“It’s all your fault. I passed out from exhaustion, and you didn’t even feed me.” I look over my shoulder at him to give my best pout.
“I’m sorry, Duchess. It slipped my mind. I filled up on your sweet cunt.” He kisses the same spots where he bit me, pulling himself from the bed and taking me with him up and over his shoulder, strolling through the house like I weigh nothing. I don’t even struggle with being carried around like I’m a doll. I have a nice view of his ass from this angle, but too bad he slipped on his boxer briefs. I watch his powerful leg muscles move us with ease down the hall, reminding me of how big he really is.
I’ve never had this closeness with someone before, and I’m going to suck up every second of it. I’m sick of fighting this. The last few hours of my life have been the best I can remember.
I’m through with everything, and it’s all going to change today. This is something I’ve never done. I’ve always done what my father’s wanted and that’s gotten me nowhere. Everything from the classes I took, to the activities I participated in, he had laid out for me.
It feels freeing to let go. I thought I would’ve had this freedom when I left college, but instead I came back to have control ripped away from me once again. It seems playing by my father’s rules got me nowhere, and no matter what I did, he would just make up new ones. It was an endless cycle of holding me down.
I’m still a little worried about my grandma. Maybe I can just tell her what’s going on. I’m so worried that it might stress her out, and that’s something she doesn’t need right now. She seems to be so weak lately that she doesn’t need all this laid at her feet. I hate that I didn’t realize how sick she’s really been. I should’ve been coming home more, but every time I called she always said she was fine. It wasn’t until recently that I found out things haven’t really been all that fine after all. And now my father really has some leverage over me—the one thing he can use to control me.#p#分页标题#e#
I’m starting to wonder what he has over Law. Law and I have never been super close, both going off to different boarding schools and him being eight years older than me. His life was busy when he worked up in Chicago, and even when I could make it out to see him, he always had his head buried deep into whatever case he was working on.
I haven’t gotten much time to talk to him since I’ve gotten back. I was being pulled in so many directions, we didn’t have time to catch up. We’re going to have to sit down and work some stuff out because there’s no way I’m going to let Dad keep me from Grandma, and more than likely I’ll need Law’s help.
Paine sits me on the counter, making me squirm on the cold granite top. “Sorry, Duchess.” He reaches for a shirt hanging off the bar stool at the breakfast bar, sliding it over my head. “I love seeing you naked, but I don’t want you to be cold either.” Leaning in, he takes my mouth in a soft kiss. “You sore?” His eyes go soft, and I can see the concern in his face. “I took you hard.”
“I’ve never been more perfect.” I smile when I say the words because they’re true. I feel so happy with him. Like I’m home. “And thanks,” I say, looking down at the worn shirt with an old car on it. I love it more than any piece of clothing I have. It’s completely Paine, complete with what looks like an old grease stain. Even better, it smells like him.
“You never have to thank me. Taking care of you is what I’m supposed to do.” He runs his thumb across my lip before pulling away.
“What do you fancy, Duchess?” he asks, pulling open the refrigerator door.
“You cook?” I can’t picture him working his way around a kitchen. A car, sure, but making spaghetti? Not so much.
“When I’ve got food I can, but I’ve been too busy to get to the store. Someone has had me chasing them all over town.” He turns to smile at me as he pulls eggs and cheese from the fridge.
It’s crazy how easy this feels. Like we’ve been doing it forever. Maybe when it’s right, that’s just how it is. I don’t have experience with men, but my grandma told me when you find the right man, you just know.
I kept getting worried that she’s going to ask me if Scott was the one, but she hasn’t. Maybe she just thinks he is. Why else would I agree to marry him?
“Hope you like egg-and-cheese sandwiches. We can run to the store and stock up tomorrow on some stuff. I plan on keeping you in our bed for the next few days.”