll see you at Dark Lace this weekend?”
Jamison nodded. “Of course.”
Grant left the folder for Jamison and grabbed his coat from the chair. “I had the maintenance guys do that thing you wanted in the nursery. It’ll be ready this weekend,” he said while he buttoned up his coat.
“Thanks,” Jamison said with a slight nod.
Carissa waited until Grant walked away from the table before scooting over to the next chair and hugging Jamison.
“I’m so sorry, daddy,” she whispered.
“It’s really okay,” he said with a kiss to her forehead. “Really. I won’t have the answers I wanted, but I know she didn’t abandon me. I can feel it.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her against him.
“What about your sister?” Carissa asked quietly.
“I need some time, then maybe Grant can find her, reach out for me. But right now, I think I’m just going to enjoy having my little girl with me. The movers will be at your place tomorrow morning.”
Carissa’s heart would break a rib if it expanded anymore. Six months ago, the idea of moving in with Jamison would have had her running for the hills. But now, after everything they’d gone through, all the heartache and loving, she couldn’t wait to get finished with the move.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
He cupped her chin, tilting her head enough to bring his lips over hers.
“Absolutely, Carissa-girl.”
“What was Grant talking about? What did they do in the nursery?” she asked. She suspected Jamison needed a little time to accept the news, and once everything sunk in, he’d talk to her about it. He wouldn’t hide from her any more than she was allowed to hide from him.
Jamison’s mouth split into a wide toothy grin.
“Just brought in a few more pieces of furniture.” He got up from the table and grabbed her coat. “Let’s get back to your place. We still have one more room to clean before the movers come tomorrow.”
“But what equipment?” She stuffed her arms in the coat he held out for her.
He zipped her coat then handed her the scarf.
“Jamison?” she pressed when he kept quiet.
“Gloves,” he said sternly with a pointed finger at her pockets.
She huffed but dug out the knit gloves and wiggled her fingers inside. “There. Now will you tell me?” she asked, but he was already half way to the exit.
When she caught up to him, he had his hand open for her to grasp and pulled her closer to him.
“Tell me?” she asked again with more whine to her tone.
He laughed. “I asked them to put two more rocking chairs in like the one we used the first night, an extra spanking bench, and to add a St. Andrews Cross.”
“The cross?” She stumbled over her footing but righted herself before bumping into him. “Why?”
“Because sometimes my Carissa-girl needs some help keeping still while I flog her ass and her tits. This way, you can be bound and helpless, and we don’t have to be in the main dungeon. You can scream for your daddy all you want.”
Carissa headed up the stairs to her apartment in silence.
“You did that for me?” she asked once inside.
He bolted the door and stripped off his coat.
“I did it for us. Everything I do is for us.” He started unraveling her scarf. “But I don’t want to talk about dungeon equipment, or Grant’s findings right now. What I want, is you naked and in your bedroom.”
“What about cleaning the kitchen?” she asked with a coy grin, walking backward to the hallway. If her daddy wanted her naked, she wouldn’t disobey him.
“We can get up early to deal with it.” He stalked her.
Once in her room, he grabbed her arm and yanked her against him. He placed warm kisses to her cheeks. “I can’t imagine not having you with me, Carissa. You’re everything to me. Everything,” he said between kisses.
“I love you, Jamison. So much I love you,” she whispered.
He stopped kissing her and brought his gaze level with hers. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever find someone like you, someone to love forever.”
“I was sure I wouldn’t,” she said, touching his cheek.
“Until you, daddy.”
The end
PUNISHING HER
AN EXCLUSIVE DARK LACE SHORT STORY
Chapter 1
Red and blue lights flashed from the patrol cars, illuminating the quiet subdivision. Neighbors stood on porches, cli
nging robes closed, peering down the street toward the wreckage. The doors to the ambulance propped open while the paramedic’s lifted their passenger into the back.
Thomas’s voice wouldn’t work. Words stuck in his throat as fear boiled past them. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Even the winter’s chill didn’t help. When he was afraid, he sweat. And watching in heart gripping horror as his beautiful wife had been pulled free of the wreck and strapped to the paramedic gurney had been more than enough to trigger his fear.
“I’m coming with you,” he said to the paramedic.
“Sir, it’s best if you follow. We’re taking her to Mercy Central, do you know where that is?”
“What? Yes. Yeah, I know where it is.” Thomas choked on the statement. Of course, he knew. “She works there.” He moved his gaze to Susan, his wife. His injured wife. All he could see was her feet.
“We’ll meet you at the ER then,” the paramedic slammed one of the doors shut, hiding away Susan.
Thomas made off for her car, still parked in their driveway. She’d taken his car to the unit’s holiday party. A casual dinner, she had told him. His jaw tightened as he walked past his red Porsche crushed against the tree in their front lawn.
What the hell had happened? He’d been working in the basement, music blaring to be heard over the circle saw he was using, completely unaware to what was going on outside his own fucking house. It wasn’t until he turned off the saw and flipped his radio off that he heard the doorbell insistent ringing. He’d figured it was Susan. She’d probably forgotten her key again.
But when he opened the front door, chaos had been taking place. How long had she been in the car unconscious while he worked stupidly on the new spanking bench?
“Sir!” A policeman caught up to him as he opened the car door.
Thomas’s teeth snapped. The ambulance’s sirens blared as they pulled away from the house.
“I need to get to the hospital,” he said, but didn’t get into the car.
“I understand that, and a few of our officers will be meeting you there,” the officer said. “We’re going to have a tow come out and remove the vehicle. This is the information for the impounding.” He handed Thomas a slip of thick paper with scribbles and checked boxes all over the form.
Club Dark Lace: Complete Dark Lace Series Page 25
