In the days following the attack, Belinda raced from meeting to meeting to put out fires after they put the backup in place. Vigilant employees, at different sites already working on the next business day, had documented their activities. That assisted the process of reestablishing what had been wiped out.
When she had a moment free, Belinda thought of the young woman who was now a fugitive from the police and several other government agencies. No one could believe that Cynthia had masterminded this. Unfortunately, the longer she evaded capture, the guiltier she appeared.
Belinda scheduled a quick fifteen-minute meeting with Easton to tell him of her conversation with Cynthia.
“She wanted me to tell you she didn’t do this vindictively. That someone was forcing her to do it. And that she was sorry,” Belinda told her boss.
“You reported this to someone?” Easton asked sharply.
“Immediately, sir. I described the encounter to Knox, and he started investigating. I got the impression from her words and actions that she felt threatened by someone she knew well.”
Easton shook his head. “She’s disappeared. That makes her look more guilty.”
Belinda shrugged. “I wish I could go back and talk to her again. Maybe there was something I could have said to prevent this.”
“Thank you for coming to talk to me, Belinda. We both know that if someone wishes to act in bad faith, there is very little someone can do to deter them.”
“Of everything she said, Cynthia emphasized she wanted to me tell you she didn’t have another option.”
“When she is found, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Belinda couldn’t say the exact day when her Daddy moved in with her. From the beginning of their relationship, his focus on her and willingness to work through the roadblocks she placed in their way had proven that she topped his priority list. He simply wanted to be with her as much as possible. They spent time together doing all the activities that Belinda had dreamed of doing as she’d read those books and fantasized of having a Daddy of her own. Only now, Pedro read those stories to her at bedtime—only one chapter at a time so she could get enough sleep before the next busy day. Much to her delight if that chapter made her wiggle too much with excitement, he could always find a way to exhaust her.
Last night, she’d asked to color in one of the new activity books he’d purchased for her. Sitting on his lap, she’d carefully looked through the pages to find her favorite one to start with. She felt a bit silly focusing on coloring while he watched.
“Can you choose a picture for me to decorate, too?” Pedro asked, looking over the pages as she thumbed through them.
Peeking up at him, she asked, “You’re going to color, Daddy?”
“I thought I’d see if I can stay inside the lines. It’s been a long time since I used crayons. You won’t laugh at me, will you, mi corazón?”
“No way,” she’d assured him and then had deliberately chosen a fairly simple page for him to work on. “How about this one?”
“I love it. I think I’ll make the butterfly orange like those ones we saw in the greenspace yesterday,” he announced.
“That will be beautiful, Daddy. Maybe with black antennae?” she suggested as they settled close together on the floor to share crayons.
She’d been so good and hadn’t giggled once when he said “Oops!” He’d promised they could finish tonight after dinner. Belinda had looked forward to it all day. Now finally, she turned the corner toward her apartment after another busy day in the position she loved so much. A late conference with Easton had delayed her and she’d missed walking home with Pedro.
Opening her door, Belinda paused in the doorway to sniff. “You’re making spaghetti?” she called. “Tell me there are meatballs and I’ll beg.”
“Oh, you’ll beg,” Pedro answered in his low, sexy voice as he emerged from the kitchen. His path past the refrigerator ruffled the pages still attached. Reminding her of that phrase, he’d made sure she wouldn’t forget. His daily actions underlined the truth contained in that simple phrase. Her Daddy only wanted the best for her.
Her eyes shifted from the rustling pages to focus on his appearance. Belinda couldn’t stop laughter from spilling from her lips. The pink frilly apron that Pedro wore strained to cover his bare chest. Quickly, she took a picture.
“Private use only,” he reprimanded her.
“Could I show it to my mom? I know she never imagined it would look so good,” Belinda asked, holding a hand to her belly as she laughed.
“So, you’re going to tell your family about me?” he asked, instantly detouring the funny situation to a much more important discussion.
