AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No. That’s not necessary.”
“Do you want me to pick you up and take you over my shoulder? Because I fucking will if I have to.”
Her eyes bulge, and she shakes her head. “Fine, but just for the night until I figure something out,” she finally agrees. “Hey, Dom?”
I glance down at her from the corner of my eye. “Yeah?”
“Is Aaron with them right now?”
“Yeah…he said they’re going to stay for a couple of nights, but then he’ll find them other arrangements. He’s sorry, Zoe.”
She nods, looking defeated, likely by the realization that her brother made time for her parents but he didn’t do the same when she arrived. I want to tell her it’s not personal; it’s because he thinks he’ll have more time with her. I want to tell her to forget them, that she doesn’t need their love and affection. That all she needs is her. She can be the love of her life, and she doesn’t need their approval. She never has, because she is amazing in every way.
A smack lands across my chest, startling me enough that my back hits the mirror in the elevator.
“The hell did you just hit me for?”
Zoe smiles, and it takes me a second to sense another shift. She’s masking her sadness with something else. I’ll happily play along if it’ll help her forget about her shitty family.
She shrugs, biting her lip as her smile grows wider. “Are you going to do something about it?”
Fuck, I really want to. I’d love to press her face into the couch in my apartment and empty her mind. Fill her with nothing but pleasure and leave my cum dripping down her legs. My instinct is to reach for her, but I stop myself, dropping my gaze to the floor.
This just got a lot harder.
Fucking hell, she’s going to live with me temporarily.
Sweet lord, help me.
CHAPTER 35
ZOE
“Did you grab everything you need?” Dominik asks as he props open the door to his apartment. He steps aside and allows me to walk in.
I can’t believe my parents dropped in out of nowhere, like a fucking bomb right in the middle of my life. That’s their M.O. though; it’s like their timing is always intended to spoil any good days I might be having.
Aaron texted Dom to inform him they were going out to dinner. He hasn’t called or texted me once, presumably embarrassed or too chicken to say anything to me right now. That’s fine, I’m just going to ignore it like I always do when he feels like he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Dom and I took the opportunity to run upstairs and pack some bags since I’ll be staying with him for a few days. When we were up in Aaron’s apartment, I couldn’t help but notice the array of gifts and treats on the kitchen island. Bottles of wine, a large bouquet of flowers, little teddy bears as if he’s still a five-year-old. It’s not like there is an occasion for any of it.
I can’t remember the last time we celebrated my birthday as a family. Aaron’s birthday is close to Thanksgiving, and my parents always made a big deal out of it. No one was allowed to go anywhere or do anything around Aaron’s birthday. There were gifts, parties, a trip to Disney, even. Which is great; I’m happy my brother got so much love. He deserves it. But I’m not going to lie, it fucking stung when, year after year, they forgot about me.
Unfortunately for me, my birthday falls on the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Growing up, everyone was always busy during that time and we would either be traveling or getting ready for New Year’s Eve celebrations. My parents threw the biggest party around…which meant after Christmas wrapped up, they were busy preparing for that. They would tell me my birthday was part of the celebration, but it wasn’t true. Nothing about me was ever included. They just forgot because they never gave a shit about me.
Aaron noticed it as well, and he always made an effort to lift my spirits. His caring demeanor lessened the blow from my parents, but eventually, I stopped celebrating my birthday because it only served as a reminder of how unloved I felt. The holiday season now only brings about bitter memories. And the worst part is how these moments continuously reopen old wounds, making it hard for me to forget and move forward.
“Yeah…I think so.” Resting my two suitcases by the door, I slip off my shoes and walk inside.
“It’s late. Are you hungry?”
I shake my head and just linger in Dominik’s dark foyer.
“Zoe,” he calls out to me.
I fear that if I speak, words I shouldn’t even entertain will spill from my mouth. They might unlock a floodgate of emotions, causing me to break down in front of a man I hardly know.
“I’m good. I think I’m just going to go to bed.”
