Daddy's Way Read online

  The muscle in his jaw ticked. “Your dinner won’t taste nearly as good after I wash your mouth out. That’s the only warning you get, Olivia Jane.”

  She knew firsthand he wasn’t bluffing. Soap, hot sauce, vinegar. He’d employed each and every trick in the book to break her swearing habit years ago. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him. “I’m not writing lines.”

  They stayed there, eye to eye, for several long moments before he answered her. “Go to your room.”

  Her heart thumped hard against her chest. “James, can’t we talk about this?”

  “Now, Olivia Jane Monroe.”

  “Fine.” Tears of frustration and humiliation burned against her eyes. She climbed off the bed and stomped down the hall to her room. James was right behind her, and the second she stepped through her door, he grabbed her arm and marched her to the desk.

  James jabbed a finger at the five lines she’d written. “What does this say?”

  “Why?”

  Several hard swats had her dancing in place as he renewed the fire in her bottom. “Read it, Olivia.”

  “Fine!” she snapped, trying to jerk her arm away but his grip on her only tightened. “It says ‘I will be honest with Daddy.’ Happy?”

  “Are you being completely honest with me about why you didn’t write your lines?”

  The guilt she’d been trying to ignore clawed at her tummy. “I don’t know,” she mumbled.

  “Then let’s try again.” His voice gentled, but the grip on her arm didn’t ease. “Why didn’t you finish your lines?”

  The wet spot on the paper had dried, leaving behind smudged ink and a slightly wrinkled spot on the paper. It mocked her, telling her she wasn’t brave enough or smart enough to tell the truth.

  “I was sad,” she said, not lifting her eyes from the mocking little spot.

  “Why were you sad, little one? Because I spanked you and made you write lines?”

  “No.”

  “Then tell me why you were sad.”

  “Be-because I wasn’t honest. I-I lied a lot and I ruined everything.”

  “Oh, Livvy.”

  “I’m sorry.” The sob burst out of her and a split second later she was in his arms, weeping into his chest. “I’m sorry I’m so bad and I ruined everything and I didn’t write my lines and—and—and—”

  “Shhh. Little one, you’re not bad. And you didn’t ruin everything. We just hit a little bump in the road is all. And now we have a fresh start.”

  “But I ruined that too!”

  “You did not. You’re going to sit back down and write your lines like a good girl, and I’ll be back up when dinner is ready.”

  Sniffling, she looked up at him. “Are you gonna spank me again?”

  His lips lifted in a sad smile. “What do you think, little one?”

  She sighed and snuggled back into his chest. “I think you love me and I learned my lesson so no more spankings are needed.”

  His chest vibrated with laughter. “Nice try. You’re getting another spanking before bed, with Daddy’s belt. How many strokes is up to you.”

  “Even if I finish all my lines?” she asked, even though she knew the answer.

  “Even if you somehow finish all one hundred lines in the next twenty minutes, you’re still getting another spanking. Do you know why?”

  She sniffled against a new wave of tears. “Because I was naughty and I didn’t listen the first time?”

  “That’s right. I can’t have my little girl thinking I don’t love her enough to punish her when she’s naughty, especially right now.” Stepping back, he turned her to face the desk. “Pull your PJs and your panties down again and sit your bare bottom in that chair. If you move again before I come back upstairs, we’ll add a round with the hairbrush before dinner. Understood?”

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Do I need to warm your bottom up again, or are you going to be a good girl?”

  She rushed to bare her bottom and sit down, gasping when her still stinging skin connected with the wood. “I’ll be good, Daddy.”

  “Okay. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

  She’d picked up her pencil again and was halfway through rewriting her first line when he called her name. Twisting in her chair, she turned to face him.

  “I love you, Livvy. I hope you know how much I love you.”

  There was no place for sadness or resentment or any other yucky feelings with the love blooming inside of her. “I know. I love you too, Daddy.”

