AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I try to think of the best way to answer, but Nicky beats me to it.
“We met at my mom’s funeral. And contrary to your mother’s lies, that day was the most time she ever spent in the same room as my mom.”
“I figured.” My voice comes out lower than I intend. “I’m sor—”
“Uh uh!” Shannon pipes up. “Rule number one, remember?”
I bite down on my lip to stop the words I feel like I’m supposed to say. Words that are ingrained in my mind as a result of being told everything is my fault. It feels strange… to suddenly be told I’m not the problem.
“Come on.” Jonsie tugs on my arm, pulling me from my thoughts and toward the house. “I have stuff you can wear.”
“J!” Nicky calls out as we climb the stone steps to the front door. I stop. Looking back, I’m surprised to find him staring at me. “Dress her for the track. Let’s see what the princess is made of.”
CHAPTER 5
NOW
DAPHNE – Age 23
“Fuck, yes!” Lucian grunts as he rolls off me and onto his back. “Jesus Christ, baby cakes,” he pants, chest still heaving as he discards the condom in the waste basket beside the bed. “That hit the spot.”
I blow a stray curl from my face, my head lolling to the side where I’m met with the sight of Luc basking in the ambiance of his arrogance. “Don’t call me baby cakes.”
He turns his head to meet my gaze, flashing me a bright white smile so perfectly straight, he’s a dentist’s wet dream. “Awww, what’s the matter, sweet cheeks?” Luc rolls on his side to pull my naked body into his, slapping my ass in the process. “I know you enjoyed it.”
Cringe-worthy nicknames aside, he’s not wrong. We may share next to no common interests, but sex is one area Luc and I have decent chemistry in. I mean, is he the best I’ve ever had? No. But does he know his way around a vagina well enough to pull an orgasm out of me on a semi-consistent basis? Sure. And let’s be honest, in today’s dating pool, you’re exceeding the expectation at that point.
“I did enjoy it.” His smile grows even wider, assuring me my words did their part in fueling his ego. “So, stop ruining it with your ridiculous pet names. It’s killing the mood.” With a gentle shove to his chest, I slip from the bed and pad against the hardwood, my bare feet carrying me to the dresser where I retrieve my oversized Taylor Swift concert tee. I shove it over my head, the worn fabric coming to stop mid-thigh, before twisting my hair up into a messy bun.
“I’m gonna go make some coffee. You want some?”
“That depends.” Luc props his head up on his palm, eyeing me playfully. “Is my kitten going to bring me breakfast in bed?”
“This isn’t 1950, Luc. Your fiancée is going to go make coffee in the kitchen, and should you find the strength to drag your ass out there, you will find a cup waiting for you, too.”
Luc drops onto his back with an exaggerated sigh.
“Oh my God. What?” I toss my hands out to the side before planting them on my hips.
“You know, Daphne, the attitude is really unnecessary. It’s getting old fast.”
“Well, Lucian, I’d imagine it’s aging just as quickly as those stupid fucking pet names you feel the need to call me. It’s almost like—” I offer up an exaggerated gasp. “—one is correlated with the other.”
“See?” He tosses back the sheets, jumping from the bed and pulling on his boxers. “Right there. Always got a smartass comment waiting in the wings. One of these days that mouth’s going to get you in trouble.”
“Yeah, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that.” I sigh, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “Look, Luc. I’ve told you on numerous occasions I don’t like to be called those things. I don’t know why you can’t just show me the respect I’m asking for.”
“Respect?” He scoffs on a laugh. “You want to talk about respect? That’s rich, from the girl who wants me to call her a slut in bed. So, I can’t use terms of endearment, but I can pin you down by the throat and tell you to take my dick like a filthy whore?”
“I have no problem with terms of endearment. I just don’t like that patronizing shit that makes me sound like a goddamn airhead. And in regard to my preferences in the bedroom, you made your standpoint on them perfectly clear when you assured me that would never happen, so no need to argue a moot point.”
“Because what you’re asking me to do is disgusting and not normal! You’re my future wife, Daphne. You will be the mother of my children one day.”
“So, what? Because one day someone’s going to call me mom, it means I can’t enjoy being spanked while having my air supply cut off?”
“You have fucking issues.”
“Hey, now. People pay a lot of money to play with issues like mine. Come on,” I goad him, “I’ll call you Daddy while you anger-fuck the trauma out of me.”
