Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

H eart racing, Bear stared into his Little’s wide green eyes. He’d never seen her so pale before. She was shaking violently and looked like she might vomit. “Can you tell me who that was, Little one?”

Tears started to run down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think he would look for me.”

“It’s okay. You’re safe here. I promise.” It was hard for Bear to keep his cool. He wanted to take off after that man and strangle him for whatever he’d done to put this fear in his Little girl’s eyes.

And fuck. She was definitely his Little girl. He’d done everything in his power to ignore the pull toward her and deny he cared about her for the past two weeks, but it had been a losing battle.

The moment Eden, Elizabeth, and Remi had run to him, looking scared out of their minds, he’d been a goner for Addie. The last tiny sliver of denial he’d been holding on to dissolved before he’d even gotten the story out of Eden.

Bear had already been on his feet, jogging toward the shop as Eden told him about the man who’d come in and scared Addie out of her mind enough that she was now huddled behind the desk.

It had taken every ounce of his self-control to calmly step into the reception area. He’d wanted to throw punches the moment he’d seen Addie curled in a tiny ball, hiding. Fury had consumed him, but he’d somehow managed to keep his shit together while sending Kade a message that something was not okay here.

He’d known if he referred to the receptionist as Debra, Kade would catch on and play along. So had the other men from the shop. No one even flinched. None of them were strangers to trouble. Lord knew they’d encountered enough crazy lately to last a lifetime.

There was no sense pretending Addie wasn’t his Little girl in every sense of the word, so he scooped her off the floor, cradled her against his chest, and turned to head back into the clubhouse.

Someone grabbed his arm, and he turned to find Kade tucking a stuffed bear in next to Addie.

Grateful, Bear palmed Addie’s head so her face was buried against him and headed straight for his apartment.

Whatever had spooked Addie wasn’t something she would want to share with the entire club right now. It would be easier to get her to talk if they were alone.

As soon as he entered his apartment, he kicked the door shut and reached back to lock it. He aimed straight for the recliner and sat, holding Addie in his arms.

For several minutes, he just held her and rocked her, rubbing her back, her hair, her arm. His heart hurt as she sat so stiff, sniffling and telling him she was sorry over and over.

He kissed the top of her head and repeatedly told her it was okay and she was safe here. That was all he could do until she told him more. He didn’t want to rush her and risk spooking her.

When her body finally started to relax, he leaned her back a few inches. “Look at Daddy, Angel.”

Her breath hitched as she met his gaze, blinking.

“That’s my good girl.” He pulled the bear from where it was tucked under his arm and settled it under hers instead. “Maybe this little fellow will soothe you.”

She glanced at the bear and back at him. “He’s cute.”

Bear picked up her hand and kissed her fingers. They were so tiny and soft. Her polish was a pretty shade of pink. She’d been wearing the same shade when he’d met her, so he figured it must be one of her favorite colors. “Is pink your favorite color, Little one?”

She nodded slowly. “But I don’t own anything pink. Just the polish,” she whispered.

“Why not?” It was such an odd response.

“Because grown women don’t wear pink,” she told him as if this were common knowledge.

He forced himself to remain calm. What he wanted to do was demand answers and then go after the fool who’d dared hurt his Little girl. But this method was going to work much better. “Who says?”

She shrugged. “My mother,” she mumbled.

“Ah, well, that seems silly. I think all people should embrace whatever color they want. What about grown men? Are they allowed to wear pink?”

She giggled and shook her head. The sound warmed his heart.

“I’m ordering three pink shirts first thing tomorrow,” he declared, smiling at her.

“For me?”

“Hell, no. For me.”

She giggled again.

“Maybe I’ll let you wear one.”

“It would reach my knees.”

“It could be a sleep shirt.”

She stared at him for a moment. Perhaps she was starting to realize they’d moved into new territory. Did she know it was permanent?

He didn’t give a fuck who that man out front had been or what demons she was fighting. He would take care of it and take care of her at the same time.

She licked those sexy pink lips. “Only if you wear it first.”

