Page 10 of Winter Break

Chapter Four

Cora

I’m pacing Orion’s kitchen as he prepares lunch. He won’t let me help. In fact, he says I will never cook for him. It’s impossible for me to wrap my head around that. I’ve been cooking for a long time. Even before my mother died, I had taken over many of the household chores.

I’m nervous. That’s an understatement.

One of Orion’s brothers, Sylas, has gone to my home to retrieve the things I listed. Orion helped me by making suggestions. I’m grateful. Sylas will be in and out before Vincent arrives. I don’t care that he’s going to break into the house to do so. Apparently he has a lock pick. Vincent might not even realize it happened.

He’s retrieving special things from my childhood, from when it was just me and my mom before she married Vincent. Pictures, a few pieces of my mother’s jewelry, her journals from when she was pregnant with me.

I was beyond shocked when Orion asked me if I had any toys I wanted. I hesitated and felt ridiculous asking for the china doll my mother bought me on my fifth birthday. I also added the stuffed puppy she got me as a baby and the other dolls I’ve been keeping in a box in the closet.

Orion didn’t even flinch. In fact, he seemed pleased. We made this list at the kitchen table, and I sat on his lap the entire time.

It’s not as if it’s been hours. I’ve been here less than one hour. Navin has been stalling Vincent because Orion texted him and asked him to do so, but they will be here soon.

I laughed when Orion told me he had no intention of preparing anything for Vincent at all. That had been a ruse to get me away from my stepfather.

When I hear a vehicle arriving outside, I spin around to face Orion. “This is a bad idea. He’s going to be livid.”

Orion pulls me into his arms. “I want you to go into the bedroom and lock it behind you. Stay in there until you hear me through the door. Okay?”

I nod, but I’m scared out of my head.

“Trust me, Little doll.” He kisses me on the lips. This is my second kiss, and I wish it weren’t at such a dire moment. I’d rather he keep kissing me. It feels so nice.

“Okay.”

He gives me a silly smirk. “Okay, Daddy.”

I draw in a deep breath. What a strange custom. But oddly, it feels right. “Okay, Daddy.” I like the sound of that endearment coming from my lips. It makes me feel special, like I matter to him. He’s right. It’s fitting, based on how he has treated me so far.

By all appearances and his words, he intends to take care of me, and I’m so damn tired that I’d like to let him. The word Daddy makes me want to climb onto his lap and take a nap, and I think he’d like that.

He guides me to the bedroom, kisses me again, and holds my face. “Do not come out until I say so, understood?”

I nod, biting my lip. He’s bossy. That should make me panic. But it’s nothing like the bossy asshole I’ve been living with. Orion isn’t shouting orders at me. He never raises his voice at all.

He’s telling me to stay in his room in order to keep me safe and prevent me from having to face my stepfather. He hasn’t demanded that I clean his floors or cook him a meal. Those are very different types of bossy.

He also hasn’t slapped me or yanked on my arm.

I cross my arms and rub my biceps as I pace Orion’s bedroom. Daddy’s bedroom. It’s very masculine. Rustic. Now that I have a chance to really look at it, I believe it’s custom made. The headboard, nightstands, and dresser are all solid wood.

The bed is kind of high off the floor, which isn’t surprising considering how tall Orion…Daddy is. He’s one of the tallest men I’ve ever seen. Navin is, too. I suspect all of the lion shifters are tall and broad.

I can’t believe how much better my arm feels. It’s not perfect, but it’s not throbbing like it was earlier.

I shudder. He bit me. The man sank his sharp incisors into my arm and injected me with his essence or something.

Holy shit. Does this mean I’m going to become a lion shifter now? How the hell did I not think to ask that?

I wander around, not touching anything. I don’t want to be nosy. I’m a guest here.

Wait. I’m not a guest at all. I live here now. I can’t wrap my head around that. It’s surreal. How will I be of any use to Orion or anyone else? I didn’t even finish high school. Vincent forced me to drop out and take over the household chores before my mother’s body was cold. He said I was lucky he was going to let me stay in my house. He told me he could send me to foster care where I would be treated far worse than if I stayed and earned my keep with Vincent.

I’m not at all sure I made the right decision. I probably would be better off if I’d called his bluff. Even if I had gone to a group home or a crowded foster family, at least I would have finished high school.