9. The First Kiss Isn’t Always the Sweetest

Bastian sighed and pinched the skin between his brows. "Christ, it's like you want us to spank you again."

As much as she wanted to relieve the pressure on her punished bottom, she resisted the urge to shift her sore butt in her seat. It wouldn't do to show them her discomfort, and she refused to let them see how much Bastian's words affected her.

She especially refused to show them how much she wanted a fun spanking instead of one for punishment.

"I don't want that," she finally said. "But I'm asking you to look at it from my perspective. I could have justified using the auction money for Mandy's house if it came from a stranger, but I can't do that with you. It's not your responsibility to clean up Mandy's mess."

Bastian, who was sitting in her desk chair, shook his head. "That's where you're wrong, sweetheart. I know you don't think much of your father, but he was our friend. He would have wanted us to take care of you, Mandy, and Bee."

"And…" Desmond reached across the table to take her hand in his larger one. "It's our fault for not stepping in before now."

"Why?" she asked, honestly mystified. "He's been dead for years, and frankly, you both knew he left me with nannies more often than not."

He shared a glance with Bastian, then cleared his throat. "We spoke with him about a month before he died. He… Well, since he's gone, we might as well tell you the rest."

"What rest?" She plucked a roll from the basket and tore it into pieces, more out of something to do with her hands than hunger. "What else is there?"

"Victor left the police force and went deep undercover with another agency after your mother died," Bastian replied. "We don't know anything about his assignment, or why he married Mandy, but we do know she isn't aware of what he did. He asked us not to say anything to either of you."

Her breath left her lungs and she fell back against her chair like someone had punched her.

"Holy shit." She swallowed and tried to keep her supper where it belonged. "They never found his body. Do you think Mandy is right?"

"It's possible," Desmond admitted. "We don't know."

Bastian stood and plucked her from her chair, then returned to his seat and cuddled her in his lap. It felt good, but her anger grew with each passing second.

"What did he say?" she finally asked. "I want to know what he said to you."

"He asked us to look after you," Bastian replied. "Then he said he'd be in touch when he could."

"So, he's probably living it up in WITSEC. Maybe he has a new family he actually sees over the breakfast table every morning." Straightening, she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. "God. What a fucking mess."

"Sweetheart, it's going to be okay," Desmond said.

She wriggled free of Bastian's octopus arms and went to the sink to rinse their dishes. They could have waited, but she needed time to sort out her emotions. Was he safe somewhere, as Mandy believed? Maybe he couldn't contact them because it was too dangerous.

And maybe he just didn't want them anymore.

Tania pushed the thought aside, refusing to listen to the little girl inside her who just wanted her father. Whatever Victor's reasons were, she had to let go of her lingering hurt and disappointment. Whether he was alive or not, nothing would bring him back, and she couldn't let her bitterness spoil her future.

"If I get a part-time job, I can maybe stretch out the time before the bank forecloses until I graduate," she finally said, schooling her voice into a calmly even tone.

"Well, about that…" Desmond took a plate from her and set it aside. "We've got Mandy's house payments covered."

"Did I not just tell you I didn't want that?" she snapped, resisting the urge to throw a dish against the wall. She would have if they hadn't been Bastian's and Desmond's. "What part of it's not your responsibility did you not understand?"

Without warning, Desmond's hand cracked against her ass, sending dark pain coursing into her core. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her to face him.

"Your father asked us to look out for you." When she tried to break free of his hold, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "No matter what you think, that makes you our responsibility, and we're not going to let you do this yourself. Get the fuck over it."

Desmond's brown eyes glittered with anger as if he was forcibly holding himself back from turning her over his knee. "Got it, babygirl?"

"I…" Feeling like a bug pinned to a display board, she swallowed hard. "Yes, Daddy."

"Goddammit." He squeezed his eyes closed, then opened them as he gripped the back of her neck and pulled her into a searing kiss.

The taste of him, like spice and wine, and deep, scorching need, consumed her. Whimpering softly, she sank her hands into his salt and pepper hair, relishing the soft strands under her fingers. He groaned and picked her up, setting her on the counter before wedging his big body between her thighs.

"Tell me to stop, babygirl." He kissed a path along her jaw and nipped the tender skin under her ear. "Say you're too young and tell us not to touch you."

Stopping would have been the smart thing. She could have done as Desmond said, except they weren't too old for her. They were just right, and she'd wanted them for years.

Besides, she'd already proven she wasn't smart when it came to her Daddies. She wanted them—not their money. Explaining that could be a problem for future Tania.

"No." She wrapped her legs around Desmond's hips as Bastian stroked her back, his intent gaze focusing on her lips swollen from Desmond's kisses. "I'm not going to do that, Daddy."

For once, Tania was going to take what she wanted.

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