Protector Daddy (MC Daddies 3)

And also the most expensive.

“I’ll pay you for it,” she blurted out.

Immediately she wished the words back as his face grew dark. “What?”

“Um, it’s just I know this is really expensive. I might not be here much longer. I mean, I shouldn’t stay much longer. I can’t. I have things I’m supposed to do. And it cost too much money for me to use for only a few days. And I suppose you could sell it when I’m gone. But if you’re gonna do that then I might as well buy it from you.” She paused to take in a gasping breath. She kept her gaze from his. She wasn’t feeling quite brave enough to look at him.

Then he grasped her under the chin and lifted her head, forcing her to look at him. “No.”

She blinked, waiting for more.

Really, she should have known better.

“No? That’s just it. No?”

“No. You are not paying for it.” The words were pushed out through gritted teeth.

“But I have the money.”

“No.”

“But—”

He placed his hand over her mouth. “For God’s sake, woman. Stop arguing. One more word about paying for it and that’s thirty minutes in time-out.”

Well, that didn’t seem very fair. She wasn’t breaking any of the rules. And she didn’t think it was fair for him to pay for this on top of everything else.

She stomped her foot in frustration. Then she slid her tongue out and licked him.

“What’d I say to you about that tongue?” he drawled, removing his hand and giving her a hard, hot look.

Uh-oh.

She licked her lips. “You wouldn’t let me talk.”

“Talking gets you into trouble.”

Darn it. She certainly couldn’t argue with that. She watched him warily.

Spike suddenly took a step towards her and with a squeak, she turned and raced off, heading down the hallway. Where she thought she was going to go, she had no idea, since she’d turned in the direction of his bedroom.

27

Running from him was a bad, bad idea.

Didn’t she know never to run from a predator? He didn’t give a shit whether she had money or not. She wasn’t paying him back for a gift.

Spike strode down the hallway, making his footsteps deliberately heavy to warn her he was coming. Normally, she’d accuse him of walking like a ballerina.

Tonight, she got the hulk.

He opened the door and stood in the doorway, looking around the room for his naughty girl.

She wasn’t anywhere obvious, but he knew her preferred hiding places. Walking inside the room, he shut the door behind him and stalked over to the closet. Pulling the door open, he soon discovered she wasn’t in there. Climbing down so he could peer under the bed, he caught sight of a little foot. Grabbing the ankle, he gently tugged her out.

“No! No, Daddy!”

“Come out here, Millicent Margaret,” he said sternly. She froze, no longer fighting him. Nothing like the power of two names to tell a Little when Daddy was being serious.