Those words would have brought him to his knees if he’d been standing. His heart couldn’t take it. “I’ll wear a pink shirt every day from now on if you’ll wear it to bed at night.”

Her cheeks turned rosy, and her lips parted to speak again. “But you don’t even like me.”

Fuck . “That’s not true, Angel. I adore you. I knew you were mine the first time I set eyes on you. You were standing at the counter next to the window, organizing the coffee and water. There was a halo around you from the sunshine, and your silky black hair was swaying down your back like an angel’s hair.”

Her eyes went wide. “But…”

He kissed her fingers again. “I’m an old fool.”

“You haven’t spoken to me since that first day.”

“Like I said, I’m a fool.”

“Why?”

He drew in a deep breath. He’d rather talk about her problems than hash out why he was such a fool, but this was what she needed first. “I had a Little girl once a long time ago. She hurt me, and I swore I would never let someone get close enough to me to hurt me again.”

Addie searched his eyes. “She didn’t deserve you.”

He smiled. “No. She didn’t. The truth is she wasn’t Little. She was faking it. But I cared about her, and I was too enamored to notice that fact even though it was right in front of my face.”

“How do you know I’m Little?”

“I’m wiser now.”

“But I don’t even know if I’m Little.”

“You will, Angel. You just haven’t had a chance to explore your Little side yet. I bet you’ve been thinking about it, though.”

She nodded. “All the time. I have so many questions.”

“That’s okay. You’ll ask all of them whenever you’re ready. Either I or someone else will answer them. You’ll be running around the clubhouse with the other girls, wreaking havoc in no time.”

“I was afraid to join them.”

He rubbed her fingers along his lips. “That was my fault, wasn’t it?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want to see you if you were avoiding me.”

He flattened her hand to his chest. “I’m sorry I was such a doo-doo head. It won’t happen again.”

Another delightful giggle. “Doo-doo head.”

He chuckled. It was a silly word. He had no idea why he’d used it except it seemed appropriate with Addie. It was time to change the subject. “Will you tell me who that man was, Angel?”

She sighed. “Yeah.” She pushed herself more upright. “First, can I have some water, please?”

“Of course, Little one.” He reluctantly lifted her off his lap and stood her on her feet, holding her hips to make sure she was steady before he stood. He hated breaking the intimate contact, but he also didn’t want her to feel crowded.

After tugging the stuffed bear from her grip, he set it on the chair. Taking her hand, he led her to the other side of the room, toward the kitchen area.

“You live here?”

“Yep. This is my apartment.”

“Some members have homes in town, though, right?”

“Yes.” He lifted her off the floor and sat her on the counter before opening a cabinet and pulling down a pink sippy cup. He was glad he had one in the apartment and that it was pink. “Every member has at least a room here where they can crash anytime they want. The members with board positions have apartments. Some of us live here full-time.”

“You’re the secretary, right?”

“Yep.”

“So you, like, take notes at the meetings and stuff.”

“Exactly.”

“Plus, you Daddy all the Little girls, even though they’re not yours.”

He winked. “You’re observant.”

She shrugged.

He filled the cup with ice and water, screwed on the top, and handed it to her.

She giggled. “I can drink out of a regular glass, you know. I’m twenty-two years old.”

“I’m sure you can, Little one, but when you’re Little, you’ll use a sippy cup. Plus, it’s spillproof, so you can use it even while you’re snuggling with Daddy.” He lifted her back up, settled her on his hip, and returned to the recliner.

After snagging the stuffie, he slid her around to his front so she was straddling him when he sat. It was intimate and slightly risky, but he wanted to see her close up and face-to-face.

She lifted the cup with one hand, holding the handle on one side of the cup, and took a sip.

He settled the bear between them, reached for her other hand, and brought it to the cup. “Two hands, Angel,” he gently commanded, watching her closely.

She shivered, but she obeyed him.

When she lowered the cup between them, she was staring at him again. “You’re good at that.”

He smiled. “I’m old. I’ve been around a while.”

“How old are you?”

“Forty-four. Twice your age.” He watched her face closely.

She didn’t flinch. Instead, she sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I guess you do know stuff then, huh?”