“Yes?” she answered, shrugging her shoulders and trying to act cool. Belinda didn’t want him to think she was pushing for more than he wanted to give too soon. “I mean, I don’t have a plan or dates, but I want to you meet my family someday.”
“Mine are coming in two weeks. They are going to stay in my apartment,” he informed her as he stepped closer to wrap his arms around her.
“All your family?” she asked, remembering the picture he’d shown her.
“My youngest two sisters are hugely pregnant. According to Mom, they aren’t traveling now. It will just be my mom, my dad, and my sister and brother who are closest in age to me. Oh, and my brother’s family.”
“All those people can’t fit in your apartment with you,” Belinda protested.
“I’m staying here with you. Knox got permission for me to use the apartment on the other side of the hall as well. It has two bedrooms. That will give us plenty of room.”
She stared at him, trying to figure out what to say. “Mmm, that’s a lot of people. And you’re going to stay here? What will your parents say?”
“How glad they are to meet you and welcome to the family,” Pedro told her with a smile.
“But I’m not really part of the family. I’m just your girlfriend.”
“That’s not correct,” he answered with a dangerous glint reflecting in his eyes.
Belinda had already learned to pay attention when she saw that look. “I mean, I’m your girlfriend. The one they’ve never met. You haven’t been here for too long. I’m sure in their eyes our relationship couldn’t be serious.”
Pedro cupped the back of her head and tightened his arm around her, pulling her forward until their bodies pressed tightly together. His mouth descended over hers and he kissed her with the skill that always distracted her from anything else. When they were both breathing heavily, he leaned his forehead against hers to give them a moment to recover.
After a few seconds, he lifted his head to look deep into her eyes. “You aren’t my girlfriend. You’re my Little girl.”
He hasn’t told them that, has he?
When she panicked and pushed away, he quickly clarified, “No, they don’t know that you’re a Little. Our private business is only ours. Do I know my brother who’ll visit is a Daddy? Yes. We sympathized with each other during our searches. Do I know without being told that my oldest sister is a Little girl? Yes.”
“You haven’t told them I’m Little?” she asked skeptically.
“I have not. My fidelity goes to you only, mi corazón. I will protect you before anyone else,” he vowed.
“Really? I know how important your family is to you. I don’t want to get in the way,” she whispered.
“They will love you as much as I do.”
“You love me?” she repeated before she could stop herself. Her gaze dropped to the lace around the top of the frilly apron. She didn’t want to see him search for a way out of the box she’d trapped him in.
“I mean, I know it’s too fast to love me. But you care about me?” she asked, peeking up at him before dropping her focus again to that lacy edge.
His fingers cupped her chin and tilted her head until their eyes focused on each other. “I love you, Little girl, mi corazón, Belinda. I will love you today, tomorrow, and all the days after that.”
“Really?” she asked, feeling tears tumble from her eyes and spill over her cheeks.
“Truly.” He placed her hand under the frilly top of the apron, pressing it against his warm skin over his strong heartbeat. “You have my heart forever.”
Belinda stared at her hand tucked under the fabric. Bravely, she met his gaze with her own. Stiffening her spine, she whispered, “I’ve never felt like this, Pedro. I want to be with you every moment of the day and night. I think so much of you both personally and professionally. You are the exact person I’ve been searching for all my life. I keep waiting to screw this up.”
“You will screw something up and a punishment will wipe it away.” He patted her bottom fondly. “I’ll make mistakes, too, even though I’ll try to be the best Daddy I can.”
“Do I get to spank you?” she asked, grinning at that thought.
“No. Spanking is for naughty Little girls or boys. Serious conversations are for Daddies who screw something up. I’ll create a stuffie, chocolate, and flower fund to help me apologize.”
“I like chocolate,” she whispered.
“I know. You’ve eaten all my treats from the bottom drawer in my desk,” he teased.
“Sorry?”
“No apologies needed for coming to see me and stocking up on energy to make it through your day. I’m glad I’m the one you want to recover with,” he said softly.