  He grinned and blew her a kiss before disappearing down the hall. Olivia set to work on writing her lines again, this time with a smile on her face

  * * *

  By the time Daddy came back upstairs, her hand had started to cramp up, but she hadn’t gotten up from her spot on the chair. When a large, familiar shadow fell across the desk, her tummy dropped. She was nowhere near done with all her lines.

  “Let me see your lines, Livvy.”

  “But I’m not done, Daddy.”

  “I know. But you had time to finish before, didn’t you? Now, let me see.”

  Pouting, she handed him the papers. She kicked lightly at the desk while he inspected her work.

  “You did a lot more than I thought you would be able to. I’m proud of you, Livvy.”

  Despite the happy feelings his praise inspired, she shrugged. “I’m still gettin’ a whippin’.”

  “Yes, you are, because you disobeyed Daddy. Do you know how many licks you’re getting?”

  She shrugged again. “A thousand?”

  His loud laughter teased a reluctant smile out of her. “Not hardly, little one. Twenty-two licks with the belt before bed. And if you’re a very good girl the rest of the night, we won’t have to add any more. Ready for dinner?”

  Her tummy answered with a loud growl before she had a chance to say anything. Daddy laughed again and she grinned up at him.

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Go wash your hands and meet me downstairs.”

  She popped out of the chair and tripped over her PJs before she remembered to pull them up. When she yanked them up, she was a little disappointed her panties didn’t bother her bottom anymore.

  Once she’d washed her hands, she raced down the stairs to the kitchen. They had a dining room, but mostly they used it for fancy grownup parties. She loved her parties, but her favorite place to eat was at the little nook in the corner of the kitchen by the big bay window.

  The scent of garlic and tomato sauce hit her as soon as she ran through the kitchen entryway. “Spaghetti? We’re having spaghetti?”

  “Spaghetti and meatballs. From scratch, just like Nonna taught me,” James said with a wink.

  Olivia was hopeless in the kitchen, a fact that had devastated her Nonna until James had come along, eager to learn. Falling easily into their routine, Olivia grabbed a set of plates and silverware and set the table. She was reaching for a bottle of wine when she remembered they were back to normal, so she needed to ask.

  “Can we have wine with dinner, Daddy?”

  “Sure. But just a small glass each.”

  She wanted to pout, but all that would get her was a sore bottom and no wine. So she picked out a bottle of red and poured them each a glass. James brought over a bowl of spaghetti and a bowl with the meatballs and sauce and set them on the table. At his nod, she scooped up a small serving of spaghetti for herself and two meatballs.

  “So do you want to tell me what was really going on with you and MaryAnn this afternoon?” James asked casually as he served himself.

  Frowning at the unpleasant memory, she cut into her meatball. “We handled it. I don’t want to get her in trouble.”

  “I appreciate that. But I need to know if there’s a problem.”

  It went against her nature to rat out a friend, and despite her behavior that afternoon she did consider MaryAnn a friend. But at the end of the day, he wasn’t just her husband and Daddy, he was also her boss. As her boss, he had a right to know wh
en there was a potential issue with a sale. “We missed a deadline for the D’Angelos’ lender.”

  “That’s a problem, Olivia.”

  “I’m aware, James,” she snapped, infusing his name with more sarcasm than was probably wise given the current situation.

  “Careful with the attitude. I just meant it’s a problem, and I need to be aware of these things. Do I need to speak with MaryAnn tomorrow?”

  Olivia shook her head. “No. It was partly my fault. I dropped the paperwork off with her and didn’t follow up.”

  “All right. I trust you two to get it fixed. What’s your pipeline looking like these days? Anything you need help with?”

  With that crisis handled, she relaxed into the easy and familiar conversation. Sipping her wine, she mentally flipped through her files. “Actually, there is this one client. They’re being difficult about the price. Comps in the area are going for about five to five-sixty, but theirs is in need of some serious upgrades. I’m trying to talk them into coming down about thirty thousand, but they won’t listen to me. And they’re being stubborn about doing basic shi—stuff to make the house presentable.”