He chuckled. “A lot of stuff, especially about how to take care of a Little girl. Plus, I’m observant enough to know when that Little girl is being naughty and avoiding my questions.” He lifted a brow.

She drew in a deep breath. “He was my fiancé.”

Bear’s eyes went wide. “Was?”

She nodded, then lowered her gaze and fiddled with the front of her sweater. “I, uh, left him at the altar three months ago.”

“Oh.” Bear was slightly stunned, but mostly because he hadn’t had a clue what to expect. “Why?”

She lifted her gaze. “Because I don’t know him, and I don’t love him.”

Apparently, she could continue to shock him. “Then why were you marrying him?”

“Because my mother wanted me to. She thought the union would be good for both our families—the optics or something. I was like a zombie, doing what she wanted me to do for five years, and I guess I snapped. I was standing in that stupid bridal room at the church, and I suddenly knew I couldn’t go through with it. There were hundreds of people there. I probably didn’t know even ten of them. I didn’t even know my own bridesmaids. I only saw Joseph about a dozen times before that day. He didn’t love me either. I don’t know why he went along with the farce. I never asked him. I never asked him anything . He never even looked me in the eye. And there we were, about to get married. It was too ridiculous, and I ran out the side door, begged one of the limo drivers to take me to the airport, and got on the first flight out. This is where I ended up.”

Bear gently took the cup from Addie and set it on the end table before clasping both of her hands in his. “I’m proud of you, Little one.”

She gasped. “You’re proud of me?” Her voice rose. “I’m an idiot. A weakling. I let my mother boss me around until I was backed into a corner. I was like a walking zombie, I tell you. I embarrassed her and probably Joseph. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t tracked me down and dragged me home yet. I mean, I’m not that hard to find. I used my own information and social security number to register for classes and get jobs, including this one. I’m sure she had a PI on me the entire time. But I didn’t really expect Joseph to show up.”

“Do you think there’s any chance it was a coincidence?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s too random. I came here from far away. Also, neither Joseph nor his father has ever even seen a motorcycle up close. There’s no way his father owns one. His story was stupid.”

Bear chuckled at her exuberance. “Okay. Do you suppose it’s possible Joseph just wants to talk to you?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I panicked. Maybe. But why? And if he did, why would he make up such a ludicrous story and pretend he goes by the name Joe? He’s never used that nickname in his life.”

“Mmm. Okay. Well, he was dressed like he has money.”

Addie rolled her eyes. “That’s an understatement. His family is loaded, and…and…so is mine. That’s why the merger was important to both my mother and his parents.”

Bear cringed. “Merger. That’s a terrible word for a marriage.”

“That’s why I ran. See? But it was cowardly, and I’m embarrassed for not stopping the nonsense sooner. I should’ve pulled up my big-girl panties, marched into that sanctuary, and told everyone I was calling off the wedding. I shouldn’t have let it go that far in the first place. I shouldn’t have ever agreed to the farce.”

“What’s important is that you realized it before it was too late, Angel. You’re here now and not in that arranged marriage. Now, you mentioned you haven’t been yourself for five years. Did something happen five years ago to change your life?”

“Yeah. My father died.”

“I’m so sorry, Little one. That must’ve been hard. You were only seventeen.”

“It was hard. We were close, well, at least much closer than I ever was with my mom. He never would have asked me to marry a man I didn’t know, let alone one I didn’t love. I miss him. I kind of became a recluse after he died. I stopped going out with friends. I went through the motions of going to college. I graduated. I let my mother plan a wedding. I was in a daze, not making my own choices.”

“Wait, you graduated from college?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you taking classes now?”

“Because I want to be an accountant. My mother insisted I get a stupid English degree because it was respectable. She didn’t think I needed to get a serious degree that would be useful. She thought aiming for a degree in maths would make me seem too educated and unapproachable. She worried no one would want to marry me if they thought I was too smart.”

She kept shocking Bear. Jesus. Her mother was a piece of work. He worried that someday he would find himself face-to-face with this woman, and he would need to keep his cool and make nice for Addie’s sake.