She stepped close again to hug him and he squeezed her against his hard body as if savoring the feel of her. Belinda closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest. Pedro had become her sanctuary. She almost purred when his hand unfastened her ponytail and his fingers combed through her hair, massaging her scalp.
“You’re going to marry me when you’re ready or six months from now, whichever happens first. Then, we’ll create our own brood of brothers and sisters who alternatively love and hate each other.”
“We’re going to get married in six months?” she repeated, leaning away from his body to search his face.
“Unless you have something else happening on January first.” Pedro arched one questioning eyebrow.
“We’re getting married on January first?” she repeated, trying to sort out all the information he had surprised her with.
“Yes. I like that date. It’s my birthday.”
“You want to get married on your birthday?” she double-checked.
“You are the best present I could ever receive,” he shared with an indulgent smile.
“Do I get any say in this?” she laughed. Surely, he’s joking.
“Sure, when’s your birthday?”
“September thirteenth.”
“That works, too. We could get married on September thirteenth,” Pedro agreed, moving up the timeline for their wedding.
“That’s only a few weeks away,” she panicked.
“Better to wait until January first, hmmm?” he asked.
When she nodded, he concluded, “Perfect. January first, you will become Mrs. Pedro Morales.”
He took a step back and lowered himself to kneel on one knee. “I talked to your father this morning. Your parents have given me their blessing.”
She shook her head in disbelief at all the information she tried to understand and assimilate into her brain. “You called my father?”
He winked and reached out to take her hand. “I love you, Little girl. Now shush, and let me do this right.”
Taking a deep breath, Pedro asked, “Belinda Marie Jenkins, will you be my bride and forever my Little to hold and treasure for all the time we have left in this world?”
“Daddy? You’re not teasing me, are you?”
“No, mi corazón. I am very serious.” He squeezed her hand to reassure her.
“Oh, I forgot something.” Pedro reached into his pocket and retrieved a small velvet box. Opening it, he revealed a gorgeous red ruby surrounded by sparkling diamonds with a matching wedding ring wrapped around the dazzling center stones.
“That’s the ring you selected for me? People are going to chop my finger off to steal it,” she said before she could stop herself. Belinda stretched out a hand to stroke her finger over the unbelievable display of sparkling stones.
“No one is removing your finger, Little girl. If you don’t like it, we can choose another,” he suggested, watching her face.
“Oh, no. I love it. It’s the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“What do you think, Little girl? January first?”
“January first sounds perfect,” she answered in a rush of words.
“That’s my girl,” he praised as he stood agilely to take her hand. “I’ll take out the engagement ring for now. Let’s see if it fits.”
Pedro slid the ring over her knuckle and into place. “Perfect.”
She held her hand out to admire the gorgeous ring. It matched the nails that her Daddy had refreshed just the night before—glitter white polish with a red heart addition at the tip. He’d planned this.
“You could have told me last night,” she whispered.
“That was my plan, but you spent time in the corner with your naughty plug in place,” he reminded her softly.
“Daddy!” she protested, feeling her cheeks heat. Belinda still regretted snapping at her Daddy because she’d had such a grueling day.
“There is no one here but you and me, mi corazón, and we both know you needed corner time.”
“No more. I’ll be good,” she promised.
“Thankfully, the corners will remain in whatever house we own. And the plug? You wore the smallest size in the case. There are plenty more to keep you company while you think. I did get you this as well.”
Pedro shifted the frilly apron to reveal the other side pocket and pulled out a thick plug with a jeweled top, complete with a red heart. “You can wear this as you walk down the aisle to help remind you who you belong to.”
“That’s too big.”
“By January, you’ll be ready to wear it. Nothing will be off limits between the two of us. Perhaps we’ll set a goal of having me make love to your bottom on our wedding night.”
She squeezed her thighs together, willing herself not to react to his words. Her panties were already soaked. Holding the heavy plug in her hand should scare her, but instead, she was completely turned on, imagining the sting of her bottom as he pressed it into place before she walked down the aisle to become his. The idea of a private reminder between Daddy and Little girl thrilled her.
