Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“Careful,” Alejandro warned, tightening his hold on her as Faith started bouncing around, completely oblivious to them all.
This wasn’t good. How could she not have noticed them enter? Is this what she was always like when she drank?
“How much have you had to drink?” Alejandro asked Cat.
What the hell was Faith doing? Was she trying to dance? His heart stopped as she dropped low and then stood again, nearly toppling over.
The movements she made with her hips . . . they were for his eyes only.
“Not much, Papi!” Cat exclaimed.
Reuben picked up a half-full bottle of tequila.
“Hey, that’s ours, Rocking-Reuby.”
Dear Lord. Her names for him kept getting worse.
“Catarina,” Alejandro said in a stern voice.
“Papi,” she said in the same tone.
“Did you steal that from me?”
“Papi, how can it be stealing when what’s yours is mine?”
“Hmm.” Alejandro sat his wife onto his hip. “And does that go both ways? Is what’s yours mine?”
She gasped. “Papi, are you trying to steal Roger?”
“Just trying to figure out the finer points of this arrangement. Do you know how much that tequila cost?”
“Does it matter?” Cat asked.
Not to Reuben. He walked toward Faith as she started running her hands down her body.
No. Nope.
No way was she allowed to dance like this in front of other people. He lifted her up in his arms, making her gasp. Which had the added bonus of stopping her singing.
Thank God.
“Daddy! What are you doing? When did you get here? Did you just pop out of the shadows? Or were you invivisibible?”
He stared down at her. “Do you mean invisible?”
“Yeah. That’s what I said.” She turned her head toward Cat. “Poor Daddy, his hearing is going.”
Cat nodded solemnly. “I’ve heard that happens. But don’t worry if they get forgetful. That just means that you can get away with loads more because they’ll forget what you’ve done and to spank you.”
Faith pointed at her. “You . . . you are a freaking genius.”
Cat smiled primly. “Thank you. I try.”
“Well, unfortunately for you, mi Pequeña,” Alejandro said in a soft voice. “My memory is still very much intact.”
“Uh-oh,” Cat said. “I didn’t say you were old yet, Papi.”
“I’m never going to be so old that I forget to punish you. Come on, it’s time for us to go.”
“Go? But it’s my turn to sing.” Cat pouted. “And we haven’t finished drinking.”
“You’re both finished,” Reuben told them.
Faith poked her tongue out and blew a raspberry at him.
“Oh, you’re going to regret that.”
Faith felt so fuzzy.
Like she was floating. Or flying.
“Whee! I’m flying!” she cried as she put her arms out and tried to dive down.
“Fuck! Faith! You’re not flying, I’m carrying you. Don’t do that again or you’ll hurt yourself.”
She stared up at Reuben, tears making her vision go blurry. “You called me Faith.”
He started to swear. “Sorry, baby. That was an accident.”
“I don’ts like it.”
“I know. I really am sorry.” He carried her into her playroom.
“Are we gonna play, Daddy!” She clapped her hands.
“No. You are going to have a nap.”
“But I don’ts want a nap.”
“Tough. You need one. You’ve drunk a lot of tequila and you’re going to crash. Hard.”
“What time is it?” she asked as he sat her on the bed.
“Close to five.” He eyed her. “Maybe it would be better to feed you and put you to bed for the night rather than take a nap.”
“It’s too early to go to bed, Daddy!”
“Not when you’re drunk, it isn’t.”
She gasped. “Daddy! I never get drunk. Never. Ever.”
“Wait. You’ve never been drunk?” he asked.
“Nope.” She shook her head so hard that she toppled over onto her side.
And started to giggle.
“Oh, my poor baby. You are definitely going to regret this in the morning.” He crouched and brushed the hair off her face.
“I regret nothing!” She pumped her fist into the air.
“We need to get some food and water into you. And painkillers.”
“Nooo, Daddy!”
“Yes, Little Blossom. Let’s get you in something you can sleep in first.” He stood and moved toward the closet.
“No!” she cried out, trying to follow him.
But for some reason, she found herself on her bottom on the floor. She started giggling again.
She didn’t know why. It just seemed really, really funny.
“Fuck, baby. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Nuh-uh, I’m fine, Daddy.”
“I need a highchair for you.”
“Don’t needs it, Daddy. I’m all good.” He picked her up and laid her down on the bed again. But this time he pulled up the sides, so she was enclosed in a crib.
“Stay there while I get some clothes for you.”
“But I like your T-shirts.” She pouted.
“You want to sleep in one of my T-shirts?” he asked her.
“Uh-huh. The Wishingbone, Montana ones. They are so cute and soft and cuddly.”
“All right. I’ll be right back.”
She hummed, rolling back and forth until a fullness in her bladder had her sitting up.
“Daddy! Daddy!”
He rushed in, looking harried. Poor Daddy. He seemed so tired. He should rest more.