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“No. It just tastes gross.”
Arrow frowned at her and pushed the glass back towards her. “Sometimes, a little girl will be required to try foods they might think tastes gross. Listening and following Daddy’s instructions are important, because Daddy only wants what is best for you. Now, if you really don’t like milk, maybe, I can put something in it to make it taste better.”
“Like chocolate syrup?” she looked up at him hopefully.
“Yes, like chocolate syrup. Take one drink and I will go get the chocolate syrup from the fridge. Kittens are supposed to like milk.”
“Silly Daddy, I’s a human not a kitten.” Whoa. Where did that come from? Her little had never felt safe to come out outside of The Citadel.
“You are my little kitten,” he said, bending and dropping a kiss on her forehead. He went to the fridge and grabbed the chocolate syrup and brought it over to the table. “Take a drink.”
After she obeyed, she made a face showing her disgust. He squirted some chocolate syrup into the glass and stirred it up before bending over her plate. He picked up the fork and started cutting her food into bite-size pieces.
Emilee gasped. “Daddy! You just beheaded my dino nugget!”
“I sure did. I’m sorry, Kitten. Let me get you a fresh dino nugget.” He snatched the dinosaur halves off of her plate and popped them into his mouth. “There, the evidence is all gone. Now you don’t have to see such a horrific thing.”
“Silly, Daddy.” He smiled warmly and sat down beside her.
Emilee devoured her food in a matter of seconds. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was. She’d gone to The Rusty Crab for lunch. The soup of the day was broccoli cheddar, her favorite. She’d been looking forward to a large bowl of it all morning. Delilah set the steaming bowl in front of her and her mouth watered, but before she had a chance to eat, Officer Mills slid into the booth across from her.
“Mind if I join you?” he’d asked, his voice low and calm. Emilee's spoon clattered against the bowl as she froze. The memory of that encounter sent a chill down Emilee's spine.
“I think we need to have a little chat,” he continued smoothly, leaning in. “About keeping certain matters to ourselves.”
Emilee's eyes darted around the crowded diner, but no one was paying them any attention.
“You know, if you told anyone about your... accident,” Mills said, “I'm quite certain they wouldn't believe you. After all, who would take the word of someone like you, a drug addict, over a respected and decorated Grand Ridge officer?”
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. “And if you opened that pretty little mouth of yours, well... I'd make sure it was the last time. Who would question if an addict overdosed?”
Emilee's hands trembled in her lap as Mills leaned even closer.
“It would be a shame if your new friend Arrow found out about your past. About your arrest record. Not to mention what happened to your family. All those gory details... What kind of man would want to be with a woman with no family, no friends and a rap sheet?”
“Is everything okay here?” Delilah stood next to the booth, Corky standing next to her.
“Do you need assistance, Emilee?” Corky asked.
Mills stood up abruptly. “Enjoy your soup,” he said loudly, his threatening demeanor vanishing in an instant. He turned and walked out of the diner without looking back.
“Emilee? Hey, are you okay?”
Arrow's concerned voice snapped Emilee back to the present. She blinked rapidly, realizing she had been staring blankly at her plate.
“What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine,” she lied, forcing a smile. “Just thinking about work.”
Arrow studied her face, his brow furrowed with worry, Emilee knew he wasn't buying it. And she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her secrets - or her sanity - intact.
“You aren’t lying to me, are you, Kitten? A second spanking in a short amount of time would make me believe you weren’t taking Daddy’s warnings seriously.”
“No. I mean, yes. I mean, I don’t know.” Emilee bit her bottom lip. “This is still very new and I don’t want to scare you away.”
“Emilee, I’ve been to combat and back multiple times. There’s nothing you are going to say that could scare me away.”
“But… what if I…”
“What if you what?” He put his fork down and stood up. Taking her by the hand, he pulled her up and into his arms.
