The Daddy and The Dom - Julia Sykes Page 0,56
she could turn her full focus on me.
I caught her dainty hand in mine, redirecting it to rest on the small table that separated us. “I’m fine, princess.” I took a breath and smoothed the gruff edge from my tone. “Keep working on your paper.”
A small furrow appeared between her delicately arched brows, and she glanced down at the open book in front of me. “Are you bored? You don’t have to read my coursebooks if you don’t enjoy them. Your art is already amazing.”
I smoothed my free hand over the slightly glossy page without looking at it, keeping my gaze locked on her. I’d been staring at the images of Edgar Degas’ nineteenth-century nude drawings for at least five minutes already, not really seeing them. My mind had been fixed on detailed scenes of how I’d punish the man who dared to watch my sweet girl, even though I’d managed to keep my narrowed eyes glued to the drawings instead of glaring at him. I couldn’t risk spooking him before Joseph arrived.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.” My tone came out deep and steady. The concern in her wide blue eyes soothed the beast in me, releasing my mind from its dark claws. Nothing mattered more than her safety and contentment. I wouldn’t allow my protective fury to rattle her. I didn’t want her to experience even one more second of the fear that she’d already endured while under threat from my former family in New York.
A wry smile twisted my mouth as my focus shifted to her. The expression took little effort to fabricate, and after a few more heartbeats of staring into her lovely, trusting eyes, my full attention fixed on her needs rather than on my darkest urges to hurt her stalker.
My thick fingers were gentle as I traced soothing circles over her palm. “I like that you share your books with me. What kind of hack artist would I be if I ignored the expertise of a Harvard-educated art historian?”
Her alabaster skin flushed my favorite shade of pink, and the tension eased from her soft features. She wrapped her much smaller fingers around my hand, squeezing lightly. “Have I told you you’re the best study buddy?”
The corners of my mouth twitched, the tugging sensation of a genuine, easy smile still somewhat strange to me. I’d never smiled so much in my life as I did now that Ashlyn was mine. “Only twice so far today.”
Her brilliant grin hit me square in the chest. For a moment, I couldn’t remember how to breathe, much less think about her stalker.
“Hmmm,” she mused, her gemstone eyes sparkling as she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Twice isn’t nearly enough. You’re the best study buddy, Daddy.”
My hand tightened around hers, and a low, hungry growl slipped between my teeth before I could contain the feral sound. “Are you teasing me, babygirl?”
An impertinent dimple shadowed her cheek. “Maybe.”
“Definitely,” I rumbled. “If you want a spanking, you can always ask me nicely, princess.”
Her face flushed scarlet, and her wide eyes darted around the café to check if anyone had overheard. She shushed me dramatically, and I chuckled.
“That cute little blush will attract a lot more attention,” I informed her with a taunting smile. “Are you sorry for teasing Daddy?”
“Marco!” she hissed, squirming in her seat.
I hummed my satisfaction. I would definitely enjoy turning her over my knee as soon as we got home. I wanted her pert ass to match the enticing shade of red that colored her cheeks. Already, my palm tingled with the remembered warmth of her enflamed skin. It’d been too long since the last time I’d properly taken her in hand. My good girl was rarely naughty, but she clearly needed to feel my discipline. I knew she’d been more stressed than usual with her studies, so I’d eased back from the stricter physical aspects of our dynamic to give her time to focus on her academics.
That had been a mistake. She needed release from all that responsibility, and I hadn’t been fulfilling my role. Suddenly, I could hardly wait to get to the privacy of our own home so I could give her exactly what she needed.
“Is Marco tormenting you, angel?” Joseph appeared at her side and leaned in to brush a kiss over her red cheek. I’d been so entranced by her that I hadn’t even noticed his approach.
His lips hovered at her ear, teasing her sensitive skin as he murmured, “Tormenting you is my job. You must have done something very naughty to provoke Marco. I guess I’ll have to punish you, too.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, but a small smile still curved her lips. “Oh my god!” she squeaked. “We’re in public.”
“You started this little game, princess,” I reminded her evenly. “You knew exactly what you were getting into. Pack up your things. We’re taking you home.”
She drew in a little panting breath and licked her lips, equal parts anxious and aroused. “But Joseph just got here. He hasn’t even ordered his coffee. We were supposed to have a date.” She made a pretty pout in my direction, goading me further.
My hand firmed around hers, and I leaned in slowly, imposing the weight of my censure. She tried to ease back, but Joseph wrapped his arm around her shoulders and locked her in place. A wicked grin illuminated his model-handsome features when she trembled against him.
“Are you going to pack up, or is Joseph going to have to do it for you?” I enunciated each word in a slow, heavy cadence.
Her mouth twisted in an impish smirk. “How can I pack up when you’re holding my hand so tightly?”
Joseph’s low laugh rolled over my dark chuckle, and she shivered.
“Wrong answer, angel.” He pressed a doting kiss to her temple and started loading her laptop and books into her bag.
“Was it?” Her saucy challenge hitched slightly, but our girl continued to willfully provoke me.
Joseph groaned softly, and I knew her teasing was tempting him just as keenly as it was tormenting me. “You’ll have to go crying to Marco when you can’t sit comfortably tomorrow,” he warned.
“Tomorrow?” I rasped. “Make that next week.”
Her lush lips popped open, my threat finally shocking that mischievous little smile off her lovely face.
“Don’t worry, babygirl.” I brushed her knuckles with my thumb. “I know what you need. I’ll take good care of you.”
“We both will,” Joseph promised, grasping her other hand in his.
He passed me her laptop bag, and I slung it over my shoulder, not giving a fuck that the white leather was embossed with shiny, gold flowers that were decidedly feminine. I loved buying pretty things for Ashlyn, and I was proud to bear the weight of her books to spare her from the strain.
I’d been so captivated by her delectable blush and shy smile that I’d completely forgotten about her stalker for a few perfect, sweet minutes. But as soon as we walked within peripheral sight of the corner where the man had settled in with a latte and a book, his keen attention scraped over my skin. The raw sensation on my nerve endings snapped me back to acute awareness of the threat he posed.
Joseph didn’t seem to notice. He was totally lost in his obsession with Ashlyn, and he’d always been a better man than me. His good heart had allowed him to easily adapt to our new life, as though he’d always belonged here. I was a suspicious, mean bastard, and I’d never fully lose the darkness embedded in my soul.
It was better this way, really. Joseph could remain with Ashlyn, keeping her content while I shielded them both from the harsher realities of the world. Those harsh realities had been horrible enough to make Joseph abandon me once, when he’d fled to Cambridge in the first place and met Ashlyn in her safe little bubble. I wouldn’t risk losing him again by making him aware that we might not be free of our violent lives, after all.
I wouldn’t lose either of them. I would keep and protect my family, no matter what it took.
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Also by Julia Sykes
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Mafia Captive
The Daddy and The Dom
Theirs to Protect
The Captive Series
Sweet Captivity
Claiming My Sweet Captive
Stealing Beauty
Captive Ever After
Pretty Hostage
Wicked King
Ruthless Savior
The Impossible Series
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Rogue
Knight
Mentor
Master
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A Decadent Christmas (An Impossible Series Christmas Special)
Czar
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Prey (An Impossible Series Short Story)
Highlander
Decadent Knights (An Impossible Series Short Story)
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Valentines at Dusk (An Impossible Series Short Story)
Nice & Naughty (An Impossible Series Christmas Special)
Dark Lessons
RENEGADE
The Dark Grove Plantation Series
Holden
Brandon
Damien
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