“Addie…”

“See?” She sat up taller. “Even my name. My mother only ever called me Adelaine, and she insisted everyone else do so as well. It’s such a stuffy name. I always hated it. I tried to get my friends to call me Addie when I was younger, but she caught me and made me write my full name out every day after school until I filled an entire notebook. She told me to stop that nonsense, that she didn’t ever want to hear it again. She’d named me Adelaine, and that was my name.”

Bear felt every bit of pain and anguish his Little girl must have endured at such a young age. Who treated a child like that? He also made a mental note to never make Addie write lines for punishment. It would likely trigger her. He was glad he’d found out now.

“I’m so sorry, Little one.” He brought her palms to his face and kissed first one and then the other, loving the way she shivered when his lips touched her skin. He had another question he needed answered. “Did anyone ever spank you when you were young, Addie?”

She shook her head. “No. I wasn’t the sort of kid who got into trouble—other than the name thing. I never talked back to my parents or misbehaved. No one had any reason to punish me.”

“Well, that sounds boring.” He gave her a big smile, hoping to lighten the mood in the room. His Little girl needed to let loose a bit. Enough serious talk for one night. “No wonder you’ve been curious about getting together with the other Little girls. I’m sure they’ve told you about the antics they get up to.”

She grinned. “Yes.”

“I bet you’re also curious about what it would feel like to have your bottom spanked. Surely, that hasn’t escaped your notice either.” He lifted a brow.

She shrugged, the glint in her eye almost mischievous. “I was kind of wondering what would happen if I joined them and they all got into trouble. Since I don’t have a Daddy, what would happen to me?”

“Well, you have a Daddy now, so you don’t have to wonder.”

Her pretty cheeks turned pink again, and the Little angel squirmed on his lap. She was beyond curious. “I don’t really know you that well. Spanking seems like it’s kind of…intimate.”

“It often is intimate, Little one. You’re right. All that matters right now is that you and I start building a relationship together. We’ll spend time together. You’ll get to know me. Eventually, we’ll work up to a time when you trust me enough to spank your naughty bottom, knowing I would never harm you.”

Her brow furrowed in thought. “Doesn’t a spanking hurt?”

“Yes. And every Little girl is different. Some like a simple swat on the bottom to help them feel Little. That’s all the reprimand they need. Others like to be spanked hard until they cry. It helps them let go of all kinds of icky feelings that might be bottled up inside. Littles fall anywhere in between. We’ll figure out what you like together when you’re ready.”

She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and leaned in to hug him tightly.

He slid his hands to her back and held her as close as possible even though her heat was now pressing against his cock. There was no way she couldn’t feel it.

When she leaned back, she glanced down between them and winced. “Sorry.”

“Never be sorry for pressing against Daddy. It’s my pleasure.”

“But…”

He pressed two fingers to her lips. “No buts. I will cherish every touch of any part of you against any part of me, and my cock will stay in my pants until you’re ready for it to come out.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

He hadn’t even kissed her yet, and already he was so hot for her he thought he might self-combust. He wanted everything from her. Visions of her standing in his bedroom wearing his pink shirt, looking all shy, filled his mind.

He wondered how much experience she had in the bedroom, but he wouldn’t ask her right now and risk embarrassing her. She needed to have a fun evening with the other Little girls who were undoubtedly waiting for her in the common area.

They would be the best medicine for a Little girl who needed help keeping her mind off the fact that, for some mysterious reason, her ex-fiancé was snooping around town.

“How about if I take you to meet up with the other Little girls? I know Gabriel has prepared a fun dinner for you, and I bet you’re hungry.”

“What am I going to do about Joseph?”

“I don’t know yet, but you don’t need to worry about it tonight. The clubhouse is your safety net. No one can bother you or get to you while you’re inside.”

“What about when I go home later?”

He shook his head. “Angel, you’re not going home,” he informed her gently. “I won’t pressure you to rush our physical relationship, but I will insist you stay here with me from now on. There’s no way I could let you go back to your apartment alone.”

“Ever?” Her voice squeaked.

No sense sugarcoating it. “Never, Little one. You’re mine.”