Page 3 of Smoke
“Rogue Mary Kay, what has gotten into you?” Leland asked, gripping Rogue by the upper arm.
She hiccuped again. “Wine.”
“Daddy?” Allyson moaned, walking into the reception area from the direction of the bathroom. She was holding her tummy. She was Bash’s Little one and judging from her wobbly steps andslightly green coloring, I thought maybe she wasn’t being a good girl either.
“Oh, Allybaby, what’s wrong?” Bash said, going into full protective mode.
“I don’t—” was all she got out before she vomited… well, everywhere.
Rogue giggled. “Lightweight.”
“Allyson, are you drunk too, Little girl?” Bash asked incredulously while trying to wipe her down with the baby wipes someone passed him.
Allyson burst into tears which brought on another fit of giggles from Rogue.
“This is not funny, Little girl. You two are in so much trouble,” Leland lectured.
“So much trouble,” Bash agreed.
“We will get this cleaned up. Why don’t you take them home?” Blade said.
“I can switch with Rogue tomorrow. She’s supposed to open, but I’m sure she won’t be feeling like it with a hangover,” Dawson said.
A warmth spread through my chest at his thoughtfulness. I was always so proud of him, but there were moments where I thought I might be consumed by the emotions that came with my pride.
Dawson’s family was complete shit. His mom was doing a life sentence in prison, his dad was dead from an overdose, and his other family had long since cut him off because of who his parents were. Dawson had followed in their footsteps at first and was in prison by the time he was twenty, but while he was there, something changed. He became harder. Calloused, but completely different. He’d forced all of his anger into being a better man. He’d gotten his GED, started attending meetings, and was released on good behavior two years later. He’d doneamazing while on parole and then probation. He’d been clean and living a wonderful life since then. I was so proud of him.
“Yeah, it will be even worse working with a sore ass. Tell Uncle Smoke thank you, sugar.”
“Thank you, Uncle Smoke,” Rogue said, looking much more repentant.
Leland and Bash led their Little girls out the back while Eloise ran and gathered all their things.
“Do you think they’re really going to spank them?” I asked Dawson. Worry made my stomach hurt and I tried to rub the ache away. They had been naughty, but I still found myself feeling anxious for them.
“They will spank them, Ash, but it’s because that’s a part of their dynamic. If the Little girls thought the punishment was unfair, they would use their safewords. They are strong, confident women who have been taught well on DDLG relationships, honey. If they were uncomfortable, they would call their Daddies on their bullshit.”
I nodded.
“Any good Daddy or Mommy listens to their Little one, even about punishments. It’s a fifty-fifty partnership, not a dictatorship.”
I knew that. I had also been taught well at my club back home… Well, Strickland was home now, but back before I moved. Understanding the dynamic I was so drawn to had been my first goal and I was thankful for all the wise people at Ropes, my old BDSM club. Punishments just still made me a tiny bit nervous.
“But you know that, don’t you, Little one?” Dawson said, studying me intensely.
“I’m not a Little.” I laughed and lied.
“I’m not sure about that, Ash.”
Grinning, I slapped him on the shoulder. “I am.”
I had been through so much already and that meant my Little had too. She couldn’t handle another break so I kept her safely tucked inside of me, only allowing her out in the privacy of my bedroom closet and only when Dawson wasn’t home. Protecting her from more heartbreak was the most important thing in my life and I would doanythingto keep her safe, including never allowing her to meet who I thought might be the best Daddy of all Daddies?Dawson.
Chapter Two
Smoke
“Fuck,” I growled when I dropped my design on the floor. Sighing, I bent down to pick it up. I was so fucking tired and my fatigue was the reason I was even more short-tempered than yesterday. Another nightmare had disrupted Ash’s sleep and I was growing more and more worried.