  Shaking his head, James gave a derisive snort. “Well, if they’re not listening to you, they’re morons. You’re my top agent, and one of the best in the state.”

  She grinned at his praise. “I am pretty good at my job. Which makes it even more frustrating that they don’t seem to trust me.”

  “Want me to talk to them?”

  Twirling pasta onto her fork, she considered the offer. “Maybe.”

  “All right. Just let me know. Anything else?”

  “Nothing off the top of my head. How did the interview go?”

  James gave her a very uncharacteristic eye roll. “I wouldn’t trust him to sell doghouses on the side of the road. He had no clue what he was talking about, but he thinks he knows everything. You know the type.”

  Giggling, she lifted her wineglass to her lips. “I’m well acquainted with the species.”

  “I did have a promising interview with another agent earlier this morning. And I have a few more interviews tomorrow as well. Do you want more spaghetti?” he asked, nodding to her empty plate.

  “Nope. Full as a tick.”

  They cleared the table together, with James boxing up the leftovers while Olivia loaded the dishwasher and washed the wineglasses. She was wiping down the counter when he slipped his arms around her waist, the hard outline of his cock pressing into her bottom.

  “Daddy. You’re not supposed to have pointy things in your pockets. Someone could get hurt.”

  His laugh rumbled in his chest and she grinned when he pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “Brat,” he growled.

  Giggling, she tilted her head to give him better access. “What are you going to do about it, old man?”

  Before she’d even finished her taunt, he’d wrapped her ponytail around one hand and yanked, pulling her head back. She gasped at the unexpected movement, and had to grip the counter to steady herself.

  “I’m going to fuck you. Do you know why?”

  “Why?” she asked, breathless.

  “Because I can. Because every inch of your body belongs to your daddy and I can do whatever I want with it. Isn’t that right, little one?”

  The groan escaped her lips before she could stop it. “Yes, Daddy.”

  “That’s my good girl. On your knees.”

  The second he released her ponytail, she stepped away from the counter and lowered herself to her knees in front of him.

  “Eyes on me, little one.”

  She lifted her gaze to his, her pussy throbbing in anticipation when he reached for the buckle on his belt.

  “Open your mouth for me. Hands on your knees.”

  Her heart began to race but she parted her lips, her eyes never leaving his face. And just as she’d known he would, he wrapped her ponytail around his hand again and guided his cock between her waiting lips.

  His moan of satisfaction was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard.

  “Fuck, you feel good on Daddy’s cock. Relax your throat, baby.”

  Even after all these years, she still felt that initial rush of panic when he gripped her hair more tightly and pushed his cock deeper into her mouth. Years of training and a desire to please overrode her instinct to pull away or to fight against the intrusion.

  Still, her throat contracted around his cock, and she gagged slightly. Another man might have pulled away then, given her a chance to recover. But her daddy knew she could take more, and so he pushed her limits, thrusting against the back of her throat. Her eyes filled with tears and she struggled to breathe through her nose while he fucked her mouth, but she kept her hands on her knees and her eyes on his face.

  When she was tiptoeing up to her breaking point, he finally released her. She gasped, greedily dragging in air once he’d slipped from her mouth.

  “You look beautiful like this. With tears on your cheeks and your face flushed so prettily.” A gentle tug on her hair signaled her to rise to her feet.

  “Take your clothes off for Daddy.”

  She grabbed the hem of her tank top and yanked it over her head. Rough, familiar fingers caressed her naked breasts, rolling and pinching her nipples until her head fell back on a moan.

  “Bottoms too, little one.”

  When she was standing naked before him, he hooked his hands under her arms and lifted her up onto the counter.

  The move surprised a squeal out of her. “James! I just washed the counters!”

  He responded by shoving her legs apart and delivering a sharp slap to the tender skin of each inner thigh.