His thumb brushed over one erect nipple, pushing against the padding of her bra. “Your body says yes. What does your heart say?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
With a roar, Pedro wrapped his arms around her and swept her feet from the floor. Turning in a tight circle, he celebrated her acquiescence. “I love you, Little girl.”
“I love you, too, Daddy,” she answered truthfully, realizing a million days wouldn’t have been enough time for her to decide anyone else was her perfect match. Two weeks and video conferences before they’d met were more than enough for her to know that Pedro was her one. My Daddy.
Pedro let her slide down the front of his body, allowing her to feel his arousal. “By the way, your mom and dad are coming to meet me the week after my side of the family is here. They can stay at my apartment.”
“What?”
“You’re not hungry, right?” he asked, guiding her into the kitchen, where he turned off the flame under the bubbling sauce.
“I could be,” she commented, trying to figure out where this conversation was headed now.
“Exactly what I thought. You need to relax before dinner.” Pedro carefully unfastened the borrowed apron and placed it on the counter.
Crowding Belinda against the blank wall, he unfastened her slacks and pushed them over her hips to let them settle on the floor. “I like these,” he commented, tracing the white lace edging on the red heart thong he’d dressed her in that morning.
“You chose those on purpose,” she said with a gasp, having forgotten what she wore.
“Guilty. They look so good on you.” He looped his finger under the thin strap that ran between her buttocks. Pedro pulled up on this string gently, rubbing the fabric over that small hidden opening.
“But, mi corazón, these panties have become totally soaked. They need to come off.”
“It’s your fault,” she whispered and looked down at the plug still resting in her hand.
“You are going to love taking me deep inside your bottom. For now, I think you need a quick release.” He pulled the panties down to her ankles and helped her step out of her clothing.
“Turn around, Little girl,” Pedro requested, turning his finger in a circle.
She slowly complied and looked over her shoulder. He isn’t going to…
“Hands on the wall.”
“Should I take off my shoes?” Belinda offered, drawing his attention to her stilettos.
“When we’re done,” Pedro assured her as he unfastened his pants and pushed them over his hips.
She heard the rustle of the condom and knew he protected her. His arm encircled her waist, pulling her hips back to him. Belinda kept her hands plastered to the wall, or as best she could, while holding the plug in her palm. Lifting her bottom to present herself to him, Belinda held her breath as he fit the broad head of his cock to her opening. With one powerful thrust, he filled her, pushing all the air from her lungs.
“Do you wish to beg?” he asked, playfully reminding her of their conversation as she’d walked in the door.
“Please, Daddy. Make me come.”
“My pleasure, mi corazón.”
His skilled thrusts pushed her arousal high quickly. The promises contained in his sweet caresses assured her he wouldn’t stop until he’d erased the long day completely from her mind. Rule one popped into her mind. No talk about work after hours.
She loved being a Little girl.
No, Belinda corrected herself. She loved being his Little girl.
She peeked over her shoulder at him when he plucked the plug from her gripping hand.
“Daddy’s toy.”
Belinda shivered as he used its tip to draw a line slowly down the center of her torso. He marked her newly shaven mound with an X. The flesh was so sensitive that she clenched tightly around his cock deep inside her, drawing an appreciative moan from his lips against her ear. Pedro traced the line of her cleft and pressed the plug into her pink folds. She gasped as he rubbed it against her clit, making her wobble on her high heels as she struggled for balance.
“You’re going to love this plug, Little girl,” he whispered into her ear.
She nodded emphatically in agreement before pressing one cheek to the cold paint as his other hand drew her attention from the stroking plug. Pedro removed his supportive arm from around her waist to stroke his thumb between her buttocks. Belinda froze against the wall as he pressed against that small opening her gift was designed to fill.
“Daddy’s going to prepare you to take him here, mi corazón. Are you going to be a good girl for me?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” she screamed against the wall as the first orgasm hit.