  “Who’s in charge here, Olivia Jane?”

  “You are,” she replied, pouting. Her thighs stung, but she knew better than to rub at the punished skin.

  Two more stinging slaps had her crying out and gripping the edge of the counter. “Who is?”

  “You are, Daddy!”

  “And that means Daddy can fuck his little girl whenever, wherever, and however he wants. Isn’t that right?”

  “Yes, but—ow! Stop!” she whined when he delivered a third pair of swats to her thighs.

  “No. There is no arguing or bargaining. Put your arms behind your back.”

  Reluctantly obedient, she moved her arms behind her back, cupping each elbow in the opposite hand. James reached up and tweaked her left nipple, hard enough to make her cry out at the sharp pain. The right nipple received the same rough treatment. Tears filled her eyes and slipped down her cheeks, as much from humiliation as the pain of the actual punishment.

  “Are you going to be a good girl?” he asked softly, releasing her tormented nipple.

  “Yes, Daddy.” She whimpered at the sting he’d left behind in her thighs and breasts. “I’m sorry.”

  “I know, little one.” Dipping his head, he ran his tongue over her nipple, turning her whimpers to moans of pleasure. The tortured peak still throbbed, but the pain only increased the pleasure he lavished on her with his skilled tongue.

  When both nipples had been attended to, he pulled her to the edge of the countertop. His hands gripping her hips, he pushed into her. He showed her no mercy as he drove into her, branding her with each forceful thrust.

  “Daddy. Please.”

  “Please what, little one?”

  “I want to come. Please.”

  Begging had become second nature to her over the years. In the early days, it had humiliated her, but she’d long since shed her pride over it. It pleased her daddy to hear her beg, and so she begged.

  “Since you asked so nicely.” He moved a hand to her mound, pressing against her clit. “Come for Daddy, Livvy. Come for me.”

  The simple command was her undoing. Her core clenched, then released painfully, sending liquid fire coursing through her veins. The orgasm was like him—fierce and demanding, owning every last inch of her until she trembled.

  “Again, Livvy.”

  She whimpered. “
Can’t.”

  The rough pad of his thumb pressed harder against her clit, making her cry out. It was pleasure so intense it bordered on pain and she caught herself just before she reached for his hand to push him away.

  With a knowing smirk, he rubbed circles around the sensitive nub. “You can. Just one more, little one.”

  He coaxed her over the edge of reason once more, until she shuddered and sobbed with that odd mixture of pleasure and pain he was so skilled at giving her. It wasn’t long before he followed her over, filling her with one final thrust and emptying himself into her.

  Spent, emotionally and physically, she dropped her head to his shoulder. James wrapped his arms around her, cocooning her with the kind of peace and strength she’d so desperately missed over the last few months. It was several long minutes before their breathing slowed enough for her to speak.

  “Daddy?”

  “Yes?”

  “Your turn to clean the counter.”

  There was a brief pause before his loud, booming laugh filled the kitchen. “That seems fair.”

  Chapter Four

  Stretched out on the couch, her head in James’s lap, his fingers running through her hair, Olivia was in heaven. Her body felt loose from the two earth-shattering orgasms, and her heart was light as a feather.

  “What’s on your mind, little one?”

  “Mmm.” Stretching like a cat waking from a nap, she rolled onto her back and grinned up at him. “Just thinking how amazing I feel right now. You?”

  “Pretty much the same.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize you needed me.”

  Love filled her at the simple apology. It took a strong man to admit when he’d screwed up. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you about it.”

  “It’s all forgiven, little one. But I do need to ask you something.”

  Nerves twisted her tummy into knots at the serious tone. “Okay?”

  He continued to stroke her cheek. “Does it bother you when I correct you at work? For, say, your language or something of that nature.”

  Frowning, she considered the question. “Sometimes. It’s hard to stay in the right headspace at work when you go all Daddy on me.”